Tomorrow at 12 noon people all over the country are going to DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) for 20 minutes, so we'd love if you'd all join in!
If you can't take part at 12 noon don't worry, you can do it when it suits you.
If you want to, you can register to take part, but you don't have to, you can just join in and enjoy. If you'd like to take a photo of the cover of the book you're reading, you can email it to the school gmail or to Ms. Quigley, and we'll make a new post on here for book recommendations!
Go on a mathematical nature scavenger hunt. Follow the link below for the full activity.
https://www.mathsweek.ie/2019/maths-at-home-activities/#activitynaturescavenger
If you are lucky enough to have some chalk then get outside and draw your own giant sized snakes and ladders board. Alternatively play hopscotch or make up your own game.
Make your own dinosaur using a paper plate and a toilet roll. If you don't have a paper plate then use a cereal box.
This 2-player game is great for practice mental arithmetic and addition of two digit numbers.
Participants will practice their problem solving skills as they have to really think about which cards to choose and what numbers to make with them.
What you will need:
Pack of playing cards
Results table
Pencils
Counters
INSTRUCTIONS
The aim of the game is to get the highest total by coming closer to the target number than your opponent.
Take all the tens and picture cards out of the deck of cards – they will not be needed. Ace = 1, Joker = 0
Shuffle the deck and deal each player 6 cards
Each player must then select 4 of the cards and use them to create two 2-digit numbers.
The objective is to create two numbers that when added together come as close to 100 as possible, without going over.
The person who is closest to 100 wins the round and gains one counter.
If there is a tie, then each player receives a counter.
Each player must record their sums on the score sheet.
The player with the most counters at the end of 5 rounds wins.
Double check each other’s work by adding up all the scores and put the answer in the total row.
Extensions
One player could nominate a target number and players try to come as close as possible to that number.
Simplifications for younger pupils
Addition:
Deal out 4 cards to each player. They must choose any two cards and add them together. The objective is to get as close to 10 as possible, without going over.
Subtraction:
Deal out 4 cards to each player. They must choose any two cards and subtract one from the other. The objective is to get as close to 0 as possible.
Integers: (positive and negative whole numbers)
Practice with integer operations. Make black cards positive and red cards negative, and again, challenge children to combine their numbers to get as close to zero as possible.
Why not use those new paint brushes and paint a master piece. Alternatively collect some rocks and paint them.
Your chance to win a €20 book voucher by answering 20 questions, and yes, you're allowed Google if you're stuck! Click on the link above to find out more.
Local History: The Schools' Collection was a project that took place in the 1930s, where children were invited to collect and write down interviews about local folklore. This included oral history, topographical information, folktales and
legends, riddles and proverbs, games and pastimes, trades and crafts.
The children recorded this material from their parents, grandparents,
and neighbours. The section from Conna National School can be found here:
https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921846
Art and SESE combined here: The Irish Wildlife Trust are running a wildlife art competition.
Photo Challenges - a great way to keep busy at home, there's a never-ending list of subjects to be found in the house and garden.
I love this idea to make a series of close-up photos to eventually print into a book, or you could use a collage app on the phone to make collages too.
Some more ideas here:
This is definitely worth watching and sharing, an excellent animation about the coronavirus for kids, from Dog Day Media in Cork. The picture is only a screenshot so click on the link here to watch it:
Sylvie Bloom "Corona, Corona, Corona"
For any of you looking for extra books, these are online and free to everyone at the moment. We use this series in school and they're very popular!
Here's an easy idea to lift people's spirits and show your support for our frontline workers. Fly your flags, whether they're GAA, soccer, rugby, anything at all!
The National Gallery of Ireland are now offering a virtual tour of the galleries
They also have a cartoon guide for children to show them around their Renaissance art works
NASA have a fantastic website for kids, with games, photos, calendars, and activities.
https://tinyurl.com/r3dp4g6
A list of fun and educational ideas including Interview a family member, start a family tree, draw your favourite toy.
https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=Y6-x4pwnkqw
On Friday 20th March at 6p.m., Kitten Lady (she fosters kittens and educates about how to do this) will be live on YouTube reading her book for children and doing a Q&A.
http://www.glucksman.org/exhibitions/creativity-at-home
Great ideas for Art -
"Our
building may be closed but the Glucksman team will be online during
gallery opening hours to help you to get creative at home.
Every day, we will share new
art activities here on the website, and on our
facebook,
instagram and
twitter accounts. We will also have video tutorials on our
YouTube channel."
https://www.dublinzoo.ie/news/dublinzoofun/
"As Dublin Zoo want to continue to deliver fun and educational
experiences to the people in Ireland and beyond who are practising
social distancing we are beginning a
#dublinzoofun activity series in which we will release a new activity workbook themed around one of the animals at Dublin Zoo each weekday."
https://soundcloud.com/search?q=walker+eireann
😃 Roinnt scéalta i nGaeilge do phaistí atá ar fáil le éisteacht leo saor in aisce ar líne
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyCLoPd4VxBvPHOpzoEk5onAEbq40g2-k&app=desktop
Kids workouts from the Body Coach, lots of workouts up already, and more live Monday - Friday 9 a.m on his channel.
Follow #OceanSchool on facebook for fascinating facts on ocean life from world-renowned photographers Cristina Mittermeir and Paul Nicklen.
"I heard in the news this morning that 33 states in the US have closed
down their schools indefinitely. Thinking about all those kids stuck at
home, it occurred
to me that a good
contribution I can make while I too am stuck at home, would be to share
some interesting information about our oceans so that kids might still
get some learning opportunities. @PaulNicklen @SeaLegacy and I call
this #OceanSchool."
https://www.into.ie/2020/03/18/tips-and-tricks-home-learning/
https://www.oliverjeffers.com/books#/abookaday/
Author Oliver Jeffers (How to Catch a Star, The Day the Crayons Quit etc) will read one of his amazing books every day.
Why not get outside today and collect some materials to make your own paint brushes. You could use leaves, twigs, grass, paper, toilet roll or anything else you can get your hands on.
The Count Your Rainbows Project
Our aim with this project is to help children focus on the things that they are grateful for
in their lives so that they are counting their rainbows, and not their
thunderstorms. At this time, when there are so many worries, we thought
it would be a nice idea for the children to have something like this to
think about.
If
children want to take part, they can talk to parents about the things
that they are grateful for, or they can also write or draw pictures.
Photos
of writing and drawings from children in all classrooms can be emailed
in if you'd like them to be put up on our school website to share them
with their friends. An email has been sent to all parents with the
details for email and we're looking forward to seeing what beautiful
ideas you can come up with!
Another fun maths activity from mathsweek.ie
Find lots of numbers in papers, magazines or catalogues. See how important numbers are in the real world.
https://www.mathsweek.ie/2019/maths-at-home-activities/#activitymathsmediaposter
Write a list of things that can be found in your garden....leaves, twigs, animals, toys etc. You could also hide some things for the scavengers to find!!
Why not take a picnic out with you too. Hunting is hungry work.
Try this fun maths game at home called The Poisoned Piece of Chocolate. A mathematical game of strategy for two players. This is a variation of Nim, a game that has been played in different forms since ancient times and is often called The Takeaway Game. You will find the instructions in this link.
https://www.mathsweek.ie/2019/maths-at-home-activities/#activitypoisonedchocolate
Grab the sellotape and get outside to make a nature bracelet. Collect leaves, flowers, feathers and anything else interesting you can find.
We are sure most houses are packed full of toilet roll! If so pull a few rolls out and have some fun. Try toilet roll bowling, tower building or maze creation. Why not come up with your own unique game.
Children's author David Walliams is releasing a series of 30 daily audio stories. Find them each day at 11 on his website https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com
How do chameleons change colour?
Why is the sky blue?
How many sports are involved in the Olympics?
What is Mars like?
Why do animals have whiskers?
Do a project on your topic/question. We would love to see it when we get back to school or email us a picture!!
I
t’s been a very busy time recently for STEM in our school. All of our pupils had a great treat when the Stardome from Blackrock Castle Observatory arrived in the school. Each class was brought down to the school hall in turn to enter inside the inflatable observatory, and we were shown the night and day skies on the ceiling of the stardome. The presenter gave a different talk to each class level, and gave fascinating information and visual demonstrations about space. This visit counts as part of our application for the Discover Primary Science Award, which we are going for again this year.
This year saw Conna School enter the VEX Robotics competition for the first time. Alan and Lisa Feeney very generously sponsored a robotics kit, and it was decided that the school would enter into the competition in January. Pupils from 6th class worked with Mr. Clancy and Ms. Casey to design, build, and programme their robot, which was christened Clawbot. The project included putting together a video on a technology theme, for which they chose the interaction of robotics and healthcare. Off they went to their very first competition in CIT, and home they came with the fantastic news that they had won the Best Design category in this regional round, and through to the National Finals! The group headed up to CIT for another day out in February, where they had to demonstrate design, programme/autonomous driving, and individual driving. While they didn’t win the final on the day, we’re all so proud of the robotics group and their teachers for representing the school so well. The time and effort they put in to the project has been obvious to everyone in school, and is proving a huge inspiration for all of our future scientists and engineers.
