newtownreview 2013

ContentsEditorial ................................................................... 2

We say hello to…...................................................... 4

First Form ................................................................ 6

What’s it like to be a First Form? ................................ 8

1st Form Science Trip to WIT ...................................... 8

Second Form ......................................................... 10

Second Form Ski Trip 2013 ..................................... 12

Third Form.............................................................. 14

Third Form Trip: Flamenco and Food .......................... 16

Photo Competition .................................................. 17

Newtown Becomes a Centre of Social Innovation ....... 18

Old Scholar Interview: Willie Harcourt-Cooze .............. 20

Chocolate Competition - Chocolate Brandy Cake with Raspberries & Hazelnuts - Sarah Murray .................... 21

Foreign Students..................................................... 22

How Well Do You Know Newtown?! ........................... 23

Gapper Interviews ................................................... 24

Teacher Sayings ...................................................... 25

Boys Fashion - What’s in? ........................................ 26

Girls Fashion - What’s in? ........................................ 27

Poetry Collection ..................................................... 28

Grease – The Musical .............................................. 28

John Hourigan Interview ........................................... 29

Poetry Competition .................................................. 30

Interview with Eamon, Local Taxi Driver ...................... 32

Eamon’s Quiz questions ........................................... 33

Fourth Form ........................................................... 34

Gaeltacht Trip 2012 ................................................ 36

4th Form adventures in Killary! ................................. 38

RSA Workshop ........................................................ 40

Fourth Form Drumming Workshops ........................... 40

COOK IT ................................................................. 41

George Morgan-Busher Life on a Boat. ...................... 42

Innovative Education “Arclabs Innovation Centre” ........ 43

Kayaking With DEAC ................................................ 44

Muffin & Hot Chocolate Sale ................................... 46

RTÉ 2 visit Newtown ................................................ 46

My Military Experience ............................................. 47

My Work Experience in WLR FM ................................ 47

Christmas Dinner .................................................... 48

Newtown Young Social Innovators in Support of Older People in our Community ......................................... 49

Enterprise .............................................................. 52

Transition Year ‘Mini Med’ Programme - Waterford ...... 53

Surfing ................................................................... 54

TY Concert ............................................................. 55

Fifth Form .............................................................. 56

All Star Mr & Mrs .................................................... 58

Gaisce: the President’s Award .................................. 59

The Ploughing Championships .................................. 60

BANK .................................................................... 60

Music to our Ears: Fifth Form Music Workshop ........... 61

Sixth Form ............................................................. 62

Head Girl Interview Alice Lee .................................... 64

Head Boy Interview Geoff Graham ............................. 64

Sixth Form Trip to see Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” ........ 65

Newtown through the ages ...................................... 66

Basil Ashmore Interview: .......................................... 68

The 60’s Fire .......................................................... 70

H.A.T. Trick for Newtown? 1960’s ............................. 71

Music Review 2012-2013 ...................................... 73

Newtown School Chamber Choir ............................... 74

Christmas Concert .................................................. 75

Interview with Anne Barry ......................................... 76

Garry Roberts Interview ............................................ 78

Mozart Concert at WIT ............................................. 80

New Ross Piano Festival .......................................... 80

Orchestra ............................................................... 81

Leo “Veggy” Creighton ............................................. 82

Musicians in Newtown - Ben O’ Neill ......................... 84

Sports ................................................................... 85

Clan Competitions Results ....................................... 86

High Achievers ........................................................ 89

Interview with Roy Willoughby .................................. 92

Clan Cross Country .................................................. 95

Rugby .................................................................... 96

Hockey .................................................................. 99

Old Scholars Hockey match ................................... 105

Clan 1500m......................................................... 106

A Life Running In Blue - The Many Faces of Rebecca Hoban ................................................ 107

Orienteering ......................................................... 108

Equestrian ............................................................ 110

Irish Water Safety @ Newtown ............................... 113

Life Saving ........................................................... 114

4th Form Pool Lifeguard Candidates 2013 ............... 114

Swimming Gala..................................................... 115

6th Form 2012 - Where are they now? ................... 116

Old Scholars ......................................................... 119

1Newtown Review 2013

Staff Editorial“Small, taken one by one, but my god, together!”

Sylvia Plath, “The Arrival of the Bee Box”

The Newtown Review encapsulates the spirit of our school, the spirit of teamwork and co-operation, staff and students working alongside each other toward a common goal. The goal of creating the seventy third Review has been realised and we hope that you all take pleasure in reading this year’s edition. We hope that you enjoy sharing in our year at Newtown, a year filled with achievements, new experiences and events.

We would like to acknowledge the sterling work of the team and of all those that have contributed to this edition. Working with the student editors and the entire team has been a joy; they have shown dedication and enthusiasm throughout. We wish each of them the very best as they move forward into Sixth Form.

Tara Coady and Sinead Maher

Student EditorialStudent editor... Wow sounds daunting to most people. To me it was another challenge I was dying to set my teeth into. It is by far one of the hardest experiences, being an editor, but I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute! Between annoying all of the fourth form students at break times to hand

in articles and annoying sixth form students to get photos taken you actually get a sense of achievement after completing one of these small tasks. Believe you me it’s not easy being the one people avoid in case “Neil asks me to do another article!”

Getting the Review has always been one of my favourite moments of the school year. The Review is everybody’s concrete memory of their year in Newtown and still to this day one of my favourite things to do is sit back and flick through one of my older Reviews! It has always been so exciting checking through page after page in desperate hope to find the corner of my head in one of the photos! Now I’m delighted to say that my whole head will be in at least one photo! The Review is something that needs constant attention. Only thanks to all the members of the team has this been possible.

I would like to thank all the members of the team for putting in a huge amount of hard work in all of their individual areas, as well as helping out with everyone else’s as well. Thanks also to Mrs. Maher and Ms. Coady for their continuous support throughout the year. It has been an exciting and very rewarding journey and I’m delighted to say that I’m proud of the work I’ve done but also that my team has done to produce another fantastic magazine that I hope will be picked out from all the magazine racks in years to come! I hope everyone enjoys reading this Review as much as I have had making it. Good luck to next year’s editors, but most of all enjoy every minute of it!

Neil Dunne

Being the student editor, alongside Neil, has been my favourite part of Fifth Form. It is a very hard task, but it is worth it to see it all pay off in the end. I didn’t know what to expect taking on the role but I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every single moment of it.

I remember when I was younger, before I came to Newtown, when the Review would come in the post, reading it page by page looking at all the interesting things that went on in the year. I always thought, what a place, could all this really happen in one school? When the opportunity came up to be a part of the Review, I knew that I had to do it.

After doing the Fourth Form paper last year, I thought it couldn’t be too much harder, but I was wrong. It was full of new experiences for me, from chasing people down who had agreed to write an article, perhaps stepping on a few toes along the way to being in contact with Garry Roberts. It all gave a real sense of achievement. It is hard to record every single that goes on in the school year but we have tried our best to do so.

A huge thank you to everyone who wrote articles, sent in photos, or contributed in any way to this year’s Review. To the team, who put so much work into making this year’s Review what it is. The team has worked exceptionally well together this year. To every person on the team, I must commend you on doing your roles so well, and helping others with theirs also. Finally I would personally like to thank Ms. Coady and Mrs. Maher for all their help throughout the year and for their continuous efforts throughout the year.

It has been an experience like no other, with ups and downs, but nothing could have stopped us making the Review the best that it can be. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making it. The very best of luck to next year’s editors, I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.

Shane Fitzgerald

Editors: Neil dunne, shane FitzgeraldCrEativE dirECtor: Clara ffrench davissports Editor: Nigel Kenningtonsports tEam: Brian Kenny, ruth CusackiNtErviEwErs: sinéad doody, Cilian Jacob, molly FitzmauricephotographErs: sarah murray, Una ivory, georgia tuohyQUotaBlE QUotEs: luke Farrelldiary: mark laherty

2 3Newtown Review 2013 Newtown Review 2013

We say hello to…

Ms. ConnollyWhere are you from?Originally, I’m from Ireland but I spent most of my childhood in Spain, having moved there aged just three months.

What subjects do you teach?I teach Spanish, Italian (when I get the chance) and CSPE.

Why did you choose to teach Spanish?Having the opportunity to grow up learning Spanish and English, I can easily say my love for languages has grown over the years. Apart from enjoying the learning of new languages, I also love teaching them – and Spanish seemed like a good place to start!

How do you find Newtown?I’m really enjoying working here; there seems to be a very relaxed atmosphere around the school, and any students I’ve taught have been great. I think I’ve set the bar high starting off in this school!

What’s your the best thing about Newtown?That’s a tough one. The school grounds are magnificent, when it’s sunny you can truly appreciate the greenery and beautiful trees but I think I would have to say the staff. They’re so friendly and caring – they have made me feel so welcome here.

Did you work in any other schools before you came here?I have worked in a few schools but this has been my longest contract so far.

How do they compare to Newtown?All schools have their own particular way of running things. When moving schools as often as I do, it’s hard to get used to the different routines but, when I began here, I felt very welcome – there’s a friendly environment which helped me to adapt quickly.

What is your favourite Spanish expression?There are so many! If I had to choose one it would have to be ‘por si las moscas’. Translated literally as ‘for if the flies’, it means just in case. I have funny memories of this phrase because when I first came here with no English, I used to translate it literally thinking people knew exactly what I was on about. They didn’t.

Can you speak any other foreign language?Besides Spanish I can speak Italian, Catalan and a bit of French – although it’s quite rusty.

What was living in Spain like?Amazing! I’m from a beautiful area on the east coast of Spain called Gandía. I have very fond memories of spending entire summers playing El Escondite (hide and seek) in the mountains. We would move there to get away from the heat during the summer months. Those are some I will treasure forever.

Would you go back?I love Spain but I’ve become so fond of Ireland it would be difficult to move back. I think I’d miss it too much.

How does the food in Newtown compare to Spanish cuisine?No comparison! The food here is fantastic – healthy and tasty. Although it would be great to see a bit of paella on everyone’s plates. That would bring me back to my own school days in Spain.

Sum yourself up in one word.Adaptable.

Ms. Mc CarneyWhere are you from?The great county of Caaaaavan!

What subjects do you teach?I teach German and Geography, but Mr Cox, Mr Ashmore and Mrs Keappock are so brilliant at what they do, they don’t need my help with the Geography Department!

How do you find Newtown?Newtown is a lovely school to work in. There is a friendly, relaxed atmosphere around the place and a good rapport between staff and students.

Did you work in any other schools before you came here?Yes, I spent some time teaching at St. Declan’s Community College in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford and at the Presentation Secondary School in Co. Offaly.

How does Newtown compare? They are all lovely schools but Newtown is quite different as I live in the school and see my students outside the classroom.

Why did you choose to teach German? I love Germany and the German culture and seeing as German is the second most widely spoken language in Europe, it is a useful language to have.

What is your favorite German phrase?Träume, als würdest du ewig leben; lebe, als würdest du morgen sterben.“ - Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die tomorrow

How was your first year in Newtown? I had a great time at Newtown. It took a while to get use to living in dorms, but I had a lovely year with the Annamaur staff and it has been very practical only having to walk two minutes to my classroom!

Do you like being away from home? I love getting to experience different areas and meeting new people but níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin! – “There’s no place like home”

Did you ever live in Germany? Yes, I lived in Munich for two years. My first year I worked as an Au-Pair for a family in Munich and I loved it so much I decided to stay on for a second year, were I taught English at two secondary schools on the outskirts of Munich.

Would you ever go back?I travel to Munich every summer for a holiday. I have no plans to return just yet but who knows…………..

Sum yourself up in one wordHappy! J

J Diary 2012-2013 K

August 201229th: School year begins


Most Likely To…Marry Prince Harry Mella Hare

Eat a worm James Gaffney

Guest-star in The Simpsons James Treacy

Work for Google. Tom Owens

Win a dance off against Channing Tatum Beth Chapman

Become James Bond Fionn O’Loughlin

Live in Manhattan Rachel Foley

Enter the Big Brother House Josh Allen

Drive an electric car Jasmine Ryan

Be a One Direction groupie Lily Mei Smyth

Have their portrait put up in the study hall Josh Allen

Re-use chewing gum found beneath their desk Josh Allen

Work in Abercrombie & Fitch. Jodie Giles

Cycle Mount Everest Patrick Hickey

Develop a cure for cancer Sophie McMahon

Judge The X Factor Dylan Crews

Design the perfect back-scratcher Liam Murray

Duet with Beyoncé Catherine Dineen

Be a superhero Ross Joyce

Orienteer around the world Jacob Pim

Do a Neville Longbottom on it ;) Patrick Hickey

Be the next Troy and Gabriela (high school musical)

Ross Joyce & Beth Chapman.

First Form


What’s it like to be a First Form?

1. What’s your favourite thing about Newtown? Probably all the nice people in the school

2. What were you most nervous about when you first started the school year? Making new friends

3. Do you enjoy boarding/being a day student? Yeah, sometimes I wish that was a boarder though.

4. Did you find it easy to make friends? Yeah, I was nervous at first but I found it fine

5. Do you like being in a boarding school? Yeah I don’t really mind to be honest

6. Are there any privileges to being a First Form student? Getting to be first in the lunch line!

7. What’s your favourite extracurricular activity that you do here? Hockey

8. What’s your favourite memory so far of Newtown? I have a lot but probably the big snow fight on the Astroturf.

9. Are you looking forward to Second Form? Yeah it’ll be fun

LILY MEI SMYTH (Day girl)

1. What’s your favourite thing about Newtown? My favourite thing about Newtown is the fact that it’s a small school and it’s not overcrowded

2. What were you most nervous about when you first started the school year? I was most nervous about people messing with me about my dad being a teacher in the school.

3. Do you enjoy boarding/being a day student? I do like being a day because you can go home after school, but I wouldn’t mind being in dorms, it seems like good craic.

4. Did you find it easy to make friends? Yes, I have found it really easy, everyone is really sound and easy to get along with.

5. Do you like being in a boarding school? Yes, it’s class the way you get to know people from all around the country and outside the country.

6. Are there any privileges to being a First Form student? Yes, we get a few privileges we get early lunch and we get to skip the queue at lunch

7. What’s your favourite extracurricular activity that you do here? It would have to be rugby, I have always liked rugby.

8. What’s your favourite memory so far of Newtown? My fondest memory would be when in my first rugby match for Newtown we played against Presentation Brothers, we were losing 12-0 at halftime and there was no real hope but two late tries and a last minute conversion from me won us the game 14-12, it was a great way to start our season

9. Are you looking forward to Second Form? Yes, because I won’t be picked on because I’m a First Form, and no because we won’t be able to get early lunch and skip the queue.

RHYS JONES(Day boy)

1. What’s your favourite thing about Newtown? My favourite thing about Newtown is the sport

2. What were you most nervous about when you first started the school year? I’m not sure, probably making friends

3. Do you enjoy boarding/being a day student? It’s ok, but we could do with two or three more boarder girls.

4. Did you find it easy to make friends? Yes, everyone was so nice.

5. Do you like being in a boarding school? Yes, you get to meet a lot of different people.

6. Are there any privileges to being a First Form student? Yes, getting to skip the lunch line.

7. What’s your favourite extracurricular activity that you do here? Running and hockey.

8. What’s your favourite memory so far of Newtown? I have so many, probably our first hockey match.

JODIE GILES (Boarder girl)

1. What’s your favourite thing about Newtown? My favourite thing about Newtown is the sport

2. What were you most nervous about when you first started the school year? A small bit about boarding and being away from home.

3. Do you enjoy boarding/being a day student? Yeah, I really enjoy boarding.

4. Did you find it easy to make friends? Yeah, being a boarder and playing sports helped.

5. Do you like being in a boarding school? Yeah it’s grand.

6. Are there any privileges to being a First Form student? Yes, getting to skip the queue at lunch.

7. What’s your favourite extracurricular activity that you do here? Rugby.

8. What’s your favourite memory so far of Newtown? Watching Cheltenham in the TV room.

9. Are you looking forward to Second Form? Yeah, but I’ll miss getting to skip the queue

PATRICK HICKEY(Boarder boy)

1st Form Science Trip to WITDuring science week, Mr. Ronan and Ms. Rellis arranged a form trip for us to go to the WIT to learn about electricity. We were all very excited when the day finally arrived! We left just after collect and got on the bus. It was quite a short trip over to the WIT and when we arrived we couldn’t wait to see what was in store for us. We went into the auditorium and took our seats as the show began. The presenters started by introducing themselves. On a projector, they showed when and how electricity began and a timeline view of its history. The presenter showed us all types of machines like the Van de Graff machine, which produces static electricity. We saw the Van de Graff machine produce lightning right before our eyes using a metal rod, which, when near the Van de Graff machine caused a bolt of electricity to shoot from the Van de Graff machine over to the metal rod. It was as if lightning was created out of thin air. We also saw our classmate Jodie Giles take part in an

attempt to find cover during a lightning strike, in which she had to wear a silly scarf and raincoat! We had great fun! The presenter also made electricity shoot through a disk by attaching it to a metal rod, which was attached to the Van de Graff machine. He also showed us the “lightning crouch” in which you have to crouch down, put your heels together and your elbows touching your knees so if you are struck by lightning it goes straight to the ground. The presenter told us how lightning works. It was very interesting. After the show, we waited outside until the bus came and took us back to school. After everything, it was a great day and all of us had lots of fun. A big thank you to Ms. Rellis and Mr. Ronan for organising this great trip for the whole form!

By Harry Jephson, Lily Mei Smyth and Jodie Giles.

Quotable QuotesIrish Class: “Rome wasn’t built in a day” (Irish Proverb) Jeananne Mulligan: “Does that mean we have to write about Rome?”

Irish Class:Jeananne Mulligan: “Do we have to learn essays in Irish for the Leaving Cert?”

Geography Class:Mr Cox: “Name an example of mechanical weathering?” Eden Little: “A snow machine!”

Biology Class: (Talking about the digestive system)Eden Little: “Can you get your stomach removed?”

J Diary 2012-2013 K

september 201212th: Junior Cert results. An unusual natural phenomenon is observed whereby all the butterflies in the country take residence in students’ stomachs.25th - 27th: Ploughing Match. The craic is had.8 9

Newtown Review 2013 Newtown Review 2013

Second

Form

Most Likely To…Marry Prince Harry Elishka BarnesGuest-star in The Simpsons Emma HannonWork for Google. Daniel OwensWin a dance off against Channing Tatum Emma Hannon

Become James Bond Mark MorrisLive in Manhattan Daniel OwensEnter the Big Brother House Bobby TweedyDrive an electric car Lucinda Marden-WasteneysBe a One Direction groupie Elishka BarnesHave their portrait put up in the study hall Robert Pim

Work in Abercrombie & Fitch. Emma WalshCycle Mount Everest Alex LanganDevelop a cure for cancer Emily DuffinJudge The X Factor Emma WalshDesign the perfect back-scratcher Eoin O’DonnellDuet with Beyoncé Rachel FentonBe a superhero Jack LailheuqueOrienteer around the world Robert PimBe the next Troy and Gabriela (high school musical) Alex Langan & Emma Walsh


On Saturday the 26th of January, we arrived at the school with bags packed full with “essentials”. These ‘essentials’ were, for the girls, mostly hair products and makeup than actual ski gear! We headed for Cork airport and were so excited, even the simple things like getting our boarding passes seemed like fun. We arrived in Geneva and waited for a bus to The Haut Lac International Centre. We got to the centre and were sorted into dorms. We were so tired that we went straight to bed.

The alarm woke us at 7:45 am and we (for the first time ever) got up quickly, got ready, dressed and ate breakfast. We were divided into ski groups and given our ski boots and skis. We headed to our train station and got the train straight to the mountains. It took a while for the advanced group to get their ski legs back and the beginners had fun watching each other fall over repeatedly. They spent more time trying to get back up than actually skiing! We only skied for three hours that day before heading home for dinner. The beginners, unaware of how much physical activity was involved in skiing, were completely exhausted. We were taken to a sports centre where the staff of Haut Lac had us running around playing games in the hall.

On Monday morning, the alarm sounded again and this time we were not so eager to get up. We headed to the train station straight after breakfast and the best part was that we had a few inches of fresh snow which meant that our group could enjoy some ‘off piste’ skiing. This was lots of fun and involved lots of funny falls. We met up with the group at the top station

on the mountain and had lunch. It was great sharing the goings on with the other groups. No one held back when it came to sharing stories about embarrassing falls. That evening we all ran the hill home, as we did every night, to grab the few hot showers we had. Staff at The Haut Lac played lots off games with us as a group. This really helped our year to bond as a group.

On Thursday we went to some different slopes. Apparently, Madonna was seen there the week before! To our disappointment, we saw no celebs when we were there. The view from the top gondola was unforgettable. The snow-capped mountains were breath taking. Some students enjoyed bowling and archery was great.

Slalom Day! The slalom was done with a professional gate and timing system. It was very windy on the slopes, which made skiing difficult. Back in the hostel, we had an awards ceremony, with a giant Toblerone going to the winning clan. We all got certificates, it was great. We had fun at the disco, ending in a ‘Gangnam’ fest.

Saturday morning was for ping-pong, pool and packing. Before we left, we enjoyed some chocolate fondue. On the way to the airport, we stopped in a town called Gruyere, famous for its cheeses. The flight was smooth, and we were missing Haut-Lac so much that it hurt. The week really was one to remember.

Robert Pim and Niamh Robertson

Second Form Ski Trip 2013


Third

Form

Most Likely To…Marry Prince Harry Jane Walsh

or Hannah PimGuest-star in The Simpsons Tom GreeneWork for Google. Sean Og CafferkeyWin a dance off against Channing Tatum Conor Kenny

Become James Bond Robert KentLive in Manhattan Angela CobberrosEnter the Big Brother House Alex RoundDrive an electric car Holly MooreBe a One Direction groupie Robbie HarveyHave their portrait put up in the study hall Cian Hogan

Re-use chewing gum found beneath their desk.. Cory Cooke

Work in Abercrombie & Fitch. Hannah PimCycle Mount Everest Aaron VogelaarDevelop a cure for cancer Daniel MorrisJudge The X Factor Bill MadiganDesign the perfect back-scratcher Tom GreeneDuet with Beyoncé Emma CrottyBe a superhero Matthew KellyOrienteer around the world Jonathan PimBe the next Troy and Gabriela (high school musical)

John Jephson and Lily Fitzmaurice

J.C.

Art


The Third Form Spanish class enjoyed a Mexican themed evening.

The evening began with a meal in Dublin’s “Acapulco” restaurant. We ate flautas, chimichangas, burritos and ‘Tex Mex’ burgers. This gave us an idea of what the culture is like in Mexico.

After the meal in “Acapulco” we went to The National Concert Hall to see the flamenco guitarist, Paco Peña’s, flamenco show. There were flamenco dancers, African dancers and Paco Peña played guitar. His most famous compositions include his “Misa Flamenca”, a Flamenco Mass and “Requiem for the Earth”, all of which have received great critical acclaim.

Fue una gran experiencia para ver el baile de flamenco y gracias una vez más a Ms. Cosgrove y todos los que ayudaron a crear el viaje.

Third Form Trip: Flamenco and Food

Photo Competition

Raychel Solomon 1st

Stephanie Ebert 2nd

Nikki Boyd 3rd16 17Newtown Review 2013 Newtown Review 2013

Our “Keep Calm and Eat Cupcakes” event was a success. We used the money that we raised to buy more games and towards organising our final event of the year, “Clan Fortunes”. This was our biggest event of the year. The idea was based on the popular TV show, “Family Fortunes”. Each clan was represented by six team members. The ‘challenges’ between rounds were great fun and enjoyed by everyone. Thank you to everyone that participated and joined in on the day.

On May 8th, we were invited to present our work at The Young Social Innovator Showcase in Dublin. We exhibited our work and met with a panel of judges to discuss our work to date. We took part in the Centre Forum. The topics that were discussed were about raising awareness, gathering ideas, getting others involved and making a change. It was very interesting and good to hear what the other centres are doing around the country. The Forum was facilitated by Marie Cumisky and attended by the Centre Panellists, Vodafone Volunteers and two representatives from each COSI Team. It was a great way to share ideas and to help this year’s Advocates to support next year’s teams.

Please see the COSI

noticeboard for further details.

School Dining Hall @ Breaktime COSI Team

Two of our members, Una and Akeyla, represented Waterford in the Flag Parade. Our day came to a close when we were presented with an award for “Outstanding Commitment to Social Innovation”. We are proud of the work that we have done this year and we would encourage students to join the COSI Team next term.

We would like to thank most sincerely our YSI teachers and COSI mentors Tara Coady and Karen Keogh for their hard work and guidance throughout our first year of COSI in Newtown, and for the years previous which has allowed COSI to be possible in our school.

Una Ivory and the COSI Team

Team Members: Una Ivory, Mark Laherty, Luke Farrell, Shane Fitzgerald, Kayleigh Newcomb, Akeyla Makhoba, Katie Sweeney, Sophie Crotty, Izzy Graham, Nikki Boyd and Rebecca Auld.

Newtown Becomes a Centre of Social Innovation

In October, Newtown was invited to become a Centre of Social Innovation. There are only twenty centres of social innovation in Ireland. Newtown has been represented at the Young Social Innovator National Showcase since its first project, four years ago. It was as a result of this amazing track record that we were invited to become a Centre. Our COSI Team 2012-2013 is made up of four Fifth Form students, seven Fourth Formers and our two guides, Ms. Coady and Ms. Keogh.

We believe that Newtown already does a lot for charitable causes and works to better our society at all times. We noticed that Newtown cares a lot about the people outside of the school so we decided that we would focus on our school itself. We wanted to boost school moral among the students and to encourage interaction between the students from different forms.

We organised “Games Day” to encourage students, from all years, to interact. Providing activities at lunch time proved to be very popular, staff were seen winning a few games of table tennis! The feedback has been very positive. We have gathered giant ‘Connect Four’, giant ‘Jenga’, table tennis, ‘Twister’, ‘Mario Cart’ on the Wii, ‘Pictionary’ and our ‘3 Hoops and Ball Cup’. These games days have been great fun and we aim to continue them next term.

In support of the YSI Team, we organised our schools first ever “Pyjama Day”, this was to raise awareness of older people in hospital, especially over the Christmas period. €200 was raised. We hope that this will become an annual event.

Pyjamas for Patrick ’s

We are organis ing a “Pyjama Day” to ra ise awareness of the older members of our community who are in hospita l over the fest ive season and those in long term care .

All monies ra ised wil l go towards support ing St . Patr ick ’ s Hospita l in Waterford . Wednesday 12 th December Those who would l ike to take part are asked to donate €2 . Money wil l be col lected by the C .O.S . I . Team members on Thursday 7 th and Friday 8 th December . See noticeboard (outs ide Foy Hall ) for further deta i l s .

Important : Pyjamas are to consist of long s leeved top and ful l length trousers . Robes may be worn over pyjamas . No variat ions wil l be accepted and students are asked to be mindful of the intentions of this awareness ra is ing day . Ful l uniform must be worn by those who are not part ic ipat ing .


Old Scholar Interview: Willie Harcourt-Cooze

Neil Dunne and I have finally secured a Skype interview with Willie Harcourt-Cooze. He receives the call in his factory in Devon where he makes the finest chocolate with real South American Cacao. The machines are on and the sound of busy equipment fills the air.

Willie is polite and kindly shows us around his workplace, all the different chocolate making tools and contraptions that make up his lab. We can clearly see that this is the real deal as he shows us how each piece of chocolate is expertly made and bars that are 100% cacao. The cooling tunnels and a tempering machine rumble away in the background.

He shows us the stock he has, packaged and ready to go. His factory is wonderful, and he means business.

This understanding and business skill started out at Newtown for Willie. He came to the primary school when it was still connected to Newtown Secondary. He boarded in the Housemaster’s building when the older students used to look after the Junior School students. He remembers that whenever a boy did something naughty they were made to do laps of the grit pitch, or sometimes, count the grains on it. His enterprising began with collecting plastic bottles from the streets in Waterford whenever he was out and when coming back from church on a Sunday with the school. When he had a few bottles he would bring them to the tuck shop where there was a small return fee that one would receive. He kept on doing this until eventually they told him that they couldn’t take any more. Meanwhile some other boys and he were collecting waste paper as there was a twenty punt award if you brought in a ton of waste paper.

His first impression of Newtown was how open the Quakers were and their ethos was. Their interest and encouragement of things like freedom of thought made quite an impact on him. He also noticed that people sent their children from all over Europe to go to Newtown as it is open to new

ideas, always has things going on for every type of person and even has a “Pets Corner”!

Willie grew up on Horse Island off Co. Clare, which is where he got his foundations for flavour. They were a self sustaining family, eating foraged mushrooms, making their own milk, honey and even growing their own barley. This is certainly where his search for only the using purest ingredients began. Commercially, food has gotten worse in recent years and Willie is only interested in making the best quality food.

Willie never really had an interest in chocolate; too many sweet foods are bad for you surely. It was only when he went to Choroni in Venezuela, and met a man called Mervyn, who sent him to see his neighbour Fernando who was selling his cacao farm, that Willie realised that this was what he wanted to do. The taste of hot chocolate made with real cacao, full of vitamins and serving as an incredible pick me up was his turning point. He decided to buy El Tesoro (the farm) with all the money he had. It is a beautiful place and resides on an 1800m mountain. It was called El Tesoro because there was gold stashed in those mountains that is still being found, though not on Willies land.

The cacao was fabled and this was a great opportunity. To begin with Willie had to do some clearing as a lot of the farm was completely overgrown. Next he had to order some cacao from Peru, which in the early eighties was a dangerous place, but that’s where the chocolate and network for the chocolate was. Willie decided he wanted to buy directly from the farm. This costs double the fair trade price but the money goes straight to the farmer. It was beneficial for him to deal with different countries as he learned much from their culture and picked up influences from their food and all the different aspects each country has to offer.

It is very hard to find a product that has not been re-hashed, but seeing as the big chocolate companies have stopped making the real thing; Willie had found the perfect product to re-invent. The key to all this being: “Think big.”

Cacao is like a good wine, there are places that the very best is grown, and there are many different flavours depending on where it comes from, be it Columbia, Mexico

or the Amazon. There are qualitative factors in these places that you just cannot get in Ireland anymore. You can catch huge delicious fish that you couldn’t imagine nabbing in Ireland these days. The scenery is as inspiring as the cultures in these areas of the world, Willie told us of the wonderful things he saw, the Andes, Angel Falls, and pink sand that squeaks beneath your feet during the dry season. And living is low cost.

He chose Devon for the base of his company because he had lived there before. His factory is made from chicken sheds that he converted himself into a work environment that suited him, a cheap and very effective option. Willie prides himself in making only the very best chocolate with the finest quality ingredients as large chocolate companies just don’t do this anymore.

After working on his chocolate for a while he realised he had to find a good way to market his product and realised that going the way of TV was a very effective way to publicise his chocolate. So he got hold of his friend to help him. They shot a bean to bar process and another friend from Warner Brothers had an idea but nothing came from it.

Eventually in 2008 Willie made a six minute taster video and Channel 5 and BBC were both interested in making a show, Channel 4 sealed the deal saying that they wanted to make the best chocolate ever!

It could have been bananas or coffee, Willie says, but I’m glad he ended up making chocolate!

The series they ended up making on Channel 4 helped Willie worldwide. He was invited to food shows in many different countries and is talked about in magazines and Newspapers worldwide. His chocolate company is certainly growing. He has launched desserts like nothing you’ve ever tasted, using the finest cacao and making next to no margins. In these tough times it’s great to be able to buy something of the best quality that is worth the money.

We asked Willie how his children have affected his life and his face lit up. He told us that he resonates through his children. Willie then told us that they even help him in his work, he had had them at the factory that same weekend to help him find new flavours for his caramel filled cacao balls range that he is expanding. They spent the day making the spheres with lemon, chilli and raspberry centres and tasting.

Willie would like to make real chocolate more accessible for younger people by even starting making white chocolate, in corporate companies this is between 47-57% sugar, whereas Willie has managed to cut his recipe down to 30%. He wants to raise the awareness of cacao as a healthy option, and he is achieving this goal bit by bit from his factory in Devon.

We asked Willie to give one sentence of advice and he said, ‘Life is the most fantastic voyage that people should take advantage of.’

Chocolate CompetitionWillie Harcourt-Cooze, past pupil from Newtown, now a well acclaimed chocolatier, kindly sponsored a chocolate recipe competition, which was held over the last few weeks of school. Six students participated; each participant was given the tricky task of inventing an interesting and tasty recipe/dish containing chocolate. Each participant entered their recipe, which was reviewed by Willie himself. Willie then kindly sent the participants the chocolate needed for their recipe. The participants prepared their dish and it was then tasted by a panel of judges.

A wide range of interesting dishes were prepared, such as chocolate and beetroot brownies, homemade Nutella, chocolate pizza, chocolate biscuit cake, chocolate roulade, chocolate bread and butter pudding.

The overall winners were –in first place, Sarah Murray, in second place Una Ivory, and third place Holly Moore

Chocolate Brandy Cake with Raspberries & Hazelnuts - Sarah MurrayIngredients:250g Dark Chocolate250g Butter250g Digestive Biscuits2 Large Eggs5 Tablespoons of Caster Sugar100g Hazelnuts, roughly chopped4 Tablespoons of Brandy100g Raspberries

Method:Melt chocolate and butter in glass bowl over boiling water.

Crush biscuits in a plastic bag roughly with a rolling pin.

Whisk eggs and sugar until thick.

Gently mix in the raspberries, hazelnuts, biscuits and brandy.

Grease a round cake tin (spring form).

Spoon the mixture into cake tin, cover with Clingfilm.

Chill for four hours or overnight.

Decorate with chopped hazelnuts.

Willie at Hacienda el Tesoro

A cacao harvest at Hacienda el Tesoro


Foreign Students

What do you like about Newtown?Alejandra Martinez – The people are really nice and friendly.

Elena Martin – I love the school because it’s really big and pretty

Clara Noguera – I love TY here because there are so many activities and you’re always busy.

Ines Montila – All the people are really friendly

Juan Espegel – All the students are really nice and the facilities are amazing

Victor Cerrada – I like the people here and I have made great friends

Mikhael Arkhanghilsky – The people here are all really nice

Gonzalo Torres - I love the people here. The school is bigger than the ones in Spain, and the facilities are much better

Joshi Thiele – I love the way there are so many international students. It means it’s really easy to build up international contacts.

Ana Molina – I like the people and it’s really pretty. You always feel at home.

Stephanie Ebert – I like the way people in Newtown are friendly and open.

Naho Kaozumi – I like the teachers and all the students are really nice and helpful

Marlene Roche – I really like the people and I have made great friends here

Arthem Yamtiev –It is very new to me. Some of the subjects are new to me too. The whole environment is very different to Russia.

German Students: Charlotte Ebert, S tephanie Ebert, Marlene Roche, Maja Strobelt

and Izzy Schmiedt.

