TY students display a ‘can do’ attitude in St Patrick’s College
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TY students at St Patrick’s College, Cavan, have been undertaking a lot of projects in an unusual year. This group is the AILO Linguistic Olympiad group (including two national finalists) who enjoyed taking part in the prestigious competition. From left: Joe Chen, Cormac Sheridan, Senan Kellegher, Ahmed Cheema and James Dolan (both finalists), Johnny Hancu, Suhbakllah Ahmadzai, alongside their teacher Ms Breda Corcoran. LORRAINE TEEVANImage 2 of 6
These St Patrick’s TY students took part in a pilot product scheme at Tallaght Institute, a coding module incorporating three modules microbit, python & HTML web design. Front (from left): Aamer Essagge, Jonas Yang, Andrew Maguire, Aadel Essagge and Cormac Sheridan; back, Joe Chen, Michael Maradesa, David Flynn, Ahmed Cheema, James Dolan and Johnny Hancu, alongside their teacher Breda Corcoran. LORRAINE TEEVANImage 3 of 6
Generous TY students raised an impressive €1,300 for local charity SOSAD this year from the sales of a CD produced by the college in 2020 consisting of 10 original songs produced by students over the last decade. Front (from left): TY Sales Team Leo Jennings, Aaron McCann, Ahmed Cheema, Michael Maradesa, Nik Serga, Mikolaj Makozewski, Johnny Hanc, Suhbakallah and Cormac Sheridan; back, Orla Murphy, TY co-ordinator; Oliver McCrystal, Cormac Galligan, Owen Flood, Sean McKiernan, Ciaran Tackney (teacher), Sean Beirne, David Flynn, Senan Kellegher, James Dolan and Mr Christopher Rowley, principal. Tadhg Patterson and Casper Janik are missing from the photograph. LORRAINE TEEVANImage 4 of 6
A very important part of the TY programme at St Patrick’s College is the Peer Education Programme run by the HSE. This trains six members of TY to educate first years within the school about substance abuse. From left: Orla Murphy, TY co-ordinator; Johnny Hancu, Shane Curry, Killian Brady, Sean Beirne and Ahmed Cheema. Missing from photo are Mary Briody SPHE coordinator and Oisin Tackney. LORRAINE TEEVANImage 5 of 6
TY students at St Patrick’s College have been keeping the school and surrounding areas clean as they take part in litter picking as part of the Green Schools Programme. From left: Ahmed Cheema, James Dolan, Sean Beirne, Cormac Sheridan, Nik Serga, Johnny Hancu, Oliver McCrystal, Pauric Creegan, David Flynn, Suhbakallah Ahmadzai, Joe Chen, Senan Kellegher and Fiachra Dowd. LORRAINE TEEVANImage 6 of 6
The well read students of TY at St Patrick’s College are taking part in the Cavan Literacy Project called Unplug and Be Creative, encouraging young people to express their creativity. TY students in Cavan were encouraged to read the same book and discuss it in a weekly book club. The book Unplugged by Donna Freitas was enjoyed by (from left): Senan Kellegher, Killian Moran, James Houne, Jonas Yang, James Dolan, Michael Maradesa and Ms Geraldine O’Reilly (teacher) missing from photo are Darragh Langtree, Tadhg Patterson and Daniel Nichol. LORRAINE TEEVANThe Transition Year (TY) students in St Patrick’s College, Cavan, have made the most of their year despite Covid restrictions and prolonged periods of remote learning.
TY co-ordinator Orla Murphy is hailing the year a great success for the 50-plus pupils.
“From maths and peer education to the green schools and book club and everything in between, it has been a busy year. We wanted to highlight and celebrate the resilience of this group to achieve so much in a difficult year,” she told the Celt.
While trips were curtailed and work experience cancelled, the group opted to focus on the positives and what they could do instead.
“It’s amazing what you can do online these days and the skills these young men have developed. We decided to take a positive outlook on what we could do rather than see the glass half empty,” said Ms Murphy.
Online courses ranged from IT skills to drama and a book club via the library, among others. The group also got involved in a letter writing project to residents in nursing homes or those who were isolated during the lockdowns. It was a huge success.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to the TY teaching team. The teaching staff worked hard to ensure these awards were realised, I just co-ordinate. They were led by the management team of the principal and two vice principals who facilitate everything that happens,” added Ms Murphy.
Despite the challenges, the year was so successful that a similar number have signed up for TY in 2021/22 in spite of Covid restrictions. Ms Murphy is hopeful field trips and work experience will resume, though some elements of the online courses will remain, such has been their success.