Every year we’re reminded of the amazing talent in our school, and this year has been no exception. Around 40 pupils from 1st to 6th class took part in the club round in Ballynoe on the 3rd of February. Everyone performed very well on the night and a good number went through to the quarter-finals and semi-finals in Lisgoold and Midleton. We were delighted to hear that there was great success again here, and on Sunday 1st of March the school was represented in Watergrasshill across a range of categories.
We were all so proud on Monday the 2nd of March when the groups arrived in, laden down with silverware. The Nuachleas drama group of Ellie, Faye, Anna, Saorla, Jake, Michael, Jaydan, and Billy came first with their powerful piece 'Our Darkest Hour’, set during the Great Famine. A big thanks to Niamh Twomey for all of her work with this drama, and for helping Ms. Power with the ballad group, (Johanna, Laura, Leah, Saorla, and Anna) who also came 1st in their category.
Willow, Tessa, Orla, Laura, and Maeve showed their talent with 1st place in the Rince Seit, and they also took part in the Rince Foirne. Laura displayed her dancing skills in the Rince Sean-nós, where she came in 1st place, and also took part in the Ceol Aonair with her concertina, where she was awarded 2nd place. In the Tráth na gCeist, James, Gearóid, Saorla, and Ellie proved their love of knowledge with an excellent score. They were narrowly beaten by two points, and they came in a very respectable 2nd place.
St. Catherine’s were awarded the Buckley-Casey memorial cup for the Best Club in Scór na bPáistí, as well as the Chris O’Mahony memorial cup for the best club across all three Scór competitions. A huge comhghairdeas to everyone involved, and best of luck to you in the county semi-finals in Ovens which are due to be held this Friday, 6th March.
Farewell to Mrs Barry
On Friday 25th October, we gathered in Conna hall to say farewell and thanks to Mrs Barry, who retired from Conna School after 38 years teaching here. We were joined by past staff, pupils, parents and the wider community for a mass of thanksgiving for Mrs Barry. The mass was a beautiful celebration filled with music and prayer from all the children. The mass was followed by a number of presentations to Mrs Barry and specially written songs and poems performed by the children. We say congratulations and thanks to Mrs Barry from all in Conna School. We wish her every happiness in her retirement.
Slan le Rang a Se 2019
We say farewell to 6th Class 2019: Chloe, Cian, Ciaran, Conor, Eilise, Eric, Hannah, Jack, Katelyn, Kyle, Maeve, Mark, Michael, Paraic, Rhys, Sarah, Shannon, Tayah and Taylor, as they leave Conna School. We wish them every happiness and success in their secondary school days and beyond. Thank you for all you have contributed to Conna School during your time here.
Conna School wins top garden award!
We are hugely proud of our school garden and were absolutely delighted to be awarded the prize for School Garden of the Year 2019 by Cork County Council! Congratulations and well done to all involved. A big thank you to all the staff, parents and pupils who worked so well together to achieve this.
Cork City Sports 2019
On Thursday, 30th May, thirty six children from Conna School took part in Cork City Sports held in CIT. The boys were up first in the morning and performed really well. Congratulations to the following children who won prizes in their respective categories; Tymek Swirski (1st), Senan O'Reilly (3rd), James Kenneally (2nd), Charlie Nelligan (3rd) and to the over-11 relay team of Conor Hayes, Ciaran Leamy, Cian Mc Carthy and Senan O'Reilly, who came third.
The girls took to the track in the afternoon and ran really well. Congratulations to the following girls who won prizes: Willow O'Gorman (2nd), Aimee Kearney (2nd), Stephanie Carr (3rd) and to the over-11 team of Shannon O'Gorman, Hannah Norman, Eilise Cotter and Saorla Twomey, who came third.
Well done to all involved and thanks very much to the parents who helped out and all who supported the children on the day.
Quiz success for Conna School
Well done to our pupils who took part in a local primary school quiz, which was held in Conna hall on Wednesday, 8th May. Congratulations to our team of Chloe, Hannah, Sarah and Tayah, 6th class, who came in first place on the night! Well done girls, this is a great achievement!
Maths Quiz
Well done to Taylor, Mark, Hannah, Sarah, Saorla and Conor who took part in the St. Colman's Maths Quiz held on Monday, 13th May, in St. Colman's College, Fermoy.
Sciath na Scol 2019
Well done to all the children from 4th, 5th and 6th class who were involved in this year's Sciath na Scol panel.
We were delighted to get to the semi-final stage of the competition this year. We are very proud of our team who showed great skill and teamwork throughout the season!
Confirmation retreat
Children from 5th and 6th class who are preparing for their Confirmation spent the day in Mount Melleray on Wednesday 20th March. The children learned about the monastery in Mount Melleray and about the life of a monk. They participated in a special mass there. They also took a walk up to the cross there where they were treated to some lovely views of the surrounding area. The children really enjoyed this day of preparation for their Confirmation, which will take place on the 10th April.
Learning all about science and engineering
We had visits from more scientists this week. On Tuesday 12th March, the children from 4th to 6th class had a visit from scientists who taught them lots about the digestive system. The children learned lots about how the brain and the digestive system work. They were fascinated to learn how long the digestive system is and they carried out experiments to see how much sugar is in different drinks.
On Thursday 14th March, Ed Galvin visited us to tell us all about his work in Stryker. Ed gave a fascinating talk about hips and knees and brought along some examples of what they make in Stryker. He talked to us about the importance of looking after our bones and joints. Ed gave lots of time to answering the children's questions. Many thanks Ed!
Scor na bPaisti 2019
Well done to all the children from Conna School who took part in the club round of Scor na bPaisti on Monday, 28th January, in Ballynoe hall. It was great to see so many of our pupils partake in this competition. Lots of children from Conna School progressed to the East Cork Quarter finals, then the East Cork Semi finals and the East Cork final. Well done to all the children from Conna School who took part in the final on Sunday 17th February. Children from Conna School were represented in nine of the ten categories on the day. The children were outstanding in each category and we are very proud of them.
Well done to all and congratulations to the following children who won their categories: Tayah, Billy, Eilise and Hannah (Instrumental group), Isobelle, Faye, Saorla, Leah and Laura (Ballad Group), Saorla (Recitation), Taylor (Solo dance) and to the following children who were runners up in their categories: Taylor, Tessa, Orla and Laura (Rince Foirne), Paraic, Maeve, Ellie, Chloe, Cian, Cillian and Johanna (Leiriu), Conor, Sarah, Gearoid (Quiz).
The children had further success in the county semi-final and progressed to the county final on the 9th March.
Congratulations and well done to Taylor (Solo dance), Isobelle, Faye, Saorla, Leah and Laura (Ballad group) and Saorla (Recitation) who performed so well in the county final!
Visit from Lismore Mobile Science Workshop
The Lismore Mobile Science Workshop visited each classroom lately. Each class got to take part in a workshop on various different aspects of science. So we learned lots about electricity, astronauts, chemistry, the polar regions and so much more! Thanks to the Parents Association for subsidising this very worthwhile experience.
Learning all about the Arctic and Antarctica
Many thanks to Ann Galvin who visited all of the classes recently to tell us about her trips to the Arctic and Antarctica. We really enjoyed all that Ann had to tell us. Ann was really generous with her time and answered all the questions the children had for her. Thanks again Ann!
6th class trip to see 'Grease is the word'
Our 6th class pupils were invited into the Palace Theatre in Fermoy on Friday, 1st February, to see the St. Colman's boys and Loreto girls perform in the musical 'Grease is the word'. It was a wonderful treat to be invited in to see this and the children thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It was great to see some of our past pupils starring in this production. Many thanks to the staff and pupils in St. Colman's for inviting us along and well done to all on a wonderful production.
Catholic Schools Week 2019
Catholic Schools Week 2019 began on Sunday 27th January. The children from Conna School participated in the 11.30 am Mass in Conna to celebrate the opening of Catholic Schools Week. Well done to all the children who read, sang and acted out the Gospel. The church was beautifully decorated with artwork and project work from each class. Well done to all!
Christmas concerts
The sound of Christmas music could be heard from all of our classrooms in the weeks leading up to Christmas as the children busily prepared for their Christmas plays, which were shown on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th December.
The children in fourth, fifth and sixth class also prepared a concert for the residents of Conna Convalescent Home. Fourth and fifth entertained the residents there on Wednesday, 5th December, while fifth and sixth put on their show on Wednesday 12th, December. Both of these shows were put on for the all the other classes and for parents and families on Friday, 7th December.
Well done to everyone involved for providing such fabulous entertainment for everyone!
Tallow Area Credit Union Art Competition
Well done to all the children from Conna School who took part in the Tallow Area Credit Union Poster Competition. The theme for the competition was 'Forces of Nature.' We were delighted to find out that we had some prize winners from our school. Congratulations to Julia Witnik and Casper Didek, who both came first in their categories, and whose entries will now be sent to the next stage of the competition, and to Shannon O'Gorman, who came second and Taylor Walsh, who came third, in their categories. Well done to all and congratulations to the prize winners.
In early December, we found out that Casper's entry has been selected to go forward to the next level in the competition. Well done Casper. This is a great achievement!
