Newsletter #12 April 2025
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Scoil Mhuire's Got Talent 2025
You're invited to an evening of entertainment and incredible talent! Our amazing students have been working hard to prepare for this year’s Talent Show, and they’re ready to shine on stage. We’d love to see you there to cheer them on and celebrate their efforts. Your presence means a lot to our students!
Please bring along friends, neighbours and family - partners, children, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers - the audience is a key ingredient and our students can only shine with the support of an encouraging audience. We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday!
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Scoil Mhuire Celebrates World Autism Awareness Day 2025
Autism has no nationality, no religion or gender. Autism is not a disease or an illness that can be caught. Autism can be the reason why social interaction and appearing to be indifferent are a struggle. Autism requires different levels of love, understanding and support. Autism isn't one size fits all and doesn't come with instructions. Autism won't stop people living lives full of achievements and love. Autism is a neurotype, not a condition and this is something society needs to accept. Autism won't stop people shining like stars in the night sky above.
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Remembering Pope Francis: Humility and Empathy Reshaped the Papacy
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. As the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope, he brought a novel worldview and perspective to the Holy See, the ancient city-state where he always seemed something of an outsider.
In addition to being the spiritual leader of about 1.4 billion Catholics, Pope Francis advocated for taking action on climate change. That's not surprising for a pontiff who was the first to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. Over his 12 years as the head of the Catholic Church, Francis repeatedly raised the problem of human-caused global heating from burning fossil fuels and he encouraged people—including world leaders—to do something about it.
For most people around the world, Pope Francis was a religious leader seen on video or read about in the news. For the congregation of a tiny Roman Catholic church in Gaza, he was the voice on the other end of the phone every night, calling to check on them in wartime. "He used to call us at 7 p.m. every night. No matter how busy he was, no matter where he was, he always called".
From the start, Francis sent clear signals to priests and bishops about the type of Church he wanted. He said there was no room for "careerists or social climbers" among the clergy, told cardinals they should not live "like princes," and said the Church should not "dissect theology" in lush salons while there were poor people around the corner. In all of his roles, he became known for his humility, for living simply and for his commitment to social justice. None of this changed when he became pope.
In 2018, some of our students volunteered for CEIST at the visit of Pope Francis to Dublin. These lovely memories for our former students will be cherished forever. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
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Prizegiving 2025
"Keep showing up, keep pushing forward and your moment will come. What matters is showing up, being kind, not being afraid to fail, and doing your best".
These inspirational words formed part of the keynote address that was given by our guest speaker, Claire Irwin. Claire is the owner of a Quantity Surveying and Project Management Practice based in Donegal that services clients throughout Ireland. Claire is better known for her role as Quantity Surveyor in the beloved RTÉ TV show Room to Improve. Claire is a Registered Quantity Surveyor and a Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI), the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). She is truly a great role model for all of our students and we were very lucky to have her with us this year.
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Celebrating Academic Success
Congratulations to our former student Patrick Coleman (Class of 2024) who was recently awarded the prestigious All-Ireland Scholarship by JP McManus at the Concert Hall in the University of Limerick. The All-Ireland Scholarships were established by the JP McManus Trust in 2008 to support gifted young students across Ireland. It provides them with a financial bursary to enable them to participate in all aspects of university life. 125 All-Ireland Scholarships from the 32 counties are awarded each year. Patrick was chosen for the award having achieved maximum Leaving Certificate points of 625 in 2024. He now studies Mathematics and Computer Science at Queen’s University, Belfast. We extend our congratulations to Patrick and his family on this outstanding achievement. We are very proud of you here at Scoil Mhuire.
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Pop Goes Primary 2025
We recently hosted our annual Pop Goes Primary talent competition. All of our local primary schools were invited and there was a phenomenal turnout on the night. A great mix of talent was on display, with dancing, music, magic and even making fishing tackle! Our sincere thanks to Ms. K. McGonagle, Ms. Folan, Mr. Toland, Ms. McBride and Ms. R. Deeney and all of our TY students who helped to make this a special night to remember.
- 1st place - Dancing Grannies from Scoil Íosagáin
- 2nd place - Conor McKinney from Scoil Naomh Padraig Drumfries
- Joint 3rd - Leighton Downey and Lucy McMenamin from Scoil Íosagáin
- Best costume - Emileigh McLaughlin from St Aengus Bridgend
- Best Audience Engagement - Peter from St. Mura's Buncrana
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Scoil Mhuire Summer Camp 2025
The Scoil Mhuire Summer Camp will be offered to 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students from Monday 30 June for 2 weeks (Monday - Friday each week). Please register 1st, 2nd or 3rd year Scoil Mhuire students that would like to attend. For more information, please contact the Main Office.
