Make a Book Exhibition
Eight first year students attended the annual 'Make a Book' Exhibition which took place in the Maldron Hotel in Dublin on Thursday, 29 February. 'Make a Book' is a national event attracting entries from schools all around the country. The project involves students researching, writing and producing their own book on a topic that interests them. This year the students chose as their topic the 'Paris Olympic Games' which take place this summer. The students paired off into teams to research the book. Some of the students also worked with Mr McVicar and Ms Kenny to produce art work to accompany the book. Replica Olympic medals were produced on a 3D printer and painted, as was a model of the Eiffel Tower and a model of the Olympic rings. The students presented their work to a large audience in the Maldron Hotel in Dublin along with a number of other schools.
Model Council of the European Union
The weather proved to be a challenging start to the day, but it did not dampen the spirits of Kate Saunders, Aldrin Omana, Raphael Carlos Balisi Geoghegan and Angela Prince as they attended Dublin Castle to participate in a debate on EU enlargement from the viewpoint of Austria on Friday, 1st March 2024. The day saw 27 schools from every corner of Ireland, each representing one of the EU member countries, in a bid to negotiate and form a consensus on how EU enlargement should be implemented. The debate centred around economics with a focus on CAP, the cohesion policy and Communication issues. Kate outlined a recommendation that a tax on cryptocurrencies should be introduced to help pay for the ever-increasing cost of expansion and was delighted to achieve support among her fellow delegates. While many points are brought to the table during the formal talks, much of the real negotiations takes place over the lunch hour as delegates have informal meetings and form alliances.
The students were delighted to receive an honourable mention and a bag of goodies. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, thank you to The European Commission Representation in Ireland for organising such a relevant and informative event. #ModelCouncilEU #Youth4EU
Engineering Visit
On Monday, 4 March, the Fifth Year engineering class from CCM visited LMH Engineering in Arklow as part of their educational program. The purpose of the trip was to provide students with a hands-on experience in various aspects of engineering. The students participated in workshop sessions covering topics such as Robotics, Mechanics, Electronics, and CAD Design. Additionally, the students were given a tour of LMH Engineering facilities, where they were able to see firsthand the different stages of the engineering process. This experience allowed the students to understand how theoretical concepts are applied in a real-world setting. One of the highlights of the trip was the use of cutting-edge augmented reality technologies through Microsoft HoloLens in the built environment. This technology allowed the students to explore virtual models of engineering projects and gain a better understanding of how they are designed and constructed.
Overall, the visit to LMH Engineering in Arklow was a valuable educational experience for the Fifth Year engineering class from CCM. The students gained practical knowledge, hands-on experience, and a greater understanding of the field of engineering. This field trip provided a unique opportunity for the students to apply their classroom learning in a real-world setting and will hopefully benefit their future careers in engineering.
Creative Writing Workshop
On Tuesday morning, 4 March, TY students were very excited to attend the Creative Writing Workshop held in the library. Students were given the opportunity to develop their writing skills by working in groups, exploring relationship dynamics and develop their characters' identities. The workshop was enjoyed by all and a special thanks to Mrs. Doyle for organising a fantastic morning.
Trip to the National Concert Hall
On Thursday, 7 March, 25 Junior Cycle music students travelled to the National Concert Hall where they were treated to a wonderful concert by the National Symphony Orchestra.
They explored how music can be used to express an emotion or character, starting out with the William Tell Overture where they could hear how one small idea could be developed across each section of the orchestra to build excitement and portray the idea of galloping horses. Stravinsky's Firebird Suite then introduced the unconventional use of brass and percussion instruments with unusual harmonies and syncopated rhythms to portray the image of monsters. A live performance by renowned Irish duo, Zoe Conway and John McIntyre, gave students an insight into music rights and how musicians and composers make a living from their music.
Finally, the orchestra played the Imperial march from Star Wars by John Williams. The students thoroughly enjoyed the day and were delighted to enjoy first-hand experience of a full orchestra playing.
TY Theatre Trip
On Thursday, 7 March, the TY students went to Liberty Hall Theatre for a comedy show designed specifically for TY students. Ger Carey took a hilarious look at modern teenage life, discussing mental health, friendships, and the importance of being able to laugh at yourself. The students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to experience a live theatre show, in this iconic venue. A great day was had by all.
World Book Day
The school celebrated World Book Day on Friday, 8 March, with a number of events. A Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) event was organised for all First and Second year students. A literary table quiz was also organised and the winning teams all received book vouchers. A number of students were also brought to Bridge Street Books in the town and were able to buy any book they wanted in the shop. Classes were also shown a number of webcasts in the library with a literary theme to celebrate the occasion.