Welcome back to Kacey and Naimee
In early December, we welcomed back two of our past pupils, Kacey and Naimee, who recently travelled to Kazakhstan to do charity work in orphanages there. The girls spoke to all our classes about their time there and we were fascinated to learn all about the children there and the work that the girls did. Well done girls, we are very proud of you!
Science Week 2018
For Science week this year, we held an exhibition of some of our favourite experiments in our school hall. Each classroom put some experiments on display and every child in the school got the opportunity to see all of these experiments during the day. We learned so much and were fascinated by explosions, creeping colours, frozen hands, some hair-raising experiments and so much more! Well done to all the children!
Halloween Fundraiser
All the children in the school dressed up for Halloween once again this year for our Halloween fundraiser. Well done and thanks to all who supported this and raised funds for Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin.
Caught being kind
As part of our ongoing efforts to encourage positive mental health, this term we are putting an extra special emphasis on catching people doing kind deeds, with our initiative called 'Caught being kind.' We are encouraging the children to catch other people doing kind deeds. The children will then write or draw what they saw. We will make a whole school display of these kind deeds. We look forward to reading all about them!
Maths Week 2018
As part of Maths Week 2018, the children from 2nd to 6th class took part in a great maths quiz in our school hall on Thursday, 18th October. The teams were made up of a child from each class, so with such a range of ages on each team, special emphasis was placed on team work. The children really enjoyed working out all the sums and riddles and were delighted to use their maths skills in a different setting for the day. Well done to all involved. The children from the junior classes enjoyed working together on some maths games on the day.
Cross Country Running
Well done to all the boys and girls from Conna School who took part in the Cross Country Running competition held in Ballymacoda on Thursday, 27th September. Congratulations to Eric Coughlan, Conor Hayes, Senan O'Reilly, Ciara Hayes and Caitlin Twomey who won medals on the day!
St. Colman's Hurling Blitz 2018
Well done to the boys and girls from 5th and 6th class who took part in St. Colman's Hurling Blitz on Wednesday, 26th September. After winning all of the games in their group, the team emerged on top of the group. However, they were narrowly defeated in a very close semi final. The children showed great skill and teamwork throughout all the games. Well done to all involved. We look forward to many more great games later in the year.
Welcome New Junior Infants 2018-19
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to our 17 new Junior Infants who joined us in Conna NS this year. They are: Ada, Adam, Alesha, Aoibhinn, Aoife, Cathal, Eamon, Elliot, Eoin, Grace, James, Kate, Katelyn, Leah, Oisín, Saoirse and Seán. We wish them all the best.
Welcome New Junior Infants 2018-2019!
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to our 17 new Junior Infants who joined us in Conna NS this year. They are: Ada, Adam, Alesha, Aoibhinn, Aoife, Cathal, Eamon, Elliot, Eoin, Grace, James, Kate, Katelyn, Leah, Oisín, Saoirse and Seán. We wish them all the best!
Slán le Rang a Sé 2018
We said farewell to 6th Class 2018, Ava, Cian L, Cian M, Colm, Colum, Darragh, Dylan, Ellen, Eryn, Fionn, Izabel, Jack, Karina, Kian, Leila, Lucy, Matthew, Mikolaj and Rebecca as the school year drew to a close. Thank you for your wonderful contribution to Conna School over your time here. Wishing you every happiness and success in your secondary school days and in the future.
Conna School scoops top prize in gardening competition
The school garden is looking splendid once again this year, thanks to lots of hard work by staff, pupils and parents. Representatives from the school attended the awards ceremony hosted by Cork County Council again this year. We were delighted to receive one of the top prizes, which was awarded for the use of Irish in the garden. Congratulations and well done to all involved for working so well as a team to produce such a fabulous garden. Ní neart go cur le chéile.
Conna School picks up its second green flag
Well done to the Green Schools Committee who have worked so hard to raise awareness of the importance of energy efficiency. The committee have been busy monitoring energy use in the school and reminding us that 'wasting energy, it's not good, turn off the lights, just like you should.' Members of the committee received the Green Flag recently and all the school gathered together for the flag raising ceremony. Well done to all involved.
Cork City Sports 2018
Cork City Sports took place in CIT on Friday 1st June. Thirty five children from Conna School competed on the day. All our athletes performed very well and can be very proud of themselves. Well done to the following children who won prizes in the individual sprints: 1st Leila Carr, 2nd Aimee Kearney, 3rd Kelly Dillon, 2nd Willow O’ Gorman, 1st Tymek Swirski, 2nd James Kenneally, 3rd Conor Hayes and 3rd Eric Coughlan. Well done to our boys relay teams who both scooped prizes. The over eleven team made up of Darragh Morrison, Conor Hayes, Ciarán Leamy and Eric Coughlan came in second place, while the under eleven team of Tymek Swirski, Fionn McCready, James Kenneally and Daniel Turley came in third place.
Kian plays for Cork in Primary Games
Congratulations to Kian O'Donoghue, 6th class, who was selected to play for Cork in the Primary Games Hurling this year. Kian lined out for Cork in Semple Stadium, Thurles, on 27th May. This is a huge achievement and a great honour for Kian. Well done Kian, everyone in Conna School is very proud of you!
Hurling Skills Test
Congratulations to Darragh Morrison, Kian O'Donoghue and Ciarán Leamy who came second in a primary schools hurling skills test in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Wednesday, 16th May. The boys were put to the test doing various skills and they displayed great ability in these skills which earned them the second place spot in this competition. Well done boys, this is a great achievement!
St. Colman's Maths Quiz
Well done to Fionn, Kian, Hannah, Colm, Lucy, Mark, Colum, Dylan and Cian who took part in the St. Colman's Maths Quiz on Monday, 14th May.
Mini Sevens Hurling Blitz
Well done to the boys from 4th, 5th and 6th class who travelled to Courcey Rovers GAA, Ballinspittle on Friday 13th April to take part in the Mini Sevens Hurling Blitz. The boys had a great day out. They won one game and were narrowly defeated in their other two games. Well done to all the boys who showed great skill and teamwork throughout their games.
Sciath na Scol Hurling
The boys and girls from 4th, 5th and 6th class have begun training for this year's Sciath na Scol matches. Best of luck to all involved in this year's campaign.
Conna welcomes Orla, Finola and the O'Duffy Cup
On Tuesday 13th February, we gave a very warm welcome to Orla Cotter, Finola Neville and the O'Duffy Cup. The girls are inspirational athletes and as always were very generous with their time. They gave our budding sports stars great advice. Many thanks to the girls for visiting us and congratulations to them and all the rebels on winning the 2017 All Ireland Camogie Final.
Scor na bPaisti 2018
Congratulations to Cian L, Cian M, Colm, Colum, Dylan, Fionn and Mikolaj who won the leiriu category in the East Cork Final in Scor na bPaisti on Sunday 4th February. The boys prepared and performed their very moving play called 'John Condon, boy soldier' in the County Semi Final on Saturday 10th February.
Congratulations also to Cian L who came second in the recitation category and to Ava, Ciaran, Chloe, Ellie, Johanna, Maeve, Paraic and Tayah who came second in the leiriu category with their play 'Bosca'.
Well done to our other East Cork Finalists, Ava (Recitation) and Chloe, Ciaran, Eilise and Gearoid (Quiz) who also took part in a hugely competitive East Cork Final.
Success for Conna School in Credit Union Quiz 2018
Well done to all the children from Conna School who took part in the Tallow Area Credit Union Quiz on Monday 29th January.
Congratulations to our Junior team of Sarah, Chloe, Anna, Isabelle and Lexi who came second in their category, and to Rhys, Karina, Hannah and Lucy who came second in the Senior quiz.
Catholic Schools Week 2018
Well done to all the pupils who prepared for and took part in the 11.30 Mass in Conna on Sunday 28th January. This marked the start of Catholic Schools Week. The children have been busy preparing for this mass the last few weeks. They've created beautiful artwork and projects which are on display in the church. They read, sang, recited prayers, took part in the offertory procession and dramatised the Gospel for the Mass. Well done to all our pupils for working so well to prepare such a lovely Mass.
Random Acts of Kindness
Our front hall is beautifully decorated with lovely stars on which the children wrote and drew random acts of kindness, which they promise to carry out. This is a lovely way for everyone to start off the new year and a reminder to us all that a little kindness goes a long way.
Christmas Craft Fair
The Parents Association, along with 6th class, ran a very successful Christmas Craft Fair on Thursday 30th November and Friday 1st December. Lots of the products sold at the craft fair had been created by the pupils of Conna School. Well done to all the children who worked so hard to prepare wonderful products for sale.
Well done and thanks to the Parents Association and the 6th pupils who worked so hard to organise and run the fair.
Conna pupils welcome Cork City FC
On Monday 27th November, our pupils gave a very warm welcome to Liam Kearney and one of Cork City's players, Gearoid Morrissey. They brought the League Trophy and the FAI cup with them. They were very generous with their time and answered lots of questions from our budding sports stars. Thanks to all in Valley Rangers for organising the visit and well done to all involved with Cork City Football Club.
Visit from David Stanton TD
On Friday 24th November, we had a visit from David Stanton, TD and Minister of State at the Department of Justice. David spoke to the children in 4th, 5th and 6th all about life as a TD and explained to them how the government works.