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European Money Quiz 2025
A huge congratulations to Odhran Woods 3A and Dylan Lynch 3B who came 2nd in the European Money Quiz recently. The European Money Quiz is Europe's biggest financial literacy competition which aims to improve the financial literacy of 13-15 year olds. The live online Irish final saw students from across Ireland play directly against each other in real-time with Kahoot!. 4,000 students registered from across Ireland with 1400 teams taking part. Our thanks to Ms. M. McLaughlin and Ms. Corr for co-ordinating this event.
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Scoil Mhuire goes to the European Union
Our 3B CSPE class recently enjoyed an EU funded trip to Strasbourg thanks to Bria McCaul , Molly Flanagan, Lily Jordan, Niamh Doherty, Domhnall Doherty and their teacher Ms. Gorney. The team created a one-minute video explaining their ideas on what the EU can do to tackle digital addiction. The impact of social media platforms on the health of users, especially young people, is of great concern and the European Parliament has urged the European Commission to propose new EU rules to tackle digital addiction. Our thanks to Ms. Gorney, Mr. D. McLaughlin and Ms. Killen for accompanying the students to Strasbourg.
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TY Mini-Company
Congratulations to our TY mini company “Side Quests” who have progressed to the semi-finals of the NFTE Competition after competing at a regional level lat the Inishowen Innovation Centre. Well done boys!
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Our Amazing Alumni
Scoil Mhuire is very proud of our two Head Girls from the Class of 2015, Anne-Marie Doherty and Suzanne Kelly. Anne Marie who works in Blackrock Clinic was named 'Young Pharmacist of the Year'. Suzanne, a lecturer in Belfast, was recently awarded a PhD in Agri-Food Innovation. These girls chased their dreams and are fantastic role models who continue to inspire another generation of Scoil Mhuire students. They worked hard for their success and deserve every accolade coming their way.
We also wish to congratulate to Keri Loughrey who has been honoured as Donegal Sports Woman of the Year 2025. This is an outstanding achievement for such a young woman. We wish Keri continued success on and off the field!
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Easter Fundraiser for Special Education
A huge congratulations to our amazing SNAs who fundraised an incredible €3200 as part of their Easter raffle to raise money to support the provision of special education in Scoil Mhuire. In particular, we wish to congratulate SNA Meta McGonagle who was the driving force behind this fundraiser. Maith sibh uilig!
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Home Economics
Our 1st Year Home Economics students were busy crafting before the Easter holidays. Using the Design Brief Process, our students created their Easter decorations using embroidery stitches and embellishment techniques. Well done to you all and to your teachers Ms. Carey, Ms. L. Doherty and Ms. O'Sullivan.
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Cli-mates - An Fhoireann Ghlas
Cli-mates - An Fhoireann Ghlas are looking for your help. If you have any of the following at home please bring them into school:
- old used batteries
- empty spray bottles (e.g. Dettol spray)
We would really appreciate it if you could bring in any of these items as every little helps! Items can be dropped off to Ms. Dowds (SM306), Ms. A. Doherty (SM209) or to Ms. Gralton (bottom lab SM100).
Young Environmentalist ECO-UNESCO
Pictured below are the Cli-mate battery battlers after their online performance at the young environmentalist ECO-UNESCO semi-final Eco Den stage. Our thanks to cli-mates leaders Ms. Dowds and Ms. A. Doherty.
Young Environmental Awards in Dublin next Thursday 8th May
Scoil Mhuire Cli-Mate students are finalists Please vote for them following the link below.
The People’s Choice Award gives the public a chance to vote for their favourite project from this year’s finalists. Encourage your friends, school and community to vote for your team! Voting is now live: Here
Buncrana Pier Wall
Ms. Dowd's 5th Year geography class recently helped to retouch the Buncrana pier wall. This 50 metre wall mural was designed and painted 3 years ago by Ms. Dowds, Ms A. Doherty, Ms. Barry, Cli-Mates and different TY groups and requires annual maintenance. It really was a 60 minute makeover and it’s 80% complete with just finishing touches to add.
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TY YSI
TY YSI Next Wave Youth Group in conjunction with Donegal Youth Service is launching a Friday evening Youth Drop-In Centre from 5pm to 7pm running all Summer in the Buncrana Boys Club Building. Please be sure to come along and support this new service which we hope will grow in success. TYs would like to thank all 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students for their help with surveys and ideas for games and activities. We look forward to making this space a safe place for students in the area to come together to connect and have fun.
