Seachtain na Gaeilge 2018
Coláiste Ghearóid Naofa
This year SNAG ran from 1st – 17th March and in preparation for a week of Irish students from 1st year and Transition year made posters which they hung around the school to encourage everyone to use their ‘cúpla focal’ during the fortnight.
Tráth na gCeist
Transition year students took part in a table quiz where teams of 4 competed against each other to answer general knowledge questions as Gaeilge. The winning contestants went home with Cadburys Easter Eggs.
The steaks were higher at the official Gael Linn Tráth na gCeist held in St.Josephs. 1st year and 5th year students battled it out among schools from around Castlebar to win the Junior and Senior quizzes.
Gnó Mhaigheo
Guest speaker Daithí Ó Gallchobhair from Gnó Mhaigheo came to the school during Seachtain na Gaeilge to speak to 5th year students. Daithí is a former student and is now the Development Officer at Gnó Mhaigheo. He spoke to the students about the work he does in Connacht to help businesses incorporate the Irish language into their marketing plan and the positive impact it has on sales.
Seisiún Ceoil
To finish off the SNAG celebrations 5th year students came together on Friday morning for a traditional Irish music session. Students brought in their musical instruments including banjo, tin whistle and bodhrán and show cased their talents for their class mates and teachers. There was even a sing song to some traditional Irish ballads.
Extra-Curricular
FIRST® Lego League
- Multiple All Ireland winners since 2007
- Multiple UK, European and Asian award winners
- World title winners in St. Louis, USA 2010
- UK CREST award presented by President McAleese 2011
EA Robot Games Ireland
All Ireland winners for the years:
Young Scientist
- 2011 Google Trailblazer Award winners
Trip to Inis Mór Aran Islands
Following the success of the transition year trip to the Gaeltacht area of Inis Mór Aran islands, 5th year Irish students hit for the ferry on 14th May.
Cáis Gabhar Árann
The first stop for the students when they got to the island was Cáis Gabhar Árann, the Aran Islands goats cheese farm and économusée. Owner and farmer Gabriel Faherty, spoke to the students about how he left life as a fisherman to pursue his dream to open an artisanal tea house and goats cheese business. Gabriel led the tour and showed the students the process of making the cheese and how it is marketed. They then visited the goats and even bottle fed the kid goats.
Poll na bPéist – The Worm Hole
The students then trekked the half mile or so to Poll na bPéist. The perfectly rectangular hole in the rock face has been the site for the Red Bull cliff diving competition who remarketed the site as ‘The Serpants’ Lair’.
Dún Aenghus
Students then made their way across to the West of the island to Dún Aenghus. The semi-circular stone fort from the Bronze age overlooks the Atlantic with dramatic views that stretch the length of the Island. The students received a talk from the guide associated with the heritage centre about the history of the fort and what it tells us about the people of the island and of Ireland.
Kilmurvey Beach
The boys relaxed on Kilmurvey’s blue flag beach with an ice cream from Paudy’s homemade ice-cream parlour before returning to the pier to get the ferry.