He talked to the children about an initiative he is involved with called Show Racism the Red Card and reminded the children of the importance of showing respect to everyone.
Scholastic Book Fair
Well done to the Parents Association who ran a very successful book fair once again this year. There was great enthusiasm surrounding the event and it was great to see so many families coming to our school hall on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd November to purchase books. Happy reading everyone!
Visit from St. Catherine's Hurlers, County Champs
A few weeks ago we were delighted to welcome the St. Catherine's team, who had just won the East Cork Final, to the school.
On Wednesday 8th November, we welcomed them once again, this time they were back as County Champions after claiming the title in a very exciting replay in Pairc Ui Rinn.
It was great to welcome back so many past pupils who are involved as the team, as well as our own Mr. Clancy, who played a vital role in the team's success. Massive congratulations to the players and management on such a fantastic achievement!
Hallowe'en Fancy Dress Day
Well done to all our pupils who dressed up for Hallowe'en and raised funds for the oncology unit in CUH. Thanks to everyone who supported such a worthy cause.
Cross Country Running
On Friday 22nd September, girls and boys from Conna School took part in a cross country competition, which was held in Castlelyons. All of our pupils gave their very best effort and performed very well. Well done to all involved and congratulations to our medal winners, Caitlin Twomey, Ciara Hayes, Willow O'Gorman, Aimee Kearney and Leila Carr. Well done girls!
St. Colman's Blitz
Boys and girls from 5th and 6th class took part in St. Colman's Hurling Blitz on Thursday 21st September. The boys and girls had a great day out and played very well, which earned them a place in the final. After a very close game, where the boys and girls played so well, they were unlucky to be beaten. However, a great day was had by all and we are very proud of our team, who displayed great skill and teamwork throughout the day.
Conna Horticultural Show
Well done to all our pupils who prepared work for Conna Show recently. There was wonderful creative talent on display from all our pupils who prepared, art, craft, posters and handwriting for the show.
Visit from Victorious St. Catherine's Team
We were delighted to welcome members of the victorious St. Catherine's team (including our own Mr. Clancy) to the school who recently won the East Cork Final. The players chatted with the children and gave our budding sports stars great advice. Thanks to the lads for visiting us. Well done to the team and best of luck in the next round!
Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons are taking place during September and October. Lessons take place on Wednesdays for five weeks for children from 2nd to 6th class.
New Pupils 2017
A big welcome to our Junior Infants this year, Abbie, Alex, Amelia, Cathal, Cathal, Darragh, Donnacha, Dylan, Tim, James, Juliet, Liam, Lily-May, Macy, Molly, Morgan, Oisín, Oisín, Ólan, Réaltín, Ríona, Saoirse, Seán, Shane, Shaylin, Sienna, Stephanie and Tom, and to Damien and Ronan (2nd class), Cillian (4th class) and Jack (5th class).
Farewell 6th Class 2017
Best of luck to 6th Class 2017 as they leave Conna School. Wishing Ben, Caoimhe, Chloe, Eabha, Evan, Jack, Gearoid, Niall, Sara-Mai, Shane, Sophia and Ryan every happiness in secondary school and always.
Chloe plays key role for Cork on Munster Final Day!
Congratulations to Chloe Draper, 6th Class, who was selected to play for Cork in the Primary Games on Sunday, 9th July in Thurles. Chloe played for Cork against Clare on Munster Final Day and made a superb contribution to their victory. This is a fantastic achievement. Well done Chloe, we are very proud of you.
Cork City Sports 2017
On Thursday, 1st June, over thirty children from Conna School competed in Cork City Sports. The weather was against us on the day but the rain didn't dampen the spirits of all taking part! The boys were up first this year and started off a winning streak for Conna School, with the over-eleven relay team charging home in first place! Congratulations to Gearóid O'Brien, Jack Murphy, Darragh Morrison and Eric Coughlan on this wonderful achievement!
The girls competed in the afternoon and again had great success. Congratulations to Aimee Kearney who won her race! This earned Aimee a spot in the semi-final later in the afternoon. Congratulations also to Kelly Dillon, who won a second place prize and to Willow O'Gorman, who came in third place in her race! Well done girls.
Well done to all our competitors who represented Conna School incredibly well. We are very proud of you all. Thanks to the parents and families who provided wonderful support on the day to our young athletes.
Primary Games 2017
Congratulations to Gearóid O'Brien (6th Class) on being selected for the Primary Games Cork Hurling Team. This is a massive achievement as Gearóid was only one of 11 chosen from all over Cork city and county. We are extremely proud of him. Gearóid played for Cork on Sunday 21st May in Semple Stadium at half time of the championship match between Cork and Tipperary. The Primary Games Team and the Cork Seniors were victorious on the day! Well done to all the rebels!
Quiz Success
Congratulations to Sophia, Caoimhe, Cian and Colum who came in first place in a quiz held in Blackwater Community School on Wednesday 10th May. This is a great achievement, well done, keep up the great work!
Cross Country Running
On Friday, 23rd of September, boys and girls from Conna School took part in a cross country primary schools competition, held in Castlelyons. Well done to all the boys and girls who took part. Congratulations to Aimee Kearney, Charlotte Norman and Leila O'Reilly who won medals on the day!
Cork City F.C. visit to Conna School
Many thanks to Liam Kearney and Steven Beattie, Cork City F.C. who visited recently. Steven and Liam spoke to the children and told them all about life at Cork City F.C. They were really generous with their time and were delighted to answer questions from all our soccer enthusiasts!
Scór na bPáistí 2017
Well done to all the children from Conna School who took part in Scór this year. Around sixty children from Conna School took part in the club round this year. From there the children progressed through the different rounds in East Cork.
Congratulations to Éabha, Eryn, Fionn, Kian and Lucy who came second in the ballad group category in the East Cork Final. This is a fantastic achievement! Well done to Lucy who sang in the solo singing competition and to Taylor, Paraic, Conor, Maeve, Elise, Hannah, Sarah and Tayah who performed their drama in the Léiriú category.
The standard in Scór na bPáistí is very high in East Cork so it was a huge achievement to get to the final. Well done to you all!
Credit Union Quiz 2017
Well done to the six teams from Conna School (three teams in the junior category and three teams in the senior category) who took part in the Tallow Area Credit Union Quiz on Friday 27th of January. We were thrilled that two of our teams in the junior category came home with prizes on the night! Congratulations to Cian Mc Carthy, Conor Hayes, Mark Flynn and Rhys Moran who got the first place spot and to Anna Hurley, Ciaran Leamy, Hannah Norman and Sarah Hannah who came in second place. This was a fantastic achievement, well done to all involved!
Best of luck to Cian, Conor, Mark and Rhys who will now go on to represent Tallow Area Credit Union in the next round of the quiz!
Christmas Concerts
Each classroom prepared and performed a Christmas play for parents and families on the week of the holidays. Our school hall was very busy for the two days and two nights of the performances. Well done to everyone for putting such hard work into preparing such wonderful shows, which were very much enjoyed by all who came to see them.
Well done to third and fourth class who put together a fabulous show for the residents of Conna Convalescent Home. They also showed this concert to the rest of the classes in school and everyone was very impressed with it and really enjoyed it! Well done to all involved.
Random Acts of Kindness
The Health Promotion Committee have been busy compiling a list of Random Acts of Kindness, which is displayed in our school foyer. These are suggestions for kind deeds we could carry out. Each child in the school got a blank calendar and we are encouraging them to fill in any random act of kindness they do during the month of December and of course they can continue to do random acts of kindness into the New Year!
Parents' Association School Calendar
The school calendars have arrived and once again they look fantastic! We are all delighted with how the photos turned out. Well done and thanks to the Parents' Association for all their hard work and to Catherine Spillane who did a wonderful job taking the photos.
5th and 6th class trip to see 'Luck be a Lady'
The pupils from 5th and 6th class were very lucky to be invited into the Fermoy Youth Centre to see the St.Colman's and Loreto pupils perform in 'Luck be a Lady'. It was a wonderful production and the children really enjoyed seeing a live show. It was great to see some of our past pupils performing in the show. Well done to Miss Clifford and all the teachers and pupils involved in this show.
Hallowe'en Dress Up Day
For our Hallowe'en Dress Up Day this year, we decided to raise some money for Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, in memory of our wonderful past pupil, Joe Barry, who sadly passed away in August.
The children showed wonderful creativity with their costumes and thoroughly enjoyed the day, while raising money for such a great cause. We were delighted to raise three hundred and fifty euro for the charity.
Well done to everyone for making such a great effort and thanks to all who contributed to the collection.
Victory at Inch Quiz for Conna School pupils!
Congratulations to Caoimhe Coughlan, Fionn McKee, Kian O'Donoghue and Sophia Lucey, who won the first place spot in a quiz held in Inch on Thursday, 29th September. This is a great achievement and a wonderful start to the school year!
Runners up in St. Colman's Blitz 2016
On Thursday, 22nd September, boys and girls from 5th and 6th class took part in St. Colman's Hurling Blitz. The team played incredibly well, winning their first three matches, which earned them a place in the semi-final. After a very impressive display of teamwork and skill, we won the semi-final, which brought us head to head in the cup final, against our near neighbours, Ballynoe, for the second year in a row! Our team put on a great performance, however it wasn't enough on the day and we were unlucky to be beaten. Well done to all involved on a great day of sportsmanship and skill!