Russian Students: Mikhael Arkhanghilsky, Arthem Yamtiev

Spanish Students: Ínes Montila, Clara Noguera, Angela Cobreros, Alejandra Martínes, Elena Martín, Ana Molina, Lola Halcón, Víctor Cerrada, Gonzalo Torres, Juan Espegel, Beltram Gómez

How Well Do You Know Newtown?!How many radiators

are in Legoland?

How many vending machines are there?

How many octagons are on the study hall ceiling?

How many benches are in the lecture theatre?

How many ties does Mr. Hanlon own?

How many balls are stuck in the rafters of the Foy Hall?

How many tables are in the dining room?

Irish Class: (reading Tír na nÓg)Jeananne Mulligan: “Did St. Patrick come before Jesus?”

Irish Class: (Looking at a picture of Enda Kenny)Jeananne Mulligan: “Is that the British Prime Minister?”

Spanish Class: (Watching the movie UP)Jeananne Mulligan: “Is this Indiana Jones?”

Mark Laherty: “How do you like your eggs in the morning?” Akeyla Makhoba: “I like mine white and yellow...”

Brian Kenny: “Sure, everybody eats milk!”

Biology Class:Mr Ashmore: “I studied zoology in college.” Valentine De Villenuve: “Why didn’t you open a zoo, then?”

J Diary 2012-2013 K

OctOber14th: Felix Baumgartner jumps from space.


Alistair MacleodWhere are you from? I was born and raised in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.

Why did you come to Ireland? Well, this is my gap year to decide what I want to do in the future. Basically I am here to find out what I enjoy and also for the experience before I go to university.

It is quite complicated but it was just the best option at the time and I still think it is.

What do you think of the Irish Weather? I am used to warm sunny days in Africa so it was quite miserable for the first few weeks in the rain and freezing cold but the summer weather looks promising and I am enjoying the sun, but I now understand why the Irish talk about the weather so much.

How do you find the people? As soon as I arrived I found the people to be so welcoming, kind and outgoing so I didn’t feel left out at all.

Have you travelled anywhere in Ireland? Yes, I have been to Dublin, Galway, Cork, Dunmore and Tramore but will hopefully be travelling all over Ireland in August.From what I have seen, the country is beautiful, especially on a warm sunny day.

What do you like most about Newtown? It’s grand not having to wake up at 6:00 to start school at 7:00.

Did you get home sick? Yes, I am miles away from home it was quite hard coming to Ireland and knowing no one but it got a lot easier as I made new friends. It is also hard having a girlfriend back in Zimbabwe.

Has anyone pulled any pranks on you? No pranks have happened to me yet.

What is the best memory of Newtown so far? I have only been here for two months but I would have to say the snow in the first three weeks of arriving was a real treat due to the fact I had never even touched snow before.

Have you been on any school trips? No I haven’t been on any trips yet but hopefully next year will be my lucky strike.

Just a quote for the students of Newtown to go by. “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.”

- Vince Lombardi

Paige BentzenWhere are you from? Canada.

Why did you come to Ireland? For the tropical weather and a sun tan.

What do you think of the Irish Weather? I’ll take rain over snow any day… minus 20, no thank you!

How do you find the people? Great Craic!

Have you travelled anywhere in Ireland? Yes but I still have a few places to see yet.

What do you think of the country?Absolutely beautiful!

What do you like most about Newtown? The atmosphere is brilliant and it’s very up beat.

Did you get home sick? At first definitely but now, I’m more concerned about when I go home… What am I going to do without any proper chippers?

Has anyone pulled any pranks on you? Not pranks per say but, unfortunately, I am extremely gullible and have believed the most absurd things… I won’t even go into that.

What is the best memory of Newtown so far? I can’t pin point just one, this whole year has been such a great experience and I hope some of you get a similar opportunity as it is very educational and eye opening.

Have you been on any school trips? Yes, surfing in Tramore and the Killary trip with TY.

What have you thought of the trips? Great fun and I’m very thankful I got the privilege to go on them.

Gapper Interviews

Teacher SayingsMr. Sexton - I’m not the best... But I’m definitely in the top 1.

- There’s only two people in Ireland who can do this as well as this... And I’m both of them

- You remind me of a younger myself... When I was 5.

Mr o’Cuinn – Look up at the board

- Down all pens!

- It’s a no brainer lads!

- If it was Swahili lads you’d learn it!

MS. relliS – Well this is it...

Mr. Butler – It’s all about the core skills and participation!

- The skills are transferrable!

Mr. AShMore – Run away horrible children!

Mr. hAnlon – I want you to know, doubly know, know upside down, inside out but, most importantly in totality!

MS. KirwAn – This is not a dress rehearsal!

MrS. lennon – Now my little piglets.

Mr. leMon – I’ll get back to you tomorrow...


Boys Fashion - What’s in?• Chinos

• Converse

• Maroon

• Check shirts

• Hoodies

• Vans

• Photograph print sweatshirt

• Logo t-shirts’

• Shoulder/elbow patches

• Plimsolls

• Panel hats

• Shades

GiRLs Fashion - What’s in?• Woolly jumpers

• Knitted cardigans

• High waisted jeans

• Skater skirts

• Shorts and tights

• Army boots

• Khaki jackets

• Ugg boots

• Vans

• Denim Jackets

• Monochrome (black and white)

• Maroon

• Docks

• Checked skirts

• Fish tail plaits

• Dip Dye hair

Sylvia Warren

J Diary 2012-2013 K J Diary 2012-2013 K

OctOber16th: Transition Year outdoor pursuits begin. Students flail about in kayaks.

OctOber22nd - 31st: Hurricane Sandy devastates the west coast of the US.26th: Mid-term break.28th: Death of Savita Halappanavar sparks national protests to reform Irish abortion laws.


John Hourigan InterviewHow long have you worked in Newtown? 6 years this September

What do you like about Newtown? The trees.

What are some of the weirdest things you’ve had to do as maintenance man?You really don’t want to know!

When and where would you go in a time machine? Summer of 1986 Amsterdam

Have you ever done an April Fool’s Day joke in the school? If so, what? No comment!

Have there been any major accidents? E.g., Cutting off of a finger? No, but what a gruesome question...

When a window or door gets broken, what is your first thought?Why play ball in Legoland? There are two rugby pitches, an astro-turf, and a grit pitch. One of life’s great mysteries! Just another day in Newtown...

Have you any funny stories about your job or the school, students and teachers? Lots, but none fit for print!

What is your favourite quote? “I refuse to join any club that would have the likes of me as a member”, Groucho Marx

Do you find it unusual that everyone knows your name?Yes, it’s like being in an episode of “Cheers”.

We think you are a really friendly person, but what do you think of us?

Cheers guys! Now how do I put this...?

Have you had any funny encounters with students?

Every day!

Of all the things you do for the

school, what is your least favourite job? Anything to do with heights and ladders.

When have you seen karma at work in your life?

Is that Chicken Karma or Beef Karma?

What would you do if you WEREN’T always here? Because you’re always here! (It’s great!)Drive my wife and kids bananas until it’s time to come back to work again! Then have a lemonade or two...

What sort of music are you in to?Every sort except “Country and Irish”.

Nothing looks more stupid than an Irish man in a cowboy hat.

What is your favourite school dinner?All the pies and Sunday Dinners.

If the film “John - Legendary Caretaker” was to come out as the next big blockbuster film, who would you like to play you as the lead role?Liam Neeson or any of the lads from “Hardy Bucks”.

Grease – The MusicalThe summer term saw song, dance and lots of acting skills being displayed as the scholars of Newtown auditioned for the upcoming school production of Grease – The Musical, that will be staged in the forthcoming Autumn term on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of October 2013 in the Foy Hall.

The talent, as always, was outstanding. Following singing auditions conducted by our Musical Director Mrs. Keappock assisted by Mrs. O’Connor and Ms. Hanley and acting auditions performed under the watchful eye of our Director Mr. Denniston the cast were selected.

They include in the leading roles

Rachel Solomon as Sandy Cilian Jacob as Danny

Clara ffrench Davis as Rizzo Neil Dunne as Kenickie

Ellen O’Carroll as Marty Baróg Kennedy as Roger

Sophie Crotty as Frenchy Rhys Jones as Doody

Eden Little as Jan Harry Jephson as Sonny

We would like to wish all the cast and crew all the best for the upcoming production.

Break a Leg!

Sinéad Maher

POETRY COLLECTIONThe Review has learnt that one of Newtown’s English teachers is to have a collection of poems published early in the summer of 2013. The Scale of Things, by Edward Denniston, is to be published by Salmon Poetry. The book will be available from mid June at all good bookshops and from Salmon Poetry’s website: www.salmonpoetry.com. This is Mr. Denniston’s third publication. Previously he’s published a book of poems, The Point Of Singing (Abbey Press, 1999) and a book of drama scripts, Interacting (Russell House, 2007)


Science - Harron JungalwallaRoot of all good? Root of all evil… One thing is certain…. It is the root for neither…

Some Souls I have encountered, While on my travels, Feel that, It is the ‘Holy Grail’,

Hawking or Dawkins, Jesus or God, Both are not the answer, The answer, Lies within ourselves.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

NOvember7th: Barack Obama re-elected for a second term as President of the US.14th: Israel bombs the Gaza Strip.15th: Linguistics Workshop begins in preparation for the Linguistics Olympiad.

The Jumper – Neil DunneThe day, the ninth of Sept The city stood in patience He closed his eyes and leapt.

The towers were the intercept His memories turned to smoke The day, the ninth of Sept.

A promise never kept; His son would never ride his bike He closed his eyes and leapt.

Into the darkness he stepped His conscience eating up his time The day, the ninth of Sept.

Upon him, his thoughts crept His wife would always love him He closed his eyes and leapt.

A fate he must accept Through the window, the end. The day, the ninth of Sept He closed his eyes and leapt.

Neil Dunne

2nd

Harron Jungalwalla 3rd

Poetry Competition

A Villanelle - Clara ffrench DavisHe took two steps forward and bowed Like an Olympian having run his race. I’ve never been so proud.

For him, the clapping grew too loud But he had the support of his brace. He took two steps forward and bowed.

He would have gone on had he been allowed. He would have sung his way out of this place. I’ve never been so proud.

All the faces around me were wowed. He defied all his odds, and with grace He took two steps forward and bowed.

By now he was up in the clouds. His eyes were shut, no thoughts to trace. I’ve never been so proud.

I didn’t cheer or laugh – as I had vowed, But a solitary tear rolled down my face. He took two steps forward and bowed. I’ve never been so proud

Clara ffrench Davis

1st


Eamon’s Quiz questions1. Originally called “The Bow Street Runners”, are now known as what?

2. What is the definition of the sentence “Rats live on no evil star”?

3. By what other name did author Stephen King write?

4. What is the “sport of Kings”?

5. What is Ireland’s oldest city?

6. Newtown was founded in 1798. What other school in Waterford was founded that same year? (girls school)

7. ‘John Roberts Square’ in Waterford is called after Sir John Roberts. The Roberts are the only father and son to achieve what military distinction?

8. Sir John Roberts (son) was the architect of which 2 Waterford City landmarks?

9. Who was the last Quaker president of the USA?

10. What is the English National Anthem called?

11. Attendees at Stormont are called M.L.A.s. What does M.L.A. stand for?

12. Who was Prime Minister of Britain at the time of Partition in Ireland?

13. Which German leader was known as the “Iron Chancellor”?

14. Who in the Bible turned into a Pillar of Salt?

15. How many of each animal did Moses take on the ark?

16. “Newtown Heath” was the original name of which Premiership Football Club?

17. Wilfred Owen, Sigfried Sassoon and Rupert Brooke were known as what kind of poets?

18. ‘The Order of the Elephant’ is a prestigious award in which of the following countries: Denmark, India or Thailand?

19. Which of the following films was originally rated an X Certificate? A. ‘Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory’ B. ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ C. ‘The Wizard of Oz’

20. In ‘Star Trek’ William Shatner was Captain James T Kirk. What did the “T” stand for?

21. Match the books to the author: 1. ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ A. E. M. Forster 2. ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ B. Stephen King 3. ‘Middle March’ C. Charles Dickens 4. ‘Black Beauty’ D. John Le Carre 5. ‘Lorna Doone’ E. Anna Sewell 6. ‘OMERTA’ F. Harper Lee 7. ‘A Passage to India’ G. Mario Puzo 8. ‘Carrie (Carrie)’ H. George Eliot (Mary Evans) 9. ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drew’ I. R. D. Blackmore 10. ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ J. John Steinbeck

22. What is the food of the Gods?

23. What is the drink of the Gods?

24. Who is the Waterford actress who presented the 1997 Eurovision with Ronan Keating?

Interview with Eamon, Local Taxi DriverHow long have you been taxiing for Newtown?Six years approx.

Who has been your favourite student passenger over the years and why?Impossible to answer, far too many to mention, but Clara and Emily are up there because they set the questions!

What is the most memorable journey you’ve ever been on?2 with 1 person – Anna Manahan. Who? You ask, google her. (Famous Waterford actress and Tony Award winner). Firstly, I drove her to the opening night of “Big Maggie” in The Gaiety, Dublin. I also drove her to the Granville Hotel one St. Patrick’s Day and I WAS THE ONLY CAR ALLOWED ON THE QUAY WHEN SHE WAS GRAND MARSHALLED.

What’s the sauciest thing you’ve ever overheard from the backseat? Chef or Y.R?? or “You gave me €100 of course I love you!”

What is your favourite body part? My feet – They keep me grounded.

If you were immortal for a day what would you do? Get ALL Newtown students to be on time for once!

What do you want to be when you grow up? A lot younger and as laid back as Max O’Brien.

Which celebrity do you get mistaken for? Bressie (Or was it Nessie??)

If you could kill someone by looking at them who would it be? Jedward.

You are marooned on a desert island and dying of thirst. A Genie appears with a cup of water and a cup of some other mysterious liquid. Which do you choose? (Circle answer) SURVIVAL YOLO..Even in my delirium, the Genie looks good.

Did you ever receive a punishment in school that you still remember to this day? Yes, Latin through Irish for 3 years.

What do you do to have fun?Golf, read, ask quiz questions, knit, crochet, take in all the Newtown gossip..

If you were Ms. World what would your message for aspiring models be? Come back to the real world and never stick out your tongue- it makes you look like a zip!

J Diary 2012-2013 K

NOvember19th: Transition Year students perform in the REACH project under the guidance of Libby Seward.

“The aims of this project were to explore creativity, promote fitness, encourage self-confidence, foster cooperation with and respect for others, and to raise awareness of the significance of the arts in everyday life.”


Most Likely To…Marry Prince Harry Contance Walsh

Eat a worm George Morgan Busher

Guest-star in The Simpsons Juan Espegel Blanco

Work for Google. Henry Kirkwood

Win a dance off against Channing Tatum Akeyla Makhoba

Become James Bond Victor Cerrada

Live in Manhattan Devon Hartel

Enter the Big Brother House Juan Espegel-Blanco

Drive an electric car Bobbi Doorley

Be a One Direction groupie Henry Kirkwood

Have their portrait put up in the study hall Harron Jungalwalla

Work in Abercrombie & Fitch. Daniel O’Driscoll

Cycle Mount Everest Connor Buckley

Develop a cure for cancer Bobbi Doorley

Judge The X Factor Nikki Boyd

Design the perfect back-scratcher Akeyla Makhoba

Duet with Beyoncé Nikki Boyd

Be a superhero Juan Espegel Blanco

Orienteer around the world James Kiersey

Be the next Troy and Gabriela (high school musical) Peter Joyce and Ella Chapman.

Fourth Form


were built, all by hand. On the way back most of us slept because we were so tired from all the walking. That night we walked down to the hall for a quiz. We were divided into groups and Mr. O’ Cuinn ran it. Everyone got a prize at the end of the quiz, there was no real winner. We headed back to our houses to get a good night’s sleep.

ThursdayOn Thursday morning we got a bus to the Heritage Centre, it was ten minutes down the road. It was really interesting. We learnt a lot about the Blasket Islands as we watched a small video about them. Ms. Hehir gave us all notebooks and everyone went outside and drew something. The majority of the people drew one of the Blasket Islands. We all went back for our final lunch with our Bean An Tí. After lunch we got a bus out to Dingle. First we all went to the Aquarium where we got a tour. We all got to pet the stingrays and a few of us got to hold a starfish, which was cool. After that everyone got free time to go around Dingle. We gave the Bean An Tí a gift to say thank you. Everyone met up and went down to the hall for our céilí. The last dance was the best by far, Mr. O’Cuinn and Ms. Hehir got a good few pictures and videos of us doing it but Mr O’Cuinn refused to join in! After the céilí everyone walked home to start packing up their stuff.

FridayUp nice and early to say good bye to the Bean an Tí and to load the bus. We had a nice long, five hour, bus drive ahead of us.

Overall I think it is safe to say that every single person on the Gaeltacht trip thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It was a great week that was loads of fun. Thanks so much to Mr. O’Cuinn and Ms. Hehir.

By Ella Chapman

MondayWe set off on Monday morning at 8.30am. We travelled by bus to West Kerry to a small, Irish speaking, area called Ceann Trá. We were welcomed by our respective ‘Bean an Ti’s’. We met at the beach. A few brave people bared the cold and went swimming although they didn’t last too long as they said it was freezing! After dinner we headed down to the local community hall. A man came in to talk to us ‘as Gaeilge’ about the Blasket Islands as we were going there the next day. He told us great stories about the Blasket Islands.

TuesdayWe woke up early and went to the boy’s house to meet before going to the harbour. It took the girls about forty minutes to realise that they had taken the wrong road and were in the middle of nowhere. Mr. O’Cuinn came to the rescue and we made it to the boat just in time. It took about half an hour to get to the main Blasket Island and as we got closer to the Island the sea got bluer and bluer. We noticed that there were seals swimming around us. It was like something you’d see in a movie! We got onto the island and walked along the beach. We passed ruins of houses’; no one lives on the islands anymore, the last inhabitants left in the 1950’s. About a third of the beach was covered in seals. When they noticed us coming they waddled into the water. The beach was amazing with its white sand. We had lunch and got some free time to roam around the islands before heading home. A lot of people just slept on the boat back. That night we headed down to the hall again for a céile. The céile was probably my favourite thing about the Gaeltacht. It was taught in Irish. The teacher taught us six different dances. The boys enjoyed it as much as the girls did. Everyone joined in and it was just a good laugh.

WednesdayOn Wednesday we met up and went for a long walk on the beach. We reached the far end of Ceann Trá and some people decided to go swimming off the pier. We headed back after a while to the houses for lunch. After lunch we hopped on the bus and got a tour of the area. The man giving the tour was very nice and spoke mostly Irish to us. We learnt a lot about Ceann Trá. He showed us some churches that

Gaeltacht Trip 2012


4th Form adventures in Killary!Day one: “Is this the place?”- 4th Form students in unisonOn a chilly Monday morning the majority of Newtown 4th Form students boarded a coach, which was headed to Killary Adventure Centre, Connemara, Co.Galway.

The journey was tiring, yet we managed to entertain ourselves nonetheless! As we approached Shannon town, half way to our destination, we were all delighted to find a McDonalds tucked away in the leafy countryside! After our lunch stop, we passed through Galway city with our entertainment being a combination of “bus banter” and breathtaking scenery! As we encountered the town of Connemara on our travels, our driver faced a problem with directions and we stopped off at a church, five miles from the Adventure Centre. We all asked the question: “Is this the place?” Eventually, after our detour through the Connemara hills, we arrived at Killary at around 2pm. After a lunch and brief at the centre by the centre’s instructors, we were assigned to groups for the various activities offered by the centre. Five groups were formed and we all set off to complete the various activities. Luckily, the sun was out in full force to help us make the most of the day’s activities. I participated in the rock climbing activity with my group (group 3) and thoroughly enjoyed the experience! I personally found the activity difficult; however, I persevered with the challenge nonetheless. After the activity and the evening meal, we played a game of improvised rugby and socialised with the students of a school also residing at Killary for the week. We all participated in indoor evening games and retired to bed at 10pm.

Day two: “Ever climbed a mountain before?” – Martin Power, (Instructor)On the second day of our adventures at Killary, Group three and four made the exhausting trek up the steep Connemara hills. I found this activity difficult, especially with the footwear I had on, yet we all marveled in the views at the top of the hill. After catching a glimpse of the breathtaking scenery, we made our way down the steep landscape, trying to avoid treacherous obstacles such as sludge, sheep droppings and rocks in our path. We took lunch at the top, listening to the wise words of sarcastic instructor John and shivering in the freezing weather. At the end of our journey (some with destroyed footwear), we were all pleased to find a warm shower waiting for us upon arrival at our rooms.

Day three: “No pain, no questionable gain” - Matthew LesterUpon the initial 8am wake up call, Dorm six awoke in a haze of laughter. Music was abundant throughout, with the members bonding over “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. We later prepared ourselves for the “turf challenge’ which encouraged it’s participants to “get as muddy as possible”. We all participated with great drive and enthusiasm as we traipsed through the turf. When the activity became difficult our teacher Mr. Lester gave words of encouragement to the participants. After the morning’s fun, a wash down in the nearby harbour and warm shower back at the centre beckoned for us. We later regrouped in full force for the afternoon’s activity, which included a toss on the

centre’s high ropes and a thrilling bungee jump. One of the participants on the bungee jump, Christian Sumstad used an attachable sports camera to film the action while he jumped. Many of the participants in the activity found the bungee highly exhilarating and to paraphrase many of the participants: “It’s definitely an experience off the bucket list”. It was definitely a day full of excitement to have had.

Day four: “You can do it!”-Juan Espegel-BlancoOur fourth and penultimate day at Killary began on a quiet note for the members in my group. After regrouping at the centre’s activity HQ, Groups three and four were split and either took part in archery or tackling the daunting zip wire! My group took part in archery. After the slow activity of archery, we were paired off and took part in swinging on the zip wire! Like the bungee jump to a much greater extent before it, the zip wire was a perfect opportunity to let go from the troubles of the physical life and enjoy an experience high beyond the clouds. Many managed to overcome their fear of heights and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. After lunch, group three took part in kayaking, while the majority of the rest took part in Lazer Combat. The weather was overcast and damp, yet the chances of a reasonably pleasant crossing were quite high. Albeit excluding the obvious potential capsizing. The water was extremely chilly, yet the overall experience enjoyable nonetheless. Upon returning to the common room for evening games, we were informed that the centre’s annual Mr and Mrs Killary competition would be taking place. The competition involves participants dressing up as a member of the opposite sex and the best dressed couple would win the competition. After getting the participants dressed up and ready, the competition began two hours later… After each couple wowing the judges with their skills, a winner was chosen. Juan Espegel-Blanco was chosen as the winner of Miss Killary, due to his spectacular dancing and overall convincing appearance. Constance Walsh was chosen as Mr. Killary, due to her excellent comedic mannerisms. After our cross dressing caper, we felt it was essential that we make our mark on Killary and have a little fun while we could. After tidying our belongings away, it was time to relax and pay tribute to Killary for one last time.

Day Five: “Flappos boys!”-Daniel O’Driscoll

On the fifth and final day of fun at Killary, the weather was absolutely miserable, putting a dampner on the water based activities that were planned for most of the groups. Instead, the majority of the groups took part in ‘Lazer combat’ and great fun was had. After the final activity, we retreated back to the dining room to say a huge thank you to the staff at Killary and for one final, flappo filled meal! We later boarded the bus, saying goodbye to Killary for the final time.

Harron Jungalwalla


Geography Class:Garry Walshe: “Mr Cox, how did I get 10% on my essay, when I copied it off the same website as Dylan, who got 30%?”

Jeananne Mulligan: “Does horse radish have horse in it?”

Charlotte Ebert: “Sir, how do you get rid of crabs...?” Mr Ashmore: “I wouldn’t know...” Charlotte Ebert: “Oh, sorry, I meant cramps, in my leg!”

Hugh O’Conor during snow: “Ayon, have you ever seen snow before?!”

Physics Class:Clare Spollen: “Does the water not need to be -100°C to freeze...?”

Sinéad Doody: “I want to go to the gym, but I’m not sure if running can get you swimming fit...?” Ms Maher: “I hope you’re not running in the pool, Sinéad!”

COOK IT“COOK IT” is a TY module, organised by Ms. Keogh. The module included learning about nutrition and kitchen safety. Our second lesson started the cooking activity. We chose what we wanted to cook. The cooking itself was really fun. We worked in pairs to create our dishes. We got to eat the food that we made and it was all really delicious.

Sara Balaban

RSA WorkshopFourth Form students headed to De La Salle for an interactive lesson in road safety. It was a cold day, so everybody bundled up before we left, our breath puffing out in clouds of white as we made our way down the hill.

We were divided into groups for each activity. We were escorted to a lorry that had been transformed into a road safety learning centre. There were motorbike, car and bicycle simulators that judged whether or not you were a safe driver. There was another simulator that tested your emergency braking speed by beeping at you. We then experienced the crash simulator. The simulator taught us that “If you always put on your seatbelt, there is a 99% chance that if you are in a car crash, you will be in exactly the same place as when you buckled up.”

Once we were fully returned to our intended gravity we were told that the force of our turn, with gravity, was only 1N. A real car crash would be thirteen times that! The day was a good learning experience and has taught us to always wear a seat belt.

Sarah Bakker

Fourth Form Drumming Workshops

In early November Mrs. Keappock organised the use of a full set of djembe drums.We were lucky enough to have them until after Christmas. TY students enjoyed learning the basics of djembe drumming.

We learned three different ways to play them; bass, tone and slap. After learning a few simple rhythms we tried improvising. We passed our own rhythms around the circle and drummed to the rhythm of each others names. Mrs. Keappock taught us about the drum circles in America and how they meditate, in silence, to the sound of the drumming. We took it in turns to lead; control the tempo and the dynamics of the group. We were treated to a performance, by the class, during the Transition Year Concert and the Christmas Concert. It was a really good experience. We all learnt a new skill and it was great teamwork because everyone has to listen to each other and coordinate.

Triona Harvey

NOvember22nd: Muffin and Hot Chocolate initiative for Autism - e720 was raised and the money was divided between the school of the Holy Family in Kilkenny and WASSA (Waterford Autism Social and Sports Association)30th: Transition Year Enterprise students set up a Winterval village.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

December5th:National Budget is released. Nation weeps.12th: Pyjama Day to raise money and awareness for St. Patrick’s Hospital, organised by Centre of Social Innovation (COSI Team). Pyjamas are worn. Onesies abound.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


George Morgan-Busher Life on a Boat.

My dad has owned a boat continuously since he was nineteen. When he met my mum she had a canal boat. My parents got our floating home before I was born, because the previous boat wasn’t very “kid friendly”. The contract for “Amazon” was signed on the 1st January 1997 and I was born on the 31st. I was on board for part of the journey as they moved her from Scotland to Malta. Our boat is one hundred and twenty six years old and is almost all original. The climate in Malta, as well as the fact that she was built with exceptionally good materials, are the reasons why she has survived so well since the dry air inhibits rot and other threats to classic wooden yachts.

I grew up in Malta, most of the time living in the yacht yard on Amazon. I haven’t spent all my life on Amazon, as we lived in Alderney for a while. We also lived in a house on the waterfront in Malta, overlooking Amazon’s moorings.

We have done a lot of summer cruising onboard Amazon. In 2005 we visited Greece and then the Aeolian Islands a couple of summers running. Big things happened in 2009 when I left school to cross the Atlantic with my father and a couple of my parents’ friends. The weather was ferocious and it took us weeks to get to Gibraltar; we had to wait out storms sheltered in the small bays of Pantellaria. We didn’t spend long in Gibraltar but got moving on through the Canaries, the Cape Verdes, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Antigua, three months in Bermuda, and then to Newport and Bristol and Rhode Island. My father and I spent a month in Rhode Island, visiting the Herreshoff Museum, before moving down the coast to Mystic, Connecticut. We spent the next year at Mystic Seaport (the largest maritime museum in the world). We had been planning to move on after wintering in Mystic, but a lightning strike kept Amazon in Mystic until 2011, when the return journey started. We travelled north through Halifax, Nova Scotia, and St. Johns’, Newfoundland. There was horrible weather on the return crossing, and we arrived in Bantry Bay sixteen days after leaving St. John’s. We carried onwards, but ended up wintering in Waterford, and that’s how I ended up at Newtown. On the whole, Amazon is a major part of my life. I will always remember the amazing places I’ve been to, and the experiences I’ve had on my floating home.

Amazon off Stromboli

Amazon off Bristol, RI

Amazon in Mystic Seaport, CT

Innovative Education T.Y pupils thoroughly enjoy visit to

“Arclabs Innovation Centre”On Wednesday 6th February, thirty TY pupils undertook a trip to Arclabs Innovation Centre, Waterford. The trip was organised by the pupils of the business class. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.

The trip was a great opportunity for students to expand their innovative ideas and to find out more about Waterford’s business “think tank”. The following is a first person account of a student who went to Arclabs.

The trip began with an overview of the centre’s work and a brief description of the company’s resident there; this was given by the centre’s director, Tom Corcaran. The centre’s resident businesses range from small Irish start-up businesses to International companies. The vast majority of these businesses are I.T based and Mr. Corcaran talked of the importance of I.T in business.We were then introduced to one of the leading firms at the centre. The students were split into small groups to work on a project. This project involved Lego. We were encouraged to be innovative and to think ‘outside the box’. The premise of the “games” was to create new innovations, using the juvenile theme of Lego pieces, in a timed environment.

Group members were assigned roles, such as project manager, reader, time-keeper and scribe. The objective of the first “game” was to create a “legoman”. We were given a brief description by our project manager on what must be done to create the model. Our questions on how to make the model were answered, by our project manager, by answering “yes or no”. This was part of a team-building exercise using the medium of communication.

I found the “games” thoroughly enjoyable and interesting. The trip has deepened my thinking, allowing me to “think outside the box” more frequently in the matter of innovative ideas.

Harron Jungawalla

LCVP Class:Bela Campion: “But people will want to buy more fireplaces, because global warming is making the winters way cooler!”

Katie Sweeney: “How is March 1st the day after February 28th?!”

Chemistry Class:Ruth Bennett Coady: “Mr Jones, do you have our tests corrected yet?” Mr Jones: “Ruth, I have 23 Junior Cert mock exams, 18 Leaving Cert mock exams, and I have a life...”

Shane Fitz: “What’s the point of having the Spire?” Sinéad Doody: “So you can find O’Connell Street!!”

5th Applied Maths:Mr. Ronan: .... costing you points... Peter Stewart: hahaa! Cos Tan you points!


Transition Year students enjoyed their trips to Tramore and Dunmore East to do surfing and kayaking respectively.

DAY 1On Tuesday morning, the 16th of October, at 8:45, group two departed for The Dunmore East Adventure Centre.

Áine, one of the employees there, filled us in on what we were going to cover that day. We were sent down to get our wetsuits, buoyancy jackets, helmets, kags and shoes. When everyone was ready, we grabbed a paddle each and headed down to the kayaks.

There were three different types of kayaks. Sea kayaks, inner kayaks and the outerkayaks. We collected our kayaks and we headed down the concrete slope to the edge of the water, got into our kayaks and off we paddled. There were four instructors in the water with us; Johny, Aaron, Garry, and Rupert.

Our first task was to make a straight line, we had to hold onto someone else’s kayak on both sides of ours. After the introductions, we were

split into four groups. I was in Rupert’s group. We all followed our instructors over to a beach about one hundred metres away. When we got there we learned how to paddle forwards and backwards. We also learned how to do the sweep stroke and the backwards sweep stroke. After that, we all went onto the beach, were divided into two groups and we had a race. Next we went on a little trip around the rocks and beaches. We stopped at a beach called ‘Ladies Cove’. There, we played a game with the oars. When the game ended, all of us took a kayak and a paddle and we headed back to the centre for our lunch.

After lunch we went back into the water. We headed back to ‘Ladies Cove’ and were separated into two teams. We had to make a raft of kayaks and race to the pontoon and back without the raft collapsing. We all ended up in the water! After that bit of fun, we took our kayaks and paddled back into the centre for our showers. When the day ended, we all said thank you and goodbye, grabbed our bags and headed out to the bus to take us back to school. Overall it was a fantastic day!

Kayaking With DEACDAY 2

When we got to the Centre, we signed in and were sent straight to the changing rooms to get all of our gear on. Once that was done, we went outside to do a few warm ups, including my favourite warm up ‘suicides’. We then all grabbed a paddle and a kayak and headed to the usual beach. We went over the strokes that we had been taught and learned a few new ones. After that we all got out of the kayaks and had a few jumps off a rock (which was brilliant!). We then went back to the Centre for our lunch.

After lunch, we separated into two groups. The first group did ‘capsizing’ while the other group messed around on the water trampoline and the pontoon. I did the capsizing first. While I filmed our every move with the waterproof camera, Rupert taught us how to get out of the kayak if it capsized. When he was finished explaining we all went

in pairs and tried out capsizing with the help of Rupert and Garry. When everyone had capsized, we swapped with the other group and had a go on the water trampoline and the pontoon. It was a really good way to end the day in the water.

When we were all finished taking our showers and getting changed, we went to the room upstairs where we played a few games. After the games, we said goodbye, thanked the instructors and headed back to school.

Over the two days, we had a really good time! It was so much fun!

Katie Sweeney


My Military ExperienceOn 29th January 2013, I began my Work Experience at Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell, Nottingham. My choice of placement was due to my interest in military psychiatry and also my light interest in joining The Territorial Army. On the night of the 28th January, I arrived at the barracks from Ireland, following the short journey from East Midlands Airport. Upon arrival, I was given an official army identification card. For the duration of my stay, I resided in the officer’s mess. The mess was situated towards the north of the campus, within beautiful, picturesque surroundings.

On Monday morning, I began my placement at the Veterans and Reservists Mental Health Partnership (VRMHP) which specializes in military psychiatry. Upon beginning work, I was “briefed’ by the department’s Officer Commanding (OC), Major Peter Wink. This included the details of my job description, a description of the work of the department, its history and finally the signing of the official secrets act which all military personnel, their family and civilian workers in the military are required to sign. I was then introduced to Sgt. Adam Horner, who gave me a formal tour of the barracks. Later on, I attended an operations brief given by Sgt. Horner. An operations brief, or “ops” brief for short, is given to all deployable soldiers of both the regular and territorial armies before tours of duty. Sgt. Horner, as a community psychiatric nurse, gave a brief to the reservists on the importance of Mental Health on tours of duty.

Personnel on tours of duty are exposed to potentially very traumatic environments, a small number may suffer from mental health difficulties and from that a small number may also suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The number of personnel suffering from PTSD has increased recently; therefore more provisions must be made for its sufferers. Throughout the week I witnessed various encounters with patients and realised how demanding the job is for Mental Health professionals. It is a world away from general adult psychiatry, where patients are not subject to the conditions and dangerous situations VRMHP patients are. During the first “ops brief”, Sgt. Horner explained “TRIM” or Trauma risk management. This is an important part of military mental health, especially on tours of duty. It involves a great deal of force, co-operation and supervision, and is a different and more humane way of potentially preventing or helping soldiers suffering with PTSD. Sgt. Horner ended the brief on an encouraging note, telling the “squaddies” that even merely embarking on a tour of duty shows great valor and courage and is most rewarding. After staying the week at Chetwynd, the experience has given me a much clearer idea of military psychiatry and The Territorial Army and has broadened my horizons into thinking about both fields as possible career choices.

