The weather certainly did its best to banish any 'back to school' blues as the new academic year got off to a sunshine bathed start this week. The new cohort of 150 first years were in on Monday with all year groups up and running by Wednesday. The weeks will as ever, roll on relentlessly now and it is important that all students get on board right from the start.

The Leaving Cert. Applied classes went to Dunmore East Outdoor Education centre for an action packed day of kayaking, rock climbing and other such pursuits. This will hopefully help develop a good group ethic which will help them get the most from their programme this year.

Best wishes to 3rd year student, Luke Fitzgibbon, who is representing Irish schools in the British schools swimming championships this weekend. Luke is well used to competing on the big stage now having competed at national and international level on many occasions.

With so many Kilkenny boys among the student population, the All Ireland hurling final is an obvious focus of much banter this week. No doubt our secretary Joan will be letting us hear all about the 5-in-a -row if that particular feat is achieved. There could be some sombre scenes, however,  should the curiously popular Tipp men halt the 'drive'.
We wish our own past pupl, Ger Aylward, the best of luck in the minor final. Ger lines out at corner forward from where the powerful Glenmore man was leading scorer in the semi final victory over Galway.  Continue Reading...

The new school year is under way with a staff planning day held on Friday. The students return from Monday when the new 1st year group will start life in second level education. Hopefully a successful and productive year lies ahead for all in the college.

Quite a lot of work has taken place over the summer months, and continues, with new lockers, I.T. facilities and shelving being installed while much of the main school building has been given a fresh coat of paint. The building of the new toilet block will begin next week but will cause little disruption to the daily life of the school.
 
The Leaving Cert. class of 2010 held their 'Debs' in the Ferrycarrig Hotel on Wednesday night. Well done to those prefects, who with plenty of help from Mr. Younger, organised the event so efficiently. The long held aversion to the wearing of a tie has clearly been overcome as the boys were all very dashing, matched only by the elegance of their partners for the evening.
 Good luck to all of them. Continue Reading...

The Leaving Certificate results dominated the educational headlines this week and our 6th year students of 2010 collected their results on Wednesday morning from 10am. Emotions of relief and joy dominated while there were the few inevitable disappointments where perhaps a few extra points were needed. There were a great many outstanding results, up to and including 600 points, but rather than trumpet those let us instead wish all the boys who made up the 2010 leaving Cert. class the very best for the future. 

We have added an extra dimension to the school website with a link to a Flickr page dedicated to Good Counsel College pictures. We hope this will allow us to upload more images of events around the school and indeed some images from the past also. A big debt of thanks to Richard O'Neill of Mr. Pixel for all his help with this development and indeed with designing and constructing this website.  
 
Congratulations to local girl Grainne Murphy on her outstanding achievement in winning silver at the European Swimming championships. Her father, Brendan, is a past pupil of the school as are her uncles while first cousins, Coughlans and Bardens are current students.

Soccer legends, Packie Bonner and John Aldridge, along with FAI chief, John Delaney, were on the school campus on Wednesday evening as guests of the New Ross Town soccer club who use of the college's facilities of which the visitors were highly complimentary. They took a particular interest also in the signed Kevin Doyle jersey on display and were also interested to learn that the chief advisor on the playing surface in the new Aviva Stadium, Richard Hayden, is a past pupil.

Next Friday, the new year kicks off once again with a staff planning day. On Monday, 30th, the new cohort of first years will begin the journey through second level education here in GCC. We wish them well. Continue Reading...

Only a few weeks to the start of the new school year. Before that, of course, is the important matter of Leaving Certificate results which will be issued on Wednesday next, August 18th. Students can access these online on the SEC website  using their PIN numbers or, and we encourage them to do so, they may collect them in person here at the school from 10am. There will be members of staff present to offer advice, support, encouragement as required. Hopefully the day will bring good news for all of the Leaving Certificate class, 2010.

Registration days for all students take place on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of next week as parents will already have beeen notified. Timetables, class lists and student journals can be collected on these days when registering.

August is always a time for some running repairs to the school fabric and as usual there are tradesmen busy painting, installing, rewiring etc. all in an effort to get the work done before the students return on August, 30th.

I might bring to your attention a brief article about a past pupil of the school, Dr. William P. Howlett which is included in the Past Pupils News section of this website. Continue Reading...