New Pupils 2016
A very warm welcome to Conna School to Alex, Anna, Billy, Brian, Caitlin, Callum, Callum, Isla, Jack, Jacob, Julia, Lara, Lily, Martin, Milena, Sean, Stephen, Tadhg, Zach and Zack, our new Junior Infants.
Welcome also to Chloe, in 4th class and Johanna, in 2nd class.
6th Class 2016
We said farewell to sixth class 2016 on Thursday, 30th June. We celebrated our end of year mass on Tuesday night in our school hall and it was a beautiful night of celebration and thanksgiving. We say thank you to the Class of 2016 for their contribution to school life over the last eight years. We wish Aideen, Aiden, Darragh, Dawn, Ethan, Fergus, Hannah, Harry, Holly, Jack, Jamie, Jessica, Kelly-Ann, Nadine, Niamh, Shauna, Sinead, Sophie, Tatiana and William every happiness in secondary school and always.
A visit from The Animal Roadshow
On Monday, 15th of June, the Parents Association organised a visit from The Animal Roadshow for all the pupils. Everyone was thrilled to see all sorts of animals including a snake, a bearded dragon, a tarantula, an owl and a black rabbit. Lots of the pupils were given the opportunity to hold some of these creatures. Thanks to the Parents Association for organising this very enjoyable visit and for finishing the day off nicely by giving everyone an ice-cream!
Cork City Sports 2016
On Wednesday, 1st of June, Cork City Sports were held in CIT. Once again we were treated to glorious sunshine for the event. Over thirty children from Conna School, from senior infants up to sixth class, took part in the competition. The girls were up first this year and they got off to a flying start with Aideen Bolger and Leila O'Reilly picking up trophies for third place in the sprints. The relays took place next and there was more success here. The over eleven relay team, Aideen Bolger, Chloe Draper, Hannah Kenneally and Nadine Pratt were delighted to win trophies for their third place spot. Well done girls!
The boys took part in their races in the afternoon and again two of our athletes picked up prizes. Gearóid O'Brien and Senan O'Reilly both came in third place.
In the relay races both of our teams had success. The under eleven relay team, Conor Hayes, Darragh Morrison, Eric Coughlan and Kian O'Donoghue came in second place. Another second place spot for the over eleven relay team, Gearóid O'Brien, Harry Draper, Jack Murphy and William Leamy. Well done boys!
Well done to all our competitors and congratulations to the prize winners. Many thanks to the parents who drove and supported our athletes on the day.
Our School Garden 2016
Thanks to a huge amount of work from a fantastic Parents' Association, our school garden and yard are looking better than ever.
This year the Parents' Association paid for Sandra Kenneally to paint the benches in the school with bright, happy colours, and turn two of the benches into Buddy Benches. Children can sit on these benches to signal to others that they don't have anyone to play with.
The Parents' Association have also provided lots of colourful plants for the children throughout the school. Junior and Senior Infants had great fun planting flowers in old wellies, and some of the older classes went completely potty and used an old toilet for planting flowers!
There has also been trojan work put in by parents to clear out some of the ground and extend our garden space for the new polytunnel. The polytunnel is full of newly built worktables and plants, and children are out working with the garden daily.
This year we have entered again in the Cork County Council Pride in Community Schools Garden Competition. Judging will take place in June, and we hope to do very well this year.
Sciath na Scol Hurling 2016
Our 2016 Sciath na Scol Hurling campaign started on Friday 15th April. The team is made up of boys and girls from 4th, 5th and 6th class.
In our group we won four out of five matches which earned us a place in a semi-final. Unfortunately, we were unlucky to be beaten in the semi-final. We are very proud of the team for getting so far in the competition. Well done to all involved!
Proclamation Day in Conna School
On Tuesday 15th of March, the children and staff of Conna School commemorated the events of 1916. The ceremony was held in our school hall and attended by many parents, grandparents and friends of our school. Every classroom had the hall beautifully decorated with their project work, which they had been working on for a number of weeks. The ceremony involved all the children singing, playing their tin whistles and presenting their projects. Part of the original proclamation was read and our new school proclamation, which was a collaboration of ideas from all the children in the school, was read by a group of children. The Tricolour was raised, in glorious sunshine, by two of our pupils as Amhran na bhFiann was sung by everyone.
We are very proud of our pupils for the work that they put into preparing for this day. It was a truly memorable day for all involved. Thanks to all those who attended and made the day so special.
6th class pupils win top spot in quiz
Congratulations and well done to Darragh Galvin, Ethan Long, Jessica O'Brien and Niamh Spillane, sixth class, who won the first place prize in a quiz hosted by Castelyons NS Parents' Association on Friday 11th March. There were 39 teams taking part in the competition so this is a fantastic achievement for our pupils. Well done, we're very proud of ye!
Success for Conna School at Credit Union Quiz
Well done to the four teams from Conna School who took part in the Tallow Area Credit Union Quiz on Monday 1st of February. We were thrilled to see two of our teams win prizes on the night. In the junior category the team of Fionn McKee, Colum Feeney, Matthew Nelligan and Conor Hayes came in second place.
In the senior category the team of Caoimhe Coughlan, Darragh Galvin, Jack Nelligan and William Leamy claimed the first place prize. Well done to this team who represented Tallow Area Credit Union in the next round on Saturday 27th February in Mallow.
Congratulations to both teams on such a wonderful achievement!
Scor na bPaisti 2016
Congratulations to Hannah Kenneally who came second in the solo singing category in the East Cork Final on Sunday 6th March and well done to Dylan, Fionn, Kian, Colm and Hannah (Instrumental group) who also took part in the final.
On Friday 29th of January, the club round of Scor na bPaisti 2016 was held in Ballynoe hall. About 60 pupils from Conna School took part in the various competitions on the night. It was a wonderful night of entertainment and so fantastic to see so many of our pupils involved. Over the following weeks, the children progressed through the East Cork Quarter and Semi-finals.
Well done to all who took part.
Tallow Point to Point Art Competition
Well done to all the children from Conna School who took part in the recent art competition at Tallow Point to Point Races.
Congratulations to Isabelle, Sara and Orla who won prizes in the junior category and to Holly, Sophia and Sophie who won prizes in the senior category.
Tin whistle lessons
Many thanks to the Parents' Association who are supporting the tin whistle lessons which are being held in the school at the moment. We are delighted to have a teacher from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in with us every Thursday to teach tin whistle to all the classes. It is a great opportunity for everyone.
Catholic Schools Week 2016
On Sunday, 24th of January, the children and staff of our school took part in a special mass in Conna Church to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. The children contributed to the ceremony in so many ways by singing, reading, reciting prayers, acting out the Gospel and providing beautiful artwork to decorate the church. Well done to all involved for making the mass such a special occasion.
Parents' Association Coffee morning and Christmas concerts
The Parents' Association held a coffee morning on Monday 21st December in our school hall. Each classroom provided entertainment throughout the morning. There was a wonderful display of talent and variety on show from each classroom. Well done to all the children on such wonderful performances. We were delighted that the coffee morning was so well supported. Well done to the Parents' Association for all their hard work on the morning and throughout the year.
Parents' Association School Calendar
Our school calendars arrived last week and we're all delighted with the photos. A huge thanks to the Parents' Association, and to Catherine Spillane for all of their hard work on the project, they did an amazing job. Thanks to all of the parents who sent in clothes and props, and to all of the children for being great models for Catherine and the PA!
The Official Start to the 1916 celebrations
Thursday 5th of November was a very special day in Conna School. We welcomed two members of the army to our school. Sergeant Pierce O'Regan and Trooper Trevor Clancy presented us with the Irish flag and a copy of The Proclamation. This marked the beginning of the celebrations to commemorate the 1916 Rising. All our pupils, staff, parents and members of the Board of Management gathered in our school hall for the occasion. All the pupils had been involved in decorating our hall beautifully for the day. We sang our National Anthem, Amhran na bhFiann as part of the ceremony and listened as the Proclamation was read.
We are looking forward to more celebrations to mark the 1916 Rising during this school year.
Halloween Dress Up Day
On Friday, 23rd of October, all of the pupils came to school in fancy dress or in their favourite jersey for the day. The children put great effort into their costumes and we were very happy to be able to raise money for Down Syndrome Cork on the day. Well done to everyone on such a great effort and thanks to all who contributed to a great cause.
Ceist agus ceili
The sixth class were invited into Colaiste an Chraoibhin in Fermoy on Thursday 22nd of October for a ceist agus ceili session. This event was organised by their Transition Year students. It involved a table quiz and the students also taught our pupils two dances, which they had great fun performing! We had four teams taking part in the quiz and were thrilled that one of our teams won it. Well done to all our pupils for taking part and congratulations to the winning team of Aideen Bolger, Darragh Galvin, Hannah Kenneally and Jack Nelligan.
Learning about spider monkeys and lemurs!