Harron Jungalwalla

My Work Experience in WLR FMFor my February TY work placement I decided I’d like to go to WLR FM’s Music Department because I’m interested in music production. Another reason I wanted to go there was that earlier on in the year we had a “Lyric FM Workshop” where we were shown the basics of how a radio programme is run. I really enjoyed it and wanted to learn more. I e-mailed them and next thing I knew I was off to work.

The week started with a brief tour of the WLR building and an introduction to staff. They share the building with Beat 102- 103 and as all the rooms are mixed in together I got to see both stations’ facilities. Their studios are distinguished from each other by colour, blue for “WLR” and red for “Beat”.

The first task I was given was to look up all the different radio stations in Ireland and find names and e-mail addresses for their heads of music. This was so Michael Byrne (my supervisor and WLR’s head of music) could organise an event that would be promoted on every station in Ireland at the same time. It took quite a while because many of them didn’t have the e-mails or even the names of the head of

music on their websites. I enjoyed this task as I got to look at all the different radio stations’ websites and I was given a computer to use in an office among a bunch of friendly staff. (check that it is ok to include this info please)

Another task I had was to edit a programme that had been recorded and played earlier that day. I was shown how to us the editing software and then had to remove all the ad breaks to make it into one long programme that would be run at midnight as a repeat.

My favourite part of my experience at the radio station was when I got to sit in during a live programme to watch and learn how things are done. I was shown what buttons to press when, how loud to have music playing while someone’s talking, how to organise when a song comes on, if it fades out onto a presenter or just runs straight through to the next song, how to set up a music countdown show using their software and lots more.

All in all I loved the time there, and I’d recommend it to anybody interested in working in the media or with music.

By Kayleigh Newcomb

RTÉ 2 visit NewtownOn Wednesday the 21st November RTÉ 2 came to Newtown to do a report about Enterprise in TY. They visited Mr. Sexton’s woodturning class and interviewed the class about the candlesticks they were making for the Waterford “Winterval” Festival. Everyone involved performed very well, especially Roberta Doorley and Dylan de la Haye.

Afterwards the camera crew visited the Enterprise class to interview a few people about their projects. We found some hidden talent as a TV-star in Mrs. Maher as well as Connor Buckley, Laura McDaid and Daniel O’Driscoll (who accidentally turned into David O’Driscoll on the show).

It was a very interesting day for everyone involved and I think everyone did a really good job. For those who want to watch it, it is on www.rte.ie/player. It was on News2Day on the 22nd November at 4.25 pm on RTÉ 2.

by Stephanie Ebert

5th Applied MathsMark Laherty: “Sometimes I get confused.”

(Someone sings “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” on The X Factor) Emma Swift: “Isn’t that a Beyonce song?”

Study Hall:Mr. Lester: “Why are you here?” Anna O’Connor: “I belong here.” Neil Dunne: “At least she fits in somewhere. God bless her she’s a tryer.”


Newtown Young Social Innovators in Support of Older People in our CommunityThe Young Social Innovator programme encourages young people to get involved, to believe in something and to act on it. The aim is to come up with innovative ideas to tackle an area of social concern. Our project is called “Wishing You Well”.

We chose to work with older people after learning that they are affected by many different health issues. Loneliness is a real concern and this can, all too often lead to isolation and depression. We contacted St. Patrick’s Hospital in Waterford and they were delighted to be part of this intergenerational project.

We got involved in YSI in September. It has been a brilliant experience for all involved. We started with our Christmas “Shoe Box Collection – Suitable for the Older Person”. Boxes were filled with items required for a hospital stay and some treats. We needed ninety six gift filled boxes so that each resident would receive a gift. Due the generosity of people in Waterford, one hundred and forty gifts were collected. We enjoyed a memorable day with the residents whilst opening their gifts with them.

We wanted to raise awareness of older people in hospital, especially at Christmas. The Center of Social Innovation Team organised our schools first ever “Pyjama’s for Patricks” day. Students wore their pyjamas for the day and donated €2 to our campaign.

Our favourite part of our project has been our “Wish List”. What would you wish for if you had one wish, perhaps a holiday, a win on the Lotto, a bigger house? We asked the residents in the hospital this question and created our “Wish List” based on their responses. ‘Wishes’ varied from items of clothing, jewellery, rosary beads, beauty products, trips to places that hold special meaning to a person to meeting with sports stars.

We were thrilled with the “Wish List” and set to work making sure that these ‘wishes’ were fulfilled, one by one! It has been a fantastic year and we have enjoyed every minute of this experience. The kindness and generosity shown by local and national businesses and individuals has been amazing and deeply appreciated. Thank you to everyone that contributed to making this

project such a success. Big thanks to the residents themselves, they have been a joy to work with.

After attending the regional “Speakouts” in Cork, we were selected to present our project at The National Showcase in Dublin on May 8th. We were one of eight projects chosen in the category “Making our Country More Inclusive and Poverty Free”. Our project was highly commended. We were one of three projects, nationally, chosen to present to the guests of YSI and their sponsors. The event was hosted by Ray Darcy. Ray spoke about our project on his morning radio show the following day. Our project has featured in many local and national newspapers and on the radio, it has raised awareness of our work and of the issues that affect older people. We are so happy that we became Young Social Innovators.

We have learned that every positive action, however small, can make a big difference. We have learned that it feels good to get involved in your community and we are looking forward to all of our future work with the residents.

YSI was one of our favourite parts of Transition Year. We enjoyed working with our team and enjoyed working with the residents even more. They were so much fun and friendly. They looked forward to our visits as much as we looked forward to going to the hospital to see them. We would definitely take part in this programme again if we had the chance and we would encourage next years TY students to get involved. It was hard work but it was worth it, it was so rewarding for everyone.

We wouldn’t have achieved what we have without Ms. Coady. She put so much time and effort into our project and into making the wishes come true for the residents. Thanks for all of the guidance and support. We started as a group of students and a YSI guide and we became a TEAM. We are delighted that our project was such a success and we hope that what we have started will be continued next year.

Marlena, Nikki and Team YSI

Christmas DinnerChristmas dinner was held for the entire school on Thursday the 13th of December. There was fierce excitement throughout the morning as everyone, students and staff alike, thought only of the potato croquettes, Christmas crackers, and juice that would bedeck the plates and tables later on.

After an anxious wait, the staggered entry times finally arrived.As the diners entered, Mr. Lyons put a napkin and a cracker on each tray. Next came the pudding - a dark treacle colour impregnated with dried fruit, slathered with brandy butter and gently embraced by whipped cream.

Plates were piled high with the ambrosia of Newtown -turkey, ham and stuffing in packages topped with pineapple, brussels sprouts, peas, a thick glaze of gravy and, of course, the much talked of and sought after, potato croquettes!

Everyone was seated at a clothed and crackered table. The orange and red squashes were quickly depleted by the hungry bellies as crackers were pulled, jokes cracked, prizes exchanged and most of the paper hats found warm, round homes atop our heads.

The advantage came to those who had had the longest to wait -seconds were dished out as the lunch hour declined.Everyone went back to work in high spirits.

The boarders’ weekend Christmas dinner was held, as always, on the last Sunday of term. We all had a small lunch to save room for the coming feast. At about three o’clock, the First Form girls and the usual group of Fourth Formers went to help the Ladies of the Kitchen to set the hall up. The tables were laid with glasses, jugs, crackers and chocolates. The cutlery was wrapped in paper napkins while music played from a portable speaker.

Meanwhile, in Anamaur, girls were showering, painting nails and preparing hair. The dresses were brought forth and slipped into. After the last face was painted, without a hair out of place, the girls braved the cold weather to make the journey to the dining hall.

The boys attended in their best shirts and ties. The dining hall was lit by a bazillion candles while Christmas music was drowned by the clamour of excitement.

Mr. Hanlon oversaw the order of serving. During the wait, the crackers were pulled and the chocolates were traded and eaten. We started with spinach vol-au-vents and salad. The main course was the traditional turkey, ham, stuffing, sprouts, garlic potatoes, gravy and of course – potato croquettes!

Before dessert, the speeches were made. First of all, Mr. Hanlon reminded us, as he does every year, of how Christmas is a wonderful time for most, but we must still be conscious of the fact that, for some, it is a sad time of the year.

In the absence of our head girl, the head boy Geoff and Rosaline made speeches thanking all of the catering staff for the wonderful meal on behalf of us all. Rosaleen also specially mentioned the Kitchen Ladies who would be leaving us after the holidays.

Pavlova and ice-cream cake joined the Christmas pudding for our dessert. Everyone looked swell and were happily fed. We decanted from the hall, some to watch “Skyfall” in the Lecture Theatre and others to socialise elsewhere.

A massive thanks from all of the students to the catering staff and everyone involved for organising the two dinners for us!

Bobbi Doorley

December13th: Christmas Dinner. Great food is shoved into faceholes.14th: Newtown Connecticut shootings17th: YSI Wishing You Well team give shoeboxes filled with gifts to the residents of St. Patrick’s Hospital for Christmas.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


Feature Article

GAA Legend lifts hearts at St. Patrick’s

Wishing You Well

Young Social Innovators from Newtown School making dreams come true.

Read about Daniel O’

Donnell’s contribution to

Young Social Innovator’s

“Wish List”.

This week read all about it: ‘From Daniel with Love’

“Catch afalling Star”

Social Isolation is a particular risk for older people, with potentially serious consequences.

January 2013

Special Visitor brings gifts to St. Patricks Hospital.

Classic Movie CollectionNewtown School Young Social Innovator group in support of St. Patricks Hospital, Waterford.

Read how a group of Transition Year students in Newtown School set out to make Christmas extra special this year for local elderly residents of St. Patrick’s Hospital by launching a shoebox appeal.

December 2012

Wishing You Well

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”

Christmas Edition

Newtown Student’s make

Christmas special for the

older people

Dementia44,000 people in Ireland live with Dementia. Read why Dementia is one of the main causes of disability in older life.

“Our Day Out”When you wish upon a star...

MARCH 2013

Wishing You Well

State Pension1 in 10 older people in Ireland live on income below the poverty line.State Pensions are the main source of income for older people over 65.

All in a days work as Newtown Students fulfill more wishes...

Make a w!h!

Read about how Chronic illnesses are responsible for 60%

of deaths in older people.

2 Tier Health System

“You’ve got a friend”

Newtown School YSI Team ‘Wishing You Well’

make wishes come true at St. Patrick’s Hospital.

Isolation: ‘Lean On Me’ disABILITY

Among the older population disability increases with age.

“And they call it puppy love”

Easter Edition 2013

Wishing You Well

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have

been” - Mark Twain

“Standing Up and Speaking Out” ‘Wishing You Well’ YSI Team meet Sr. Stanislaus at YSI “Speak Outs” in Cork thisyear.

This week

Read Inside:

‘FAIR DEAL’- Deal or No

Deal?

What’s in an Age? Say NO to Ageism.

Testimony from HSE/St. Patrick’s Hospital for Newtown School Transition Year

Project’s “Wishing you Well” initiative The HSE and management and staff at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Waterford are delighted to be associated with the “Wishing you well” intergenerational initiative, involving transition year students from Newtown School.

There is an excellent, hardworking and dedicated staff at St. Patrick’s. The clients and their families have been delighted with this facility over the years. It complements our excellence in care to have support from groups as diverse as “The Friends of St. Patrick’s Hospital Committee” to the wonderful young people of the Transition Year Project at Newtown School .

Efforts, such as those of the Newtown school students, has a positive effect on st. patrick’s resident’s lives and our continued collaboration with the transition year project has been a valued feature of activities here.

The “Wishing you Well” ‘initiative is essentially an opportunity for both students and the residents to share memories, stories and to make a small wish come through.

The wishes range from a simple box of sweets to a trip to Lourdes. None of these wishes proved too much of a challenge for the students, as they have the support of fellow students, teachers, parents and the local community.

Recently, one of our elderly male residents was consulted as part of this project and he expressed a simple desire to be brought back to visit the old locality he once lived in and to meet up for a refreshment with the most elderly resident associated with that part of Waterford. Not only did the students go and arrange this meaningful venture but on the day our resident was pleasantly surprised to discover that he was to be transported in the Mayor of Waterford’s car!

this initiative has enhanced the lives of st. patrick’s hospital’s residents and it’s heartening to see the interaction between the elderly and their youthful visitors. these civic minded students are promoting positive ageing through an activity such as the “wishing you well’ idea and we are very pleased that they chose our facility and its residents to benefit.

Congratulations“Congratulations on receiving a High Commendation for the YSI Challenge ‘Making Our Country More Inclusive and Poverty Free’ at the Young Social Innovators Annual Showcase 2013! I am absolutely delighted that you project “Wishing You Well” received such high recognition and praise.

Your conviction, passion and commitment to gaining an in depth understanding of the topic and taking innovative action were most inspiring. The judges were highly impressed with your project report and presentation, as were all those who viewed presentation. Congratulations also to your YSI Guide, Ms. Coady, who supported you throughout the year.

Your project was a credit to you and all those involved with it and you should be very proud of yourselves and your hard work. I sincerely hope you continue the good work your project has begun”.

Congratulations again,Rachel Collier,Chief Executive Officer, Young Social Innovators Thanksgiving Poem

Thanks to theeAll Blessings be.

You have touched many soulsAnd so much more

With your gift of care and connectingThat touches many a heart searching

For Love and appreciationThat carries forth through generations.Spreading and sharing in a Love so true

As each gracious momentBrings further Blessings anew.

Many thanks to you. Written for the YSI Team by the advocate team at St. Patrick’s, after listening to their stories about

their ‘wishes coming true’


Transition Year ‘Mini Med’ Programme - Waterford

Waterford RCSI ‘Mini Med’ School Programme offers a four day experience for Transition Year students interested in a career in Medicine.

The programme covers a wide variety of topics and is designed to introduce students to aspects of a career in medicine. It takes place in the HSE /RCSI Education Building at Waterford Regional Hospital and uses the Nursing School Facilities in WIT for the practical sessions. This programme is run every year.

Applications to the Transition Year .Mini Med’ School are made through schools only. One hundred and twenty places are available to Transition Year students from schools in the South East. Stephanie Ebert and I were very lucky to be able to take part in this programme on February the 12th to the15th 2013. The programme gave us the opportunity to experience what it is like to train and work as a doctor. We had lectures for three full days and practical sessions for two half days. We also had the opportunity to witness a real life operation, via video link, to the operating theatre in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

Topics that were covered included human anatomy, forensic medicine, surgery, obstetrics & paediatrics, psychiatry, and medicine, including emergency medicine, cardiology, respiratory disease, renal disease & family practice. In the practical sessions, we got the opportunity to do research, CPR, Simulation and Clinical skills (medical), First Aid, Communication and Simulation Surgical Discipline.

As well as the lectures and practical sessions, Stephanie and I got the chance to get to know some of the other students taking part. Both of us really enjoyed the programme. It made me think about medicine as a career. I would definitely recommend this programme to any TY students that are interested in medicine. Even if you come out of the programme thinking “No, that’s really not for me” it’s a brilliant experience to have, and it really got me thinking about a career in my future.

By Sophie Crotty

EnterpriseEnterprise is a module in TY. The aim is to develop ideas and products.

In the beginning there were nine groups in our class, with some very promising ideas. We had:

• ‘Auto Mooving Gates’, • ‘Stocking up’, ‘White’, • ‘The Bucket’, ‘Granny Jacobs biscuits’, • ‘Gregory’,• ‘Coolie woods’, • ‘TEG’ • ‘Cubez’

Every group was very busy during the year trying to organise their groups and trying to sell their products. ‘Stocking Up’ participated in the ‘Winterval’ festival in Waterford over the Christmas period.

In late January, the school final was held to see which groups would go on to the city finals. Each group displayed their work. All of the displays were very good, choosing the top three was a difficult task for the judges.

Since there was no clear winner, we took part in a ‘Dragons Den’ style competition to see which groups would move on to the city finals. Two people came to Newtown from Arc labs in WIT to help with the deliberations. The judges picked ‘Stocking up’, ‘Auto Mooving Gates’ and ‘Gregory’ to represent Newtown in the city finals.

The city finals were held in Dooleys Hotel in Waterford. There were over twenty groups competing in from different schools in Waterford. We set up our displays and got ready for the judges. Each group was interviewed by judges about our products.

There were six prizes up for grabs. Two out of the three teams from Newtown were awarded a prize. ‘Gregory’ won the ‘Students Choice’ award and ‘Auto Mooving Gate’ won the ‘Best Innovation’ award.

Thank you to Mrs. Maher and to Ms. Hehir for all her help and input throughout the year.

By James KierseyDecember

18th: Clan X-Country 2012/13. (Take note of Barry O’Sullivan in a banana suit in the picture below.)

J Diary 2012-2013 KMaths Class:Ms. Graham: “Why did you put that number there?” Raoul O’Brien: “I felt like it.”

Mr. Ronan: “Peter, why were you twenty minutes late to class?” Peter Stewart: “My new pants are tight and I can’t walk fast.”

Clara ffrench Davis: “It’s February 1st.” Emily Hermon: “Ah! April Fool’s Day!”

Jeananne Mulligan: “Grass tastes like nothing”

5th Form Chemistry Jeananne Mulligan to Mr. Jones: “It’s ok sir, we’re just laughing at your face!”

Ms. Connolly: “Nigel what is your team’s name?” Nigel Kennington: “Hoof Hearted”

Unamaya Kennedy: “You can die of a broken heart!”


TY ConcertOn Thursday the 13th of December all Fourth Form students had their own little concert. Everything was organised by TY students and the end result was really good.

It started off with the Music class doing a drum circle, followed by Triona Harvey playing “River Flows in You” on the Piano. Next was the REACH-Project group showed us the choreography that they had been working on for weeks. They had already staged it in “Garter Lane” the week before. Sophie Crotty and Stephanie Ebert performed a song called “Heart on Fire” with guitar, piano and vocals. Sophie and Akeyla Makhoba sang “Diamonds” by Rihanna. Hugh McEvoy showed amazing talent when he played a Coldplay song on the piano. Aine Walsh played “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol. The music class sang “Fix You”, accompanied by piano, drums and guitars. The show ended with Keith Hackett’s dance choreography to “See Beneath You’re Beautiful”. There were amazing lifts, a break-dance bit, and tricks like somersaults and handstands included.

It was great to see all the hidden talents and everyone really enjoyed it.

SurfingWe enjoyed two days of surfing at ‘Oceanic Surf School’ in Tramore. Before getting in to the water we had to learn about safety in the water.

We practiced our ‘pop up’ skills then went out into the water and surfed. For some people it was their first time surfing. We all really enjoyed it. We spent two

days practicing. On our third day Paul watched us in the water to see if we had learned the basic surfing skills. We were keen to pass

the test and to get our certificates. We all passed and were all delighted.

Thank you to those that organized this event.

By Katie Sweeney

December19th: Christmas Concert. Olympic Torch is brought to Newtown.

20th: Household and catering staff retire.21st: Term ends. The world doesn’t.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

JANuAry13th: Transition Year Young Social Innovators and Enterprise groups set up displays in Legoland.15th: First ever Inter-Clan Orienteering Competition.16th: Newtown VS Villiers Semi-Final (Seniors and Juniors). Villiers victory.22nd: Games Day organised by Centre of Social Innovation (COSI) Team to boost school morale.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

(5th Applied Maths)Ms. Rellis: A word for loving beginning with ph? Eden Little: Preffering?

Melanie Fitzgerald: Oh you rehydrate when you drink water?

Ms. Kirwan: Anna O’Connor! Stop acting like a horse! You’ve plenty of horses at home!

Mr. Ronan: 461 new exoplanet candidates were announced this week. Clara ffrench Davis: I thought there were only 8 planets?

Clara ffrench Davis (looking at lemons): Are they marshmallows?

Molly Fitzmaurice: I always get foetus and faeces mixed up!


Fifth Form

Most Likely To…Marry Prince Harry Sarah Murray

Eat a worm Ayon Walsh

Guest-star in The Simpsons Ayon Walsh

Work for Google. Barry O’Sullivan

Win a dance off against Channing Tatum Jeananne Mulligan

Become James Bond Raoul O’Brien

Live in Manhattan Molly Fitzmaurice

Enter the Big Brother House Jessica Palmer

Drive an electric car Georgia Tuohy

Be a One Direction groupie Dylan Henry

Have their portrait put up in the study hall Neil Dunne

Work in Abercrombie & Fitch. Melanie Fitzgerald

Cycle Mount Everest Baróg Kennedy

Develop a cure for cancer Ruth Cusack

Judge The X Factor Brian Kenny

Design the perfect back-scratcher Clara ffrench Davis

Duet with Beyoncé Raychel Solomon

Be a superhero Mark Laherty

Orienteer around the world Nigel Kennington

Do a Neville Longbottom on it ;) Will Troy

Be the next Troy and Gabriela (high school musical)

Connor Vogelaar and Anna O’ Connor


All Star Mr & MrsIn the Leaving Certificate Business course there is a section which covers management skills. In order to aid learning about this section on a practical level the business class decided to come up with an entrepreneurial idea which also would raise money for charity. We decided as a class to donate the money to ‘St. Patricks Hospital’.

We used brainstorming sessions to come up with ideas. Our teacher recorded all the ideas suggested and nobody was judged. Proposals ranged from hot chocolate to Christmas cards.

We narrowed our ideas down to those that we believed were going to be feasible, leaving us with three different types of game shows.

Before we progressed to the stage of developing the concept we met with Mr Lemon and presented the idea of a “Blind Date” show to him. For a number of different reasons Mr. Lemon rejected the idea but was strongly in favour of us having an “All Star Mr and Mrs” show.

We carried out a survey amongst the school community surveying people from First Form to Sixth to gauge interest in the show. The results of the survey were positive and identified real potential in the project. We decided to have teachers participate and we used that as our unique selling point.

We allocated positions in the class, of who would do what.

Brian was asked to be Project Manager, Clare, the Finance Co-ordinator, Cillian, the Stage Co-ordinator, Shannon was Game show Co-ordinator she was also the Artistic manager. We asked Devon in fourth year if he would make the videos of the couples to be played at the start of the show. He obliged and they were a great success. Dylan and Melanie were the Sales Co-ordinators, Garry, the Music Technician, and Ayon and Daniel, the general helpers.

How The Day WentThe class stayed behind on our half day on Wednesday to do some last minute things. Signs for the shop were printed and tables brought in. The music system & projector were checked. The stock for the shop was purchased. The question cards were written up for Mrs Maher. Slide shows were made. The pink and blue paddles for the game were prepared and Melanie borrowed the microwave to make the popcorn. Shannon printed the question slips for the game.

When Thursday, 14th March arrived the Sales team put the last notice in collect. The whole class set up in Lego land that break time and sold vast amounts of tickets, much more than expected.

We were allowed to set up in the last class of school to be ready for the show to start seamlessly at 3.45pm. Classes after lunch were cut down to 30 minutes to accommodate it.

Garry and John, the IT Administrator in the school, set up the speakers and made sure the music was going to work well. The shop was set up. Mr. Hanlon, Mr Green, Miss Coady and Miss Hehir were given the class sheets to allow people into the Foy hall

for the show. The 4th years helped set up the chairs. Popcorn was made and the teachers allowed people in. The shop sold out extremely quickly. The show went as planned and was a huge success. Mr and Mrs Denniston won the show and received Odeon Cinema tickets which were generously donated by the cinema. The show ended as hoped at 5:15pm and we swiftly cleaned up the hall.

A lot of effort and organisation went into making All Star Mr And Mrs but it was all worth it. The feedback from students was very positive. If we were to change anything, we would have bought more popcorn and coke. Unfortunately, our market research indicated that there would be low sales in the shop, this turned out opposite.

The business class developed a lot of skills, from how to make a PowerPoint to leadership skills. Communication skills were definitely achieved along with teamwork skills. The class learned how to speak in public, negotiate agreements & meet deadlines. It proved profitably too also as we earned €300!

Working on this show allowed us an opportunity to put into practice, in a real life event, the theory we learned in our Business course.

Shannon Cox, Melanie Fitzgerald, Brian Kenny

Gaisce: the President’s AwardGaisce works on the basis of a personal challenge set by the young person. They set their own challenge and agree it with a President’s Award Leader (PAL), in this case Mr Cox who has filled the role for the past 20 years.

The Bronze Award takes a minimum of six months to achieve and requires a challenge in four different types of activity: Community Involvement, Personal Skill, Physical Recreation and an Adventure Journey.

Congratulations to Niamh Lynam, Una Ivory, Clara ffrench Davis and Gillian Richardson who showed great stickability and completed their Bronze level award during Transition Year.


BANKBank this year, was run by the current fifth form students in Newtown. After the usual necessary training day, they were ready to embark on the challenge of a lifetime! Apart from the occasional hiccup, the general running of this year’s Bank went very smoothly. A special mention must go out to Bank’s top performer of Juan Espegel in Transition Year. Every Friday the school was graced by the presence of both Neil and Cilian as Legoland’s DJ’s for lunch. The grounds of the school were filled by everything from; Pink Floyd to Django Django to Mozart himself.

Good luck to next year’s Bank team!

Bank Team: Neil Dunne, Barry “Bazmundo” O’Sullivan, Ruairi Finnegan, Cilian Jacob, Clara ffrench Davis and Charlotte Ebert.

Neil Dunne

The Ploughing ChampionshipsAn eagerly awaited day by many Newtown students had finally arrived. It was time to go ploughing! Tuesday 25th of September was a wet and miserable day, typical Ireland, but that didn’t dampen our spirits, as we got on the bus to New Ross. By the time we got to the ‘Rhue Glenn on the far side of Waterford, the traffic was already bumper to bumper. It took us over an hour to travel what should have been a twenty five minute journey.When we got to the far side of New Ross, the traffic eased up and we finally got on our way to the championships.By the time we arrived it was nearly eleven o’clock, giving us just over three hours to get around the massive grounds. On went the jackets, hats and wellies, everyone was well prepared for the weather.Before we entered the grounds, we were given our lunches of crisps, chocolate, but most important of all ‘blaas’. A tradition in Newtown and no trip is complete without them.

As we entered the grounds of the ploughing championships, there was mud everywhere, but we didn’t care, it made it more festive I guess! As the rain continued, nearly everyone took to the shelter of the main exhibition marquees, looking at the different animals and food that were being exhibited. There were different breeds of cows, sheep and pigs, samples of organic food, farm machinery displays and much more.Some people braved the weather and went to find the ploughing while others even went to the amusements.We found our way back to the bus and we all climbed on board, we were soaked to the skin! We made the journey back to Newtown, which thankfully, was a lot quicker than the outward journey.Over all I think everyone had a really great day, despite the wet weather and we will enjoy heading to the ploughing championships again next year. Thank you to Mr. Jones and Ms. Coady for organising the trip and accompanying us.

Gillian Bond

Music to our Ears: Fifth Form Music Workshop

In December, the Fifth Form music class were visited by Mark Roper and Eric Sweeney. Mark is a well known poet and Eric is a composer with a worldwide reputation. The pair had the idea to organise a song writing competition in different schools in Waterford. We formed groups and were given four weeks to write a poem and set it to music. The whole class got really involved and had great ‘craic’ altogether! I teamed up with Anna O’Connor, Raychel Solomon and Sarah Murray. We co-wrote a song called ‘Clocks’ and performed it in four-part harmony.

When Eric and Mark returned, the class had a collection of four songs. We were also joined by a soprano, who sang two of the songs for us. It was incredible to hear our own compositions being performed by professionals. They were very impressed with all of our songs and all four were chosen to be performed on February 7th at a concert in WIT.

The concert was very enjoyable. We performed along with students from ‘De La Salle College’ and ‘The Abbey’. It was really interesting to see what the other schools had

created up with and we were all very impressed by the talent shown.

Thank you to everyone involved in organising this for us.

By Clara ffrench Davis 5X

Clara ffrench Davis: “Does Emily Dickinson mean “he Drank a Jew” when she says “he Drank a Dew”?”

Mr O’Cuinn: “There’s more than one way to skin a cat!” Jeananne Mulligan: “Why would you skin a cat?”

5th Form EnglishNeil Dunne (On his original cereal concept “Ring-a-Lings” : “They’re zingy because they’re ring ling, zing........?”

2nd Form Home-EcElla O’Neill: “What’s that thing next to the lung and the heart?” Ms. Keogh: “The other lung.”

JANuAry23rd: School Enterprise Final.

Newtown YSI team exhibit their work.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


Sixth

Form

Most Likely To…Marry Prince Harry Holly Wells or Hannah Murray

Eat a worm Beltram Gomez

Guest-star in The Simpsons Max O’Brien

Work for Google. Simon Quigley

Win a dance off against Channing Tatum Aaron Daly

Become James Bond Max O’Brien

Live in Manhattan Christian Cullen

Enter the Big Brother House Aaron Daly

Drive an electric car Geoff Graham

Be a One Direction groupie Rosaline Traynor

Have their portrait put up in the study hall Sarah Jameson

Work in Abercrombie & Fitch. Christian Cullen

Cycle Mount Everest Charlie Kelly and Georgiana Flood

Develop a cure for cancer Diarmuid Wingfield

Judge The X Factor Max O’Brien

Design the perfect back-scratcher Oliver Giles

Duet with Beyoncé Elena Kutay

Be a superhero Alex Pim

Orienteer around the world Joshua Thiele

Do a Neville Longbottom on it ;) Owen Chapman

Sarah Jameson & Elena Kutay

Dean Whelan, Georgiana Flood & Oliver Giles

Owen Chapman, Jamie Cross & Christian Cullen Geoff Graham, James Kavanagh & Max O’Brien

Leigh Marsh Horgan & Alice Lee

Holly Wells & April AllenMizuki Kirikawa & Georgia Battell

Rosaline Traynor & Rebecca Hoban

Kaine de la Haye & Chris Wieneke Ronan Sharpe, Ben O’Keefe & Alex Pim

Cathy McGrory & Phoebe Moore

Hannah Murray & Jane MurrayRory VanDokkem

Simon Quigley

Joshua ThieleMichael Chan

Aaron Daly Diarmuid Wingfield

Charlie Kelly


Head Girl Interview Alice Lee

How did you feel when you were made Head Girl? Did you ever expect to get it?Honestly, I was really surprised. Of course I was delighted, but I never thought it would ever have been me! It’s a great honour and I was more than happy to take up the position. It means a lot that both the staff and the students nominated me. It was a great boost to my self esteem anyway!

What kind of things have you had to do as Head Girl?As well as the usual jobs all the prefects have to do, I’ve also had to represent the student body at events such as the Open Day and the Old Scholars Dinner. I had to make a speech in front of all the parents who attended the open day, which I’ll admit was a bit scary but I really enjoyed it because it gave me a chance to tell them about my experiences at Newtown and how much I’ve enjoyed my time here.

Is it a lot of pressure being Head Girl? Is it time consuming?Not really, other than the speeches I haven’t been under much pressure because of the position. Of course I had to set aside time for thinking about what I was going to say during my speeches, but other than that it’s not a bother at all!

Have you any advice for next year’s Head Girl?I guess I would tell them to enjoy it; enjoy representing the school and getting the chance to meet people such as the parents at the open day, or the old scholars at the Old Scholars Dinner. When it comes to speeches, just try and be yourself and remember that people just want to hear what you have to say, and try and be as relaxed and natural as you can. Whether it’s scripted or not, just stay calm and it’ll be fine!

What are your plans for the future after Newtown?Hopefully I’ll go on to study medicine, because my dream is to become a surgeon. The thought of how many points I need to get is a bit terrifying but I’m just going to try and keep my hopes up and my head down and hopefully it’ll all work out in the end!

Head Boy Interview Geoff Graham

How did you feel when you were made Head Boy? Did you ever expect to get it? When I found out that I was made Head Boy, I was dumbfounded. I never expected this privilege. I am very grateful to everyone who voted for me.

What kind of things have you had to do as Head Boy? As Head Boy, it’s my duty to ensure that all of the younger students feel welcome. I must also ensure that everyone has as good an experience in Newtown as I have had and encourage them to partake in as much as possible. It’s also my job to speak with the parents of the incoming First Formers and at Christmas Dinner too.

Is ita lot of pressure being Head Boy? Is it time-consuming? I never see Head Boy as being time consuming or an effort. From the very beginning, I have enjoyed every minute of it.

Have you any advice for next year’s Head Boy? If I could give any advice to next year’s Head Boy, it would be to make everyone else enjoy Newtown as much as you do. Be helpful to other students and have a good laugh with younger years!

What are your plans for the future after Newtown? I not too sure to be honest maybe English literature, but I hope to be in Dublin with the friends I made in Newtown. I plan to keep playing hockey, that’s for sure.

Sixth Form Trip to “The Theatre Royale” to see Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”On the 23rd of January Mr.Deniston, Ms. Coady and the Sixth

Formers attended a “Macbeth” workshop. It was a showing of

the key scenes. The facilitator of the production spoke about each scene after it was performed. The special effects

were simple yet clever and the props were kept to a minimum. As there were only five actors, three of them played

numerous roles. Personally, I found the performance very enjoyable and it helped my understanding of the play. I

came away with an enlightened view of one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies.

Hannah Murray

JANuAry28th: 19th: ‘Mock’ Junior and Leaving Certificate exams begin. Second Year ski trip.

Transition Years begin work experience.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


Newtown through the ages

First Students of Newtown

School & Grounds

Survey

School

Members at meeting 20-6-1798


Basil Ashmore Interview:What years did you attend Newtown?1966 to 1972.

Were you a boarder?Yes.

What was the ratio of days: borders?I’m estimating here but my memory tells me it was probably about 25% (Day):75% (Boarders).

Was the school large in the 60’s?I began just before a period of expansion. It seems too low now but I want to say there were only about sixty five pupils – maybe that was the cost per term I’m thinking of instead!

What sports were prominent in the 60’s? What sports did you play?For boys, it was hockey and rugby in Winter/Spring and cricket or athletics in the Summer. For girls, we had hockey in Winter/Spring and athletics in Summer. I played rugby throughout my six years – winter and spring terms only.

Was there as strong a presence of music in Newtown?Not sure if it has changed much but we had two dedicated piano teachers (Lillian Russell and Eric deCourcy) – under both of whom I studied. The senior choir was active and all musicians took part in (at least) the annual concert.

Did you play an instrument?Yes, I played piano for my six years at Newtown – initially taught by Lillian Russell and later by Eric deCourcy (with whom I also studied Harmony for the Leaving Cert).

Did you take trips away? (e.g. Skiing in Switzerland/Sport Trips)There were occasional trips abroad but not necessarily for everyone. I once went to Paris with a school group with Leslie Matson (French teacher).

What was the atmosphere around the school like?Once settled in, the school was like one big family where everyone knew everyone.