With the State exams coming to an end last Friday, a temporary calm has descended on the campus in advance of the various summer schools and sports camps due to take place in the school grounds. The sense of relief was palpaple as students left the exam halls for the last time last week. They can now enjoy a well earned rest and will hopefully relax before the results are issued in the Autumn. For Leaving Cert students the day is Wednesday, August, 18th and until then there is nothing to be done but to leave it behind and enjoy the break.

on Saturday night last, the Leinster U-14 A Football champions were presented with their medals at a function held in the college dining hall. Fr. Hennebry welcomed all the boys and their parents while team mentors Kevin Kehoe, Leigh O'Brien and Declan Wall introduced each player as he collected his medal. The team's feats were recalled anecdotally and through a photographic slide show.
5 students who each achieved international caps during the course of the year were also presented with awards in recognition of their outstanding achievement. Tadhg Furlong, Jack Allen, Nicholas Murphy, Jack Murphy and Luke Fitzgibbon represented Ireland in Rugby, Gymnastics, Badminton, Showjumping and Swimming respectively. To have 5 international athletes in 5 different disciplines attending the school at the same time is an incredible honour. We wish them all continued success.

Stop press! Make that 6, 6 internationals!  Eoin Power, 3CN, having won gold in the under 15, 100m hurdles in the Tailteann Games on Saturday last was today confirmed on the Irish Schools' team to compete in an international event in Scotland on July 17th. Well done to Eoin on his national title, achieved in a time of 13.7 seconds, a personal best, and best wishes to him in the Scottish event.

The Schools' Inspectorate at The Department of Education and Skills has  recently published its subject report into the provision of Physical Education in Good Counsel College and this can be accessed on the Department's website, 
http://www.education.ie/insreports/school_inspection_report_listing.htm.
The report is very complimentary of the work being done in the school and its findings and recommendations are very much welcomed.

And finally, as occasional mention has been made here during the year of Fr. Michael's horticultural enterprise in conjunction with the Transition Year students, we bring you evidence of fruits of those labours. The potato crop promises a bumper yield, while the lettuce, onions and cabbage have already met with the approval of several culinary experts. There will be no need for the famine ship, the Dunbrody, to set sail from the quay of New Ross for some time yet -  the harvest is plenty.


 Continue Reading...

School's out for summer! For some at least. While for the majority of students the schoolbag  gets flung under the stairs and the uniform gets buried at the back of the hot press, those sitting the state exams have a few intense weeks ahead when all that knowledge stuffed into tired brains over the past months will be drained onto the pages of the exam answer booklets. The very best of luck to all of them.

During the past week, the non exam classes sat their summer exams -  forgive the paradox - finishing on Friday before slouching sadly down the avenue to near 3 months of abstinence from school, homework and study. It isn't easy; the withdrawal symptoms can be excruciating, but you won't feel it until September comes.

It has been, as ever, a year packed with activities, educational, cultural and sporting. A trawl back through the archived newsletters on this site provides a reminder of all that took place. There were Australian visitors, Good Counsel's got Talent, an Augustinian schools' Rugby tournament, a wonderful production of Les Miserables, a Christmas reunion, an U-14 Leinster A football title, a visit from the Minister, YSI success, hosting the Hunter Trials, parents' council barbeque to name only a few. This in addition to the classroom work taking place every day, It is easy to forget just how much takes place in the school over the course of the year and our thans go to all who put in so much effort.

Congratulations to Mark Kent who won an art competition to design a new logo for the Wexford Meitheal Alliance. His design will now be used on Meitheal Alliance materials and stationery and for his trouble receives the very nice prize of an ipod touch.

Last week we mentioned that the 1st year hurlers travelled to St Flannans College in Ennis for a hurling tournament which they won. Pictured below are twins Adam and Aaron Diskin, stars of the team, receiving the cup from Clare legend and St Flannans teacher, Jamsie O'Connor.


And finally, congratulations to Leigh O'Brien and his wife Annette on the birth of their son , Liam , over the weekend. Long years of health and happiness.

Enjoy the holidays! Continue Reading...

On Wednesday night last the annual 6th year Graduation Mass took place in the school sports hall which had been beautifully decorated for the occassion by the R.E. teachers with help from the 6th year students.
A crowd of over 500 attended the ceremony with Fr Hennebry celebrating mass with input from students, parents and teachers.  A particular highlight was the music povided by the boys under the guidance of Ms. O'Reilly.
Before the final blessing, all 148 students were called forward to individually receive a certificate of completion, a token of recognition of the contribution each student made to the life of the school.
The annual Bob Quinn Memorial Cup for student of the year was presented to Eoghan Curran by the late Mr. Quinn's wife Bridget. Other awards presented on the night were Sportsman of the Year to Matthew O'Hanlon, Footballer of the year to David Crowdle, Hurler of the Year to Alan Nolan and the Ryan Family Cup for Rugby player of the year to Fionn Healy - Magwa.
Refreshments were served in the school dining hall after the event. 


Group of Parents cooking up barbeque on Friday last.

On Friday last the parents' council served up a hefty barbeque for all 6th year students and college staff. It is always a hugely popular event and the aromas wafting across the college campus tempted other non 6th year students to 'chance their arm'. Security was tight however and there were no reported breaches despite some creative efforts. The time put into this and other initiatives is greatly appreciated by the school and adds a very positive dimension to the life of the school.