We were delighted to welcome back our past pupil, Holly English, to the school. Holly recently completed a zoology degree in Trinity College Dublin. She came in to tell us all about two of her research trips. She told us all about studying the habits of spider monkeys in Mexico and about her most recent trip studying lemurs in Madagascar. Thanks very much to Holly for giving a wonderful, informative account of her trips to all the children in the school.
Orla and Finola pay a visit with the O'Duffy Cup
On Monday, 28th of September, we were delighted to welcome Orla Cotter and Finola Neville with the O'Duffy Cup to our school. Orla played a key role in Cork's All-Ireland camogie win recently and was awarded the Player of the Match award. Finola is also a member of the winning team. Congratulations to the girls and the team on their wonderful success.
Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons have begun for all children from 2nd to 6th class in Youghal every Wednesday. These lessons will continue until Halloween.
Cross Country Running
Well done to all the children from Conna School who took part in the East Cork Cross Country Running Competition on Friday, 25th of September. Congratulations to Senan O'Reilly (2nd class), Leila O'Reilly (4th class) and Gearóid O'Brien (5th class) who won medals on the day.
A great win for our hurlers at St.Colman's Blitz
On Thursday, 17th of September, our hurling team, made up of boys and girls from 5th and 6th class, took part in St.Colman's Hurling Blitz. Firstly, we were delighted to win first place in our group, which earned us a place in the semi-final. After a hard fought battle in the semi-final, we came out on top and found ourselves in the final against our neighbours Ballynoe! After an incredibly close match, we were thrilled to emerge as the winners! Well done to both teams on an outstanding display of hurling and teamwork.
Heartiest congratulations to our team, who we are so proud of! It was a great start to the school year!
New Pupils 2015
A very warm welcome to Conna School to Aaron, Alex, Ali, Aoife, Billy, Caylem, Cillian, Emma, Ethan, Jack, Joel, Julia, Layla, Lucy, Nathan, Noah, Patrick, Ronan, Tomás, Uma and William, our new Junior Infants. Welcome also to our other new pupils Titus, Sara, Saule, Saorla, Tymek, Ronan, Leah, Éabha and Vanesa.
Our School Garden
There has been lots of activity in our school garden this year. Herbs, like parsley, thyme, coriander and dill were all grown from seed with success. Flowers including nasturtium, wallflower, lobelia, sunflowers and marigolds were grown. Potatoes, onions, lettuce and rocket were also grown. Well done to all involved on their hard work. This hard work was commended at an awards ceremony held in Cork on Wednesday 24th June. We are very proud to have received an award from the Cork County Council for the garden.
Green Schools Action Day
On Thursday, 4th of June, all the children in the school were busy cleaning and tidying as part of the Green Schools Action Day. This was carried out in conjunction with the Conna Tidy Towns Committee. Each class group took responsibility for cleaning and tidying a different area of the school. The yard, the classrooms and the school garden were all looked after. The older children went further afield and got involved in tidying up Conna Village with members of the Tidy Towns Committee. Well done to our Green Schools Committee and thanks to the Conna Tidy Towns Committee for getting involved and helping us out.
Art Competition winners
Congratulations to Lexi Cunneen (1st class), Sara-Mai Clancy (5th class) and Niamh Spillane (6th class) who were chosen as the winners of the art competition which was run by the Animal Roadshow. Well done girls on such beautiful artwork!
Farewell 6th Class 2015
On Tuesday, 23rd of June, we celebrated our end of year mass for 6th class in our school hall. The night was a beautiful celebration for the children and their families. We wish Chloe, Ciarán, David, Ionela, Ivan, James, Josh, Kevin, Laura, Meghan, Natasha, Sarah and Tom every happiness in secondary school and always.
School Tours 2015
There were three school tours this year and all tours were exciting and enjoyable days for all involved. The classes from Junior Infants to second class spent a very enjoyable day in Rumley's Open Farm. Third and fourth class enjoyed an action packed day in Trabolgan Activity Centre. Fifth and sixth travelled to Dunmore East Activity Centre and thoroughly enjoyed a busy day of outdoor pursuits there.
Cork City Sports 2015
On Wednesday, 10th June, in the grounds of a sunny CIT, over thirty children from Conna School took part in Cork City Sports.
The boys were competing in the morning and after great displays of athleticism, well done to the following boys who emerged victorious; James Kenneally (2nd), Gearoid O' Brien (3rd), David Mc Donnell (2nd) and Jack Murphy (1st). The relay teams were up next and also brought home prizes. The relay team of Kevin Barry, David Mc Donnell, James Hayes and Tom Hartnett were delighted to gain the second place spot! Well done boys.
The girls took to the track in the afternoon and after more fantastic performances well done to the following prize winners; Chloe Draper (3rd) and Meghan Carr (1st). This earned Meghan a place in the quarter finals and after further success a place in the final. Meghan ran an incredibly close race and emerged in second place. This is a great achievement Meghan, well done!
There was more success for our girls when the relay teams took to the track, with both of the teams having success. Well done to Laura Mellerick, Sarah Norman, Meghan Carr and Natasha Ahearne who came in second place and to Sophie Walsh, Hannah Kenneally, Leila O' Reilly and Lucy Barry who came in third place.
Well done to all our competitors who did themselves, their families and their school proud.
5th and 6th Class - Engineering Talk
On Wednesday, 3rd of June, the children in 5th and 6th class were given a talk by Brian Mulcahy, Engineering Ireland, about his work as an engineer. The purpose of the talk was to create an awareness of the work engineers do and to see all the examples of engineering in the world around us. The children really enjoyed the talk and the experiments Brian carried out with them. Thanks to Brian for such an informative and enjoyable talk!
Sciath na Scol hurling 2015
The boys and girls from 4th, 5th and 6th class were busy since midterm training for this year's Sciath na Scol season. They played four matches and after a number of wins, we were delighted to gain a place in the semi-final.
The semi-final was played on Wednesday, 13th May and after a great display of teamwork and courage from all our players, they were unlucky to be beaten. Well done to all involved, we're very proud of ye!
Scór na bPáistí 2015
Congratulations to Hannah Kenneally (Solo-singing) and Niamh Spillane and co.(Rince Seit) who were runners up in the East Cork Scór na bPáistí final in Watergrasshill on 1st March.
Well done to the following pupils who also competed in the final: Niamh Spillane and co (Rince Foirne),Caoimhe Coughlan (Solo instrumental), Sarah Norman, Tom Hartnett, James Hayes, Ionela Ohrim, Kevin Barry, Darragh Galvin, Shauna Kelleher and Sophie Walsh. (Léiriú), James Hayes, Kevin Barry and Sarah Norman (Quiz)
Well done to all our pupils who competed in Scór na bPáistí this year.
2015 Credit Union Quiz
On Friday, 30th of January, four teams from Conna School took part in the Tallow Area Credit Union Quiz. Two teams from 3rd and 4th class competed in the junior section and two teams from 5th and 6th competed in the senior section. Well done to all the boys and girls who took part.
Congratulations and well done to team of Ciaran O'Brien, William Leamy, Kevin Barry and David McDonnell who came third in the senior section.
Our Grateful Tree
This Christmas, as part of our Health Promoting Schools effort, we decided to ask all of the children to decorate an ornament for our school Christmas tree. Together with their parents, they wrote about something they are grateful for in their lives, and brought the ornament back into school to hang on the tree.
We're very happy with the lovely ornaments that everyone brought back, and very thankful to the parents and children who were involved in creating such a beautifully decorated tree.
Confirmation Retreat
On Friday, 8th May, the boys and girls in 5th and 6th class paid a visit to the monastery in Mount Melleray for their Confirmation Retreat. The children learned from the monks about life in the monastery. The children participated in Mass on the day and they enjoyed lunch in the cafe there and also had time to visit the gift shop. The children really enjoyed this day of preparation for their Confirmation.
Orla Cotter pays a visit with the O'Duffy Cup!
On Monday 29th of September, we were delighted to welcome Orla Cotter, along with the O'Duffy Cup to our school hall. Orla, from Ballynoe, played a key role in the Cork Camogie team's recent All-Ireland success. Orla is a fantastic role-model for all and gave our budding athletes some great advice. Congratulations and well done to Orla and to Finola Neville, another St. Catherine's Club member who was on the Cork panel, on such a wonderful achievement.
Hallowe'en Fancy Dress Day
Well done to all our pupils who dressed up for Hallowe'en and raised funds for the oncology unit in CUH. Thanks to everyone who supported such a worthy cause.
Cross Country Running Competition
On Friday, 26th of September, over twenty children from Conna School took part in the East Cork Cross Country Running Competition.
It was a great achievement for two of our pupils to win medals on the day. Congratulations to Laura Mellerick and Meghan Carr who came second in their respective categories. Well done girls!
Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons took place in Youghal every Wednesday for all pupils from 1st to 6th class for five weeks during September and October
Victory for our hurlers at St. Colman's Blitz
Congratulations to the twelve boys in 5th and 6th class who played in and won the St. Colman's Hurling Blitz on 9th of September. The boys played and won four matches before emerging as overall winners on the day . The boys showed great skill and teamwork throughout the whole day. Well done boys! It's a great start to the year!