Were the dorms strict? What is strict?We had appointed times at which lights were turned out (“lights out”). After that it varied from year to year but there would often be some illegal whispers, talking or music (sometimes policed by master-on-duty and/or prefects for that dorm) before everyone went to sleep.

How often did boarders go home?Generally not very often – some every few weeks or so, some never. More frequently, parents would come to visit and take their kids out for an afternoon or for tea.

How did you manage homesickness without the help technology and social media?Personally, I didn’t manage it – I just threatened (in a letter) to run away and my parents came to pick me up! After a short period at home, I chose to return and spent a very happy six years at Newtown thereafter.

Did everyone get on? Students with teachers and older students with younger years?Of course there were occasional kids/staff who were exceptions but, in general, everyone got on extremely well and it took on the feeling of one very large, (for the most part) well-adjusted family.

Were there clan events?Yes – primarily centered around Sports Day and athletics.

What clan were you?Initially I was Green Clan but, after the introduction of a fourth clan, I “was defected” to Yellow Clan.

Was there a Sports Day and Country Market on the last day of school?No market that I remember, but Sports Day was always held towards the end of the summer term. However, I don’t remember that it was the last day – I believe not.

Were there many females in the school?There are never enough females in this world. But yes, there were females at school and we were very happy to have them. Probably about the same number as there were males.

Did many people drop out after the Inter Cert or did they continue to finish second level education?Most if not all went on to complete their Leaving Cert.

What is one of your favourite memories of Newtown?Wow – there are so many good memories of different types. If I’m forced to pick one, it might be pounding out “Eternal Father…” (I always played it - regardless of the season) on the piano at the regular Sunday Evening Meeting and hearing everyone sing along to my strong accompaniment.

How did your time in Newtown benefit you?Undoubtedly, it helped me to grow as a person/character, gave me some great friends for life, prepared me for university and provided a safe, comforting, nurturing environment for my formative years.

Can you describe what a normal day in Newtown was like?This varied somewhat over the years but here’s what comes to mind: Wake-up call, lie in bed until last possible moment, up, race to wash-room, back to dorm, get dressed, run down to boys’ playroom for “line”, walk into breakfast, eat, clear up, back to dorm to make bed, brush teeth, on to morning collect and off to classroom for the days’ lessons. Break mid-morning, quick visit to tuck box, chat looking out window of classroom, teacher coming - back to desk, class until lunch-time, lunch, clear tables, back to classroom, afternoon class, walk to changing rooms, change for “games”, rugby/hockey etc, back to changing rooms, shower, towel on radiator, dress, “line” for supper, eat, “clear” tables, walk to classroom for “prep”, chat after prep, bed-time, change into pyjamas, wash up, into bed, “lights-out”, chat quietly, listen to antics/music, if any, in dorm that night, go to sleep.

At the time, was there anything you would have changed?Warmer classrooms, perhaps? (So, we didn’t feel the need to huddle over the radiators during breaks!)

Did you have collect in the morning?Yes, every weekday morning.

Was the pool built yet?Depends which is “the” pool. Yes, there was “a” pool and a new pool was built toward the end of my tenure there.

Did Newtown students have much contact with the other local schools?Very little apart from occasional sports fixtures. Waterpark was a regular opponent for rugby matches for the boys.

Who was your favourite teacher?Unfair question! There were so many great teachers at Newtown – not always necessarily due to their academic teaching ability but due to the interest they took in the school and all of us as pupils.

What has life thrown at you since?Without wishing to bore anyone, I followed a “typical’ path for one who liked maths. I studied Engineering Science at TCD, went on to become a Chartered Accountant and, always having a desire to travel, took on various jobs giving me the opportunity to travel and live in various parts of the world (Middle East, Far East) before settling in New York. At 40, I effectively retired from my profession and soon thereafter became a stay-at-home Dad. As my daughter grew up, I became more involved in real estate and now try to make a living selling as a Licensed Real Estate Broker in Manhattan.

Do you have many lifelong friends from your Newtown years?As time passes, I seem to have less regular contact with my old Newtown friends. Having said that, I’m still in reasonably regular contact with a core group and know I could probably meet any one of my former classmates tomorrow (even those whom I haven’t seen for 40 years) and re-ignite our friendship immediately. Social media have of course made this a lot easier so if anyone’s out there reading this, please hook up with me – I’m very easy to find – just Google my name and I should be on top!

Do you still receive the Newtown Review?Yes, I believe it arrives in my mailbox in New York every year.

NYCC A SIG Classic 2012 - BWA on Bear Mtn


The 60’s Fire

On the 22nd of January 1966 Newtown School was a victim of a horrific fire.

On the 21st, reports are that the boiler in the boy’s dormitories was over heating and sparks were seen coming from the chimney. There didn’t seem to be any problems when Principal Maurice. J. Wigham checked but all was not well.

On the 22nd of January at 12:30am Mr. Wigham received a call from Bob Russle saying that the roof of the boy’s dormitories had caught fire. Mr. Russle had called the fire brigade, FEF and the local guards.

After Principal Wigham got off the phone he frantically tried calling the new committee chairman, Norman Baker, but he did not answer. Mr. Wigham made some more phone calls and rushed over to the school. It had only been six minutes since Mr. Wigham received the call and the fire brigade were already on site.

As the fire brigade tried to put out the fire, Mr. Wigham set out to check on the boy’s and the staff.

It wasn’t until 3:30 am that the fire was under control. It had spread to the front of the boys dorms. Their main concern was to ensure that the fire did not spread to any other building especially the main house.

The boy’s were put up by Roy Foster and other helpful friends for the night.

The morning of 23rd of January was an early start for Mr. Wigham, he spent all day on the phone. The boarders were treated to a Sunday lunch out, thanks to the Fire Brigade. With the boy’s dorms in ruins, the school had to find alternative accommodation for the boy’s. Only for the boy’s playroom was not damaged the school would have not have been able to stay open. The playroom was used

for storage, eating meals, workshops, school shop, boy’s dormitory, staff bedrooms and an occasional music room because there was no dining room.

The aftermath of the fire was devastating but the school carried on with the demolition of the boy’s dormitories. Plans were drawn and redrawn for new dormitories. Prefabs were brought in to accommodate the boys in the mean time.

Other changes were made in the aftermath of the fire. A lecture hall was built and a new boys dormitory.

H.A.T. Trick for Newtown? 1960’s

The 1960’s saw Newtown School wanting to expand. Roger Johnson and Leslie Matson rose to the task to help both on the field and off. “In what seems to be an outbreak of All-weather hockey pitches in Men’s hockey recently, Newtown School Waterford seem to have score what might be called a “H.A.T. Trick”. Hockey – Athletics – Tennis. The news is that these are possible on the Newtown surface.” (Excerpt from Roger Johnsons hand written notes October 1968).

Roger and Leslie then set up a campaign to raise money for these pitches. In a letter addressed to the two men, James Sexton (member of Newtown School Committee) thanks them dearly for their work on the idea and the raising of “a large sum of money” which they collected towards the scheme.

The result of this was that Newtown had two all-weather hockey pitches in the winter, had a six lane athletics track and eight first class tennis courts in the summer term. Leslie and Roger were also very conscious of change coming about ensuring that the six lane athletic track was a four hundred metre track. This was done as the old imperial system seemed like it was on the way out with the metric distances coming into clear focus. Arrangements were also made with the local Waterford Hockey Club for both their men and women’s teams to rent out one of the pitches for use.

“An Irish XI .v. The Wizards”. Sunday, May 24th, 1970 saw a Men’s International Hockey match take place, on the new all-weather pitch at Newtown School.

Roger and Leslie’s work was recognised nationwide, as a column on our “futuristic” school appeared in The Irish Times. “Waterford school looks to the future”

It is something that we may take for granted now in school but it’s clear to say that the hard work and dedication of these two men raised the profile of our school. Their work paid off as the pitches are still in use to this day all year round.

A big thank you must be said to both Roger and Joan Johnson for all their cooperation, patience and hard work with the school archives! Without them none of this would have been possible!

Neil Dunne and Nigel Kennington


Music Review 2012-2013Mt. Mellick was once again a hive of activity this year. The various class groups worked towards state exams and 4th years, Orchestra, Junior/ Senior and Chamber choirs each followed their own programmes for the year. Individual students taking instrumental classes prepared for exams, concerts and competitions.

Particular highlights during this year were the Christmas Concert, the Poetry and Composition Workshop, which the 5th year Music Class participated in, the 4th years visit to St. Patricks Hospital at Christmas and the 1st year’s performance during their Choir Exam in May.

The Christmas concert once again gave us a platform to show the extent of the talent in the school. It was a new departure to be able to include an Irish Traditional Group and Djembe Drumming Circle in the programme along with music from the Classical, Pop and Jazz genres.

The 5th year music students availed of a wonderful opportunity to take part in a Poetry and Composition workshop, which was funded by Waterford City Council. Dr. Eric Sweeney (composer) and Mark Roper (poet) shared their expertise and guided the students in creating their own poetry and songs. We were delighted that these songs were then performed in the Chapel in WIT as part of Waterford New Music week. A short documentary was made during the workshop and can be found on YouTube under “poetry and composition workshop Waterford 2013” or follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L05GP8JXWk)

One of the activities the fourth form music class prepared for was a visit to St. Patricks Hospital at Christmas to coincide with the YSI shoebox hampers being presented. They presented a programme of Christmas songs and some old favourites like ‘You are my Sunshine’. The singing contributed to the great atmosphere and it was wonderful to see the elderly singing and dancing along to the songs.

Junior Choir this year took on a very challenging choral programme, very quickly progressing from unison singing to 2-part songs. They prepared two 2-part pieces for the Christmas Concert and then in January began working on a programme for their Choir exam in

May. We were very proud of the beautiful sound they made. I was delighted to see some of the 1st years successfully audition for a place in Chamber Choir next year, I’m sure that they will enjoy the experience.

I want to compliment the Senior Choir members who represented the school in a Concert organised by Joe Dalton in Mount Sion in March. Almost all the schools in Waterford and the surrounding area were represented and it was a wonderful opportunity to show our talent and to meet and hear the talent in other schools.

Congratulations to Cilian Jacob, 5th year, who was the very worthy recipient of the Eric de Courcy scholarship this year!

Finally, I wish to thank the 6th year students who have been members of Orchestra, Chamber Choir and Senior Choir for the last six years, for their contribution to Music in Newtown and wish them well in their exams and future endeavours. Keep making music wherever you go!

Mary O’Connor

FebruAry4th-5th: Transition Year Water Safety Course.

8th: Mid-term break.11th: Emma Galloway, Milena Barnes & Jack Collicutt are all prizewinners for piano at Feis Maitiú, Cork.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


Newtown School Chamber ChoirThis was my first year as Choral Director of the Chamber Choir, and what an enjoyable one it was! We have been very busy throughout the year, taking part in several performances and getting the Chamber Choir re-established as one of the best school choirs in the region.

For our first performance, we took part in the Newtown Christmas Concert where we performed “O Re Mi”, a traditional Nigerian song arranged by Mike Brewer, and “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree” arranged by Alexander L’Estrange. We then took part in the Tricolour celebration concert in Christchurch Cathedral in Waterford, which commemorated the first unveiling of the Irish Tricolour Flag by Thomas Francis Meagher at 33 the Mall in Waterford city. At this concert we sang “Ba na ha”, a traditional Congolese song, “Lead me Lord” by Will Todd and “Viva La Musica!” by Ivan Erod. We were also part of the massed choir which performed the anthem of Waterford, “City of Music” along with several other junior and senior school choirs. Finally, we also competed in the AIMS Choral Festival in New Ross. We sang “Lead me Lord” by Will Todd and “Mack the Knife” from the musical “The Three Penny Opera” by Kurt Weill, arranged by Russ Robinson. We scored a fantastic mark of 87 in the competition which I was very pleased with.

We are also very busy planning for next year’s Chamber Choir. We have been holding auditions over the past week and there is stiff competition for places which is great news as it means the high standards the Chamber Choir set for themselves will be maintained and improved upon. As part of our programme next year we are planning a foreign trip with the choir. This is still in the early planning stages but all going well it will be a fantastic experience for our young singers.

As we finish this year, I would like to wish all of the 6th years who were members of the Chamber Choir the best of luck in their Leaving Certificate, and whatever careers they may choose to pursue once they leave school. I would also like to thank Mrs. Keappock for all her hard work accompanying the choir and helping with all the organising behind the scenes. Finally I would like to say thank you to all our singers. We have had a great first year together and hopefully we can build on the solid foundation we have created. I’m already looking forward to next year!

Fintan Scanlon

Christmas Concert


The degree I’m taking is a taught Ph.D so unlike doctoral students in Ireland, I attend classes that include a mixture of conducting, singing, research, history, theory, etc, and classes start at 8am each day. I am also very fortunate to have a Teaching Assistantship which means I get to teach classes to undergrad students, and conduct both an undergraduate and graduate choir. In addition, I am the choral librarian so I look after thousands of pieces of choral music, and I also help out at an inner city music programme at Raa Middle School (equivalent to our 6th class to 2nd year) where their music programme is run by the Music Education students from FSU.

What gave you the push to continue your studies?I was keen to learn more. Teaching trends have changed so much since I did my first degree, and I think it’s important to keep learning if you want to stay motivated. Music education has changed radically and I was very impressed by how progressive choral music education is here in the US.

What exactly are you studying now?A Ph.D in Music Education and Choral Conducting.

How long have you got left?It’s early days! The degree is three years so I hope to finish in May 2015.

Does your plan involve returning to Ireland?That’s the plan! I would always want to be involved in music education in Ireland, but exactly how and where, I’m not sure as yet. I was back home in October for a conference, and I will be back again in July to work as a tutor for the Irish Youth Choir, so I’m delighted to be able to continue my involvements between semesters.

What have you missed most about teaching in Newtown? We have certainly missed you!Thank you! I have missed Newtown greatly too, and I often think of you all. I love my job, and taking this time out was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. I miss people – both students and my close friends on the staff - and I miss working with the choirs at school. I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many talented, committed singers across the year groups. Not every school promotes music in the way Newtown does, and we have been lucky to have had the wonderful support of Mr. Collins for many years, more recently Mr.

Lemon, and of course Mrs. Glasheen. I listen to my CD’s a lot, and share them with my classmates, so you are all far from forgotten!

Something else I miss about Newtown is the best array of soups, and the best chicken curry in the world!!

Will we be seeing you on campus in the near future?Unfortunately my summer break is short. I will be home for a few weeks in July so I won’t get to see you this year, but hopefully I’ll get back again in the not too distant future. If I do I’ll definitely be in to see you all!

Do you have a choir on the go where you are?I work with three choirs – one undergraduate mixed choir, one undergraduate jazz choir (lots of fun!), and a graduate choir too. So, I’m kept good and busy.

What will you do when you have finished your studies?I would always want to be involved in promoting music education in Ireland, and working with Irish teachers, conductors and singers in some capacity. I love teaching at the secondary level, and I’m really enjoying teaching at the third level. But whatever I do, I will always want to work with young singers, help to train young conductors and teachers, and of course, to continue to conduct choirs of all age-groups and abilities, both in schools or colleges, and in the community.

From L-R: Adam Potter, Anne Barry, Dr. André J. Thomas, Anthony Bernaducci, Steven Hankle and Ryan Luhrs.

Interview with Anne BarryHello again Ms. Barry, where have you been for the last two years?From June – November 2011, I was in St. Paul, Minnesota finishing my Masters in Music Education. During that time I also took a road trip for about six weeks, visiting schools from Kindergarten level through to our secondary school equivalent. I also took in some visits to Universities and I observed in some colleges, shadowed some conductors in others, and taught in a couple too. They were all very different, and I learned so much, even just watching.

Having visited five universities on my travels with a view to considering a Ph.D programme, Florida State University was the one I felt offered what I needed, and I had a really great feeling about the campus, the people, the choirs, and the teaching that was going on here. In the end, it was the only university I applied to as I felt it was the only one I would have moved 4,500 miles for!

When I returned home to Ireland in November 2011, I was offered work in various areas of the choral community all around the country. I worked as a conductor, visiting workshop leader, lecturer, consultant, and facilitator for trainee and up-skilling teachers. I also got to do some writing, and together with a colleague we wrote the accompanying teaching and conducting notes to Choirland, Ireland’s first mixed-voice anthology of choral music, published jointly by the Contemporary Music Center and the Association of Irish Choirs.

I particularly enjoyed working with three of the finest youth choirs in Ireland – the UCD Scholars, The Irish Youth Choir and the Irish Youth Chamber Choir. All in all, it was a great year exploring a whole other side of the singing world, and working with groups of all sizes, all ages, and all abilities.

In February 2012 I received word that I was accepted at Florida State University, so I had to begin making plans for the big move to Tallahassee. I moved in July, classes began in August and it’s hard to believe it’s March already! The days are so busy, and time goes by so fast!

Is it very different in comparison with Ireland?

It is very different in many ways, and in others, not so different!

The biggest similarity to me is the friendliness of the people. They are known for that in the south and it is very true. I could not have been made more welcome. I’m the only Irish student at FSU, and I have not met any other Irish people in Tallahassee, but I could as easily be in college in Ireland - except for the weather!

The weather is a little different to home! As I start to write this, it is January 25th, and it is 81F degrees and beautiful. The “Pan Handle’ as the northern part of the state is called, is very humid in the summer, but since September it has been sunny and warm. Storms are common from September to November, and the rain that comes with them is heavier than anything I’ve seen at home! I can’t say that I miss the Irish weather I’m afraid.

Another big difference is the size of the university. Florida State has 45,000 students – 35,000 undergraduates and 10,000 graduates. That’s nearly the size of Waterford, but the campus does not feel that big at all. The College of Music has 2,000 students and they are accredited for their participation in choirs, orchestras and/or bands, so the performance level is very high. There are six choirs, four orchestras and numerous bands – one of which (the ‘Marching Chiefs’, the official band that plays at big games and matches) has over four hundred members! It’s quite the sight on the football field!

FebruAry15th: A small meteor enters the atmosphere of Earth above Russia and exploded in an air burst. 1,500 people were reported injured and 4,300 buildings were damaged.17th: Ayon Walsh continues to exist.18th: Classes resume19th: Newtown VS Viliers in Senior B Cup semi-final. Villiers victory 4-3

20th: Mooving Gates, Stocking Up, and Gregory Enterprises groups represent Newtown in the Enterprise City Final. James Kiersy wins Most Innovative Product with Mooving Gates, and Gregory Enterprises wins Students’ Choice.21st: Orienteering South-East schools’ competition in Kennedy Park, Co. Wexford.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


Garry Roberts InterviewWhen did you go to Newtown? I went from 1961 to 1968, Upper Transition to Form 6 and Leaving Cert.

How was your experience? It was mixed. However, I did get a pretty good education and I made a couple of lifetime good friends whose company I still enjoy and appreciate very much.

Did you play an instrument in Newtown? I had piano lessons and also began learning to play the clarinet. I started to play the guitar at age twelve/thirteen and was in the school band for “Supper Dances” until I left in 1968 at age eighteen.

Did Newtown prepare you for your musical career?In as much as it gave me the chance to enjoy performing occasionally in front of a captive, sometimes appreciative, audience, maybe it did. I was also friendly with a chap in my class, Andrew Deane, who had a great collection of Blues records, which were the start of my non-classical music education.

Did you take part in the Christmas concerts? I took part in several concerts at school, on the clarinet, but I don’t know if we had special Christmas concerts.

If yes, how did performing feel? That is a difficult one. To answer that, I think, would be like trying to explain to someone, who had never tasted vanilla ice cream, what vanilla ice cream tastes like. I enjoyed it and it was a good feeling, when the performance went well, otherwise I would probably not have carried on doing it.

Were you nervous? I don’t remember being particularly nervous about playing. It was nothing like as bad as my first experience of talking to the school on behalf of Fine Gael as their candidate in a mock election campaign. That was a salutary few minutes. I was struck dumb with fear and couldn’t produce any vocal sound whatsoever for what felt like about half an hour, but I learned a couple of valuable lessons from it and can now take pleasure from addressing an audience. I think I mainly like the fact that they have to listen to me.

Did you ever want to do or be anything other than a musician? I wanted to be a gynaecologist or an engineer - there are similarities between them, and studied both medicine and engineering at Trinity College. “The Boomtown Rats” were offered a recording contract at the beginning of my second year in Engineering, so I left College and went off to London with the band.

Did you study music in school or did it come naturally to you? I don’t know how much actual “studying” of music I did, but Eric De Courcy patiently taught me the piano and clarinet. I have always enjoyed seeing and hearing other people playing an instrument with feeling. It always felt natural to be doing something musical; it was a part of “normal” life. My emotions are effected by music and I enjoy the feeling of playing an instrument such as the clarinet or the guitar, both of which are potentially highly expressive instruments and almost like an extension of your body, especially the electric guitar.

What’s your earliest memory to do with music? My earliest memory is hearing Chuck Berry’s “Memphis, Tennessee” on the radio in 1959. That or “Music While You Work” a programme on BBC radio, which was a relic of the war.

How did you get into music? I was “encouraged” by my father to take piano lessons from about the age of nine. He had played in a dance band, called “The Melodist’s”, with four friends in the 1940s and I suppose he wanted to find out whether I had the makings of a musician. I’m still trying to find that out.

What influenced you? I would say my first real influences were probably Andrew Deane’s blues records, and having heard that Chuck Berry record, but the radio was on most of the time when I was at home as a small child, so a lot of the music I heard then, in the 1950s, must have been imprinted on my brain. There was also, famously, a lot of great music being produced in the 1960s, by bands like “The Rolling Stones”, “The Pretty Things”, “The Yard Birds”, “The Beatles”, “The Who”, “The Kinks” and others. They are old now but they were all young and full of energy and vitality then. I took every opportunity to listen to “pop” music on the radio, much of which was utter rubbish, and filtered out the stuff that I thought was exciting.

Do you have any advice for upcoming musicians? Be patient, keep at it and practice. You will keep getting better. You are not born with the ability to play like Jimi Hendrix (who?), Billy Gibbons or Synyster Gates. It takes time to develop your skill on any instrument and you need to enjoy the fact that you are always improving.

How did the band originate? I suggested putting a band together to my friend, piano player Johnnie Moylett, and we made up the numbers with three others, one of whom was Simon Crowe, who had played drums with me in the school band. I invited my near neighbour, Bob Geldof, to a rehearsal with a view to him becoming our manager and he promptly produced a harmonica and began playing along with us. Up until then, I was going to be the singer but I had enough to do with trying to play the guitar so we asked Geldof to be the lead singer, on account of his virtuosity on the mouth organ, and got another friend to be our manager. The rest is history.

How did the band get the name “The Boomtown Rats”? It’s the name of a gang of children mentioned in Woody Guthrie’s autobiography, “Bound for Glory”.

What year did the band form? 1975

How many of you were in the band? Originally, there were six.

Who were your band members? Simon Crowe, Johnnie (Fingers) Moylett, Patrick (Pete Briquette) Cusack, Gerry Cott and Bob Geldof.

Did the band travel often? Where to? Yes. Ireland, The UK, most of Europe, including countries in Eastern Europe like Yugoslavia and Romania, The US, Canada, Japan, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, India...

Did you write any of the songs? Not as such, but I contributed substantial parts to all of them.

When did ‘The Boomtown Rats’ release their first album? 1977

Have you played with anyone in particular that was an idol? I’ve played with Simon Crowe, Wilko Johnson from “Dr. Feelgood” and Steve Jones from “The Sex Pistols”.

How did ye get on? We got on pretty well. As well as any six people confined together for long periods and probably better than most. We all lived and rehearsed together in the same house for a couple of years, which is enough to test any relationship. We tolerated each other fairly generously, I think.

Was there a reason behind the name? The circumstances of the original Boomtown Rats, which were shunned by the established society where they had to live, struck a chord with us, and we felt defiant of people who thought we were upstarts who couldn’t play properly. Read Woody Guthrie’s book and you will understand.

What were some of the reasons for creating the band? The band came together because we wanted to perform and show off.

How do you feel performing? I feel alive and on the edge of a very high cliff.

How do you feel before a performance? I feel calm and purposeful, occasionally apprehensive, I don’t want to make an eejit of myself.

What’s back stage like? Like a rugby team’s changing room with beer and sandwiches but not so much mud.

Is “The Boomtown Rats” just about the music? Music is entertainment and entertainment is never about just the music. Personal relationships and money are always involved, ideally in a good way.

Can you play any other instrument? I can rummage around for chords on a keyboard and can get a sound out of a saxophone.

Did you need to sing to be part of the band? No.

Would you consider a reunion with “The Boomtown Rats”? Yes

You were originally the lead singer in “The Boomtown Rats”, why did you give it to Bob Geldof? It was hard enough for me to play the guitar, without having to remember all the words, as well.

Of all “The Boomtown Rats” songs, which would be your favourite? My favourite would probably be “Dave”, because I was very fond of him and Sara.

If you had the time back, would you do anything differently? Probably not, if I had, who knows what would have happened? I like the life I have now.

Do you have a wife and children? I have two children but not a wife, as such.

How did they affect your career? They have had a positive effect on me and my attitude to everything, including my “career”.

Is it hard to juggle two different lives? I would never say I have two lives. I have always had only the one life and I live it as well as I can.

What was it like being in Live Aid? It was scary, in a good way.

Did “The Boomtown Rats” volunteer to play in Live Aid? I don’t know the answer to that one. We did it free of charge, as did everyone else, so I suppose we did volunteer.

Do you teach music? I try to encourage the people I speak to take an interest in music, rather than teaching anyone how to play music. If their interest leads them towards playing an instrument, especially the electric guitar, I would want to encourage that.

Would you consider teaching? I might have made a reasonable teacher but I am too old and impatient to take that up as a career at this stage.

Any advice for pupils in Newtown? Enjoy your time at school but remember that most of your life will take place after you’ve left. Try to be ready for it.

Is there a quote you try and live your life by? Good manners cost nothing. Use fog lamps only where visibility is 50 metres or less.

By Sinéad Doody & Shane Fitzgerald

Photo was taken at Dunmore East in September, 1961, during Garry’s first term in Newtown. It was the first time that his parents came down to Waterford to take him out.

Garry’s father was Rex Roberts, a renowned and well-respected photographer in Ireland since the early 1950’s.


New Ross Piano FestivalOn the 27th of September the New Ross Piano Festival took place at St. Mary’s Church. Twenty young and promising piano students from the South East were given the opportunity to play on a Steinway Grand Piano.

The atmosphere was wonderful, everyone was excited to play and all performed beautifully. All in all it was a great opportunity for me to play on such a quality instrument.

Milena Barnes

Mozart Concert at WITThe Music students embarked on a trip to the WIT College Street Campus to enjoy a Mozart Concert, it included his “Kegelstatt Trio” and “Violin Sonata”.

The concert started off with Paddy Fitzgerald on solo Violin, accompanied by Malcolm Proud on Piano, performing a Violin Sonata by Mozart. He gave a fantastic start to the concert and his virtuosic skills flourished throughout the performance

The clarinet trio consisted of Deirdre Scanlon on Viola, Stephen Mackey on Clarinet and Malcolm Proud on Piano. They played Mozart’s “Kegelstatt Trio”. It was played beautifully and they kept the audience captivated throughout the performance.

The music students thoroughly enjoyed both performances and it was great to see our school orchestra’s conductor, Stephen, perform in front of us!

OrchestraThe Newtown orchestra is a great way to meet other students who have an interest in music, try out new genres and generally just have a bit of fun. Recently the orchestra has become more of a ‘big band’ due to the large amount of wind instruments and a lack of strings. The orchestra currently consists of violins, cellos, double bass, electric and acoustic guitars, saxophones, clarinets, flutes, piano, drums and voice. We play a large variety of music including jazz, popular, classical and film music.

The highlight of our year was probably the Christmas concert where we played ‘Gabriel’s Theme’ from the film The Mission, Pencil Full of Lead’ by Paolo Nutini, which featured a vocal and trumpet solo from Cillian Jacob. We also preformed a Christmas favourite ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ which we accompanied both the chamber and Senior choir singers. It was a successful night that was enjoyed by all.

This year we also played ‘Meet the Flintstones’ arranged by Terry Catharine, ‘The Blue Danube’ by Johann Strauss, ‘Feeling Good’ arranged by Michael Buble featuring vocals from Cillian Jacob, but as he is the only trumpet player and was not able to multitask both trumpet and vocals at the same time, Neil Dunne took over.

We would like to say thanks to Stephen Mackey for being an incredible conductor. Rewriting scores, re-photocopying all our lost sheet music and generally ‘keeping it real’. Also a big thank you to all our members for eating their ‘early’ lunch in 20 seconds and sprinting to orchestra to avoid any scolding’s from Stephen.

By Saoirse Hutton and Róisín Sutherland


Leo “Veggy” CreightonWhat instrument do you play and how long have you played it?

I’ve been playing guitar for about eight years and singing and writing songs for about three years. It’s weird, it feels like I’ve been playing for way longer but at the same time I feel like there’s no way I’ve been playing for that long. I also learned piano for two years with Mrs. Keappock while I was at Newtown.

Who or what inspired you to play this instrument?

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to play guitar, but my mom always thought I wouldn’t stick to it, so she waited a long time before finally giving in and sending me to guitar lessons. In terms of singing I have to say that it was the older lads at Newtown that inspired me to open my gob and have a crack at singing. I spent a long time wailing out of tune to myself before finally feeling comfortable enough to wail out of tune in front of people.

What was your first song you learned on this instrument?

I think it was ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’ by Greenday. I went through a bit of a phase with those fellas.

What style music are you into?

I listen to a lot of different music but I love folk and blues more than anything. I was brought up on a diet of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, Bob Dylan, Joan Armatrading, Bob Marley, Andrew Strong, Darrell Scott, the list goes on. These days I’ve been getting into to a lot of contemporary folk artists like Mick Flannery, Ben Howard, a bit of ‘Mumford and Sons’ etc. as well as some more old school blues singers like ‘Son House’.

If you could invent your own instrument what would it look and sound like?

Hmmm. That’s a hard one. I imagine it would look like a three or four foot high box with a sound hole on top and strings in open tuning strung across it, like a guitar, so that it could be used percussively as well. Maybe?

If you could meet one famous musician, dead or alive, for dinner who would it be and why?

It would have to be Muddy Waters, I love his music and he was such an influence to the world of music. He influenced so many legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Angus Young (AC/DC). He helped Chuck Berry get his first record contract and ‘The Rolling Stones’ even named themselves after Muddy Waters’ song ‘Rollin’ Stone’. I’d really like to hear whatever it is he has to say.

Do you play in any bands or groups?

I’ve got a band down here, a drummer, a lead guitarist and a bass player who sometimes do shows with me if I need a band. They’re a great bunch of guys, and all incredible musicians, so I’m pretty lucky to have them on board. If I’m doing a solo show I’ll sometimes get someone else to play a couple of songs with me at some point during the set to spice things up a bit. I met a didgeridoo player recently too and this afternoon I’m actually going to play a gig and he’s going to join me for a few songs, so that should be interesting!

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you on stage?

Ohhhh….. It was probably back in the days of ‘A Cure for Cold Hands’, when Kevin and I were playing a gig in Wexford. It was the day Amy Winehouse passed away, so twenty minutes before our set started we decided to do a cover of ‘Valerie’ in her honour. It wasn’t such a great idea. We slaughtered the song, and to top it all off, at the end I piped up “Sorry that wasn’t very well rehearsed, she didn’t give us much notice”, this left me hanging in the most awkward ten seconds of my life. Not even a whisper came from a venue packed to the brim. Finally some fella at the front couldn’t handle any more. “F***in’ hell!” he exclaimed before cracking up with his mates, which sent the whole place into hysterics and I was safely returned to relative comfort. Sorry Amy.

Do you enjoy performing or is it something that just terrifies you?

I love performing. To have people listening to your music and enjoying themselves is like nothing else. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. At the same time you play gigs where nobody is paying attention and everybody is drunk and rowdy and just want you to play ‘Wonderwall’. That sucks, especially because you can hear them talking while you’re playing, and they just keep talking. They don’t really understand that live music is live and that performers aren’t just human Jukeboxes. I guess if you never have to do those gigs you never appreciate a good audience, you’ve just got to take the good with the bad really.

What advice would you give to someone who gets nervous on stage?

I used to be terribly nervous. When I was five I had one line in the school play and almost soiled myself. The next time there was a school play everybody had a part, but I refused to do it, apparently everyone had to ‘be a part’ of it, so I settled for pulling the curtains. Being on stage was just not my game. Then I started writing songs, and when you write songs there’s always a little part of you that wants other people to hear what you’ve created. I started busking a bit, often with Kevin, and that was a great way to build confidence. Alan Byrne once told me “If you can busk on a street to everyone, you can play on a stage to anyone.” Having someone on stage with you makes it so much easier as well; if it wasn’t for Kev I don’t know if I’d ever have gotten on stage in the first place. Really you just have to get out there and do it, the more you do it, the more experienced you’ll get and the more comfortable you’ll be on stage.

What was the first CD/tape you got?

Yikes that’s a touchy point. I’m pretty sure I got an Elvis album when I was like five, after that it was Greenday’s ‘American Idiot’ and Oasis’ ‘What’s the Story, Morning Glory’. Yeah… I was one of those kids…

Do you plan on studying something to do with music ?

The school system here is pretty different to the Irish system. Fifth and Sixth year are a separate school/college. It’s a lot more focused on what you want to do, you choose about five subjects all relative to each other and classes are a bit longer. I’m doing a few music courses already, as well as Art, English Writing and Audio Design. I could’ve chosen some more promising subjects, but that would’ve been too smart, where’s the fun in that.


SportsMusicians in Newtown - Ben O’ NeillWhat instrument do you play?I play guitar. I’ve been playing for four to five years.

Who or what inspired you to play this instrument?We had an old guitar that belonged to my mom in my house and I decided one day that I wanted to learn how to play it.

Who do you listen to (bands or groups)?I like lots of different bands but mainly ‘Arctic Monkeys’, James Vincent McMorrow or ‘Feist’.

What style music do you play? Who influences it?I don’t know what style you’d call it , I’d say I’m mostly influenced by musicians like ‘Feist’, James Vincent McMorrow and Ben Howard.

Do you write your own music?Yes, I’ve written several of my own songs.

How do you find inspiration for songs?I’m not really sure. Sometimes I just like the way something sounds and I go from that.

If you could meet one famous musician (dead or alive) who would it be? Why?Either John Martin or Elliot Smith because they both had really unique ways of playing guitar.

Do you perform often in gigs or concerts?Not that often, I mainly busk.

What advice would you give to someone who gets nervous performing?Start off by playing for friends just to build up to bigger things.

FebruAry25th: “Wishing You Well” YSI team visit St. Patrick’s Hospital and give the residents gifts they asked for on the ‘Wish List’.