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Spórt ar Scoil
1st Year Soccer
We wish to congratulate our 1st Year Boys soccer team has been crowned Ulster Champions. The final was a tense affair, with both teams displaying skill and determination in a hard-fought battle against Moville Community College. The Covent boys had to dig deep and hold their nerve during a dramatic penalty shootout victory.
The boys now gear up for the All Ireland Semi-Final against the Leinster Champions on Thursday 15 May. Well done to all of the team and their coaches Mr. McCauley and Mr. McLaughlin. We couldn’t be any more prouder of you and we wish you all the best in the semi-final in May.
Chess
Nearly 300 students from across all year groups and skill levels participated in our annual Chess Tournament. The day saw many closely fought battles, with most displaying great sportsmanship in defeat. We now have a strong team to represent Scoil Mhuire in the Inishowen final, which we are proud to host this year. Our thanks to Gary Duffy and the School Completion team for their encouragement and sponsorship of this fantastic event. Our thanks to Ms. Maguire whose passion and energy have driven the huge growth of chess here at Scoil Mhuire.
Results:
| 1st Year Winner |
Tymek Czerniakiewicz |
| 1st Year Runner-Up |
Eva Houston |
| 2nd Year Winner |
Kyle Kelly |
| 2nd Year Runner-Up |
Ronan Ferguson |
| 3rd Year Winner |
Senan O'Connor |
| 3rd Year Runner-Up |
Domhnall Doherty |
| TY Year Winner |
Dylan Grant |
| TY Runner-Up |
Alex McLaughlin |
| 5th Year Winner |
Shawn Asani |
| 5th Year Runner-Up |
Andrew Rudden |
| 6th Year Winner |
Nicolas Bryg |
| 6th Year Runner-Up |
Rónán McLaughlin |
| Overall Junior Chess Champion |
Senan O'Connor |
| Overall Senior Chess Champion |
Nicolas Bryg |
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U16 Donegal LGFA
A huge congratulations and well done to the U16 Donegal LGFA team who recently played in the Silver Ulster Final. After a mammoth battle the girls won on free kick to claim the victory in the final. Well done to the player and their coaching staff, in particular to our very own Aoibhínn Wallace 3C.
Cheerleading
Congratulations and well done to two of our students, sisters Emma O'Sullivan-Doherty 5D and Erin O'Sullivan-Doherty 2B, who travelled to Orlando, Florida over the Easter Break to compete in the Cheerleading World Championships with their Cheerleading Club Galaxy Stars Derry. Their outstanding performance secured them 3rd place on the world stage. Maith sibh, a chailíní!
Athletics
Congratulations to Áine Strain 4E who came 3rd in the U17 Donegal 100m and came 2nd with her team in the 4x100m relay. Well done Áine!
We also wish to congratulate Bríana Doherty 1A who also medaled at the competition. Bríanah won gold in the 100m, gold in 200m and silver with her relay team. Well done Bríanah!
Gaelic Football Match Review
Donegal vs Down - 27th April in Clones by Jack Harkin, 2nd Year.
The atmosphere was amazing. There were a lot of supporters from both teams. People were cheering loudly. The game started fast. Down scored a point first. Then Donegal took control. Patrick McBrearty scored the first goal of the game for Donegal. It was the only goal of the match. A lot of other players scored points too. Our very own Mr Thompson played well as always. The final score was Donegal 1-19 Down 0-16. This means Donegal are in the Ulster final against Armagh on Saturday the 10th of May. We wish them all the best.
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1st Year Geography
Some of our 1st Year geography students recently took part in a river quality study through the Globe Ireland project. They really enjoyed the outdoor lesson on what was a lovely day. Our thanks to their teacher Ms. Dowds.
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Horticulture
Some of our horticulture students took advantage of the sunshine recently to dig up sycamore saplings. They were then potted on in the hope that they will develop into stronger saplings and possibly big strong trees. Our thanks to their teacher Ms. Dowds.
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Key Reminders for all Parents/Guardians and Students
Free Breakfast
There is free breakfast for any student who brings their own reusable cup. We have reusable cups for sale for €2 (one-off). Students can get free tea and toast every morning.
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Summer Exams 2025
Please see below the links for the 1st, 2nd, 5th and LCA1 Summer Exam Timetables.
.Please see below the links to the revision sheets for 1st, 2nd, 5th and LCA1 Summer Exams
Supervised Study 3rd and 6th
Study leave for 3rd years begins on Wednesday 23 May. Study leave for 6th years begins on 21 May. A supervised study space will be available in the school in SM306. Students are required to sign-in and sign-out with the supervising teacher and may only leave the room at the change of class in order to minimise disruption to our summer exams.