Loom 4 Life Charity fundraiser - June 2014
Well done to the children in 6th class who set up the charity Loom 4 Life in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. Twelve boys and girls from 6th class made loom bands and sold them in school and in the local shops in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. In school the children made just over 185 euro! Thanks to all who supported such a wonderful cause. It's a fantastic achievement for all involved. Well done and keep up the good work!
3rd to 6th classes tour to Ballyhass Lakes
The children from 3rd to 6th class enjoyed an action packed day in Ballyhass Lakes on Wednesday, 4th June. The children took part in a range of outdoor activities including kayaking, raft building, rock climbing and other climbing activities. We were very lucky with the weather on the day and a great day was had by all!
Cork City Sports 2014
Well done to all the boys and girls from Conna School who participated in Cork City Sports on Wednesday, 21st May. The girls were competing in the morning this year and all the girls ran very well. Congratulations to Meghan Carr who won her race and Chloe Draper who came third in her race. Meghan went on to come second in the county final which is a great achievement.
Congratulations also to the under 11 relay team who won their race in great style. This team was made up of Meghan Carr, Chloe Kearney, Tatiana Ohrim and Chloe Draper.
The boys competed in the afternoon and all ran great races. Congratulations to the following boys who won prizes in their individual races: Jack Murphy (2nd), Tom Hartnett (2nd) and Darrragh Morrison (3rd). The under 11 relay team (Tom Hartnett, William Leamy, Jack Murphy and Gearoid O'Brien) came third in their race!
Well done to all involved!
Caterpillar Life Cycle
At the moment we have 5 caterpillars in the Junior Infant classroom. Over the next few weeks we’ll be watching the stages of their life cycle, and if we’re really lucky we’ll get to see the change from caterpillar through to butterfly. We’ll be on the lookout for different types of butterfly outside too, so you can help out with this at home if you can.
Update, 23rd May:
Our caterpillars are now all in their chrysalides and we have transferred them from their cup into the butterfly net, where they will hatch out when ready.
Update 6th June:
We now have four beautiful painted ladies in our butterfly net. Unfortunately one of the chrysalides is not showing any signs of movement so we don't think it will hatch out.
Hope receives Dear Grace award
On Tuesday, 29th April, we gathered in our school hall to celebrate Hope Leahy-Dingivan's prize winning in the Dear Grace letter writing competition. Hope was presented with her prizes by a representative from the Grace Nolan Foundation. Congratulations and well done Hope. We're very proud of you!
Well done to Jessica O'Donoghue and Darragh Broderick who also have had their letters published and to Brendan McKee who had an extract from his letter published in this book.
Adam wins an All-Ireland boxing title
Congratulations to Adam O'Brien, 6th class, who won an All-Ireland boxing title at the end of April. This is a fantastic achievement. Well done Adam! All at Conna School are very proud of you.
Easter Raffle
Holly English, a past pupil of Conna School, and currently a student of Zoology at Trinity College, Dublin, recently got the opportunity to sign up for a research project in Mexico. Holly and her colleagues will be studying spider monkeys in their native habitat.
We held a raffle at Easter to support the research carried out in Mexico. Well done to all in Conna School who supported the raffle.
Holly visited us shortly before the holidays and gave all classes a very informative presentation on research she has carried out to date and what she will be working on in Mexico. We learned a lot from Holly and were delighted to welcome her back to school. Thanks to Holly and best wishes in your work over the summer. We look forward to having you back in Conna School next year.
Boxing success for our pupils
Well done to Ivan Ohrim, 5th Class and Adam O'Brien, 6th Class, who recently contested the Munster boxing finals.
Congratulations to Adam on winning the final and best wishes to him as he progresses to the All-Ireland finals over Easter.
It is great to see our pupils doing so well and succeeding at a very high standard of competition. Keep up the good work boys!
Scór na bPáistí 2014
Congratulations and well done to Jenna Pelly, who won the East Cork final in the Ceol Aonair competition of Scór na bPáistí 2014.
Well done to these children from Conna School who also performed in the East Cork final and performed to a very high standard.
James (Solo instrumental), Anna H, Katie, Jenna, Aideen and Karina (Ballad group) Hannah(Solo singing), Aine, Hope, Kira, James, Barry, Jennifer, Emily and Brendan (Novelty act), and Barry, Eoin and Kevin (Quiz)
Well done to the many boys and girls from Conna School who competed in Scór na bPáistí this year.
Quiz Teams 2014
Credit Union Quiz: Well done to the four teams from Conna School who took part in the Credit Union Quiz in Tallow on Monday 3rd of February. Two of our teams won prizes on the night. Well done to Tom Hartnett, William Leamy, Darragh Galvin and Shane Dillon who came second in the junior section. In the senior section, Eoin McCready, Aine Feeney, Dean Curtin and Kevin Barry claimed the third place spot.Well done to all involved.Castlelyons: Well done to Ciaran O'Brien, Tom Hartnett, James Hayes and David McDonnell, fifth class, who won prizes for coming in fourth place at a quiz in Castlelyons on February 7th.
Conna: Well done to Darragh Galvin, William Leamy, Harry Draper and Jack Nelligan who came second in the quiz hosted by the Conna Parents Association on Friday, March 7th.
Congratulations to all the prize winners! It's great to see so much interest in quizzes in our school. Keep up the good work!
Catholic Schools Week 2014
On Sunday, 2nd February, the children, parents and staff of Conna School, took part in the 11.30 Mass in Conna as part of Catholic Schools Week.
The children participated fully in the liturgy by reading, singing, acting out the gospel and altar serving. The children also had the church beautifully decorated with art work. Well done to all who participated to make the mass so meaningful.
Christmas concerts 2013
Well done to all the pupils from fourth, fifth and sixth classes who entertained so many people with their beautiful singing at Christmas.
The fourth and fifth class children entertained the residents of the Conna Nursing and Convalescent Home. The fifth and sixth class pupils sang at the Parents Association coffee morning in Conna Hall and the sixth class sang at the carol service in Aghern. Well done to all involved.
Hallowe'en Fancy Dress Day
On Friday 25th of October, all children dressed up or wore their favourite jersey to school. Each year we use this day as a fundraiser for different charities. This year the funds raised will go towards cancer patients in CUH.
We were treated to a wonderful display of costumes on the day and are delighted to have raised over 430 euro for such a worthy cause. Well done and thanks to all involved.
Prizes for Jessica,Darragh and Hope in the Dear Grace Letter writing competition!
Congratulations to Jessica O'Donoghue and Darragh Broderick, (6th Class 2012/13), on being chosen as prizewinners in the Dear Grace Letter Writing competition. Jessica's letter was selected as a winner, while Darragh's was chosen for a runner up prize.
In October 2013 we were thrilled to find out we had another winner in this competition. Hope Leahy-Dingivan was also chosen as a winner! Congratulations and well done Hope!
This is a fantastic achievement and we are very proud of Jessica, Darragh and Hope!
Conna School has had great success in the past in this competition, so we are delighted to add three more names to that list.
Rob Heffernan pays a visit Conna School!
Conna School was buzzing with excitement recently in anticipation of a visit from world champion, Rob Heffernan. We were absolutely thrilled to welcome Rob to our school. Rob spent time talking to all the children and showed us his gold medal, which he won in Moscow over the summer. Many thanks to Rob and his family for taking the time to visit us. Congrats Rob on such a great win from all at Conna School.
Primary Schools Cross Country Running Competition
On Friday 27th of September, twenty six boys and girls from Conna School took part in the primary schools cross country competition. It was great to see so many of our pupils taking part. Well done to all.
Congratulations to four of our students, Ciarán, Meghan, Leila and Sarah, who won medals on the day!
Great win for our hurlers at St. Colman's Blitz!
On Thursday 26th of September, fourteen boys and girls from 5th and 6th class took part in St. Colman's Hurling Blitz. The team played incredibly well and displayed great teamwork. They played six matches before emerging as overall winners on the day. This is a fantastic achievement and we are really proud of the team. Congratulations and well done to all involved!
New pupils 2013
Welcome to all of our new pupils this year. There are 20 new Junior Infants in our school. We're looking forward to getting to know Ben, Casper, Charlie, Charlotte, Ciara, Conan, Dawn, Eoghan, Hollie, Isabelle, James, Jordan, Kate, Klara, Leo, Lexi, Matthew, Niamh, Shay and Steven.
Good luck to all of our past pupils who have started 1st year in Fermoy and Lismore this year. Go n-eirí an bóthar libh.
Swimming Lessons
Swimming lessons took place in the pool in Youghal for all pupils from 1st to 6th class. The six lessons took place in September and October.
Primary Games 2013
Congratulations and well done to Laura Hayes, 6th Class, who was chosen to play camogie for Cork in the Primary Games this year. Laura played in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, on Munster Final Day, July 14th. Laura played a great part in this game, which Cork went on to win! Well done Laura and the very best of luck for the future!
Our School Garden
We have an abundance of produce in our school garden. The window boxes and flower beds contain plants that have been grown at school: stock, cornflower and nasturtium.
Lettuce, rocket, radish, basil and spinach have been harvested and used in a tasty salad which pupils helped prepare and eat!
The potatoes have grown quite well, and we await their harvest. The strawberry patch is of great interest and the peas are doing quite well too.
