Pres Thurles Qualify For Third Successive Munster Camogie Final
Pres Thurles 4-5 Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig 1-4
On Thursday last Presentation Thurles welcomed Coláiste Choilm to Thurles to contest this years Munster Camogie semi final. Conditions were dreadful with persistent rain and a howling wind during the match. Presentation Thurles seized the initiative right from the get go as Grace O’Donnell won possession from the throw in and burst forward before firing a ball from distance all the way to the Cork net. Coláiste Choilm were visibly rocked by this setback as Aoibheann Clancy quickly added two points from placed balls to open a gap.
Coláiste Choilm settled their nerves with two points of their own but were immediately thrown, when the ever reliable Casey Hennessy won possession before rifling home another goal for Pres Thurles. Once again to their credit Coláiste Choilm responded but this time with a superbly taken goal to really bring them back into the contest. However, this Presentation Thurles team responded in typical fashion with Aoife Finlay registering her first championship goal. Just as halftime approached Pres Thurles came up with the killer blow to Coláiste Choilm’s Munster ambitions as the brilliant Casey Hennessy once again won possession and inevitably the ball ended up in the Cork net. Coláiste Choilm would never recover as the gap was too big on a day where scores were going to be hard to come back from. Grace O Donnell was at her best in the middle of the field and a defence marshalled by captain Anna Gavin and Molly O’ Connor was not for passing. Aoibheann Clancy was a constant thorn in the side of the Cork defence throughout the contest and the Pres girls can now look forward to a Munster final date with Coachford College on the 13th of January.
Christmas Mass in the Hospital of the Assumption:
On Wednesday 13th December Third Year music students along with music teachers Ms. Cora Stapleton and Ms. Eimear Harrold attended the Christmas mass in the Hospital of the Assumption Thurles. The students provided the singing and musical accompaniment for the mass which was much appreciated by staff and residents alike.
Christmas Carol Service:
Our annual carol service took place on Monday 18th December in the Cathedral of the Assumption. Beautiful Christmas carols were performed by the Pres singers and musicians which got the school community focused on the true meaning of Christmas. A donation was made to the St. Vincent de Paul society from money collected by the students from “Christmas Jumper” day on Friday last. We wish all our staff, students, parents and the wider Presentation community a happy and peaceful Christmas and every good wish for 2018.
Sister Act-The Musical had audiences on their feet!
On Saturday 21st October, the curtains of the Premier Hall Thurles fell to the echo of a rapturous applause. Songs such as “Raise Your Voice” and “Take Me to Heaven” had the audience in high spirits as patrons rose from their seats in acknowledgement of the outstanding, sold-out performance of our production of Sister Act. We congratulate the cast on an outstanding performance, carefully guided by our energetic and enthusiastic production team consisting of Ms. Trisha McElgunn (Producer/Director), Mr. Patrick Conlon (Musical Director) and Ms. Brid Wallace (Assistant Musical Director). A special word of thanks is extended to all staff and students involved in making this show such a success– from the box office staff, stage and prop designers, hair and make-up artists, costumiers, sound and lighting crew, public relations, caterers, ticket sellers, raffle organisers, ushers, back stage supervisors and members of the Parents Council. The cast and crew now look forward to a well-earned mid-term break. Míle buíochas agus comhghairdeas libh go léir. Pres abú!
Cast: Deloris-Zoe Gleeson, Curtis- Helen Aherne, Mother Superior-Lara Feehan, Sr Mary Robert-Shannon O’Halloran, Sr Mary Lazarus- Matilda Magnor, Sr Mary Patrick-Meg Watkins, Eddie-Lichelle Mogge, Monsignor O’Brien- Aoife Gleeson, Sr Mary Martin of Tours-Sophie Dooley, Sr Mary Teresa-Niamh Harrington, TJ- Grace Queally, Ernie-Gráinne Brown, Joey-Aoibheann Duggan, Pablo-Leona Ryan, Michelle/Nun-Kate Sheridan, Tina/Nun-Aoife Keogh, Backing Singer 1/Nun/Bar Matron-Sorcha Tobin, Backing Singer 2/Nun-Tamasin Troy, Nuns- Sarah Dohney, Méabh Scanlon, Emma Dillon, Emma Hayes, Niamh Treacy, Emily Phelan, Cab Driver- Hannah Phelan, Drag Queen-CJ Ely, Gangster-Edel Dwan, Hooker- Katie Maher, Hooker-Sarah McCarthy, News Reporter- Rachel McCormack, Pool Player-Siobhán Carroll, Waitress-Clodagh Fallon.
Astro Turf Car Draw
We had a wonderful afternoon on Wednesday 25th October, as our Car Draw took place in our Sports Hall in aid of our new Astro-turf pitch. After working hard over the past year to promote the draw and sell tickets, staff and students watched with baited breath as the tickets were drawn one by one and the winners announced. Huge congratulations to all our winners and to Una Campion who won first prize of a new Renault car. A big thank you to Pat Cleary, of Cleary’s Motors who are celebrating 50 years in Thurles, for sponsoring this magnificent prize. Thank you also to Ailish Ryan and Tina Bracken our secretaries, Martin Hehir our sports hall manager, staff, students and promoters. We have raised 240,000 euro to date and are so grateful for all the support received. The winners were: Una Campion, Anthony Dardis, Sinead Ryan,Declan Mulcahy, Jackie Taylor, Tom and Annette Quigley, Bridget Jones, Mary O’Brien, The Dwan Family.
Mental Health Week
Mental Health Week took place from the 9th-13th October and in support of this our school held many events to mark the occasion. Mary Molony Master Herbalist from the Hawthorn Clinic spoke to junior classes on the benefits of herbs for the athlete and all sports enthusiasts and Catherine Murphy Dietary Counsellor gave a talk on the benefits of healthy eating. The art department ran a photography competition which will be judged by local photographer Eamonn McGee. Art students displayed their talented art work around the walls of the school depicting many aspects of mental health. Both students and teachers were encouraged to do a ‘Random Act of Kindness’ during the week. Class tutors took their classes for a one mile walk and thankfully the weather was favourable! Friday was ‘Funky Friday’, when students and teachers presented themselves in school in a colourful array of socks and shoes and for this, a donation of €1 was collected by the students on the wellbeing committee which will go towards a garden of remembrance seat on the school grounds. Thank you to everyone who helped make this a very successful event.
Seinn Concert
Congratulations to our Transition year students who took part in the ‘Seinn’ concert in the Cathedral on Sunday 3rd of December. The Seinn music project was launched in 2013 as a joint initiative of the Diocese of Killaloe and Limerick to promote liturgical music in second-level schools. The aim of the programme is to provide Religious Education epartments with a resource of liturgical music for use at various school celebrations and by extension it teaches and promotes good liturgical music which will be of benefit to parishes. Over 600 students from ten schools in the diocese, including our own Transition Years, sang twenty songs conducted by Ian Callanan, music director for Seinn Cashel and Emly. Many thanks to our teachers Mr Patrick Conlon, Ms Trish Mc Elgunn and Ms Eimear Harrold for their work in preparing our students for the concert.