After-School Supervised Study
After-school supervised study runs every day in the Study Room from 16:00-18:00. The cost is €2 per session and this is paid to the supervising teacher. Supervised study offers students a fantastic opportunity to complete homework and study without distractions. Students who regularly attend supervised study report that they are less stressed at school, and say that they are able to stay on top of their work and have more free time at home. There is no need to register, simply turn up at the Study Room.
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Deadlines for Projects, Practicals and Coursework
In the table below you will find links to information on the deadlines for Junior and Leaving Certificate students in relation to projects, coursework and practicals. Should you require any additional information, please contact the subject teacher.
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Timetables for State Examinations in June
Timetables for all state exams in June can be accessed here.
Leaving the School Grounds at Small Break
We wish to remind all parents and guardians that students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during small break. This policy is in place as part of our duty of care for the health, safety, and wellbeing of all Scoil Mhuire students. Any student found leaving the school grounds during small-break will be sanctioned as per our Code of Positive Behaviour. We are grateful for your ongoing cooperation in ensuring the safety of all students.
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Nicotine Pouches - a Warning for all Parents and Guardians
We wish to advise all parents and guardians that it has been brought to our attention by the HSE that they are very concerned by the increasing number of young people who are using nicotine pouches, otherwise known as SNUS. These white tobacco pouches are placed between the lip and gum to enable the drug to be absorbed into the bloodstream. These products have an enormous amount of nicotine in them, making them highly addictive. Quitting this habit has the same unpleasant side effects as when you stop smoking, including headaches and nausea. Unfortunately we have recently experienced a number of cases where students have become seriously ill as a result of using this drug.
Further information about SNUS can be found at https://www2.hse.ie/living-well/quit-smoking/other-products/smokeless/
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Senior Cycle Reform
As part of the process of Senior Cycle reform, our teachers are currently undergoing training on the new subject specifications and assessment procedures. This will mean that some of our teachers will occasionally be absent in order to attend training. Work however will always be left by the absent teacher and will always be posted on Google Classroom.
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Late to School in the Morning
As part of our ongoing efforts to improve school attendance, students who arrive late persistently will be required to complete a 1 hour late-comers detention on a Friday. Parents/guardians of the student will be notified of this. The academic school year is short and as the graphic below shows us, every minute counts! If however the student's lateness to school can be explained, please notify the Main Office of this.
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Personal Belongings
Scoil Mhuire is a big and busy school and it is not unusual for personal belongings to get mislaid. We ask that all items of uniform and school bags are clearly labelled and identifiable. We do not encourage students to bring non-school coats to school and they do so at their own risk. Scoil Mhuire does not take responsibility for missing bags as all students have been given the opportunity to avail of a locker in which they can keep their personal belongings safe and secure.
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Parking and Road Safety
We ask everyone in our school community to be mindful of where they park, particularly around private dwellings, and to reduce their speed when in the vicinity of local schools. Only 20% of pedestrians will survive a collision with a vehicle travelling at 50kph, while 90% will survive one at 30kph.
Also, there is a parking space outside our main building which can only be used by people who have a blue badge parking card. We will not hesitate to ask drivers to move their car if they do not have one. Please think before you park. We are grateful for your ongoing cooperation in ensuring the safety of all students.
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Policy
We are currently reviewing our uniform, mobile phone and anti-bullying policies and as part of this process we are approaching the conclusion of our engagement with with students, parents and staff. We wish to thank all parents who gave up their time to participate in our focus groups.
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Social Media
Keep up-to-date with the latest news from Scoil Mhuire on our social media accounts.
X (Twitter)
Facebook
Instagram
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Upcoming Events and Deadlines
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| Monday 5 May |
Bank Holiday - School Closed |
| Wednesday 7 May |
Scoil Mhuire's Got Talent 2025 |
| Thursday 15 May |
2nd Year Summer Exams Begin |
| Thursday 15 May |
All-Ireland Semi-Final - 1st Year Boys Soccer
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Tuesday 20 May
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1st Year Summer Exams Begin |
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Wednesday 21 May
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6th Year Graduation Mass and Commencement of Study Leave |
| 19, 20, 21 May |
LCA1 Exams Begin
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| Thursday 22 May |
TY Graduation
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| Friday 23 May |
5th Year Summer Exams Begin
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| Wednesday 23 May |
3rd Years Begin Study Leave
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| Wednesday 28 May |
Transfer Day - School Closed to Students
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| Thursday 29 May |
1st and 2nd Year School Tours
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| Friday 30 May |
School Closes for Summer Holidays
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| Wednesday 4 June |
State Examinations Commence
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If you have something that you would like featured in our school newsletter, please email micheal.clancy@scoilmhuirebuncrana.ie and we'll do our best to have it included in our next issue.