Double header for Conna School at the Sciath na Scol Finals!
For the second year in a row, our hurling and camogie teams qualified for the Sciath na Scol finals. There was great excitement around Conna School in the lead up to the finals, which were held in Páirc Uí Rinn on Tuesday 28th May. Pupils from junior infants up to sixth class travelled to Páirc Uí Rinn for the finals. The girls played their match first and after an incredible display of hurling and team work went on to the win the cup! Congratulations girls!
The boys played shortly after and despite a hard fight were unlucky to be beaten. Hard luck boys.
Well done to both teams on a great Sciath na Scol season.
Hurling Blitz
On Wednesday 20th March pupils in second and third class attended a nine a side hurling blitz in Rathcormac GAA pitch. We played teams from Rathcormac, Fermoy and Watergrasshill. Each game was ten minutes a side. The emphasis was on fun and participation. All the children played well and really enjoyed themselves on the day. We have quite a few players to watch out for in the future! Our team features on the Rebel Óg website:
www.rebelog.ie/news/226511/Blitz_s_galore_with_Coiste_Oilliuna
Quiz Teams 2013
Tallow Area Credit Union Quiz: On Friday, 1st of February, four teams from Conna School took part in this quiz. In the junior category, the team of Jennifer Galvin, Anna Hurley, Dean Curtin and Ciaran O'Brien came in second place. In the senior category, the team of Cormac Galvin, Shane Kelleher, Robert English and Barry Lucey came in third place.
Conna Quiz: On Friday, 8th of March, the Parents Association of Conna NS hosted a quiz in Conna Hall. There was a huge entry on the night in both the junior and senior quizzes with a great number of children from Conna School taking part.
In the senior quiz, the Conna team made up of Barry Lucey, Eoin Mc Cready, James Clancy and Jennifer Galvin came in second place.
In the junior quiz, the team of Kevin Barry, James Hayes, Meghan Carr and David McDonnell came in third place.
Scór na bPáistí
Congratulations to the ballad group (Caitlin, Caoimhe, Sara, Hope and Áine), who are now county champions following their victory at the Scór na bPáistí County Final in Ovens on March 24th. Well done girls! We're very proud of ye!
Scór na bPáistí began in Ballynoe on January 24th. A huge number of children from Conna school performed on the night. Many of the children progressed from that night to the East Cork quarter finals and from there we were delighted to have seven acts in the East Cork final on the 1st March in Watergrasshill. They were Jennifer Galvin, Anna McCarthy, Caoimhe Galvin and Ionela Ohrim - Figure Dancing, Caitlin Jackson - Solo singing, James Clancy - Solo instrumental, Novelty act 'Scór in the classroom' - Orla Mulcahy, Cormac Galvin, Philip Keane, Aoife Hurley, Jessica O' Donoghue, James Clancy, Emily Tanner and Aine Feeney, Ballad group - Caitlin Jackson, Sara Barry, Caoimhe Galvin, Hope Leahy and Aine Feeney, Aoife Hurley - Recitation and a quiz team made up of Cormac Galvin, Orla Mulcahy and Caoimhe Galvin.
The ballad group emerged victorious on the night while Caitlin Jackson and James Clancy both received runners up prizes.
Congratulations to the prize winners and well done to all who took part in Scór this year.
Contgratulations to the Scór na nÓg Ballad Group of Fiona Leamy, Mary Galvin, Katie Norman, Emma Spillane and Ciara McCarthy, all of whom are past pupils of Conna N.S. Their group won the county final recently. They have been chosen to feature in a new TG4 programme called Scór Encore.
Art Exhibition
The official opening of our Art Exhibition Celebrate Colour took place in the school on Wednesday 30th January.
The exhibition was open to the public on Monday 4th February and we were delighted to have so many people come to the school to admire the beautiful artwork. The exhibition consisted of up to 400 pieces of artwork created by the pupils under the guidance of Artist in Residence, Rita Scannell.
Many thanks to the parents whose help was invaluable during the project.
Open Night 2013
Thank you to everybody who came to our Open Night for new pupils on the 21st February. We were delighted to see all the new faces, and some familiar ones too!
Please return all enrolment forms as soon as possible. If you are waiting on a Baptismal certificate, you can send back the enrolment form and drop in the certificate when you receive it.
Stay Safe
The Stay Safe programme was taught in all classes over February and March. For more details you can visit
http://www.staysafe.ie/
Primary Postcards Exhibition 2012
Last year, our 5th and 6th class pupils were invited to take part in an art workshop in Lismore Castle. Following this, the children were invited to design and create their own postcard. Fourteen postcards were selected for an exhibition in Lismore Castle. The exhibition was held on Saturday, October 20th. It was wonderful for the children to have their work framed and displayed at the exhibition. Well done to Darragh, Sara, Orla, Laura, Shane K, Meghan, Katie, Philip, Caoimhe, Aaron, Caitlin, Alexandra, Naoimh and Shane O'C. Thanks to all at Lismore Castle for giving the children such a wonderful opportunity!
Victory for Conna School at the St. Colman's Hurling Blitz!
On Thursday, 27th of September, thirteen boys and girls from 5th and 6th class took part in the St. Colman's Hurling Blitz. The children had a very successful day and played really well. We were delighted to see them win their matches and emerge as the overall winners on the day!
Congratulations and well done to all involved!
Double header for Conna School at the Sciath na Scol finals!
On 30th May 2012, our hurling and camogie teams took part in the Sciath na Scol finals. The girls were on first and fought very hard but were beaten. Hard luck girls. The girls showed great courage throughout and they are undoubtedly a very promising team for the future.
The boys came out on top in their match after a great display of hurling from both sides and we were delighted to see Conna School receive the cup at the end of the day. Well done boys!
Victory for Conna School at Cork City Sports 2012
On the 19th of May, schools from all over Cork city and county competed in the annual Cork City Sports event. These races for primary school children are held once annually and showcases a very high standard of runners from schools across Cork. Conna school was very well represented by girls and boys from senior infants to 6th class who ran great races representing our school.
The following girls achieved individual medals in their respective age categories: Aoife Hurley (3rd), Meghan Draper (2nd), Sara Barry (1st), Katie Fickweiler (2nd) and Meghan Carr-O’Reilly (1st). A big congratulations to both the over 11’s and under 11’s girls’ relay teams who ran in great style to win gold on the double!
The following boys achieved individual medals in their respective age categories: Richard Galvin (2nd), Ciarán O’Brien (2nd), Jack Murphy (1st), Shane Dillon (2nd), Tom Hartnett (3rd) and Robert English (3rd). Well done also to both the over 11’s and under 11’s boys’ relay teams who did us proud on the day.
Fermoy Swimming Gala Friday 30th March 2012
A Swimming Gala was recently hosted by Fermoy Swimming Club and sponsored by Fermoy Credit Union. Local schools were invited to take part in the one-day fun event. Races were timed and medals were awarded to children who achieved the 1st, 2nd or 3rd fastest time in their age category. We would like to thank Matthew Valentine, Caitlin Jackson, Áine Feeney, Jennifer Galvin, Anna Hurley, Katie Fickweiler, Aideen Bolger and Emily Tanner who represented Conna School excellently at the gala. We are very proud of them. Special congratulations to Emily Tanner who won a bronze medal, Anna Hurley who won a gold medal and Katie Fickweiler who won three gold medals on the day!!
Quiz Teams 2012
Conna Quiz: On Friday, 2nd of March, the Conna Parents' Association held an inter-schools quiz in Conna hall. Two quizzes were held, one for 5th and 6th classes and the other for 3rd and 4th classes. The quiz was very well attended and a big number of Conna teams took part.
In the junior section, the team of Brendan McKee, Tyler Keating, Oisin Morrison and Eoin McCready came in third place.
In the senior quiz, the team of Richard Galvin, Eoin Davis, Darren Leamy and Aaron Long came in first place.
Well done to all who took part and congratulations to the prize winners.
Castlelyons Quiz: A number of teams from Conna School took part in an inter-schools quiz held in Castlelyons on Friday 24th of February. Congratulations to Eoin Davis, Aaron Long, Shane Kelleher and Robert English who came third.
Credit Union Quiz: Well done to the six teams from Conna School who took part in the Credit Union Quiz, in Tallow, on February 3rd. Congratulations to the two teams that came home with prizes. Kieran English, Naoimh Lomasney, Richard Galvin and Barry Lucey came in 3rd place in the senior section. While in the junior section, Matthew Valentine, Sara Barry, Kevin Barry and Eoin Mc Cready also came in 3rd place.
Doodle 4 Google Art Competition
Congratulations to Holly Cunneen, second class, on being selected as a finalist in the Doodle 4 Google 'I wish...' art competition. Along with 75 other boys and girls from all over the country, Holly attended a prize-giving event in the Google office in Dublin on Monday, March 12th. Well done Holly.
Food Dudes!
We were very lucky to be invited to join the Food Dudes in their fight against General Junk. We all got to try healthy lunch ideas like carrots, turnip, apples, cucumber and more. Everyone still has the chance to win Food Dudes prizes just by bringing in fruit and vegetables for lunch! http://www.fooddudes.ie/