28th: Pope Benedict XVI resigns.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


ATHLETICS FINALSMinor Boys James Gaffney

Minor Girls Jodie Giles

Junior Boys David Thorpe

Junior Girls Isabel Auld

Inter Boys Sean Phelan

Inter Girls Maja Strobelt

Senior Boys Brian Kenny

Senior Girls Rebecca Hoban

Award for Girl’s Hockey: Rebecca Hoban

George Fitzgerald Memorial Shield: Aaron Vogelaar

CLAN X COUNTRY 2012-13INDIVIDUAL RACES:

Minor Boys - 1st - Josh Allen Blue

2nd- Conor Glennon Blue

3rd- James Gaffney Green

Minor Girls - 1st - Jodie Giles Blue

2nd- Hilary Balding Red

3rd- Erica Chapman Green

Junior Boys - 1st- Fionn O’Loughlin Green

2nd- George Maclean Red

3rd- Jacob Pim Green

Junior Girls - 1st- Anna Kent Red

2nd- Isabel Auld Blue

3rd- Anna Boyd Green

Inter Boys - 1st- Aaron Vogelaar Blue

2nd- Robert Kent Red

3rd- Daniel O’Driscoll Red

Inter Girls - 1st- Maya Strobelt Red

2nd- Nikki Boyd Green

3rd- Hannah Pim Blue

Senior Boys - 1st- Nigel Kennington Blue

2nd- Barog Kennedy Red

3rd- Brian Kenny Blue

Senior Girls - 1st- Rebecca Hoban Blue

2nd- Charlotte Hackett Yellow

3rd- Ruth Cusack Yellow

CLAN 1500M 2012-2013INDIVIDUAL RACES:

Minor Boys 1st - James Gaffney Green

2nd- Rhys Kenny Red

3rd- Cian Mooney Yellow

Minor Girls 1st - Jodie Giles Blue

2nd- Hillary Balding Red

3rd- Eva Kelly Green

Junior Boys 1st - Jacob Pim Green

2nd- Alex Langan Blue

3rd- Fionn O’Loughlin Green

Junior Girls 1st - Isabelle Auld Blue

2nd- Anna Boyd Green

3rd- Emma Swift Green

Inter Boys 1st - Sean Phelan Green

2nd- John Jephson Red

3rd- Robert Kent Red

Inter Girls 1st - Maya Strobelt Red

2nd- Holly Moore Blue

3rd- Triona Harvey Blue

Senior Boys 1st - Nigel Kennington Blue

2nd- Barog Kennedy Red

3rd- Connor Vogelaar Blue

Senior Girls 1st - Rebecca Hoban Blue

2nd- Ruth Cussack Yellow

3rd- Claire Flannagan Blue

Clan Competitions Results

PRESENTATION OF TENNIS WINNERS 2013Minor Boys Single Champion: Rhys Jones

Runner Up: Jack CollicottMinor Girls Singles Champion: Emily Duffin

Runner Up: Alex BrownJunior Boys Singles: Champion; Alex Langan

Runner Up: Jack LailheuqueJunior Girls Singles: Champion: Isabel Auld

Runner Up: Niamh Robertson Inter Boys Singles: Champion: Matt Treacy

Runner Up: Tom GreeneInter Girls Singles: Champion: Laura McDaid

Runner Up: Sarah MurraySenior Boys Singles: Champion: Barry O’Sullivan

Runner Up: Barog KennedySenior Girls Singles: Champion: Jeananne Mulligan Runner Up: Charlotte Ebert

Open Mixed Doubles: Champions: Barry O’Sullivan & Charlotte Hackett

Runners Up: Peter Stewart & Izzy Schmied

SWIMMING GALA 2012 -2013INDIVIDUAL WINNERS:

Minor Boys Champion: Jack Collicott

Minor Girls Champion: Jessica Marsh-Horgan

Junior Boys Champion: George Maclean

Junior Girls Champion: Anna Kent

Inter Boys Champion: Robbie Harvey

Inter Girls Champion: Katie Sweeney

Senior Boys Champion: Max O’Brien

Senior Girls Champion: Niamh Lynam

Congratulations to all who took part.

Thanks to all Clan Captains.

1st1287pts

2nd1059pts

3rd1027pts

4th950pts


High Achievers

mArch5th: Young Social Innovators Speak Out in Cork City Centre.7th: Keep Calm and Eat Cupcakes - Centre of Social Innovation (COSI) Team sell cupcakes and hot chocolate during break-time.8th: International Women’s Day.11th-12th: SNOW. Newtown School hosts a ruthless snowball war. A documentary on the incident titled ‘Snow Country For Old Men’ is in the works. Once disciplinary action is taken, the students involved are on thin ice. All agree that the teachers should just chill.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

Ciaran FinneganWhat sport do you do?Sailing (laser 4.7)

When did you start?I started when I was nine years old.

What got you started? My mum got me started in Waterford Harbour Sailing Club in Dunmore East on a summer course.

Where do you train? I was training with the with the laser 4.7 Leinster squad in Dun Laoghaire every weekend. Now I train with the Irish 4.7 squad every second week in Lough Derg, this is in preparation for the ‘Worlds’.

What has been your biggest achievement to date?My biggest achievement to date was in ‘Oppies’, in trials, I qualified for the Irish team which went abroad to France, where I came in the top 15.In April Ciaran came second in the nationals and qualified for the worlds in Hungary.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting your sport?My advice would be persevere with the training sessions even if you don’t want to, as it will all pay off in the end.

What are you hoping to achieve this season?I am hoping to place in the top 15 in the Worlds in June, this would be a huge achievement for me.

Conor KennyWhat sport do you play? Golf

When did you start? I started when I was about nine or ten.

What got you started? My love of golf came about because I used to go out with my Dad and watch him playing. I was just very interested at a young age I suppose.

Where do you train/play? My home club is Waterford Castle Golf Club, but I often travel to Carlton House, Co. Kildare for squad training and coaching.

What has been your biggest achievement to date? My biggest achievement to date would be getting accepted to an elite golfing academy in Spain where I may get the chance to play with some of the world’s top amateur golfers.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting your sport? The most important bit of advice I could give would have to be; work hard and always practice, you can never do enough practice, but to enjoy the sport is very important also.

What are you hoping to achieve this season?I am hoping to be picked on the provincial and national squads at under 18 levels. I am also part of Waterford Castle’s under 18 squad for the All-Ireland Matchplay Competition which is coming up soon and it would be great to progress far in that.

Who is your sporting idol/role model? It would have to be either Tiger Woods or Lee Westwood for their hard work and determination.


East Munster Schools Athletics Results

Senior Girls 100m 1st Jessica Palmer

Senior Boys High Jump 2nd Connor Vogelaar

Senior Boys Javelin 2nd Peter Stewart

Senior Boys Discus 3rd Peter Stewart

Senior Boys 400m Hurdles 1st Nigel Kennington

Senior Boys 400m 3rd Nigel Kennington

Inter Boys 800m 1st Aaron Vogelaar

Minor Boys 1500m 2nd James Gaffney

Well done to all who took part.

High Achievers

Max “Michael Phelps” O’BrienWhat sport do you do?Swimming

When did you start? In the womb, I was a natural.

What got you started?Natural ability, plus what else is there to do in the womb!

Where do you train?I train in the pool in school almost every day after school.

What’s your biggest achievement to date?I won five gold medals in the swimming gala this year and smashed two school records. I was also very influential in yellow clan coming out on top in the gala!

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting your sport?I would say only join if you have buckets of natural ability, drive and something of a “god” like physique.

What are you hoping to achieve this season?Well as the Olympics are over I’m considering retiring while on top.

Saoirse HuttonWhat sport do you play?Soccer

When did you start?I started playing with a boys club when I was 6 or 7.

What got you started?I think it was probably my older sister because I always went and watched her matches when I was small. My Grandad was a professional footballer for Blackburn Rovers, so I guess it runs in the family.

Where do you train/play?I train two nights a week in the RSC with ‘Benfica’, one night with a goalkeeper academy in ‘Bohemians’ and I also train one night with ‘The Waterford County Team’.

What have been your biggest achievements to date?Playing with ‘Wexford under 14’s’ and now with ‘Waterford under 16’s’. Also being selected ‘Irish Emerging Talent Squad F.A.I Player of the Year’.

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting your sport?When you are starting out its best to get to know the game and have fun. When you improve you need to train hard and commit yourself if you want to progress anywhere.

What are you hoping to achieve this season?I’m moving to a club in Dublin so maybe after a season there I will look into the Dublin County trials. Most importantly I want to keep playing and enjoying the game as that’s what it’s all about.

mArch15th: A second Games Day is put on by the COSI team after the success of the first.17th: St. Patrick’s Day. Or as some Americans insist on calling it, Patty’s Day. This is not the most annoying thing in the world, but it is definitely in the Top 1.19th: Swimming Gala.20th: DCU Linguistics Olympiad22nd: World Water Day. Transition Year students participate in the Walk For Water.22nd: Last day of term - Easter break begins.

April8th: Classes resume.12th: Third Games Day is organised by Centre of Social Innovation. Met with ongoing success.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

Bertram AllenHow many horses are you riding at the moment?10

Who are your current top horses?‘Romanov’ and ‘Molly Malone’

What have been your biggest achievements to date this season?Winning a senior ‘Grand Prix at Magna Racino’ as well as winning at 1’50 at Braunschweig which was my first 4*. Being one of only two double clears on my first Senior Nation’s Cup was also a highlight

You recently moved to Germany, how are you finding living in a foreign country?Yes, it can be difficult sometimes but in general I enjoy it and know that if I want to make a go of it in the horse world that it is a big advantage to be over here.

Some of your siblings are also involved in show jumping, do you think it runs in the family?Yes, every one of my siblings are involved some way in horses. I think when you are growing up with horses and when I was always going to shows it had a knock on effect for the others to start. We all hunted also which helped get the others interested.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in show jumping?That you have to work hard. And always think about the next round. What you have done is finished learn from it and go on whether it be good or bad.

When travelling and competing at shows, what is the one thing you cannot live without?Good people around me because it’s so important to have a good groom to look after the horses when I’m away and also it’s important for people at home to keep them going.

How does show jumping abroad and in Germany differ from show jumping here in Ireland?It is much vaster, with much more international classes every week. With better prize money and more opportunities.

What are your goals for the future?To compete on more senior nations cups and to do well in the Junior European Championships.

Jodie GilesWhat sport do you do/play?I do horse riding and athletics.

When did you start? I started horse riding when I was 3 or 4 and I started running when I was 6.

What got you started?My Mum and Dad got me into horse riding and I just wanted to start athletics!

Where do you play/train?I horse ride every Wednesday at home and on the weekends. I used to run in Aghvilla but now I practice in school as I am a boarder.

What’s your latest achievement?I was 1st in the clan 1500m in April!

What advice would you give to someone interested in starting your sport?Give it a try and don’t worry if you’re not the best, you will improve if you train hard!

What are you hoping to achieve this season?I hope to do well in the East Munster Schools event.

mArch13th: Pope Francis elected.Newtown VS Kilkenny College 1st Year Boys Hockey. Draw 1-114th: All Star Mr. and Mrs Show. Select couples reveal to the school how much (or little) they know about each other. Mr. and Mrs. Denniston (pictured below) were our victors.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


What years did you attend Newtown School? 1961 (Upper Transition) – 1969 (7th Year)

What sports did you play while you were at Newtown? Did Newtown encourage/inspire you to go for your future career? Newtown fostered a keen interest in most sports but the ones I played while at school were hockey, rugby and cricket, with a bit of tennis and swimming thrown in. The sport I played most, both in school and afterwards, was hockey. In 1978 and 1979 I was lucky to be involved on the periphery of a very strong Dublin YMCA squad which won the Irish Senior Cup for two years in a row (two other Newtownians were also involved at that time - John McKechnie and Malcolm Jacob). One of the things that helped my hockey was being chosen to attend a camp in Belfast while in 5th year at Newtown. I can remember Roger Bewley strongly recommending that I should attend the camp and it certainly paid off. Hockey has always been my favourite sport, both to play and report on, when I got the chance. It helped me in my initial application for the sports job at RTE as we had to record a 90 second audio piece about a subject on which we considered ourselves experts! I did a report on Three Rock Rovers’ move from the grass pitch in London Bridge Road to Ireland’s first Astroturf pitch in Grange Road. With the help of the considerable legal and business acumen in the club the whole move more or less financed itself! I have also been privileged to report on three major hockey tournaments held at the National Hockey Stadium in Belfield: the Women’s World Cup in Dublin in 1994, the Men’s European Championships in 1995 and the 2012 Olympic Qualifier that saw Ireland lose the final to Korea in heartbreaking fashion. (Continuing in the hockey vein, I am also a Leinster Branch Umpire!)

In the Sixties Waterford United had a very successful soccer team and several of us would try and get to as many games in Kilcohan Park as we could to see the likes of Alfie Hale, Peter Thomas, Shamie Coad, Jimmy McGeough and Johnny Matthews in action. The League of Ireland was far better attended in those days. This involvement helped me later on when applying for the job as a reporter in RTE Radio Sport. I took part in a few plays while at Newtown which included a part in the chorus of HMS Pinafore, and was also involved in Eric de Courcy’s choir. This interest in music

and drama led to joining the theatrical group Leeson Park Players later on and that in turn would have helped in voice projection and script reading further down the road. Not only did Newtown propagate a broad interest in sport, it also gave me the building bricks to get into University (TCD), from which I then entered RTE in 1974.

Sporting highlights while at Newtown: Winning the Leinster Minor Hockey Cup in 1965. The team was coached by Lesley Matson and we beat King’s Hospital 1-0 on a bumpy grass pitch in what was then Mountjoy School (now Mount Temple) with a jammy goal from David Lilburn! Getting a Munster school’s Cricket cap and playing against Leinster in the Mardyke towards the end of my 7th year also remains a fond memory for me.

Lowlight! Getting injured earlier that year playing rugby just days before the Southeast hockey trial. Despite intense heat treatment from my physiotherapist sister Joan Johnson, I was not fit enough and not to even get on the Southeast team, let alone Munster/Southeast. I would have had ambitions of getting on the Irish schools squad but it wasn’t to be.

Interview with Roy Willoughby

Do you have any funny memories of life in Newtown? I was a reject drummer from The Boomtown Rats (almost)! For at least one year I was the drummer in the school band in fairly illustrious company! It was a band led by Michael Odlum (who went on to play in the Roche Band headed up by Billy Roche from Wexford) and whose rhythm guitarist was Gary Roberts (who went on to join Bob Geldof in the Boomtown Rats). Sadly I was thrown out of the group for beating a rhythm more akin to marching than dancing and the man who took over was no other than Simon Crowe – the soon to be drummer in the Rats. I could have been a contender! Good to see Simon and Gary are both involved in the Rats revival – no hard feelings lads!

What was your favourite school dinner? A difficult one as there weren’t many that would qualify! If I had to chose then shepherd’s pie -as long as there was plenty tomato ketchup – but we had to supply that ourselves.

You were in Newtown during the fire, what was this experience like? Thankfully, we were all got out before the fire took hold and this was due to the prompt action of two teachers, Bob Russell and Louis McKevitt.Bob Russell had been in bed with the ‘flu at the time and was woken , in the small hours of the morning by what he described as a “ scratching sound” . Initially he thought it was a mouse! However, it turned out to be the sound of sparks from the chimney of the boiler. Apparently, it was originally an electrical fault but because the pitch roof of the playroom was right beside the boiler and the dormitories were right next door, Bob raised the alarm immediately and woke Louis McKevitt

Bob and Louis woke us up by ringing hand held bells. Initially we thought it was another fire drill. We were told to take just dressing gowns and slippers and were

evacuated with no panic to the New Library building. It was only while en route there that we got the smell of smoke and the sight of a few sparks going up to the sky and we realised there was actually a fire! After the head count was done we were walked over to Joan and Lesley Matson’s house in Newtown Villas. I remember when we were passing the front of the buildings on the way down the drive seeing the fire taking hold and feeling extremely relieved we had all been got out in such an orderly fashion. Outside the main gate, several Newtown past pupils on their way home from a night out, were watching the fire and appeared to be in a state of shock as they thought the whole school was on fire. Thankfully the original school building was undamaged. The dorms and playroom however were all destroyed.

We spent the night on the floor of the Matson’s dining room and since I had lost all my own clothes, I remember walking around for the next few days in Joan Matson’s bright yellow polo neck and her green corduroy trousers! I was reminiscing about this with Joan just a few weeks ago and she told me to be sure to mention the fact that when Lesley was woken up by Mary Hamilton and told that the school was on fire, he proceeded to get dressed and put on his Trinity tie! Sartorial elegance even in an emergency! For the next few months, at the invitation of the headmaster Mr Langley, we were put up as overnight “guests” in Bishop Foy School- a building that now houses the very impressive Waterford Treasures exhibition on the Mall. We only returned to Newtown at the start of the next school year when new prefab dormitories were built.

What did you do when you left school? I went to Trinity College Dublin and, having started Business Studies I switched and did a joint degree in Economics and Sociology (BA Mod). From a sporting point of view I was captain of the Trinity Tennis club and vice captain of the hockey club and was elected a Knight of the Campanile (an illustrious band of altruistic sportsmen!).

How did you come to work for RTE? I had applied for a course in Town Planning in UCD. The day I heard I didn’t get a place, I was on my way to a second interview for a job as Research Assistant in the RTE Audience Research Department. I started there in October 1974 and (almost) never looked back.

How did you progress within RTE? First of all in Audience Research I designed questionnaires and wrote up reports on qualitative analysis of RTE programmes. After a few years I moved to a job in the Television Planning and Control Department, scheduling film crews and film facilities. I also brokered the use of film crews between the various programmes. RTE had just finished making their best ever drama series “Strumpet City.” I hope they will re-run it during the centenary “celebrations” of the Lockout this year!

In 1984 I auditioned for a job in the Radio Sport Department and got trained with a group to be used as backup during the Los Angeles Olympics. While I wasn’t called in to action during the Olympics, I started full time in early 1985 as a Presenter/ Reporter - compiling and reading the sports news bulletins on RTE Radio 1 and 2 FM, reporting on matches and doing various feature interviews.


After several years I became a Producer/ Reporter and with that role came more responsibility for the content of the main Radio Sport programmes- Saturday and Sunday Sport and a magazine programme called Sport around Seven. In 1999 I was promoted to Producer- in- Charge of Radio Sport.During the 27 years in sport I worked at 6 Olympic Games: Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004 (where I was team leader), Beijing 2008 and London 2012. I was also in the USA for the Soccer World cup in 1994 and worked around two Rugby World Cups 1991 and 1999. In September of 2012 I took an early retirement package after almost 38 years in RTE.

As a producer, what did your job entail? Before the programmes: Lining up programme items, booking contributors, editing audio packages, briefing the presenters, booking the facilities needed i.e. studios, commentary positions, commentary circuits. During the programmes it was mainly studio direction, which during a busy Sunday Sport with as many as 10 or 12 Outside Broadcasts, could be pretty hectic trying to keep the presenters cool on air while everything in the control room was falling apart!

What was the biggest event you attended for your work? The Republic of Ireland V Italy game at the 1994 World Cup in the Giants Stadium in New Jersey.- Ray Houghton scored the only goal of the game , Paul McGrath had an outstanding game in the Irish defence and there was an amazing amount of Irish fans in the stadium. I have never seen so many tricolours at a game (the Italians had them as well!), and I even remember embracing Eamonn Dunphy after the game!

The London Olympics. In my view, these were the best Olympics I worked at. They had great organisation, friendly volunteers, good broadcast facilities and a lot of “good news” Irish stories for us to tell. I worked at Katie Taylor’s gold medal fight, interviewed An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny after John Joe Nevin won silver, worked at the show-jumping the afternoon Cian O’Connor won Bronze and did live commentary on the News at One for Annalise Murphy’s medal race at the sailing in Weymouth. In terms of disappointments at events I covered, her failing by the narrowest of margins to win a medal ranks up there with Ireland losing in the last minute to Australia in the 1991 World Rugby Cup at Lansdowne Road and the Irish Men’s Hockey team losing to the Koreans with a goal scored just

12 seconds from the end of the Olympic qualifier final in Dublin. It’s hard not to be a fan as well as a reporter!

Who is the biggest sports star you have worked with? The two mainline sports I covered most were rugby and soccer. I travelled as a reporter and producer with both the national sides in the late 80’s and through the 90’s. Roy Keane featured big on the Irish soccer team in that period and by and large performed well on the pitch and in front of the microphone!

What is the most impressive sporting moment you have witnessed? It was an event at which I wasn’t working! Ireland winning the Grand Slam at the Millennium Stadium in 2009. I was there purely as a fan with my Gloucester based cousin, John Willoughby. Personally it was a very emotional moment when the final whistle went. My own father, Ted, had been a fairly good rugby player with Old Wesley and he got a trial for Leinster at scrum half as far back as 1928. Sadly he died when I was just seven. The last time Ireland won the Grand Slam in 1948 he was still alive, so, being there for the next one 61 years later, was very special for me knowing he would have taken just as much pleasure from Ireland’s win over Wales in Ravenhill as I did on that nail biting day in Cardiff.

Has attending Newtown helped/made a difference to you in your career? Life is full of ups and downs and believe me I had plenty of both in Newtown. However, the prevailing atmosphere was of a predominantly caring and friendly ethos amongst staff and pupils and that rubbed off and hopefully manifested itself in my working life. One person in particular left his mark on me and that was a fellow pupil- Peter Booth. Peter was in our year all the way up through Newtown. He was witty, intelligent, highly creative, good at sport and blessed with good looks as well! In third year he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Even though he knew it was potentially fatal, he continued to be a shining example to us all right up to when I shared a room with him as prefects and beyond. Sadly, the year after he left school, and while a student in Art College in Belfast, he died in St Luke’s

Hospital in Dublin. If I inherited a tenth of his sense of humour, creativity and optimism my spell at Newtown was well spent.

Nigel Kennington and Neil Dunne

Clan Cross CountryThe annual clan cross country took place on what seemed like the coldest, foggiest morning of the year. Despite the grey weather it was a colourful affair with the usual blues, greens, reds and yellows that can be seen at every clan event.

This year there were even some ‘food items’ spotted in the crowd showing that the clan captains really upped their game this year! The running was fantastic, with some races clubs would be proud of. The fun runners and walkers can’t go without a mention, because as we all know “It’s all about participation”!


JCT RUGBYThis years Junior Cup Rugby team consisted of a group of talented players who each brought something special to the team. The season kicked off with a great win against Clonmel Highschool, scoring 56 points to Clonmel’s 5. This was a great start to the year and a high hope of things to come.

Final score Newtown 56-5 Clonmel Highschool.

Next we travelled to Cork to play Midleton College. We were slow to get into the swing of things and this left the score at 10-0 to Middleton at half time. After a good talking to from the coaches the team went out in the second half and played some beautiful rugby from forwards and backs alike. This combined with us defending like dogs on our own line for the last 10 minutes resulted in us not conceding another score. We went home a disappointed team but happy with how we played in the second half.

Final score Newtown 0-10 Middleton College.

Next up was our neighbours Waterpark College at home. We played an excellent first half with a try coming from our centre, John Jephson. The conversion was slotted and we ended the first half 7-5 in front. Unfortunately in the second half we let our concentration slip and Waterpark ran in a few more tries against us. In the last 10 minutes Waterpark had a scrum on their own 5 metre line, some good eyes and quick thinking from our flanker Tom Greene meant we got our second try. The referee left the whole squad disappointed when he dis-allowed the try as the ball had come out the side of the scrum. Some good attacking play on our behalf kept Waterpark pinned down in their own 22 and finally this resulted in our own put in to a scrum on the Waterpark 5 metre line. Our number 8, Aaron Vogelaar, picked from the back and was driven over the line by the rest of his pack.

We put together some great attacking platforms in this game but our defence let us down, with the final score not truly reflecting our efforts.

Our fourth match of the year was against Villiers, with a good team performance put in from everyone. I think everyone would agree that the two highlights of this match would be when Victor Carrera got the ball on the Villiers 22 and was diving under the posts to score a try, when he dropped the ball! The second would have to be when a well worked Newtown maul was stopped on the half way line, Darrien Burrel took a crash ball and managed to leave a trail of 5 or 6 downed Villiers players behind him as he crossed the line.

In the cup we were drawn against a big Bandon Grammar side. The score at the end of the first half was 10-0 to Bandon. Unfortunately a key member of our pack, Robert Kent, had to be taken off at half time when he suffered a broken nose. His presence on the pitch was missed when Bandon got over for their third try sealing the score Newtown 0-17 Bandon.

Our final and hardest match of the season was against Midleton once more. They were a big, strong, physical side and missing some of our starting team we couldn’t hold them out for long.

With training and hard work, the junior cup team can hopefully progress further next season. Thanks to Mr. Keappock and Mr. Ashmore for training us this year.

THIS YEARS SqUAD WAS;Robin Doyle, Tom Greene, Devon Hartel, Peter Murphy, Darien Burrel, Victor Carrera, Robert Kent, Aaron Vogelaar(C), James Kiersey, Conor Kenny, Michael Daly, John Jephson, Sean Phelan, George Maclean, Cian Hogan, Sholto O’Brien, David Thorpe, Stuart Bell, Ciaran Finnegan, Matthew Traecy, Bill Madigan, Matthew Kelly, Robbie Harvey and Cory Cooke.

By Aaron Vogelaar

Rugby

April15th: Two bombs are detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

U-14 RUGBY

We started our season with a Blitz down in Midleton. We began against the hosts. It was a very tight game with nothing in it and in the end it finished 0-0. The next game, was against Bandon, we started very well with Fionn O‘Loughlin scoring a great try, but then Bandon started to take control and eventually won the game 14-5. Next we played against a very strong Presentation side, we stayed with them for a long time but they eventually won the game 26-7, Eoin O Driscoll scoring our only try. Our last game of the Blitz was against another Presentation team, they took the lead very early with two easy tries, but we stayed with them, Alex Langan then scored a brilliant break away try to put us back in the match this was followed by another great try from Fionn O’Loughlin, Rhys Jones converted and the score finished 14 -12 to us.

Next we had another blitz, this time in Clonmel, our first game was against Waterpark it was a very poor performance from us, the full time score was 7-7, Alex Langan scoring our only try. Our next game was against High School we had a much improved performance as we ran out winners 26 -7, tries coming from Fionn O’Loughlin, Liam Murray, Josh Allen and Patrick Hickey. Our next match was against Villiers it was close to start with but we won comfortably 19-7 in the end, two tries coming from Liam Murray and one from Patrick hickey.

Our next Blitz was in Bandon, we started really well with a great team effort against the hosts, winning the game 5-0, an early try coming from Patrick Hickey. Our next game

was against Midleton it was a very close game like our last encounter, we won in the end 7-0 with a try from Harry Jephson. Our next game was against Presentation, we struggled to get into the game and found ourselves down by 19 points at half time, we never got back and eventually lost 35-0.

In our first proper full length match of the season we played Midleton at home, we started poorly conceding an early try, but we hit back right away with a try from Rhys Jones, we continued our good play with a try from Fionn O’Loughlin, Midleton got right back in it when they scored a great try, then a try from Jack Collicut put us ahead by 7. A late try from Midleton was not converted and so we won the match 17-15 a man of the match performance from Ross Joyce.

We then had a return fixture up in Midleton, We played very poorly and never got into the game we got beaten in the end 45-7, Josh Allen with our only try.

Our last game of the season was against Waterpark at home, we started off badly conceding a soft try, but as usual we got back in the game with a try from Patrick Hickey, Waterpark then scored again just before half time.

We then scored a great try again through Patrick Hickey to bring the scores level, Waterpark then hit back and scored another try, leaving the score at 19-12, we replied again with a try in the corner from Josh Allen to make it 19-17, with minutes to go we were still behind but with an over lap on the right Jason Kenny dived over, the score was 24-19 to us ,with seconds to go Josh Allen got his second .Good performances by Patrick Hickey and Josh Allen.

Overall it was a successful season

Our thanks to Mr. Ronan and Mr. Lester for their coaching throughout the year.

SqUAD 2012-2013 Alex Langan, Cian Mooney, Conor Glennon, Dylan Crews, Eoin O‘Driscoll, Fionn O’Loughlin (captain), Harry Jephson, Jacob Pim, Jack Collicut, Jack Lahleque, James Gaffney, James Treacy, Jason Kenny, Josh Allen, Liam Murray, Liam Sutherland, Mark Morris, Rhys Jones, Rhys Kenny, Ross Joyce, Patrick Hickey, Tom Owens

By Rhys Jones and Fionn O’Loughlin


SENIOR RUGBY TEAMThe start of this season saw a lot of rebuilding within the squad, as a large amount of last years starting XV was made up of sixth formers.

The season began with some testing friendlies against Bandon and Midleton, these hard fought games gave us a solid foundation to build on, as we proceeded to beat Clonmel High School on two occasions, one of which by a convincing score line of 65-5.

We later played against some bigger names in schools rugby. Holding Pres, Cork seconds scoreless for sixty minutes, only to be edged out towards the end and also a tough game against Kilkenny College seconds. We learnt a lot from these games and much character was built through these friendlies.

A favourable draw in the Mungret Cup meant that we were drawn to play Bandon at the semi-final stage. A slow start on our behalf meant that we found ourselves 8-0 down at the interval. In the second half, a penalty was conceded and scored, which left us knowing that we had to score next, in order to stay in the game. This score eventually came following relentless pressure being put on the Bandon defence, after some beautiful handing, the try was well finished in the corner by Alex Pim. Penalties were subsequently exchanged from both team’s kickers. But in the end there was too much left for us to do, leaving the final score at 8-17.

After this cruel cup exit we were left with the hope of still claiming some silverware, through the Daunt Cup. A friendly in preparation for this game against Abbey Tipperary served us well, with good tries from Ben Doyle and James Kavanagh.

DAUNT CUP

Newtown’s Senior Rugby Team came out on top for the first time in nine years in a very physical and closely contested Daunt Cup final.

The game was played in conditions known to rugby followers as “a forwards game”, the rain poured down from start to finish. Despite the weather, the match was quite the spectacle with both teams weighing in the balance right up to the last second.

Throughout the match Newtown were tested physically and to their credit, the boys came up with all the answers. In the tenth minute, Newtown received their reward for all

their hard work with a converted penalty by out-half Connor Vogelaar giving Newtown a 3-0 lead.

Waterpark were not long coming back and answered with a penalty of their own, leaving the game very much in contention at a half time score of 3-3. Newtown were first on the score sheet after half time with another converted penalty opportunity by Connor Vogelaar, leaving Newtown with a three point advantage. In the closing minutes of the game Waterpark threw everything at us but they could not find a way through the stubborn Newtown defence. The final score ended Newtown 6 Waterpark 3.

Well done to all the boys for their commitment and dedication this year. Also a special thanks to Mr. Jones and Mr. Lyons for their continuous support and hard work throughout the year.

The outlook is good for next years team with fifteen of this years squad returning and also with some new additions to the senior squad. This gives us good prospects and high expectations for next season.

SENIOR SqUAD:Daniel Fenton, Cillian Fenlon, Kaine de la Haye, Peter Joyce, Geoff Graham, Daniel O’Driscoll, Alex Pim (pack leader), Hugh O’Conor, Ben O’Keeffe, Christian Cullen, Jamie Cross (captain), Connor Vogelaar, Nigel Kennington, Brian Kenny, James Kavanagh, Oliver Giles, Sam ffrench Davis, Peter Stewart, Ben O’Neill, Ben Doyle, Raoul O’Brien, Tom O’Donnell, George Morris

By Nigel Kennington & Brian Kenny

1ST YEAR BOYS HOCKEYWe had a quite a good season this year, playing a big Blitz and some very competitive matches both at home and away. We played in a great game against Midleton at the start of the year, this game ended in a draw which was a good result for an inexperienced team. We then unfortunately lost to Villiers away, in a score of 2-1. But we gained much experience from these games and this was proved as we then beat Bandon 1-0 at home.

Our biggest win of the year came from a blitz down in Cork. We headed down there coached by Mr. Green and Quinny, with a squad of 15. We played Bandon first and we beat them 6-0. The goal scorers were Josh Allen (1), Rhys Jones (1) and Patrick Hickey(captain)(4).We drew with Villiers 1-1,Fionn O’Loughlin scoring the only goal, and we then beat Middleton on penalties.

THE SqUAD CONSISTED OF: James Treacy (goal keeper),Tom Eoins, Rhys Kenny, Jason Kenny, Rhys Jones, Harry Jephson, Ross Joyce, Josh Allen, Patrick Hickey (C), Jacob Pim, Bobby Coughlin, Connor Glennon, Dylan Crews, Cian Mooney, Jack Collycut, Fionn O’Loughlin, Liam Murray, James Gaffney and Eoin O’Driscoll.

We were coached throughout the year by Mr. Butler. Mr. Green and Quinny helped also on some occasions, thanks must be given to them for their work during the year.

CAPTAIN’S VIEW: PATRICK HICKEY

What has been your team’s biggest achievement to date? Winning the first year blitz in cork, on our way to winning we had some great games and performances.

For how long have you been captain of this team?I took over after the first game of the season and have been captain ever since.

What skills do you think make a good captain?You need have good tactical ideas and participation. As well as being able to encourage and shout at team mates.

Does your team have any goals for next season?Scoring more goals and most importantly winning matches.

1ST YEAR GIRLS HOCKEYWith training every Tuesday and Friday night – even though it was freezing – we soon caught up on key skills and game technique, it was time to start the League!

After successfully defeating St. Leo’s Carlow, Ursuline Waterford and Loreto Wexford with skill, agility and power we quickly set off for our first away match at Kilkenny College.

Tensions were high, the supporters were shouting at the top of their lungs, and the atmosphere was electric. The score was one-all but then we scored a last minute goal and won the game.

A couple of weeks later, a day before the final, we had a brilliant friendly with the Abbey girls.

The day came, we were worried sick with the nerves, we had worked hard all season.

Loreto Kilkenny were fierce competition and came with a fierce reputation. Despite this we came up on top and won the league.

For this, we would like to thank the following: our coaches Ms. Rellis, Ms. Hehir and Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Butler for organising our travel, Mr. Lemon for his inspirational speech before the final and to all our supporters. Lastly, we thank all of the team, we enjoyed a marvelous season and best wishes to all in the future.

Jasmine Ryan

Hockey

April18th: Irish Schools’ Orienteering Championship. Newtown participants bring home the gold.23rd: Clan 1500 Metres.

24th: Newtown VS Kilkenny College Minor Girls’ Hockey League Final. Kilkenny victory 2-126th: Transition Year students participate in ‘All Wrapped Up’, a public dance performance showcasing felted artworks.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


JUNIOR BOYS HOCKEYThe junior boy’s hockey team is made up of 3rd and 4th years. The team is very strong with a handful of players playing for the senior team.

This season was a very enjoyable one for the junior boys hockey team topped off by a trip to Amsterdam. This season didn’t have as many matches as last year, but this was due to most of our players playing for the senior team most weeks. Our cup run unfortunately didn’t last very long, losing out to a very strong Villiers side, by a score line of 3-0.