Wicklow/Wexford League
CCM-5 : 1-Coláiste Bhríde, Carnew
CCM played in the Division 2 First Year Wicklow/Wexford League Final on Friday, 1st March, in Lamberton Astro, Arklow. CCM started the brightest with some well-worked plays that had Carnew on the back foot from the very first minute. It wasn't long until CCM took a well-deserved lead through a great assist from Failim Drew Redmond to Alex Healy who powered his way into the 18 yard box and struck an unstoppable shot past the Carnew net-minder. It was on the twentieth minute when CCM doubled their lead through Alex Healy for his second of the day. Carnew struck back with a well-worked corner kick, but it was CCM who proved to be too strong in this contest for county glory. Half time arrived and CCM found themselves 2-1 in the lead and a tough second half ahead. That soon changed however when Rian Abell came off the bench to put the game beyond any doubt when he scored three goals to ensure CCM would be crowned champions. The lads now head into the Leinster champions league knock-out stages.
Senior Girls GAA
On Monday, 4 March, our Senior girls team played against Loreto Bray in the Senior B cup semi-final. The girls started off well with the backs putting in a very good defensive effort to keep Loreto at bay. Annabelle Killeen added to the scoresheet for CCM with well-taken frees. CCM started off the second half well but Loreto were too strong in the end and won. It was the last game for our Sixth year students, Brooke Griffin, Hollie O'Connor, Abigail Delaney, Alex Forsyth and Robyn Parkinson. Thank you very much girls for all the effort you put in over the years and we wish you the very best going forward!
Ultimate Frisbee Cup
On Thursday, 7 March, forty-nine students attended the Leinster Junior Ultimate Frisbee Cup in Dublin against eighteen other teams. With four teams representing the school, it was a busy day.
Each team started off in a pool with three other teams and then went into quarters. CCM B was very unlucky to end in a three-way-tie, losing out on points difference by just one point so they were playing for 9th. Despite good offence, the defence just wasn't tight enough and they took 10th place for the day. Stand-out performances from Bill Guinan (brilliant pitch awareness on offence and defence), Joel Manyara (incredible defence and speed) and Zaac Quinn (constantly shutting his man down, not letting the opponent see the disc.)
CCMD managed to sneak into the 11-12 playoff. They played an expansive game over the course of the day, with long throws which often saw them scoring. This style meant they had to play intense defence. Really great performances on the day from Jessica Cordos (who bossed the pace of the game), Taras Ivanets (who left everything on the pitch) and Mohammed Kamal (whose speed saw him get several ds).
CCMC played for 13th in the brackets, after having been placed in a really strong pool. They were tenacious in their defence, but struggled to get movement through the middle of the pitch. Despite this, they won, taking 13th place with outstanding performances from Conor McEvoy (great cuts) and Noah Cameron Doyle (incredible defending.)
Finally, CCM A were in the quarters, beating out a strong Hartstown side. They were against St. Fintan’s A team and, though they lost by 2, they showed exceptional emotional resilience. They were playing for 3rd against St Fintan’s C team and CCM went 4-2 down. However, a surge of power resulted in CCM scoring and getting a break point. The ball was rolling then, and the game ended 8-4 to CCM. We are so proud of the players’ grit, patience and skill in this final match, the highest ever place for a CCM team. Stand out performances from Toby Keating, Conor Coffey, Finn Tierney, Arro Thomson and Rahim Ahmed.
All Ireland Cross Country
Well done to Aaron Fitzsimons who raced in the All-Ireland Schools’ Cross Country in Tymon Park, Tallaght on Saturday, 9 March. The Intermediate Boys’ race was a 5km course that included many twists, turns and hills, along with wet and slippery conditions, to make it a proper cross-country race. After fighting illness all week, Aaron started out steady over the first 3km and then upped the pace to overtake around twenty athletes over the final 2km, a display of incredible grit and determination. He finished a credible 34th out of 110 of the best cross-country athletes in the country. That brings an end to the cross-country season and all focus shifts to the upcoming track and field events for CCM athletes. Well done again to Aaron for his achievements this year!
All Ireland Champion
Well done to Mikey Russell (Second year) who recently won the U14 All Ireland @ 48kg in Boxing in Roscommon. He will now represent Ireland in the European Championship.
A fantastic achievement Mikey! Everyone in CCM is wishing you the very best of luck.