6th years enjoying the barbeque.

On Thursday night colleagues, past and present, friends and family of the late Tom Walsh gathered in the school church to remember a man who made such a huge contribution to Good Counsel in his many years of teaching. It was a poignant occassion as coming to the end of the school year we recalled the many memories of Tom the educator, coach and all round gentleman who at the beginning of this year was a member of staff. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam. Continue Reading...

Karen O'Shea of the charity Goal visited the school on Tuesday to meet in person the senior prefects who raised 2,500 euro for the Goal Haiti appeal by holding the 'Good Counsel's got Talent ' show earlier in the year. Met by head prefect, Sam Harte, Karen got a look around the school and had a cup of tea with all the prefects as she outlined the nature of some of Goal's work in the island left in such ruin by the huge earthquake. She also paid thanks to Mr McGinley who had raised a further 500 euro for the charity through another initiative.


On Thursday, 1st,2nd and 5th years took part in the school sports day. on a beautiful day, the playing fields and astro turf pitches were a hive of activity as a huge range of events, both competitive and novelty, to suit all interests and abilities took place. a particular favourite was the inter class tug of war competition. With bragging rights at stake every sinew was stretched in the pursuit of glory. 

2CN, winners odf the 2nd year tug of war, taking the strain.
Many thanks to the P.E./Games teachers, Messrs Kehoe,Walsh,O'Brien and Wall, who put enormous time and effort into organising the event and to all teachers who helped out. Thanks also to the TY students who co ordinated many of the activities and recorded times and scores. (more pictures in 'Sports Gallery') 
Mention must also be made of the post school soccer game which saw the teachers retain a long unbeaten record against the TY students who despite putting up an excellent performance themselves, had to give best ultimately to a superior side. Although the game was eventually decided on penalties, the teachers were always in control and when it came to the shoot out the extra quality of their finishing proved decisive.
 Indeed, were it not for a series of highly questionable refereeing decisions going against the teachers, this game could well have been over as a contest early in the second half as wave after wave of attack was denied reward. The contrast in styles was marked as the teachers passed and moved, committed to entertaining, attacking football while the students 'parked the bus' in front of their goalmouth, but given the gulf in class, this was probobly their best and only means of thwarting their more gifted opponents.
In fairness, the TY students lost little in defeat and in fact surprised many by giving the teachers as significant a challenge as they did. In truth, however, it was a case of men against boys and there was only ever going to be one winner.

The Dream Team.

Two 5th year students, Thomas Aylward and Jeff Barry, are this week in Lourdes as helpers with the Ferns diocesean pilgrimage. We have no doubt they will enjoy the experience and do the school proud also.

On Wednesday night next we celebrate the annual Graduation mass and as ever a huge amount of work has been put into this by the R.E. teachers and many of the 6th year students themselves. One group of boys have been devoting much of their breaktime to practising the music for the evening and by all accounts it will be well worth hearing.

The annual Parents' Council 6th year students barbeque takes place next Friday. This is an annual event which is always much anticipated by the 6th year boys as they are treated to a wonderful 'spread' by the parents who not only fund the event but provide all the culinary manpower on the day. Lets hope the weather is as good next Friday as this. Continue Reading...

The past few weeks have been particularly busy for the 'exam' classes as deadlines for projects and reports close in addition to oral examinations taking place. The 6th year Agricultural Science students had their interviews on Friday last and so another small piece of the assessment jigsaw is in place. The LCA group also completed their Active Leisure Studies practical examination and can look forward to Spanish orals in the coming week. Buena Suerte!
The Art and Technology rooms are laden with artefacts currently, testimony to the industry of both departments. One eyecatching piece, modelled from clay is pictured below.



On the subject of art, congratulations to Stephen Barry, 3rd year, who was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for his entry to the Texaco Childrens' Art competition, a very noteworthy achievement given the extraordinary number of entries for that famous, annual event.

Gathered for the photograph below are 5 students who not only represented their school in sport during the past year, but also had the distinction of representing their country. All very modest young men, they each compete in a different discipline and of course it is a source of great pride for the school to be associated with them and their achievements. continued success to all of them.

 
The internationals: Jack Murphy, Showjumping; Nicholas Murphy, Badminton; Tadhg Furlong, Rugby; Jack Allen, Gymnastics; Luke Fitzgibbom, Swimming.

After a brave performance, the U-14 hurlers lost out by a single point, after extra time, to great rivals St. Kierans College in the Power Cup on Wednesday last. In a thrilling encounter it might be fair to say that home advantage probably shaded it for the Kilkenny side. With the progress this team have made under coaches, Messrs Wall, O'Brien and Moore,  they have much to look forward to in the coming years. Continue Reading...