We were also entered into a junior competition held in Villiers, Newtown had two teams entered with both teams playing well, putting in some good performances and getting some good results. During the season we also had a game against the Waterford Ladies team. This match was scrappy with no exceptional hockey on show, however when we did get the ball we were able to use our pace on the wings from Alex Round and Sean Phelan. However that wasn’t enough to win against a very strong ladies side including three players who play for the South East ladies team and another couple playing for the Masters South East side.

On top of that we played against the school’s senior girls side, the boys were to strong upfront with a great performance from striker Conor Kenny. This game was more for the benefit of the senior girls team preparing

them for their upcoming cup matches. In our last match of the season we played against Kilkenny College Junior C team as their A’s and B’s were occupied playing in cup competitions. Newtown won easily, with a handsome score of 5-0. The season was mainly concentrated on getting ourselves ready for the trip to Amsterdam, which proved helpful when we needed it.

The season and matches wouldn’t have happened without the help and hard work of Mr Butler, Mr Greene or David Quinn.

The team has improved over the season with the help of the start-up of the Waterford men’s hockey club, with most of the team training on a Thursday nights with the men and the seniors. Hopefully next year some of the players will be playing in the men’s team. Also another aim for next year would be trying to go further in the cup as this year the team was at the bottom of the age group.

The team could be a good prospect in the future if the team sticks together and continue to play hockey, Aaron Vogelaar, Matthew Kelly and Conor Kenny were all good additions to the side

Player of the season: Daryl Hemmingway/Sean Phelan

One for the future: Robbie Harvey

Most improved: Sean Phelan

One to keep: Conor Kenny

CAPTAIN’S VIEW: MATTHEW TREACY

What has been your team’s biggest achievement to date? Going to Amsterdam and putting in some really good performances was a real highlight for the season.

For how long have you been captain of your team?Half the year

What skills do you think make a good captain?You need to be able to support your team mates, lead by example and be committed to the team

Does your team have any goals for next season?Next season we would like to progress further in the cup competition.

April29th: Transition Year Killary Trip begins.

mAy2nd: First Year Girls’ Hockey League Final Newtown VS Loreto Kilkenny. Newtown victory 1-03rd: Prefects Elect announced to the school in Collect.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

JUNIOR BOYS HOCKEY TRIP AMSTERDAM 2013The first day of the trip was an early start for the team as most of the lads were up at 4a.m to make the 9:30 flight to Amsterdam. As soon as we arrived we were preparing ourselves for our first training session. Our training sessions were being held in Amsterdam Hockey and Bandy Club one of the best hockey teams in Europe. Even though everyone was too tired to play we found some energy to try new things. Once training was over we began getting ourselves ready for our first match. This match was against a very strong, young side called Fleitemore H.C. The game was difficult as we struggled for possession and we were chasing the ball for large periods of the game. There were a few chances though, through Sholto O’Brien and Ciaran Finnegan, who were unlucky not to score. Even though the scoreline wasn’t going in our favour, we set an aim to score a goal, this goal came through a good short corner, which was finished by Daryl Hemmingway in the bottom corner, the final score ended 7-1. After the game we had a soccer match, Ireland vs the Nederland’s with Ireland winning convincingly.

The second day, began with an early start for a training session, todays focus was skills. This was being taught by the Right-back for the Dutch national indoor team. After the session we had some time to relax and eat, getting ourselves ready for the match ahead. The match brought us up against a very strong U16 B side called Xenios H.C. The score was 5-0 to Xenios, however that did not reflect on how the game went, the match was well contested with Robbie Harvey and Sean Phelan playing well throughout. Our goal nearly came through Cian Hogan, however unfortunately he was just inches wide. There were some good saves from Ben Flanagan to keep the game as close as possible.

The third and last day of hockey, training today concentrated on attacking; we trained hard getting ready for our last match. After training we went hockey shopping. There we met Davy Harte and Micky Watt, two of Irelands best players, Davy Harte is one of the best keepers in world hockey. Both of them are being paid to play around Holland. Davy Harte was one of David Quinn’s school boy hockey friends as both of them played for Munster during their schooling. Both

Quinny and Davy Harte would play against Mickey Watt when Munster played Ulster in the inter-provincial tournaments. Also we got to see one of our good friends from last year, Felix, who was the gapper at Newtown, he is now studying just a few hours outside of Amsterdam.

The game that day brought us up against a good side called Baarn H.C. The game ended 5-0 to Newtown with Sean Phelan scoring two goals and Daniel Morris, Matthew Treacy and Sholto O’Brien scoring a goal each.

After every match we were served with a meal and a drink, with the second match dinner being the team’s favourite meal as we were given ribs that just kept on coming.

The final day in Amsterdam gave us some time to see the city upfront. We got the tram into the city guided by one of the players from the hockey club. We walked around the city trying to find Anne Frank’s house, however when we got there the queue was too long to wait in. After that we made our way to McDonalds, where Matthew Kelly nearly got ran over by a mo-ped and Aaron Vogelaar looked for shoe shops that would fit his size on route.

When we got back to the area we were based in, we had one more trip to Amsterdam H.C, while we were playing there we met Mark Knoles one of the top players in world, he is currently playing with Rotterdam and Australia. When we met him, he was getting ready for the EHL tournament where all the best clubs in Europe compete. However we had to get our flight back to Dublin so we couldn’t stay for long.

The trip brought out lots of talent with Daryl Hemmingway being one of the best players of the trip. With Aaron Vogelaar, Matthew Kelly and Robbie Harvey as some of the most improved players of the trip, learning from the coaches and bringing it into the matches.

A big thanks must go to Mr Greene, Quinny and Mr Butler for their organising and commitment involving the trip. Also thanks to “3” network and Mr Finnegan for kindly sponsoring our jumpers and The Newtown Old Scholars association for subsidising the trip also.

THE TEAM: Ben Flanagan, Cory Cooke, Robin Doyle, Jeff O’Brien, Daniel Morris, Alex Round, Daryl Hemmingway, Matthew Treacy, Sean Phelan Cian Hogan, Robbie Harvey, Sholto O’Brien, Ciaran Finnegan, Aaron Vogulaar, Matthew Kelly.

By Matthew Treacy


JUNIOR GIRLS HOCKEYThe junior girls team had quite a successful season this year. The team was made up of 3rd and 4th years with the odd 2nd and 1st year being called up! Over the year we improved massively as individuals and as a team. We competed in the Junior B league and performed well. After winning all of our games it was a bit disappointing to lose our last match of the league! We are very happy with the standard we played and trained with. We feel we bonded and became a much better team as a result of our training and success over the year. Thank you to the team for their commitment and enthusiasm over this year.

THE SqUAD:Saoirse Hutton, Michaela Duggan, Anna Boyd, Lily Rose Fitzmaurice, Sophie Lee, Emma Crotty, Hannah Pim, Lucy Allen, Holly Moore, Jane Walsh, Erica Champan, Beth Chapman, Zoe Mulligan, Hillary Baulding, Emma Galloway, Aoife Treacy, Izzy Auld, Izzy Graham, Eve Heffernan, Lucy Latta and Captains: Kate Cafferty and Nikki Boyd.

By Kate Cafferty and Nikki Boyd

CAPTAIN’S VIEW: NIKKI BOYD

What has been your team’s biggest achievement to date? Only losing one game out of many this season.

For how long have you been captain of your team?I shared the captaincy for the year with Kate Cafferkey

What skills do you think make a good captain?It is important to get along with everyone. Encouraging and pushing them this year was easy as they were such a good team.

Does your team have any goals for next season?They will want to do better in terms of the league. They were such a good team to play with and will hopefully get on well next year.

MINOR GIRLS HOCKEYThis season for the Minor Girls Hockey team has been very successful. We started the season on a high with a 2-0 victory against Loreto Kilkenny. We stayed in the league by beating Loreto Wexford 2-0 and St. Declans 4-0. We sadly lost our cup match against the Ursuline 2-1, but because of our previous wins we progressed to the league final against Kilkenny College. This was a tough match with both sides evenly matched, sadly we lost 2-1 but we were delighted that we had made it this far. We would like to thank Mrs Hehir for being a brilliant coach and supporter of our team all year long and the whole team for putting in such a great effort and commitment. Next year we hope to continue to train to a high standard and have even more success as a team.

CAPTAIN’S VIEW: ISABEL AULD & EMILY DUFFIN

What has been your team’s biggest achievement to date? Reaching the minor girls league final.

For how long have you been captain of your team?We have shared the captaincy since the start of the year.

What skills do you think make a good captain?Leadership, determination, confidence and respect

Does your team have any goals for next season?We hope to play as well as we have done this year, working as a team. We want to progress even further than we did this year.

SENIOR BOYS HOCKEYThis year’s senior boy’s hockey team was a very young team with most of the players in third and fifth form. It was mainly a developing year for the younger players. The season started off well with a great performance in Dublin against a strong ‘Sandford Park’ team. We were unfortunate to lose two goals to one.

After a crushing defeat, we trained well and went to Ashton to make amends for our previous defeat. Entering Ashton with our heads held high and great determination; we hit the ground running and scored an early goal. Just before half time we conceded a goal from a well worked Ashton play. Mr. Green and Mr. Quinn gave us a serious pep talk at half time, motivating us and pushing us on to win. With great defence from Geoff Graham and great saves from Will Troy we held on and scored near the end with an amazing strike from Raoul O’Brien .We were the first Newtown team to beat Ashton seniors in eight years. Man of the match was awarded to Geoff Graham. What a way for our Captain to spend his birthday!

Our match against Ashton probably got to our heads because when we came up against Kilkenny College we were not focused enough to beat them. Things would be different when they visited us though! After some losses and a victory against Bandon, Kilkenny came to us. With a tight game throughout Newtown scored late to win three goals to two.

Coming to the end of our season, we came up against a strong Villiers team in the semi- final of the ‘B Cup’. We had to live up to the heights of last years team, who beat Villiers in the ‘B Cup’ final. The team played their hearts out and were 2-1 up at half time. Villiers pulled it back and went 3-2 up. As it looked like we were heading out of the cup we went all out attack and scored in the last minute bringing it to extra time. Villiers scored, 4-3 to Villiers. After intense play Newtown thought they conceded a penalty flick, but it went for a short corner which was barely saved by Will Troy. The final whistle blew and a great sadness and disappointment fell over the Newtown team. We were out of the cup. It was a crushing defeat. We left Villiers knowing that we could have won that and maybe have gone all the way.

The last game of the season brought us up to Dublin, again. This time we were playing Kings Hospital. The game began with Neil Dunne getting us, and himself, on the score board.

“WHAT A GOAL!” Neil shouted. And what a goal it was! He scored using back stick from the base line and curving in. We will be losing some fine players like Max O’Brien, Joshua Thiele and our Captain Geoff Graham as they finish Sixth Form, but we’re sure more fine players will be coming up through the ranks. It really was a year of development and a year to remember. With thanks to Mr. Green, Mr. Quinn and Mr. Butler for their commitment to the team. We look forward to taking Munster hockey by storm next year!

Will Troy.

CAPTAIN’S VIEW: GEOFF GRAHAM

What has been your team’s biggest achievement to date? The last two years the senior hockey team has won the munster schools senior hockey “B” cup.This year we made it to the semi finals of the “A” cup.

For how long have you been captain of your team?The year

What skills do you think make a good captain?Leading by example, motivation and being able to communicate well with both the players and the coaches

Does your team have any goals for next season?This year was a year of development, with most of the squad being made up of 5th, 4th and 3rd years.

Over the coming years this team will be one to watch.


SENIOR GIRLS HOCKEYThe senior girls had a very successful season this year, reaching the semi-final of the Senior B League against Kilkenny College but we were unfortunate not to come out victorious.

The team played exceptionally well all year, beating Loretto Kilkenny, Loretto Wexford and the Ursuline. We also played some friendlies against King’s Hospital and Newpark in Dublin, in both of which we were victorious.

Overall the team preformed excellently this season, showing great commitment and playing to a high standard all year.

We would like to thank Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Butler for their support and advice throughout the year and we look forward to another successful season next year.

Sarah Murray

mAy8th: Newtown YSI and COSI team present at the National Showcase in Dublin. COSI Team honoured with an award. Wishing You Well is picked as one of 3 out of 500 teams nationally to present their project to celebrity guests.

7th: Clan Fortunes, a clan event based on the popular gameshow Family Fortunes in which two teams compete to guess the results of surveys.Newtown Review cover photo of the whole school is taken.

J Diary 2012-2013 K

Old Scholars Hockey match


Clan 1500m

A Life Running In Blue - The Many Faces of Rebecca Hoban


oRienteeRing

CLAN ORIENTEERING COMPETITION The first ever Clan Orienteering Competition took place in Newtown School on January 2013. The event was organised by Mr. Cox and proved to be a huge success. The competition saw the vast majority of the school participate in an attempt to win as many points for their clans as possible. The new competition was followed by a presentation in Collect, where participants were presented

with medals and Blue Clan were presented with the new and prestigious “Dobbs Shield”. Hopefully this event will keep growing and will be eagerly anticipated year after year.

At Newtown we have always encouraged participation. It is often the least likely young people that persevere and succeed in orienteering.

CUNNING RUNNING, ORIENTEERING BY ANOTHER NAMEOrienteering has been introduced this year as a module in Transition Year. All pupils in 4th year are introduced to this outdoor activity and given a chance to develop both their skills and their role as instructors. Some had the opportunity to use these instructor skills to assist at primary school training events.

An inter-clan event was held for the first time this year. Blue Clan were narrow winners in the inaugural event. Large numbers participated with leading times from: Jonathan Pim, Aaron Vogelaar, Robert Pim, Holly Moore, James Kiersey, Stephanie Ebert, Neil Dunne, Charlotte Hackett, Rebecca Hoban, and Chris Wieneke.

Left: Hugh Dobbs presenting the inter clan shield to Blue Clan (Brian Kenny, Nigel Kennington, Clara ffrench Davis)

Newtown take part in 3 main competitive events annually as well as training days: the South East schools, the Munster schools and the Irish schools championships. A core group of 65 represented the school during 2012-13.

Pride of place this year goes to the 1st year girls who improved dramatically from third team at the Munsters to win gold at the Irish Championships. Mary-Clare Nies (1st individual) and Rachel Foley (2nd ) led the team supported by Jodie Giles, Zoe Mulligan and Hilary Balding.

Robert Pim won gold at both SE and Munsters but was narrowly pipped at the Irish championships at Glengarra wood, County Cork. The 2nd/ 3rd year boys completed another successful season winning gold at the Irish championships. The team was comprised of Robert Pim (2nd), Jonathan Pim (3rd), Ciaran Finnegan (4th), Robert Harvey (7th) and Cian Hogan (9th).

The 1st year boys category has always been very competitive. Jacob Pim won gold at both the SE and Munster events. The best performance at the Irish championships was from Patrick Hickey who finished a credible 11th out of 52 entrants. Rhys Kenny, James Gaffney, Jack Collicutt, Dylan Crews, Harry Jephson, Cian Mooney, Jason Kenny and James Treacy gave good support in the team events. It appears difficult to drag 2nd/ 3rd year girls away from their studies on a regular basis. Despite Anna Kent (6th) and Isabel Auld (10th) competing well in the Irish championships, we have had difficulty getting four finishers in this category in recent years. As it says on a school report: room for improvement.

The Senior boys team took bronze at the Irish championships to round off a successful season. Kaine de la Haye was the most consistent boy with 1st place

in SE and 4th place in the Munsters. Nigel Kennington (13th at the Irish championships), Joshua Thiele, Beltran Gomez, Neil Dunne, Barog Kennedy, Chris Wieneke, and George Morris all contributed. The Senior girls team won the Munsters but had to be satisfied with bronze in the Irish championships. Well done to Gillian Richardson, Gillian Bond, Sinead Doody, Ruth Bennett-Coady and Katie Gurnee for their continued success. Sue Pim (Old Scholar 1956) who has represented Ireland in orienteering herself presented the prizes to the Irish medal winners in collect, two of whom were her own grandchildren.

Left: Daniel Owens, Zoe Mulligan, Isabel Auld, Robert Pim, Dylan Crews

Below: Stephanie Ebert, Jonathan Pim, Neil Dunne, Chris Wieneke, Rebecca Hoban, Charlotte Hackett


CLAN TENNIS

HUNTER-TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIPSThe interschool Hunter-trial Championships was held on the 16th of March this year in Ballinaboola, New Ross. It was an early start with the first riders on the course at 9:30. The organisers did a great job constructing a gorgeous but complicated course with plenty of big fences and tight corners to keep us on our toes! I jumped in the senior singles and had a great clear round but unfortunately didn’t place. I was still happy with my performance as it was a difficult course and early in the season. Next year I hope to get a team of three together for the teams of three and better represent the school.

Katie Gurnee

INTERSCHOOL’S SHOW JUMPINGUnfortunately this year interschool’s was not as popular as in previous years with only two students competing this year.

On Saturday the 15th of December, I competed in the individuals in Ballinamona Equestrian Centre. Aboard “Crafty King I” had a clear round and finished in a time of 38.42. This put me into 6th place.

On Saturday the 30th of March, I competed in the open teams in Ballinamona again with three other members from the Ursuline Waterford. A rule was brought in, in recent years, that if a school cannot form a full team alone, they may merge with another school and form a team.

After the first round, my team finished on a total of four faults. I jumped clear both rounds. This put my team in joint 4th position. This meant there was a jump off and we finished 4th.

Shane Fitzgerald

equestRian

mAy12th: Dónal Walsh dies. He is remembered by the nation for his wise word on depression and suicide.“As a 16-year old who has no say in his death sentence, appreciate what you have, know that there are always other options and help is always there.”13th-17th: Transition Year students have their final Work Experience week.15th: Richard Swanson tries to dribble a football from Seattle to Brazil in time for the 2014 World Cup. He dies less than two weeks into his journey after being hit by a truck.23rd: Transition Year Presentation evening.31st: Last day of the school year - summer holidays begin.

J Diary 2012-2013 K


5th Form ConstructionJess Palmer: “What’s that little knife called?” Mr. Sexton: “A chisel?” (Bring out chisel from store room) Jess Palmer: “No, no, the little knife!” (Points at piece of equipment) Mr. Sexton: “A saw.”

5th Year BiologyMs. Rellis: “Mussels are named after what African animal?” Eden Little: “Flamingo!”

Ayon Walsh: “I’m not indecisive.... Well, maybe I am a bit..?”

Neil Dunne: “Miss, Where’s the gilly weed?” Ms. Rellis: “Let me check in the bucket...”

SENIOR BOYS WIN WATERFORD COUNTY BADMINTON SHIELD

The annual trek to Lismore took place in November. A busload of enthusiastic but mostly inexperienced pupils headed to the west of the county to take part in the Waterford schools tournament with mixed success.

The under 19 team of Joshua Thiele, Beltran Gomez, Alex Pim and James Kavanagh won the title. Last year they had lost on count back so they took great pleasure in dethroning the current champions. The team was led by Joshua Thiele who displayed his power throughout the tournament.

Irish Water Safety @ NewtownIrish Water Safety is delighted to be associated with the swimming and lifesaving programme in Newtown School. We have a long history of involvement with swimming and lifesaving, going

back to the early, pre-roof days with Alan Pim.

We have known Tara Coady since she attended her first swimming lesson with us in the Blackwater in Lismore, Co. Waterford. This was an outdoor programme, not for the faint hearted or for those not keen on extremely cold water. She continued training all the way through and has worked as an IWS Instructor for the last seventeen years. Her passion for teaching swimming and lifesaving is clear. Tara was keen to acknowledge the commitment that the students give to their training and Waterford IWS are thrilled to sponsor Newtown’s first lifesaving award to mark this. This will be an annual award.

Aquatic sports, in general, plays an important role in the development of young people and the school are to be congratulated on the facilities that they provided for their students. It was a privilege for us to be offered the opportunity to up skill a number of students, culminating in four qualifying with their International Pool Lifeguard Qualification. IWS are looking forward to continuing this programme for 2013. We congratulate the pupils and staff on the courtesy and pleasantness shown to us throughout our time in Newtown.

Mr. Michael Cuddihy – Chairman of the National Lifeguard Commission

Mr. Sonny Condon – Irish Water Safety Examiner

My year in Lifesaving I love lifesaving. It is really fun. I started lifesaving, in September, because I think that it is important to learn rescue skills and to improve my swimming technique. My swimming has improved and I am faster now.

We worked on our front crawl, back stroke, breast stroke, inverted breast stroke, side stroke, duck dives, feet firsts, straddle jumps, non contact and contact rescues. We also learned basic life support. We passed our exams and got our ‘Safety 3’ award and our ‘Basic Life Support 1’ award.

Thanks to our teacher, Ms. Coady. She is kind and loves her job, except maybe when I splash her!

By Chloe Sweeney, First Form

Congratulations to Hannah, Jane, Phoebe and Cathy. I am very proud of them and their achievements throughout their training. Michael Cuddihy and Sonny Condon obliged us in running the Pool Lifeguard Award so that students could be fully qualified lifeguards in time for the summer. This was the first time that this course has been run in a secondary school in Ireland, it is ordinarily reserved for universities. Thank you to Waterford IWS for their help. It is much appreciated.

We marked the end of their training with a presentation on Thursday 30th May. We were joined by Michael Cuddihy, Chairman of the National Lifeguard Commission, Sonny Condon, Irish Water Safety Examiner, Terry Butler, Head of P.E, Joan Glasheen, Deputy Principal, Keith Lemon, Principal, parents and students. The girls were presented with a commemorative piece, created by Waterford’s master engraver, Sean Egan. Congratulations to Cathy McGrory, the first recipient of our new ‘Irish Water Safety Lifesaving Award’.

It has been an absolute pleasure to work with this group of students. They have shown true commitment to lifesaving and I wish them the very best in their futures.

Tara Coady

JUNIOR GIRLS BASKETBALL

We started the year with no matches, no experience and a lot of laughs and ended it with a win and no bad injuries! Every week first form girls and a couple of second years would gather ourselves in the Foy Hall for training. We practised the basics of a layup, figures of 8’s with a basket ball and learned about fouls. We have improved immensely since the start of the year and it’s great to see that we work so well as a team. We’d like to thank our coaches Paige and Ms. McCarney for guiding us throughout the year. We hope junior girls basketball will continue next year.

By Emma SwiftJunior Lifesaving: Chloe Sweeney, Helen Crews, Emer Foley, Niamh Robertson, Aoife Treacy and Emma Swift

(absent from picture)


Swimming Gala

4th Year Pool Lifeguard Candidates 2013We completed the RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Qualification as part of our transition year programme. There were limited places on this course so we had to commit to working hard for the year. This course is an International recognised qualification which allows us to work around the world.

As part of the course we learned CPR, First aid, Spinal Cord Injury Management and the responsibilities of a pool life guard as well as the skills needed to carry out rescues safely.

The Lifeguard course was a great experience and an excellent opportunity to learn new skills for the future. We are glad we had an opportunity to do it.

Katie Sweeney and Nikki Boyd

Life SavingLife saving this year was a huge success for our team and provided an enjoyable diversion from the toils of the leaving certificate! Despite a late start, under excellent our team soon managed to recover our fitness from last year and in a relatively short space of time realise our goal of completing the International Pool Lifeguard Award. This is a great achievement and after three years of lifesaving in Newtown I can safely say that we worked for it!

On Thursday the 30th of May a presentation took place to mark the end of our lifesaving in the school. This was kindly organised by Ms.Coady and during this we were each presented a specially engraved glass commemorative vase designed by Sean Egan from Kite Studios. Cathy McGrory was awarded Newtown’s inaugural IWS Lifesaving Award. The event was a lovely culmination to the year and to our lifesaving which has played a huge role in our time in Newtown. Also during the presentation Buddy made a short speech in which he made reference to how our award is internationally recognised and that we can potentially find a job anywhere in the world with the qualification.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Sonny and Buddy for being such terrific teachers (and story tellers!) and of course to Ms.Coady, without whom none of this would have been possible and also for all her teaching over the previous years to bring us to this stage. I truly recommend lifesaving to everybody: it is a fantastic opportunity, great fun and an extremely important skill to have.

Phoebe MooreTeam members: Hannah Murray, Jane Murray, Cathy McGrory, Phoebe Moore L-R back row James Kiersey, Can Kutay, Peter Joyce, Victor

Cerrada, Hugh McEvoy. Front row Nikki Boyd, Clara Noguera Munoz, Katie Sweeney, Sophie Crotty, Eve Heffernan (absent from picture: Dylan de la Haye)

Valentine de Villeneuve: “How’d you get Mr. Crabs out?” Mr. Ashmore: “Go to the clinic.”

Valentine de Villeneuve: Who’s that guy over there? Raychel Solomon: Uh.. Luke? Valentine de Villeneuve: No, that guy with the hair. Raychel Solomon: Yeah, Luke? Valentine: Oh my god, whats his name?

Raychel: Luke? Valentine: Sean, is it?

5th Year BiologyMs. Rellis: (In Darth Vader voice) Welcome to the dark stage of photosynthesis.


6th Form 2012 - Where are they now?Becky Barr - studying business with Spanish, I love living in Dublin, there’s so much more to do

Ruah Berney Pearson- studying Music and English at University College Cork and gigging around Cork with two different bands.

Ciara Butler- is studying Social Care in Cork IT.

Sam Butler- is studying Economics & Finance in UCD and playing first team hockey & tennis.

Megan Byrne-is studying International Business & Chinese in DCU

Olivia Chambers- is studying Law & Criminology in Lancaster University

Lisa Chan- studying hairdressing in Cork and living with Morwenna. Hopefully going to Finland for free next year for a hair competition for three weeks, but will have to see how the year goes

James Corcoran Hodgins - Studying International Relations with German in DCU.

Andrew Davis - studying Business and French in Trinity, great course and enjoying college life

Tessa de Blank – is studying Childcare in Waterford and is planning on moving to Cork to UCC to master in Speech Therapy eventually.

Georgia Doorley- is currently being a typical drama student: pretending to be the next Beckett, and preparing herself for the life of an impoverished failed actor.

Sophia Egan- is on a gap year, dedicated to doing languages, Spanish & French. She spent August 2012 to December 2012 studying Spanish in the University of Salamanca, managing to get a confident level. Then she went on to the University of Valery Montpellier studying French until June 2013.

Isabel English - preparing my portfolio for Art College

Nicola Fennell -Loving life in Cork, studying Genetics in UCC

Caroline Fitzgerald- living in Dublin and studying Geography and Sociology in Trinity..

Luke Fitzherbert- Studying History in Trinity

Alice Fortune- Studying Veterinary Nursing in DIT

Hilary Greene- is in First year Engineering in UCD. It’s un-denominated for 1st year. Planning on going working in Spain in the Summer or teaching sailing in Ireland.

Alex Hackett – studying in Yeats College Waterford

Ruth Harrison – is studying French, Sociology and Linguistics in UCD.

Andrea Harvey- Studying Commerce in UCD, enjoying every minute of it.

Zenya Henry- studying Retail Management in W.I.T

Anna Hickey- Studying Commerce and French in UCC

Alan Jephson- living and loving the Arts life in UCD

Thea Johnson - In First Year Computer Science in Trinity, loving the course.

Jack Joyce- Studying Leisure Management in DIT and playing rugby with Bective Rangers

Ben Kavanagh- is studying Business and Spanish in DIT. Playing under 21 Premier Cup rugby and Pennant Cup rugby with Greystones.

Madison Keane- travelling around India and America and working to save to go to America for the summer. Then going to College in September.

Killian Kelly- Studying Anthropology, Music and Geography in NUIM

Sarah Keogh- studying Veterinary Medicine at UCD, having the time of my life! The course is really challenging but really interesting so I actually enjoy doing the work. I have already been to Glasgow, Lahinch and Achill Island on college trips. I have also joined the kayak and windsurfing clubs in UCD. I’m currently undertaking a placement on a sheep farm which is great fun. In college there is always something to look forward to!

Sara Leslie – is on a gap year, just after getting back from Japan teaching English, fighting crime by nightfall.

Freya Little- Studying Retail Management in DIT

Seibhe Little- Living with hippies in Dublin and studying Spanish in UCD

Hunter Maclachlan- Is going to Canterbury Christchurch University in Kent England. I’m studying Sports and Exercise Science. Playing rugby for the university first team, enjoying my time here.

Morwenna Maclean- Studying Music in CIT School of Music

Harry Milne- is living the dream, doing a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree at UCD, and also finding time for a few of my favourite pastimes as well.

Kate Moore- Studying Psychology & Sociology in Keele University

Jason Murphy- Studying Motor Mechanics in St. John’s Central College Cork

Sarah Murphy - living in London studying Health and Social Care. Really enjoying my course and next year I will be going on to study Adult Nursing.

Kevin O’Donnell – is on a gap year, has travelled to Sydney, and is travelling to Darwin to fight crocs for a few weeks.

William O’Donovan- studying History and Philosophy in UCD

Michael O’Gorman – is studying Multimedia Applications in Waterford Institute of Technology.

Amy O’Loughlin- studying for my Bachelors Degree in Journalism and Visual Media in Griffith College Dublin and will be spending my summer as a Camp Counsellor in The Hamptons in New York.

Lorna O’Neill – is living in Cork at the moment, in College in Cork College of Commerce, doing Beauty Therapy, loving every minute of it and hope to become a Beautician.

Hannah O’Shea- Studying Law and Psychology in UL

Jamie Petch- is studying Engineering in Trinity College Dublin. Life is class.

Jack Power- Music Production in Pulse Recording College

Beth Rochford- Studying English Literature and French in Trinity at the moment

Ivan Ryan- is doing an electronics course in Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education.

Stephen Scallan- is in college in Swansea University, in Wales, having a class time. Playing fresher firsts and senior second’s rugby. Doing a year of undenominated engineering then deciding on my discipline next year

Ben Slevin - Is attempting to study Engineering in Trinity.

Jamie Smyth – is studying in NCAD in Dublin being an art wizard.

Lydia Thorpe – is in the Cork School of Music playing piano & cello and doing a BMUS Degree

Maya von Bruehl - going to Spain to do a language course for three months. And then I’m going to college in Germany.

Andrew Walsh - is in University College Dublin, studying Agricultural Science and playing rugby for the UCD RFC U21 team.

Lucy Walsh – is studying in Yeats College Waterford.

Sliabh Wells- is studying Sport & Exercise Management in UCD. He is also pursuing a part time career as a freestyle rapper. Still playing hockey and enjoying life.

Abi Wilkinson- Studying Science in Trinity College Dublin

For all those not listed we apologise as the review team had great difficulty in trying to locate everyone and getting correct information. Unless the information was given to us directly from the scholar in question we would not use it. We hope we have not offended anyone by not including them and if you would like to be included in next years edition please email [email protected]


Old Scholars

119Newtown Review 2013

1Newtown Review 2013 - NMFOSA Section

The Old Scholars Reunion this year has extra significance as it coincides with The Gathering.

The school and Old Scholars Association are hosting many additional attractions over the Saturday and Sunday of the Old Scholars Weekend planned for the 28th and 29th September, and it promises to be something rather special.

Some of us have found it difficult to maintain regular contact since stepping out into the real world from under the care of Newtown School and its staff. Whilst many friendships and contacts have continued, others have been lost over the intervening period, we now have a great opportunity to come together to catch up again and celebrate.

I attended the Reunion last year, and was also invited to some of the celebrations held by the ‘year ahead of me’ ie the school leavers of the Year of 1972. It really was enjoyable to meet up and renew acquaintances, to chat and hear news.

I believe there is a strong common strand that links Newtonians together, and this was very apparent at this reunion. I was surprised at just how many Old Scholars made that extra effort to meet up, and they obviously very much enjoyed it. Many of us are indebted to some wonderful staff

that taught us during our school years at Newtown, and gave us a great appreciation of art, music, sport, various hobbies, and of course the necessary classroom studies! I was greatly encouraged when I learnt of recent student reviews of the school, and the passion and pride these pupils have in the school today.

I had the pleasure of knowing Keith Lemon prior to taking up his post as headmaster, and the school is in good hands under his stewardship and he is ably assisted by a strong team of staff as Newtown continues to undergo change to meet the ever increasing needs of today.

The private education sector and in particular Newtown will need the support of Parents, Old Scholars and Friends to ensure it is best prepared to meet these demands. Old Scholars have an important role to play in the school’s continued success and I encourage all Old Scholars to renew their links and to take an interest in its ongoing activities, as we can all provide support in our own way.

I hope you will make a special effort to come along to Newtown over this Reunion weekend and partake in some or all of the activities that run over the two days. The Reunion Dinner takes place on the Saturday evening, and there will be an informal lunch in school on the Sunday, with early booking recommended, and there will be lots more for us to enjoy. Looking forward to your company at The Reunion and The Gathering for what promises to be a special occasion.

-David Harrison, NM&FOSA President

PRESIDENT’S REPORT - OLD SCHOLARS

n New Old Scholars Association President David Harrison (left) receives the chain of office from his predecessor Keith Cooke.


Exploring Newtown’s global network

In the 200 plus years since Newtown School opened its doors the school has attracted

a student population from far and wide.The educational grounding provided by Newtown has given successive generations of students a confidence to explore the world too - and Newtown’s own ‘diaspora’ is to be found today in most corners of the globe.

Many past pupils have travelled - for college, work, exploration, adventure and experience - only to return to their roots to ‘settle down’ following their overseas experiences.

It’s a notable characteristic of Newtown that its past pupils live in so many places. In the year that Ireland seeks to welcome home its emigrant sons and daughters for our inaugural ‘The Gathering’ programme of events and activities, this year Newtown’s Old Scholars are being invited to do likewise, with a programme of activities taking place during the annual Old Scholars weekend to welcome home its former students.

The following pages set out to ‘map’ just a small handful of those who are living in far flung places. Those living in the United Kingdom have been excluded - there are far too many - and the list we have here is far from exhaustive.

We have not included information about Tom who lived for a period in Toronto after finishing college, or accounts of the myriad who found their way to the United States, Australia or elsewhere as a part of their wanderlust, before ‘settling down’ closer to home.

A cursory glance at just those whose classes reunited last September for the 2012 reunion will illustrate clearly

the wide geographical reach of Newtown’s past pupils for amongst those years alone - classes who had finished 10,

20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 years ago, there were reports of Old Scholars living across Europe - in Montreaux, Switzerland; Nootdorp, Holland; Weilheim and Hamburg, Germany; Grenada and Barcelona, Spain; and further afield in Toronto, Canada; in Perth and Sydney, Australia; in Cape Town, South Africa; Tokyo, Japan; and in Buffalo New York, Nashville, and San Diego on the west coast of the USA.

It took just a relatively short amount of time trawling through recent Newtown Review back editions to gather the the information that’s presented on the pages that follow. It may be out of date - and for that we apologise.

Nonetheless we think it an interesting exercise to have undertaken. We hope you enjoy the read - would urge you to stay in touch whereever across the globe you might find yourself, and if it’s at all possible, join us for the The Gathering at Newtown, this September.

- Newtown Old Scholars Committee 2013

FEATURE: Newtown around the world



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UNITED STATES1. Seamus McMahon (1976)2. Alan Sexton (1980)3. Sheelyn Browne (1981)4. Mark Statham (1995)5. Paula Leigh Doyle (1981)6. Arnold Von Englebrechten (1980)7. Phoebe Flynn (1990)8. Nicki Fletcher (1990)9. Erin Wright (1985)10. Peter Little (1985)11.Tamsin Platt (1985)12. Deirdre Ritchie (1985)13. Rick McDonald (1980)14. Donagh Gilhooley (1997)15. David Frost (1975)16. Suzanne De Bromhead (1986)17. Maeve Boland18. Dermot Connor (1994)

19. Derek Dickenson (1976)20. Ann Christopherson (1969)21. Lynda Ellenshaw (1976)22. Stephen McSweeney (1993)23. Colin Wright (1983)24. Sarah Davis (1985)25. Emma Hughes (1991)26. Pamela Marnell (1986)27 Helen Vesey (1986)28. Liz Lamb (1991)29. Natasha Bergi (1991)30. Michael Hall (1977)91. Doug Baxter (1983)92.Samantha Clarke (1983)93. Jane Gardiner (1983)94. Stephen Pearse (1966)

CANADA31. Fiona Bodmin (1969)

32. Nancy Hanna (1976)33. Hazel Harper (1975)34. Stedman Sponton (1980)35. Tim Hendy (1994)36. Joan Hill (1970)37. Jantine Dool (1970)38.George Strunz (1956)39. Paul Halliday (1985)40. Richael Carroll (2001)41. Paul Hodder (2001)42. Andrew Bell (1977)43. Mary Jordan (1977)95. Robin Pearse (1958)

CENTRAL AMERICA/CARIBBEAN44.Lisa Ryan (1989)45. Annette Platts (1980)

AUSTRALIA

The information on this page and on the following is correct to the best of our ability.

It is drawn almost exclusively from records gathered in the ‘Where are they now’ pages of recent Newtown Reviews.

Our apologies for any errors - and as to omissions - this is inevitable. Today, there are thousands of past pupils of Newtown School living abroad, and what follows is just a snapshot - giving information on just 100 who are living in different parts of the globe.

Should you wish to provide more up to date information why not get in touch - via e-mail or Facebook, and we will be happy to update the record in future.



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50. Sarah Pearson (1981)51. Mark Rothwell (2000)52. Nicky Bailey (1981)53. Jean Mosse (1970)54. Johnny Blake (1970)55. Celine Grant (1999)56.Audrey Hill (1970)57. Rita Delahunt (1987)58. Julie Phelan (1987)59. Wendy Hall (1975)60. Kevin Pim (1993)61. Graeme McCormack (1993)62. Alan Fitzgerald (1986)63.Lee Statham (1996)64. Yvonne Buckley (1996)65. Chris Bradish (2001)66. Eilish Coakley (2001)67. Melody Taylor (2001)68. Alison Pollard (1977)

69. Sue Davis (1977)

HONG KONG70. Anna Healy Fenton(1979)71. Keith Ashmore (1987)

CHINA72. Graeme Allen (1961)73. Mark Finnegan (1994)

JAPAN74. Gerald Smyth (1977)

NEW ZEALAND75. Roger Elmes (1961)76. Newton Popplewell (1981)77. Kathryn Flanagan (1975)78. Wietske van der Pol (1994)79. Emily Farrell (1993)

80. Gillie Wachmann (1991)

THAILAND81. Paddy Roberts (1970)82. Parahit Devahahastin (1998)

DUBAI83. Paul Duffin (1984)84. Sean McLachlan (1977)

AFRICA85. Sean Donnelly (1980)86 Rachel Stewart (1975)87. Helena Van Albensleben (2000)88. Alan Foley (1998)89 Gerald Taylor (1986)

ISREAL90 Lesley Abrahamson (1969)

In some instances on this map it has not been possible to determine where within a country that particular past pupils are living. In these instances we have situated the marker adjacent to the country - as per Australia (right).

6Newtown Review 2013 - NMFOSA Section5

Newtown Review 2013 - NMFOSA Section


FRANCE3. Alan Johnson (1980)4. William Jeffcock (1980)5. Charles Jeffcock (1980)6. Kika Wiser (1976)7. Cornell Bachmann (1976)8. Mark Bingham (1985)9. Thomas Cashin (1980)10. Rosie Torrie (1980)11. Anne Leslie (1995)12. Lisa Hayden (1990)

LUXEMBOURG14. Lynda Jacob (1976)

BELGIUM15. Robert Barr (1980)

HOLLAND16. Anne Dellahunt (1980)27. Barbara Martensdijk (1975)29. Eoin Dubsky (1998)36. Eric Volbers (1986)45. Fred Van der Puil (1977)

NORWAY 18. Simon Kenny (1980)41. Per Gunner Haga (2001)

SWEDEN19. Charlie Berner (1997)

POLAND20. Keith Murphy (1984)

SWITZERLAND21. Maurice O’Shea (1979)

30. Stephanie Berger (1993)44. Shelagh Torrie (1977)

SPAIN22. Aisling Treacy (1995)24. David Coe (1995)25. Pepa O’Donovan (1995)33. Linda Coad (1983)34. Aida Villate (1998)35. Pat Young (1961)37. Mark Richards (1991)

GERMANY 23. Chris Dobbs (1995)27. Edward von Hornstein (1999)28. Mark Bingham (1985)32. Soleen Canny (1993)38. Cait Kinsella (1996)39. John Brady (2001)42. Daire O’Neill (2001)

43. Patrick Reddy (2001)46. Tomas Zaska (1977)

ROMANIA26. Philip Kelly

ITALY 31. Sarah Quinn (1993)

AUSTRIA40. Paul Brazil (2001)

RUSSIA47. Patrick Shelley (1987)

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Rector had central role in historic presidential visit

It’s safe to say that had you posed the question ‘where is Moneygall?’ only a few years ago, even at home

here in Ireland most people would have struggled for an answer. Not anymore.Since President Barack Obama’s Irish roots were traced to the small village on the Offaly-Tipperary border, it’s safe to say that for some time to come Moneygall will exist in the pantheon of Irish towns alongside New Ross and Ballyporeen before then.However, while the links that the Hawaiian born 44th US president has to Offaly might be slightly weaker than those of JFK to the County Wexford town (which will incidentally be marking the 50th anniversary of his visit, this year), it’s clear that for the people of Moneygall he will forever hold a special place in their hearts, and for generations to come their local

village can safely expect to enjoy a steady procession of Irish American visitors, ‘Gathering’ or not. For villagers in Moneygall, 27th May 2011 will live long in their memory as the day they became the epicentre of the biggest news story on the planet. But how exactly did it come about? What happened that brought America’s first African American president to Ireland to find his roots, and what role did a former Newtown School pupil have to play in it all?To find the answers to these questions we turn to CanonStephen Neill, Rector of Cloughjordan and Borrisokane Group of Parishes, and a one-time student at Newtown in Waterford to take up the story...“It was April 2007 when I received a phone call from Salt Lake City, Utah. At the other end of the line was Kyle Betit, a specialist in Irish genealogical research working on behalf of Megan Smolenyak of Ancestry.com.

n Revd Stephen Neill is pictured with American President Barack Obama in Moneygall, in 2011.

Newtown link to Obama visit



in were appearances on the CBS Today Show in New York and on a CNN news special.In the first 24 hours after the announcement I personally recorded over 40 separate interviews. In recognition of the Moneygall link I was part of a group invited to attend the 1st Inauguration in 2009 and both Henry and I campaigned hard for a Presidential visit to Moneygall while in the US and subsequently.It was therefore a cause of great joy and satisfaction when on St. Patrick’s Day 2011 the President announced his intention to visit Ireland and more specifically Moneygall. It was a media and security nightmare but it was well worth it. Despite appalling weather on the day it was an event which was so memorable and impressive that it changed the small village of Moneygall for all time.One of the particular requests made by the President on the day was to see the church records. It was my particular privilege to show the records to the President and First Lady and we spent some time discussing them and their significance.

On a personal level I found them extremely warm and easy to get on with. There was no shortage of small talk and I will always remember the impromptu crash course in Irish we gave the President in preparation for his speech in College Green.Since the initial discovery the location of the family dwelling has also been located and a house still stands on the site

and was one of the sites President Obama and the First Lady visited in Moneygall. Also still standing is the old schoolhouse where the President’s ancestors would have attended.Sadly the Kearney family are no longer in the parish as the whole family ultimately emigrated to US but strong local links remain with the Healy family in Moneygall who were twice intermarried with the Kearney clan in the mid 1700’s, and now publically acknowledged by the President as his Irish cousins.For me the whole story has been a rollercoaster – at times exhilarating and at times terrifying but I wouldn’t change a thing!

n Revd Neill introduces President Obama to the parish records.“Harry and I were delighted to find conclusive proof of

President Obama’s roots in the baptismal records”


Megan had traced the Irish roots of President Barack Obama to the Church of Ireland Diocese of Killaloe and Kyle, and was joining the last few links in the chain of evidence which would prove the then Senator Barack Obama’s Irish heritage.The enquiry was about a Joseph and Phoebe Kearney and their son

‘Fulmouth’ or ‘Falmouth’ Kearney and his siblings. Fulmouth Kearney was Barack Obama’s 3rd Great Grandfather (six generations). He had emigrated to the US in 1850 aboard the SS Marmion.From records in the United States there was evidence in the form of a marriage license between Joseph and Phoebe Kearney which took place in the diocese

of Killaloe and it was this that was to eventually point the way to Moneygall. The records were those of Templeharry Church, a rural Church of Ireland/Anglican church built about 1800 and located a few miles North of Moneygall.Until a few weeks before the discovery the custodian of the records had been Mrs Elizabeth Shortt, the parish treasurer. Sadly she had just died and the records were now in the custody of her son Harry. Harry and I located the relevant registers and were delighted and more than a little amazed to find conclusive proof of President Obama’s roots in the baptismal records of Templeharry Church.Once this discovery was announced to the media in May 2007 both myself and Henry Healy (The President’s 8th cousin) found ourselves in the eye of a media storm which continued throughout the election campaign. All the American and other international news networks visited Moneygall and among the many interviews we took part

n Marketers of popular Irish beverage capture the kind of photo opportunity they could only dream about , as President Obama sinks a pint in Moneygall.


Accounts for the year ended 31st. December 2012

Newtown Mountmellick and Foy Old Scholars Association

Income and Expenditure Account for year ending 31/12/12

Income (All figures in €) 2012 2011

Incomefrominvestments 1,889 2,103Donation 321 0AdvertisingRevenue 3,050 1,900Profit(loss)onsaleofties 0 122Profitonannualreunion 390 1,034 ------- ------- 5,651 5,159 ==== ====Expenditure

Activities/Awards:Poetry&ShortStoryComp. 100 200ChoirTrip 0 1,000ModelU.N. 0400PhotographyCompetition 100 100HockeyContribution 200 50HopeFoundationTrip 0 400 ------- ------- 4002,150Printingandstationary 1,555 1,221Postage 4,050 4,809Bankinterestandcharges 45 32InvestmentManagementFee 200 0Sundry 0 33 --------- ------- 6,251 8,245 ===== =====Suplus(deficit)onnormalactivities -600-3,086NewSchoolPond 06,000 ------- -------Surplus(Deficit)foryear -600-9,086 ==== =====

Balance Sheet as at 31st. December 2012

2011Investments,(Note1)Balanceat1stJanuary2012 165,675 190,832 Purchases(Sales)duringyear 6,063 -3,200 LossestransferredtoCapitalAccount -21,168 ----------- ----------- 171,738 166,463 LapsedproceedsGreencoreRightsissue -785LapsedproceedsBofIRightsissue -3 ----------- ---------- 171,738 165,675 GoodbodyDealingAccount -0 6,263 ----------- ---------- 171,738 171,938CurrentAssetsStock 3,807 3,806 Debtors 3,610 2,218BankofIreland(CurrentAccount)11,837 7,928 IrishPermanentTSB(EricdeCourcy)42,01242,012 --------- ---------- 61,265 55,964CurrentLiabilitiesCreditors 110 50 -------------------

2012 2011

NetCurrentAssets 61,155 55,914 ----------- -----------

232,893227,852 ======= ======

FinancedbyCapitalAccountBalanceat1stJanuary2012 98,195 128,449 Deficitforyearended31stDec2012-600-9,086 LossonInvestments -21,168 ---------- ---------- 97,595 98,195LifeMembershipAccountBalanceat1stJanuary2012 84,310 80,870 Subscriptionsreceivedduringyear4,6403,440 ---------- ---------- 88,950 84,310EricDeCourcyFundBalanceat1stJanuary2012 45,347 42,591 Donations&Interestreceivedinyear1,760 2,756 -------- ---------- 47,107 45,347StudentMusicGrants 7600 ---------- ---------- 46,347 45,347 232,893 227,852 ============

Note 1 to the accountInvestments31\12\12 Purchased at31\12\11duringyearBankofIreland 5,480 5,480AlliedIrishBank 4,139 4,139AngloIrishBankCorporationplc-4,000 4,000CityofLondon 1,680 1,680IrishLife&Permanentplc 1,947 1,947GraftonGroup 2,540 2,540Aviva 2,700 2,700GreencoreGroupOrd 7,950 7,950EonAgNpv 470 470

MarketValueon31\12\12was46,409euro(31\12\11was29,343).

Note:AngloIrishBankCorporationSharesdeleted.Thecostwaswrittenoffin2009.

On behalf of the committee: Peter Pearce, Hon Treasurer

Auditors Report

IhaveauditedthefinancialstatementsandreceivedalltheinformationIfoundnecessary.InmyopinionthefinancialstatementsgiveatrueandfairviewoftheAssociation’saffairsat31stDecember2012andofitsresultfortheyearthenended.

Brian S. W. Little F.C.A., Hon Auditor. 5th May 2013


The Annual Newtown Mountmellick & FoyOld Scholars Reunion

Programme of eventsSat 28th September 2013

• AllAfternoonanarchivalphotodisplay,withtea/coffeewilltakeplacein‘Legoland’togetherwithanartsandcraftsdisplaybycurrentpupilsandOldScholarsinconjunctionwith‘TheGathering.’

• 3pmOldscholarsV’sSchoolPlayersofallagesandlevelswelcomeContactJonathonFletcher(detailsbelow).• 7.30for8pmREUNIONDINNERInDooley’sHotel051-873531• Ticketsshouldbebookedandpaidforinadvance.Thiscanbedoneonthewebsite:www.newtownoldschol-

ars.combyfollowingthe‘Reunion2013’link.• Thosewhoareattendingwithclassyeargroupsmayalsobookdinnerwithyourclassco-ordinator(below).

AllothersmayalsobookwithPeterPearce,Tel.087-2760868,ore-mail:[email protected]

Old Scholars reunion contactsClass of 2003 CarolanRedfearn(Groggin)[email protected] of 1998 MarisaKissane(Power)[email protected];CloAylward(Webb)[email protected] of 1993 [email protected] of 1988 [email protected] of 1983 [email protected] of 1973 [email protected] of 1963 [email protected]

Sunday 29th September 2013 “The Gathering”WeplantohaveanOldScholarsFamilyDayinNewtownSchoolonthedate.Eventstotakeplacewillinclude:• Lunch(1pm)intheschoolDiningRoom,priced€10peradult,€5perchild.• Photodisplay• Arts&craftsdisplayofpresentandOldScholarswork• Schooltours• Freeswims(11am-1pm)• Groupphotos• Treeplanting(12noon)• Musicalevents(3pm)Lunch tickets can be paid for on the web-site above or cheques can be made out to NMFOSA and posted to;Oriel Woodbyrne, Cluain Laighean, Ballyroe, Athy, Co. Kildare. Ph: 087-6371080 Email: [email protected]

Accommodation informationDooley’s Hotel,TheQuay,WaterfordCity,IrelandTel.051-873531 (Ask for the Old Scholars rate)Woodland Hotel,DunmoreRoad,Waterford.Tel.051-304574Samuel Heritage B&BBallymacloda,HalfwayHouse,DunmoreRd.WaterfordTel.051-875094Blenheime House,BlenheimeHeights,WaterfordTel.051-874115Accom.inquirescanalsobemadeto:Waterford Tourist Information Office onTel.051-875823

Calling All Artists and Craftspeople

IfyouwouldliketotakepartintheArtandCraftExhibitionduringtheOldScholarsweekendpleaseemail:CiaraHarrisononciaralharrison@hotmail.comorSaraLeeBullockonsaraleeb@gmail.comformoreinformation.


Surfing Russia’s “tsunami”

Threats of kidnapping and a gun to the head didn’t detract

Newtown old scholar Patrick Shelley from returning to live in Russia, as he explains.I first worked in the country between 1995-8, but returned to Moscow in mid 2010 when the opportunity arose to establish a new subsidiary for Moët Hennessy (LVMH) - quite a challenge yet very exciting from a professional perspective.My first time in the country was very exciting - everything in the control was new, things moved quickly, and the legal and regulatory infrastructure was in its infancy.The banking system was also just emerging, although Russians did not trust the banks and preferred to deal in cash (US Dollars). I regularly had customers arriving to the office with suitcases of cash in payment for goods. Barter was also the norm. I was offered everything from fertiliser and industrial steel to military helicopters in payment - but always insisted on hard currency! Some of the venues for business meetings were unusual. I once met a client in a sauna, another time on a turkey hunt with automatic rifles. I resisted the guns! In those years business disputes were to be avoid - I once had a gun put to my head by a drunk businessman, at another time had to beef up security after staff were threatened with kidnapping. By 2010 the landscape had changed beyond recognition. It was problem if you wanted to buy a car at 3am in the morning. Business had become calmer and more professional.There was however the same dynamism, speed and ambition to succeed. Unfortunately, corruption was still rife.There are enormous extremes in Russia between the mega rich and mega poor. Moscow has the highest number of billionaires in Europe. Although most have become more discreet, others still like to show off. It’s not unusual to see private limousines with flashing lights flanked by two or three cars of bodyguards speeding through Central Moscow. I can also say that I have never seen a fully encrusted Swarovski

Bentley or gold plated Ferrari in any other city. One of the downsides of living in Moscow is the cost of living, which is 2-3 times that of the rest of Europe. A glass of wine can cost you €20 in a Moscow restaurant.Poverty on the other hand is also very visible. There is no social security and pensions are often not more than €150 per month. It is distressing to see the large numbers of poor people and disabled war veterans (principally from the Afghan or Chechen wars) begging on street corners. The Russian people are wonderful. I have never encountered such

generosity. One evening a friend and his wife arrived for dinner and instead of bringing the regular bottle of wine, they brought with them a painting from a well know Italian contemporary artist. Another friend presented me with a rare 1950’s Soviet realism painting for my birthday. The Russians have enormous pride in their culture and history. It is not unusual to see young people on the metro reading Pushkin, Dostoyevsky, Bulgakov or Tolstoy. If you can speak some Russian and show an interest / knowledge in their culture you are welcomed with open arms.I have been collecting contemporary Russian art for nearly 20 years. This allowed me to get under the skin of Russian culture while making some good friends and business contacts in the process. Apart from the acquisition side, I advised many galleries on choice of exhibiting artists and positioning thereof. I also helped an number of Russian artists expand their international gallery network. Currently, with some friends, we are trying to organize the first exhibition of Irish contemporary art in Russia later this year. I would also like to arrange an exhibition of Russian contemporary art in Ireland at some stage ! Russia is probably the most exciting place I have ever visited in terms of life and business opportunity. If you can stick the pace and are prepared to take risks, the rewards are phenomenal. I sometimes describe it as “surfing a tsunami” - If you can stay afloat on top of the wave, you are propelled at incredible speed. If not, you sink and disappear very quickly.

n Patrick Shelley with some contemporary Russian art in background

Living and working in Russia


Minutes of AGM of Newtown, Mountmellick & Foyonian Old Scholars Association

Newtown School, Waterford, Saturday 29th September 2012Present: OrielWoodbyrne,NickyJohnson,LeslieBowers,RichardDeCourcy,HeatherO’Neill,KeithCooke,PeterPearce,KenMurphy,DavidHarrison,JoanJohnson,RogerJohnson,MaryDobbs,PatrickBewley,DouglasHarrisonandJonathonFletcher.Apologies:Lorna&KeithLemon,BobBurns,AnnRussell,DebbieBailey,MarinaHarris,AndreThompson,CiaraHarrison,MattFoley,SaraLeeO’BrienandGeorgeJacob.

1.Theminutesofthepreviousmeetingwereread,passedandsignedbythePresident.2.TreasurersReportJonathonFletcherreadhisreportfortheyear2011.3.NewOfficersandCommitteeThefollowingofficerswereproposedbyHeatherO’NeillandsecondedbyRogerJohnsonfortheyearSept2012toSept2013:President DavidHarrisonVice-President JonathanFletcherHonTreasurer PeterPearceHonSecretary OrielWoodbyrneHonAuditor BrianLittleEditor GeorgeJacob

NEW MEMBERS & RETIREMENTSThefollowingcommitteememberswereproposedandsecondedfortheyearfromSept2012toSept2013:LeslieBowersandGillianNicholson.PeopleretiringfromthecommitteethisSeptemberareHeatherO’NeillandBobBurns.Ahugethankyouforallyourworkoverthepastfewyears.SOCIAL MEDIA Facebookcontinuestogathernumbers,thereisarequestformorephotostobesenttothearchives.NEWTOWN REVIEWThisyear’sreviewwasdeliveredasalighterpublication,thussavingconsiderablyonpostalcosts.JonathonFletcherpraisedGeorgeJacobforanothergreatreadfullofinformationandOldScholarsnews.Wealsosetupanewsystemofsmallbusinessadstocoversomeofthecostsofpostage-thisworkedwell,thankstoadvertisers.DATABASEDavidHarrisonhadaproposaltobeadoptedbytheOldScholarstotryandjoinNewtownSchool’scurrentdatabasewiththeoldscholarsdatabase.ItissomethingtobeworkedonduringtheyearandtheproposalwillbebroughttothenextAGMwhensorted.ItwillbeusedtoupdateOldScholarsinformationfrombothsides,butweareseekingthemember’sapproval.NickyJohnsonsecondedit.A.O.B.Theoldscholarsgavemoneytotheschoolshortstoryandpoetrycompetitionagainthisyearaswellashelpingtofundtherecenthockeytrip.OurGoodbody’ssharesareat€6,000.ItisplannedtobuysomeCityofLondonstocktospreadtherisk.PHOTO ARCHIVERogerJohnsonsaidthathefeltthequalityofsomeofthephotographswerenotasgoodaslastyear,andthatsomeimprovementshouldbemadeonthequalityoftheoriginalsheandJoanalsoputinarequestforyoungeryearsoutphotographswithnamesonthemplease.Theyaskthatarequestbesentintotheschoolforteamphotosandacopytobesenttothearchiveswithnamesonthem.HOLLAND FAMILYRogerJohnsonalsowantedtoacknowledgeGeorgeHolland’sfamily,whohadtravelledfromAustraliaforthereunion.HeannouncedtheywerehappytocontinueGeorge’straditionbygivingabursarydonationtoapupilintheschooleveryyear.

KeithCookethankedeveryoneforattendingtodayandforthecommitteeForalltheirhardworkovertheyear,thenhandoverofthechainofofficetoincomingPresident,DavidHarrisontookplace.Therebeingnofurtherbusiness,themeetingclosed.

DECOURCY SCHOLARSHIP AND NMFOSA FUND - TREASURER’S REPORTPupils Fund: €400wasgiventothepupils’fundwhichwasdividedbetweenthePoetry/Shortstorycompetition(€100),boyshockeytriptotheUK(€200),andtotheannualphotocompetition(€100).

Eric deCourcy Fund:€760wasawardedtoRuahBerneyPearsonforheroutstandingmusicachievementsandinvolvementinthemusicdepartmentduringher6yearsatNewtown.AdditionalcontributionstothefundarewelcomeandcanbemadetoOSATreasurer;PeterPearce,C/OInglewood,Carrigmore,Bagenalstown,[email protected]

InvestmentsCityofLondonStockwaspurchasedduringtheyearandisperformingwell.Theshareportfolioingeneralseemstohavestabilisedandisincreasinginmarketvalue.Onbehalfofthecommittee:PeterPearce,Hon.Treasurer

Database ( From meeting of OSA committee in June, 2013)DiscussionwasheldwithaproposalputforwardtoallowboththeschoolandtheOldScholarsAssociationtoco-ordinatetheirdatabasesformutualbenefitinthepromotionoftheschoolandtheassociation,bearinginmindtherelevantdataprotectiononbothsetsofinformation.


Top clockwise (all left to right): Group photograph from reunion.

Members of Old Scholars Committee

Class of 1972: Wendy Goodbody, Linda Fahy (née Wojnar), Lorraine Rosler (née Collier), Joanna Curtis. Front: Heather Fleming (née Malcolm), Michael Poole, Nicholas Roche, Olive Wardell.

Class of 1977: Back: Gerry Sutton, Trevor Helen, Chris Chedgey, Anthony Gurnee, Thomas Zaska, Roger Boyd, Stewart Dagg. Front: Olly Mosse, Deirdre MacMahon, Fred van der Puil, Sue Henderson, Stuart McBain, Shelagh Torrie.


Top clockwise (all left to right): Class of 1987: Back - Gavin Johnson, Valerie( Duke)Ford, Kevin Jephson, Rachel Farrell, Morton Tandle, Keith Ashmore, Anna Hunt, June Ross, Heather Checkett, Suzie(Nielsen)McCully, Aidan Dunwoody, Michael Quinn. Front: Joan Johnson, Gail Johnson, Vicki Ashmore, Oriel (Shorten) Woodbyrne, Sean O’Neill, Jane (Deacon) Symes, Frances (Meade) O’Reilly, Susan (Crosbie) Kreed, Heather (Mac Lachlan)Pomeroy.

Class of 2002: Sarah-Jane Donnelly, Everina Keveny, Aileen Tobin, Heather Pender (Darlington), Mary Dobbs, Ian O’Gorman, Alan Pim, Jon Laurence Kickham, Roger Johnson.

Action from the Old Scholars Vs. School hockey challenge.

Old Scholars ReunionGallery2012


Left page from top: Tree planting ceremonyHockey actionClass of 1992: Back: Jose Luis Fernandez, Martina Diegmann, Grainne O’Driscoll, Eddie Nugent, Garret Kelly, William Deacon, Aoife Fitzgerald, Rebecca Reynolds, Gilly Clarke, Treasa Cox. Front: Michael Widger, Derek Coad, Lloyd Murray, Dominique Ellickson, Toby Allen, Rebecca Harte, Garreth Tierney, Caroline Cherry, Brenda Sexton, Ken Murphy.Hockey - short cornerClass of 1982: Back: Rachel Power, Emer Fogarty, Jacqui Sheridan, Tissa Davis, Helena Kingston, Deirdre Jacob, Naomi Duffy, Rosemarie ClancyFront : Chris Pim, Lyle Goodwin, Carl Daniels, Hendrik de Booij, Charlie Cowdy, Dougie Kidd, Des Keatinge, Sean O’Connell, Stephen LeslieClass of 1962: Back: Stephen Pierce, Aidan Clarke, Brian Trench, Chris Heaslip, Thomas Buckley Front: Paddy Bewley, Rosemary Castagner (Sinton), Gwen Bell (Draper), Marianne Hitchman, Shirley Varian (Hall), Antoinette Mitchell (Burke), Paul Gillespie.Hockey group picture17

Newtown Review 2013 - NMFOSA Section


makes use of a variety of basic design principles.One of these is the optimum use of natural sunlight, harvesting it tyo heat the house with larger than average windows to the south and west -and smaller windows to the north and east, where it is weakest.Passive houses began to pop up outside Germany - in Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and France from around 2000, while the first design was completed in the USA in 2003. Ireland hosted the world’s first prefabricated Passivhaus in 2005, while Sam Mays built one of the country’s first complete home, utilising the concept, nearly five years later.The house at Glencullen has no central heating system at all and the only electricity used for heating is in its heat recovery ventilation system, which uses outgoing warm air to heat the incoming cold air. The interior remains a comfortable 21 degrees all year round. Hot water for baths and showers is provided by solar panels, assisted by a wood-burning stove in winter.Technology at the expense of the aesthetic was something that Sam Mays says he was cautious of from the outset.“We always believed that the house also had to be well designed and be a home that the owner could fall in love with. We had to be careful not to become so totally engrossed in figures and tables to lose sight of this critical consideration.”“It was a beautiful site, so we put a lot of thought into how the house related to the garden and the wider landscape beyond, and into the different ways that light could come into the house at different times of day.”Mays, who studied architecture at University College Dublin following his Leaving Cert at Newtown in 1980 subsequently went to work and live for a number of years in New York, then Paris, before returning with his wife Eileen and young family to Dublin in the early 1990s. They established Fitzpatrick & Mays Architects in their city centre home and have never looked back.Recent years have of course been challenging for everyone involved with the construction industry in Ireland, but projects such as Glencullen, and a more recent second Passivhaus project in Kilpedder, North Wicklow, has kept the couple to the fore in establishing

this innovative house technology in Ireland. “Projects like this house are exciting and hugely satisfying. It suggests that at least we’re getting something right,” Sam Mays says.

nThe living room of the house in Glencullen, with a view across the Dublin Mountains.

Leading way in house design


A Newtown old scholar has been to the fore in

bringing ground-breaking international house-design to Ireland.

Dublin based architect Sam Mays and his architect wife Eileen made building history when they completed one of the very first certified ‘passive-houses’ in Ireland, and perhaps the most distinguished example of a handful that exist to this day on these islands.

A student at Newtown in the 1970s, he has recently completed a second technologically advanced ‘passivehaus’ construction in the Republic, and has earned widespread critical acclaim from the construction industry, environmentalists, and a raft of others for

his work.Unsurprisingly his clients have been happy too - not least’ the Dublin executive who commissioned Mays

to build a first fully certified passive-house on the site of an existing 1970s bungalow at Glencullen in the Dublin Mountains a few years ago.Nestled into the hillside, it is a project that subsequently featured extensively

in the press and on television, earning complimentary reviews from critics.But for the client it was the result that counted. In a home that has been described by critics as “svelte, swish and stylish” and as “a striking example of contemporary modernist-inspired architecture”, the owner reports that he is already reaping the dividends on the investment, with home energy bills that have fallen by thousands of euro per annum since taking up residence in 2011.The Passivhaus standard of construction was first put into practice in house-building in Germany in 1990, employing strict criteria imposed by the Passivhaus Institut. The design concept, extensively modelled and analysed on special passive house computer software, demands ultra airtight homes with extremely high levels of insulation and

Innovative design points way for building future

n Ireland’s first ‘passivhaus’ in in the Dublin Mountains. Below - architect Sam Mays.

Leading way in house design


Obituaries

ZOLTAN ZINN-COLLIS (1940-2012)EDIT ZINN COLLIS (1936-2012)

Zoltan and Edit Zinn Collis died suddenly within weeks of each

other last December, in Co. Kildare. They were aged 72 and 76 respectively.Both orphaned survivors of the Nazi Holocaust, they were adopted and came to Ireland following the war, and to Newtown School in 1951.

The children of a Jewish labourer and a Hungarian Protestant woman, Zoltan and Edit’s youngest sister died during the Holocaust aged just one and a half. Their brother Aladar developed TB and died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, while in the closing days of World War II their mother died in Belsen on the same day that the British Red Cross arrived at the notorious concentration camp, and the process of liberation began.

Their father, Adolf Zinn, was suspected to have died in Ravensbruck Camp in 1944.

The two young children were resceed by an Irish doctor Bob Collis and former rugby international who was head of the Red Cross operation that arrived at Belsen.

Bob Collis eventually adopted Zoltan and Edit and raised the two orphaned children in Ireland with his wife Phyllis.

Zoltan Zinn Collis was always unsure of his birth-date but thought he was born on August 1, 1940 - although birth records had been destroyed..

He was sent to Newtown in 1951, did his

Leaving Cert and was accepted by Trinity College to study dentistry.

He opted instead to choose a different career, and attended the highly prestigious Shannon College of Hotel Management in Co. Clare, before starting becoming a chef and commencing a highly successful career in the hospitality industry.

At the age of 65 Zoltan Zinn Collis attracted widespread acclaim for ‘Final Witness’, a compelling and distressing account of his early life.

Torn from his home in Slovakia and aged just five, and cast into the deepest horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, he wrote graphically of the brutality of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, and how he survived the inhuman brutality of SS guards, the ravages of near starvation, disease, and squalor.

Discovered by a Red Cross nurse who described him as ‘an enchanting scrap of humanity’, Zoltan was brought to Ireland and adopted by one of the liberators, Dr Bob Collis, who raised him as his own son on Ireland’s east coast. When they had first met Zoltan recalled how he had turned to the Doctor and had said to him in German “my father is dead, you are my father now” - and so it was.

Zoltan Zinn Collis died on Monday 10th December 2012 aged 72. He is survived by his wife Joan, brother Robbie, his daughters Siobhán, Caroline, Nichola and Emma, grandchildren Tony, Adam, Molly and Cillian, great-grandchildren Chloe, Tori and C.J..

Edit Zinn Collis died in her brother’s home on the 27th Dec 2012. 17 days after his death.

Zoltan and Edit Zinn Collis were amongst just a small handful of survivers of the Jewish Holocaust living in Ireland.

“Torn from his home in Slovakia

aged just five and cast into the deepest horrors

of a Nazi concentration

camp’”


Obituaries

DAVID BOYD (1923-2012)

David Boyd’s father ran a newspaper called “The

Waterford Standard” which had it’s printing works in Baileys New Street in the town in the early part of the last century.David was sent to Bishop Foy School, Waterford which he later attributed to his success in life. He was a choir boy in Christ

Church Cathedral, Waterford and when he left school he went to work as a lino type operator in his father’s printing works

David then went to England where he had several jobs in newspaper works in different places there, and ended up dealing with “the media” for the Queen’s various engagements.When he retired he and his wife Patsy used to spend each winter in Spain and subsequently lived there all year round.

Then they bought a house and came to live in Tramore, where they lived for some years until his wife died. He sold his house at the height of the property boom and moved to Cathedral Close opposite Christ

Church Cathedral, just a stone throw from where he had his first job in Bailey’s New Street. When his relations thought he was unable to look after himself safely, he moved to the Havenwood nursing home in Ballygunner, a shot distance outside the city.

David always spoke in glowing terms of his education at Bishops Foy School and was very proud to have received the LVO (Lieutenant Victoria Order), a personal honour presented to him by the Queen for his work on her behalf.

MARINA HARRIS (nee Bowers) 1934 – 2012

Marina Harris passed away peacefully in her

house overlooking the Harbour in Dunmore East, surrounded by her loving family on October 30th 2012. She lost the battle against Cancer, after a long courageous fight. Born in Fiddown, the third in a family of six that included Beaty, Maunsell, Geoffrey, Georgina and Leslie, her mother Alice (Dolly) and father Ladd Bowers ran the local Fiddown Bus Company. The Bower children attended Bishop Foys School and Marina was a boarder. She was a great sportswoman, and represented the South-East in hockey as a schoolgirl, before working as a receptionist for a local GP, and then as a receptionist for Gold Crust Bakery in Waterford.

Marina met Alleyn Harris when she was

only 16. They fell in love and were married in 1955, settling down on Rockshire Road, Ferrybank, up from Waterford Flour Mills, where Alleyn worked. Marina and Alleyn were very musical, and took part in many musical events in Waterford, under Eric de Courcy, and the infamous Willie Watt. In 1973 the family, now comprising David, Godfrey, Jane, Ivan and Karen moved to Dunmore East, into the newly built Tuskar, overlooking the harbour. The family were always involved in sailing, so Dunmore was a popular move!

When Alleyn retired in 1986, they bought a small caravan and made an annual trip to Spain for the Winter months. They

had a very humble caravan, but if there was a party amongst the mostly retired residents, the little Irish caravan with the fairy lights was sure to be the scene for laughter and music!

Alleyn passed away in 1999, but Marina picked herself up and concentrated on her family and community. There was hardly a fundraising committee in Dunmore East that Marina wasn’t involved in. In 1997 she was awarded the Bronze Badge by the RNLI for her fundraising for the lifeboat. That Dunmore East held one of the best records for fundraising in the British Isles and Ireland was testimony in part to her efforts!

Marina was warden in St Andrews Church, Dunmore East, and the annual Carol Service was one of her many successes. She ensured that all denominations were involved. A beautiful clock face is shortly to be installed in the spire of St Andrews Church in fitting memory to Marina. We will all miss Marina, be it as a great grandmother, grandmother, a mother, sister or friend. She is quite an act to follow, and will leave quite a gap in the lives of family and friends.

- Karen Harris (Sweeney)


CLASS OF 1962Paddy Bewley, retired. – Living in Dalkey - carried on the family tradition in coffee. Was President of the Coffee Institute of UK and Ireland in 2010. Married dad of 2.

Tom Buckley: semi retired farmer, living in Devon. Married,

Aidan Clarke: (Killiney) retired Management Consultant, specialised in Financial Systems. Married, two children and three grand children.

Gwen Bell (Draper). (Downpatrick) Career as nurse and mid-wife. Married into medical community. 3 children, 4 grandchildren, and 2 foster children.

Paul Gillespie: (Dublin) Retired but still active. Editing the Newtown School Review in 1962 prefaced a prominent career in journalism and editing with the Irish Times. Married two children. Lives in Dublin

Christopher Heaslip (Cork): Retired Sales Manager. Married, 2 children.

Antoinette Mitchell (Burke) : (Cambridge) Worked with her late husband in his Management Consulting business. 2 children.

Stephen Pearce: Still potting away with Shanagarry.

Rosemary Castagner (Sinton), (Co Armagh) Works in an administrative capacity with

the Society of Friends. Happily divorced, 2 children.

Brian Trench (Dublin) Still active. Academic career with DCU specialising in explaining technical things to non technical people.

Shirley Varian (Hall): (Rathgar). Married into the brush business, to Paddy, also of Newtown. 2 children.

CLASS OF 1975Louis Hemmings - selling theological and Irish interest books online. Published his father’s 1950’s Donegal hand-weaving memoir, ‘The Friendliness of Total Strangers’. Writing poetry after an inauspicious school start- involving a girlfriend- who discovered his poem about her in the 3Y bin! Did public reading at a Vicar Street fund-raiser and has poetry on YouTube & Soundcloud.

CLASS OF 1977 Andrew Bell: Living in Toronto, Canada with wife Tara and lovely daughters, Sasha and Maeve.

Fiona Boal (Jermyn) Living in Northern Ireland, happily married to Darryl. Son Kim (21) graduates from Glasgow University this year having studied Maths. Daughter Holly (12) in 2nd year Grammer School. Fiona runs thriving ice cream and sweet shop in Lisburn and keeps busy in spare time with horses.

Roger Boyd: In Ballinglen, Co Wicklow, and recently appointed to the Board of Glanbia. Son Stuart in 3rd year Accountancy in UCD, daughter Emma in teacher training college in Rathmines.

Stuart Dagg: Farming in Luggacurran, Esther still putting up with him (just!). Son Graeme getting married in September and son Keith going to night school. Looking forward to being grandparents.

Tara De Montfort: After over 20 years away Tara is back living in Cork. Still travelling when she can, tagging on to business trips where possible. Having completed a BSc as a mature student she continues to work in project management.

Alison Farrelly (Pollard): living in Perth, Australia, and

Old Scholar News


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Obituaries

BEATRIX WOODLEY (formerly Bowers) (1930-2012)

Our wonderful mum and wife to our late father

Denis Woodley; was a daughter of Ladd and Dolly Bowers, who ran the bakery in Fiddown and later ran the Suir Valley Bus Company.Completing her secondary education at Bishop Foy’s School Waterford in 1948, mum left Ireland for England to study Children’s Nursing. Mum

later qualified and secured a position with a family in Reading Berkshire looking after the children of academic parents.

Mum met our late father Denis Woodley who was a serving Police Officer of Reading Borough, England

in the early 1950’s at a Policeman’s Ball (primarily consisting of single men)! They married in August

1953 at Fiddown Church and what a wonderful day it was – home movie making was in its infancy at that time, and the film we have will be treasured for many years to come.

Mum settled into married life with dad at Reading Police Headquarters and raised three

children whilst dealing with all the trauma of moving around the county as dad progressed in his

career. Every summer she took us over to Dunmore East to have marvellous holidays with our cousins,

something we continue to enjoy doing to this day.

Mum made us laugh, she had a wonderful way with words. Mum could re-write the English dictionary, and I think it would have made sense to many of us who have the wonderful skill of malapropism! She was a wonderful mother, no one could have asked for one better. When one was faced with adversity, hopelessness – mum would have a way of making it all go-away, tomorrow is another day, everything will be OK and it was.

In later years mum joined many organisations providing voluntary support one being W.I. – she later became President. Both mum and dad also became members of the Conservative Club – supporting our Members in the Houses of Parliament; mum later became known (affectionately) as Mrs ‘T’ as she had a strong resemblance in character of the late Margaret Thatcher!

Even though mum passed away on the 2nd of May 2012, memories of her will never die. Sadly, dad joined her just six months later. Despite leaving Ireland over 60 years ago, she always regarded it as home, and later this year we will be taking her and dad back to be laid to rest in Dunmore.

Patrick, Clare and Richard Woodley


Old Scholar News

Ireland.

Sue Moore (Davis): Living in Sydney - would love to catch up with anyone visiting Australia! Life goes on - work, occasional holiday, catching up with friends and trying to get our son to do his homework.

Oliver Mosse: Horticulturist married to Suzi Taylor and living in Dublin with sons Jake and Zach.

Kieran O’Connor: living near Keadue in north County Roscommon, with his wife Karena and two sons Eoin and Hugh (both of whom went or are going to Newtown). He lectures in archaeology at NUI, Galway and specializes in the medieval period. Kieran’s published work concentrates on castles, medieval rural settlement and medieval Gaelic Ireland.

Robert O’Neill: happily making pots in Clare and getting ready for the fly fishing season once more

Audrey O’Sullivan (Malcolm): Living in Cork, married to a vet, and has three children. Enjoying all equestrian activities and hoping for a lovely summer!

Rosemary Owens: married, living in Kilternan and working as legal executive in Dun Laoghaire.

Ivan Pim: Living in the Cotswolds looking forward to doing the very last school run in the next few months

Gerald Smyth: Living in Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan with his wife Junko and daughter Rachel (16). Their older daughters are away at university, Juliet (20) at Kobe City University of Foreign studies and Michelle (18) at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Gerald works for Nippon Shinyaku Co Ltd at research facility in Tsukuba. In spare time it’s Japanese calligraphy.

Tamsin Spain: Currently running a company called ‘Thinking Ground’ – www.thinkingground.org.uk. Getting to grips with e-books and writing one on creative activities to enliven meetings. Rock / ice climbing, mountaineering and hill walking.

Henry Steacy: Living and farming in Gorey, Co Wexford

Caroline Stewart (Cooke): Married to David, living in Gorey. Working with Bank of Ireland in Wicklow .

Gerry Sutton: Still working on marine science with UCC, looking forward to a move to our new Beaufort Research Building next year. Enjoying move to our new home overlooking the sea in Fennels Bay, near Crosshaven. Boys Tom and Hugh doing well at UCC and CBC Cork respectively. Partner Michelle and I enthusiastically awaiting new arrival in October.

West Thornton: Works in the Irish Insurance

Federation, as well as sports coaching in Loreto Abbey, Dalkey, and playing a little hockey. Daughter, Ciara, married and living in Oz and expecting first child in June/July. Sons, Simon and Daniel, working as sports coach in Loreto, Bray Secondary School and studying International Languages in UCD, respectively.

Shelagh Torrie: Living in Montreux, Switzerland. Teaching in an international school. Enjoying life.

Fred Van der Puil: Living in Nootdorp, Holland with wife Liz and four children, Jessica, Adam, Roxanne & Ross.

Thomas Zaska: Living in Weilheim, Germany. Married to Birgit, 3 children (21,23,24). Operates his own travel agency which specialises in trips all around Central and South America, and the South Pacific Islands.

Leslie Zemsky (Haughton): I am living in Buffalo New York, working in our family business which is developing a warehouse district in Buffalo for office space, restaurants and housing.

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Old Scholar News

studying in London and Melbourne. Would love to catch up with any classmates passing through W.A.

Alyn Fenn: lives in West Cork. In addition to painting has taken up writing. Her first poetry collection is publishing this Summer.

Laura Griffith (Roche Perks): in Youghal with husband and two children. Runs family business called Seahorse Holidays.

Anthony Gurnee: living in west Waterford with his wife Marianne and working in Cork for Ardmore Shipping Limited. Children Alex (21) and Erica (19) are Newtown “old” scholars attending university in Dublin, and Katie (17) is in fifth form looking forward to the leaving cert.

Michael Hall: Living in San Diego with wife and the two youngest of five kids. Working for company involved in DNA analysis and studying business sustainability part-time at the University of California.

Sandra Hall: living in Arklow, working full-time as a supervisor with Arklow Tidy Towns. Newly single, has two sons, 23 and 18 both still living at home.

Richard Harrison: Currently living in picturesque Glandore,

West Cork. Part-time work in the local hotel business and running Glandore Community Group. Summer spent sailing the coastline when possible and crewing on the local Dragon Fleet.

Trevor Helen: Farming in Wexford; also fitting and servicing milking machines. Married to Georgina and has two sons, Lloyd, studying Architecture in UCD and Howard Economics in Trinity. Both due to graduate this year.

Sue Henderson: Living in Dunmore East, and working as a special needs assistant In St Angela’s Ursuline Secondary School in Waterford. Two daughters.Tim Holden: has lived in the UK for many years and now lives in Devon where he dreams of retirement. In the meantime he occupies himself working as a director of a town planning and development consultancy.

Mary Jordan: Happily living in Vancouver, enjoying work as Chair of the Board of the Vancouver Airport and also sits on several other for profit and not for profit boards, including the Vancouver Opera. Enjoys skiing and hiking as often as possible.

Rachel Kirk Smith (McCaw): In County Down and works in school administration. She is married to Ian and they have two children, both currently at university. Rachel is involved in the life of Quakers in Ireland.

Willie Leonard:Living and farming in Castledermot.

Alice Luce: Living in Dublin with Australian husband Greg and two children, Andre (12) and Tania (11). Working part time as piano teacher.

Sean MacLachlan: Living in Dubai with his wife Kate and flying for Emirates Airline. Son Hunter in University in the UK studying Sports and Exercise Science and daughter Scarlett studying for A Levels.

Stuart McBain: Married to Hilary, works as a Senior Account Manager with Hertz Lease in Dublin, looking after Corporate Vehicle Leasing. Kids Cameron about to complete 1st year Engineering in TCD and Juliette in 3rd Year at Newpark. Motorcycle trip with friends to France and Spain this summer.

Siobhan Milliken: Living in Shankill, Co. Dublin. Foot loose and fancy free (Divorced). Clinical manager of interventional cardiac services in St Vincent’s University Hospital. Studying for MSc presently. (One son, 26 years). Enjoying the company of family and friends, and also gardening, walking, swimming, theatre.

Ida Milne: living near Straffan, Co Kildare, works as freelance historian on medical, newspaper & oral history. Founder member of Oral History Network of


Old Scholar News

I join him on tour whenever I can. Last year he toured Madonna, the year before that, U2.

Vicky Ashmore: been working for Carlow Nationalist (also Laois/Kildare)since 1998 in page make-up and formally ad make-up although things not looking great now re print media versus online news .. Joshua and Arabella doing well, Joshua collected 3 gold medals for Carlow and silver this year with backstroke. Arabella finally starting to dress like a girl and do her hair, tomboy exiting the house at last!

Karen Harris : Married to Gavin, they have four kids Katie 16, Chloe 14, Luka 11 and Adam 9. Running adventure business in Dunmore East for the last 20 years, and recently went back in goals for Waterford Ladies Hockey team.

Sean O’Neill married to Norma and they have a son Conor. Still living and working in Galway.

Ian Tyrrell: Living in Dungarvan. Married to Marie. And we have 3 children. Working in Cork.

Rachel Davis (Hodkinson): I live in London with husband Trevor, 13 year old Bethan and 12 year old Robert. Still loving my job at the BBC 18 years on.

Gail Johnson: still happily cooking in lennons@visual in Carlow’s award winning restaurant (head chef) also back studying a BA in culinary arts degree, living in Thomastown, Kilkenny

June Ross: I’m in Tullamore floggin insurance in Mullingar and have a little seven year old boy called Charlie .

Amanda Jolly Amanda is living with partner Anthony, a teacher too. Three kids Holly, Scott and Jay, went back to college too and is now working with children in Tramore.

Anna Hunt: Anna is living with her partner in Co. Louth, a teacher too. Have 3 kids, 2 girls and a boy she has gone back studying to be a midwife.

Valerie Dukes married to Joe Forde

with two boys . Lving in Middleton, she is headmistress in a local primary school.

Rachel Farrell: Living and working in Dublin, getting married in September to Declan Niall.

Jane Deacon (Symes): Married to Roger with three boys, Craig, Alex and Dean. Kept busy with driving to rugby and ponies.

Stephen Ralph Studied Electronic Engineering in WRTC, moved to Dublin before London. Moved back from London in 2001 got married in 2002 to Tracy Hogan from Tramore. In 2006 our family doubled with the arrival of twins Joshua and Emily. Went back to college (DCU) to obtain a post grad in information technology. We live in Swords and I work for an Irish software development company.

Stephen Neill: Rector in Cloughjordan, Tipperary, since 1998 - Happily married for 20 years to Nicola and have one son Aaron who is 16. Nicola is a franchisee with O’Briens Sandwich bars and has a number of shops throughout the midlands. I write a fortnightly column for the Church of Ireland Gazette. I occasionally dip my toe in national issues and speak my mind which has a habit of getting me in trouble on a semi regular basis. (See story P.127)

Patrick Shelley: I spent the past 15 years with LVMH Moët Hennessy, based mainly in Paris but had a number of international postings (UK, Austria, Asia). Most recently I was based in Russia to help open a new group subsidiary. I decided to leave LVMH and Russia before Xmas to focus on starting my own business. (See story P.133)

Morten Tandle: Married with 2 daughters Emma (14) and Hannah (11.) Lives and works in Oslo, Norway and was thrilled to travel over for the last reunion in September 2012.

Des Kilroy: Living in London. Set up a partnership for sustainable development

advocacy and impact investment fund. www.democraticplanet.org

Liz Power: Married to Hilton Jolly (Amanda’s brother) they have four children, Will, Kym, Sacha and Lucy. Playing lots of golf and has recently taken up running in Kilkenny.

Chris Fitzmaurice: Married to Liz Flynn, they have two kids, Kirsten and Kyle, Chris works as a chef in the Granville Hotel, Waterford and is currently studying in Waterford Institute of Technology with Gail, along the culinary line!

CLASS OF 1992

Toby Allen - At Ballymaloe Cookery School, keeping busy. Wrote an Iphone app and keep my hand in with websites. . Two daughters and a Scottish wife, living happily in East Cork.

Caroline Berman (nee Cherry)- Lives and works in Dublin with her husband Daniel and their boys, Sam(9) & Myles (6). They enjoy holidays in Connemara and are kept busy at weekends with the kids sporting activities.

Gilly Clarke- Living in Dublin with her husband Willie and three children, Oscar, Cuan and Molly. A Programme Manager at the Royal Irish Academy and enjoys going to the theatre.

Derek Coad - Enjoying life living in Waterford with my wife Emily and two Sons Charlie & Jack. Working for MSD bio pharma in Carlow.

Rachel Corrigan Wade- living in Perth, Western Australia, married with one son, working in travel and tourism industry. Enjoys an active outdoor lifestyle, running, swimming, hiking and camping.

Treasa Cox – Married living in Dublin

William Deacon – Living in Gorey with wife and three kids, working as an accountant in Dublin.

Martina Diegmann - Lives in Straffan,


Old Scholar News

CLASS OF 1987

Oriel (Shorten) Woodbyrne: I would like to start by saying thank you to all who travelled to the last reunion, wow 25 years later and some things didn’t change, I had a great night, not sure about all of those who survived the Jager Bomb round! Well done. Married to Paul 19 years, our eldest Robert is doing leaving next year and Sarah has just done Junior Cert. Kept busy with Newtown Old Scholars.

Jeff Pim: Got degree at the Uni of Plymouth in biology post grad at Aberdeen university where I met my future wife.Then I started my job for the Pesticides Safety Directorate as a pesticide regulatory chemist in the lovely city of York. I worked there for about 13 years and then we moved to Italy where both my wife and I work for the European Food Safety Authority in the city of Parma.

Georgina Johnston: Gone back to college full time studying

art, design and metalwork . Very busy - only a week left in the year then we have our exhibition open to the public.

Shay Livingstone: Works in the hotel industry. Started out as a chef then into hotels then after been chosen and sent to Germany on a scholarship, I moved between Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia before moving back to Dublin and becoming the youngest General Manager in The Gresham Currently Managing Director of The Connacht Hotel Galway. Still play some cricket however getting my kicks out of sponsoring many sports these days. I have a very sporting son who I am banking on as my pension.

Kate Thorpe (de Bromhead): married Jon Thorpe from London, have two children, Isabella aged 12, Phoebe aged 10. Now living in Butlerstown. Became interior designer/decorator, worked for various design houses in London including Colefax and Fowler in the West End and in Brook Street with designer Vivien Greenock. Progress to working for myself Interiorworx after the arrival of daughter Isabella.

On the arrival of Phoebe we chose to return to Waterford, I was approached by French Fabric house Pierre Frey to be there Irish agent to the Irish Interior designers and Architects.

Heather Checkett: I have two fantastic children Emily who is 14 . Max who is 12. Live in Blackrock, Dublin. Work full time in St. Vincent’s Private Hospital as a Clinical Nurse Manager. About to start a degree course in health care management, have become a fitness freak in the last couple of years....must be a 40’s thing!!!!!!. my free time is spent being a taxi service, cheerleader, counseling service, cook, cleaner, laundry lady, teacher, politician to my children.

Keith Ashmore: I am living in Dublin with my wife who was born in South Korea with two kids. Still working as a pilot with Cathay pacific on 747 aircraft. Spending too much time in India and not enough in Dubai with work!

Jules Gibson (Julie Phelan): A Special Effects Animator for Disney. Moved around a bit U.K., Denmark, U.S.A , New Zealand and eventually Australia. I’ve lived in Sydney for the past 19 years. Disney closed their doors in Sydney a few years ago so I took some time off, had an art exhibition, worked for an architectural firm for a few years and have been in Media for the past 6 years. 11 years ago I married Adam (an Aussie) and was never so happy to take on the surname Gibson as I’m never asked to spell it!! Adam is in the entertainment industry and is away a lot so


Annabel O’Keeffe - I work in Focus Ireland and am living in Dublin with Andrew and Joy (5) and Arty (3). This June I’m doing the Focus Ireland Four Peaks with Becky Reynolds and Susan Wilkinson (Neil). We tried to get William Deacon to do it with us but he claimed he was already overcommitted to doing other mountain walks. I’ll leave it to you to judge!!

Corrie O’Neill – Living in Co. Limerick with hubby and kids.

Dave O’Sullivan – Working in sound production in Dublin.

Astrid Pollmeier - Still in Dunhill, still HR Director with PPI and Sophie has started 1st year in Newtown and is getting on great in 1X!!!! Also still have 5 dogs for my sins.

Joan Power - Living in Dunmore East, working as an accountant, married with three young children.

Thurston Pym – Living in LA and still into fitness training.

Rebecca Reynolds - I’m living in Waterford. My son Ben is about to do his leaving cert (in Newtown)! I work as a freelance Marketing Communications Consultant. Enjoying the prospect of what’s on the horizon!

Lorna Ross - Living in Sydney Australia. Married with one daughter and due my second bub in July. Working part time as a Nursing unit manager(ward sister). Loves swimming and eating out but mostly hanging out with family at weekends.

Thomas Ryan - Got married to Olivia in 2011. No Family yet.... Currently living in Maynooth. Still working in Rolor Commercials in Waterford.

Kalle Ryan – Living in Dublin

Susan Steele - Living in Clonakilty with seven kids! Board member of SFPA sea fisheries protection authority. Ran first ultra marathon in September(50 miles) and flying planes as hobby when time!

Garreth Tierney - Living in castleknock, Dublin. Married to Emma 3 Kids, Oisin (11) Aisling (8) Cillian (4). Interests are running & coaching kids rugby. Working in Youth Developement, and Child protection and welfare in Dublin.

Rossa Tormey – Architect in Amsterdam.

Christian van den Bosch - Living in Cork, research support officer in an environmental/energy research in UCC.

Jonnas van der Pol – Growing wine, garlic and shallots in New Zealand.

Marina Watt - Living in Malaga, Spain running an events company, happily taking time with four month old baby girl!

Kenneth Whitney - Living in Jersey with my partner, Vivienne and our two year old daughter Ella. I am working in the finance industry here and when work and family life allow enjoy as much sailing as I can.

Michael Widger – Farming and agricultural contracting near

Waterford.

CLASS OF 1995

Nicki ffrench Davis: Marrying violinmaker Bertrand Galen this summer. Still living in Cork city and loving it there, surrounded by music. Building manager of Civic Trust House and freelance music journalist for the Examiner newspaper.

CLASS OF 2002

Aileen Tobin: Aileen graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2007 having studied for an Msc in International Fashion Marketing. After travelling abroad she has been based in Dublin for the last 3 years working in marketing and event management.

Arthur Daniels: Completed BA (Hons) in Marketing and French in Waterford Institute of Technology. Since 2009 has been working as an Insurance Underwriter in Zurich Financial Services in Wexford.

Ben Jobling Purser: After completing a BSc (Hons) in Forest and Woodland Management from what’s now the University of Cumbria, UK, Ben travelled the world for a year. He then studied for an MSc in Renewable Energy and Resource Management at the University of Glamorgan, Wales and was awarded a distinction. Following this he conducted a two year research project for a cheese manufacturer in Somerset, UK. He is now in his final year of a PhD in Renewable Bio energy .

Brendan Power: Just completed an MA in Intercultural Conflict Management and currently living, working and DJing in Berlin, Germany.Dave Melbourne: I studied Architectural Technology in DIT and then worked for HKR Architects in Dublin for a few years. I emigrated to Australia in 2009, worked and did some travelling (randomly bumped into Fiona O’Neil in Brisbane). I popped back to Ireland and worked as a landscape architect before moving to Melbourne. I’m currently working for a telecommunications company as the design manager for the national design team with Pip Thomas as a flat mate and Jane Fehily up the road.

Diana Muntion Villate: Diana Studied Physiotherapy between 2002 and 2005 in the UEM (Madrid). In 2005 i started working as a physiotherapist until 2007, when I began to work in my own Physical Therapy centre in Medina de Pomar (Burgos). In 2011 married my husband after a 12 year relationship.

Ed Haythornthwaite: Studied landscape horticulture in UCD, and worked as a landscape architect in Dublin for a couple of years. Moved to London in 2008 to do an MSc in


Kildare with husband and six month old son. Works as a marketing manager in Dublin.

Dominique Ellickson - Living in Dublin with my husband, has a busy design/creative business, love travelling and gigs. Went back to do part-time BA Psychology, now planning a Masters.

Karl Evans – Often seen around Waterford

Tanya Schwarz (nee Faeste) - Lives in Westchester NY with my husband Peter and two kids, Andrew (6) and Katie (4). When not busy with kid and family activities, enjoys playing tennis and riding horses.

Jose Luis Fernandez - Living in Madrid, working in computer database stuff, single, and quite well.

Aoife Fitzgerald - In Dunmore East with my husband and two kids, Conan who is seven and Neasa (6). Runs family men’s retail business .

Olive Gray - Currently living and working in Ethiopia, implementing quality standards programme in 3rd level

institutions for the Ministry of Education. Enjoying the laid back lifestyle and good weather.

Sarah Furno (nee Grubb)- Happy living in Tipperary with husband Sergio and three children. A cheese maturer, busy developing Cashel Blue Cheese

Rebecca Harte – restaurant business in Cork’s English Market.

Sarah Cunningham (nee Hauer) - living in Germany with my husband and three boys. Currently a busy stay at home mum, and loving it! We try to get back to Ireland a couple of times a year to visit family and friends.

Keith Heazel – Living in Tramore

Ben Huskinson – Living in Lismore, Co. Waterford, running an environmental consultancy firm.

Garret Kelly-Living in Waterford, married with three boys aged 2 to 8, who keep me very busy.

Deirdre Leonard - Now living in Wexford town with my two year old daughter and works as a dental hygienist.

Josie McLellan – History author and senior lecturer in Modern European History at the University of Bristol.

Gillian Moore – Living in Nova Scotia now and has two girls, Harriet 8, and Pearl 7. She is still animating for children’s programmes and she also has a catering business and in-house restaurant with her husband Larry.

Ken Murphy - Dairy farming near Carrick on Suir.

Lloyd Murray - Living in Wexford with (Moira) my wife to be very soon and our two year old son Louis and the dogs. Very busy and very happy.

Susan Wilkinson (nee Neill) - I am living in Greystones with three kids. And busy enjoying watching them grow up. Returning to college/ work in Sept as youngest starts school.

Eddie Nugent - Lives in Dublin and works in IT.

Rhona O’Brien – Living in Dublin working as a solicitor.

Michael O’Connell - Has been living in Australia since 2006. Mostly in Sydney but also spent 18 months in Brisbane in 2009-2010. A partner at KPMG Sydney working in Financial Services audit and risk management. Married to Aoife, with three kids – Annaliese (14), Stevie (11) and Sarah (9). We have a fourth on the way – due in June 2013. Keeping fit – mainly running. Swimming. Love exploring Australia. Still enjoy rugby – but only watching it now.


for almost three years. There I worked in the core specialties of physiotherapy including musculoskeletal, respiratory, orthopaedics and stroke rehabilitation. I’m currently travelling in Australia following two months in Southeast Asia and plan to travel to New Zealand in a month to work as a physiotherapist. (hopefully with the All Blacks!:-) )

Mark Fairman: Studied European studies in UL. There he started training MMA. He took a year out and fought professionally twice 2-0. Then moved to Granada, Spain. Here he worked for Northgate Arinso as a Global Accounts. Now training full time and teaching martial arts.

Mary Dobbs: I studied Law with French Law in UCD and Panthéon-Assas in Paris, graduating with a first class

honours degree in 2006. I spent a number of years tutoring, working in an environmental law firm and studying. I started lecturing in Queen’s University Belfast in 2012, which I absolutely love, and I just submitted my thesis for a PhD in environmental and health law. I still play sports when I can and have gone on some pretty immense trips with Daniel, including ones to China, South Korea and Japan to see total solar eclipses.

Michael Grant: Graduated from UL in Aeronautical Engineering. He went on to do flight training. Once complete, spent some time based out of Sweden, then Germany, and for the last three years has been flying as a first officer based out of Barcelona International airport.

Nikki Mosse (nee Crosse) :completed a Marketing degree and is now living and

working in Kilkenny with her husband and little baby Emily.

Owain Pickersgill: Restoring a salmon fishery / guesthouse on the river boyne co. meath and currently training to become a professional flycasting instructor and fishing guide . Living his dream!!.

Paget Scott-McCarthy: Graduated with first class honours degree in Textile Design from NCAD. Worked in interiors, fashion and design education. Now based in London, working for a design consultancy as a materials, colour and brand designer for transport interiors.

Robert Shaw: After studying electronics engineering in college I moved to the UK and set up my own engineering company. I am currently working in the Ford research and development centre


Environmental Technology at Imperial College and stayed for four good years before moving to Canada in October 2012. Currently working as an environmental consultant, and enjoying life in Vancouver!

Eoghan O’Sullivan: graduated from UL honours Business Studies with Spanish. Later completed a postgraduate diploma in primary teaching from the University of Glasgow. Teaching in Waterford area.

Fiona O’Neill: Completed Arts Degree in UCC and Public Relations Diploma in Dublin. Went on to travel the world and has been settled in Australia for the past 5 years. In Human Resources in Western Australia.

Gemma Stafford: living in San Francisco, California. Married to Californian native Kevin Kurtz. Gemma is the Chef/founder of a Corporate catering business working with some of the Bay areas leading Tech companies.

Gonzalo Martinez Bueno: Completed Hotel Management Degree at Le Ecole Les Roches in Bluche Switzerland. Currently working at Le Royal Meridien Dubai as a Food & Beverage Manager. Gonzalo has grown his career in Starwood Hotels and Resorts and has also work at St. Regis Punta Mita, St Regis Mexico City and St Regis Doha.

Heather Pender (nee Darlington): Completed Bachelor of Business (Hons) specialising in Human ResourceManagement and has been working in HR ever since, currently as HR Advisor with the Kerry Group. Lives in Carlow on the family farm with husband Thomas and eight month old son Cillian.

Henry Dunne: After school I took a Gap year to New Zealand. When I returned I completed a 4 year hons degree in Business in DBS. I took another year out and traveled extensively. On returning to Ireland I began working on the family farm, married the beautiful Emma and we just had our first baby boy Oscar.

Henriette Müller-Schönau: After completing a dual apprenticeship in Wholesale and Foreign Trade with an international fertiliser trading company in Hamburg, Henriette worked as the Assistant Manager Purchasing and Shipping in Australia (Hobart, Tasmania and Melbourne, Victoria). She has since returned to Hamburg and has received a first class honours degree in Shipping, Trade and Transportation from London Metropolitan University and works as a Chartering Manager for a Hamburg based shipbroker.

Ian Hemmingway: Ian took a year out to travel after completing his Management BSc in DIT. Upon returning, two years working in commercial banking was two years too many so he completed a Marketing MBS to achieve a ‘career redirection’. Works now in Dublin-based international events agency. Still in regular contact with the ‘Wexford Gang’ from Newtown and trounces Kyle Rothwell at golf on a weekly basis.

Ingo Weinhold: Ingo graduated from University of Limerick with a Bsc degree in Business & German, currently working as an account executive at Maxim Integrated in Dublin and living in Greystones.

Isobel Evans: Studied in NUI Galway, moved to London for 3 years. Currently living and working as an environmental consultant in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa. Travelling to lots of exciting places.

Joanne Kennington: after finishing a GAP year in Australia went back to Ireland and completed a Bachelor of science in Nursing ( honors degree) (WIT). Then spent a year traveling and living in Perth Australia. While waiting for residency she travelled and worked around Asia for ten months. She is now working as a nurse in a emergency department in a rural hospital WA.

Jon-Laurence Kickham : Completed BA (HONS) ACC and HRM National College of Ireland. Went on to enlist as a Cadet in the Irish Naval Service. Commissioned as an Officer in 2009. Completed BA Nautical Science National Maritime College of Ireland. Currently living in Cork and serving as Gunnery Officer onboard L.E. Aisling.

Kate Godinho: Kate completed a PhD in computational chemistry in 2011 in Trinity. She works as a publishing editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry in Cambridge.

Katharina Kallee: BA (Hons) Business & Spanish (Bristol), MBA IE Business School (Madrid). Katharina is a real estate manager for INDITEX in Hamburg, responsible for the expansion of such brands as ZARA, Massimo Dutti.

Lauren Murphy: Graduated with a BA in Psychology and Kinesiology from Rice University in Houston Texas. Worked as a reporter at FOX-TV affiliate in Las Vegas, is now a morning anchor and reporter at ABC-TV in Nashville,, TN.

Louise Musgrave: Louise graduated from UCD with a BA Hons in French and Linguistics. She moved back to native Cork in 2009 where she currently lives with fellow Newtownian and husband Nick Statham. Louise works with PepsiCo where she is PA to the Finance Director.

Lucy Rowell: Completed BA in Philosophy at Trinity then spent some time travelling. Returned to do a Higher Diploma in Applied Psychology at UCC. Now back at Trinity in second year of Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology. Currently doing clinical placement in a primary care psychology service and thoroughly enjoying living and learning!

Lydia Daniels: Completed a BSc in Human Physiology and Rehabilitation in Carlow Institute of Technology . I spent a year working with various sports clubs then moved to Aberdeen to do a MSc in Physiotherapy. Following this I worked as a physiotherapist in the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham


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NewtownOldScholarsAssociationisgratefulalsotothefollowingfortheirsupportforthisyear’sreview:WilliamJeffcock,AlanJohnson,ArnoldVonEnglebrechtenandTerenceSmythfortheirgenerosity.


in Basildon on the current and next generation Transit Van.

Sam Haythornthwaite: After leaving school I did a diploma in media and theatre production in Yorkshire, followed by a BA in Creative Writing at Roehampton University. I live just outside Twickenham and work for Daltonsbusiness.com, a classified advertising website based in Richmond, London. Season ticket holder at Harlequins’ Twickenham and getting married this summer!

Sarah Cullen: Completed a BA in Public and Social Policy at NUI Galway. Moved to America for a couple of years-lived in Providence RI and worked with adolescents in a social care setting and as a court advocate. Married my husband Matt in 2007. Moved back to Ireland to complete an MSc in Occupation Therapy at the University of Limerick. Worked in Ireland, then moved to the UK. Works as Lead Occupational Therapist in adolescent mental health service.

Sarah-Jane Donnelly: Sarah-Jane completed an honours degree in Business and Marketing from the Cork Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in Public Relations from the Dublin Institute of Technology. She then spent some time travelling and living back in Waterford. She now lives

in Dublin with her boyfriend and works as a sponsorship executive in TV3.

Tom Maxwell: After receiving a first class honors degree in Industrial Design from NCAD, Tom developed one of his earliest design ideas into a full time business which he now runs with his brother Andrew. Their product Turbospoke is distributed around the world in over 13 countries. Lives and works in Dublin.

Zoe Mulvaney: Completed a childcare and Montessori course at the Liberties college. She taught for three years in Montessori schools in Dublin before setting off on a world trip where she combined her travels with voluntary work.

newtownreview 2013

Documents

form trip

form adventures

form science trip

form ski trip

form drumming workshops

visit newtown

gaeltacht trip

poetry competition