Academic & Curriculum

A comprehensive window into the classroom frameworks at Davitt College. This category spans our Junior, Senior, and Transition Year programmes, highlighting academic excellence, departmental clusters, and student subject showcases.

Academic & Curriculum, Awards, Core News & Information, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News, Senior Cycle

University College Dublin Academic & Irish Language Scholarships

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🎓 Third Level Achievement • UCD Honours University College Dublin Academic & Irish Language Scholarships 12 December 2016 • UCD Scholarship Awards Ceremony Davitt College, Castlebar, extends its warmest congratulations to our past pupils, Seamus Tiernan and Ruth Tobin, who were recently honored with prestigious academic accolades at University College Dublin (UCD). Seamus Tiernan was awarded the highly sought-after Bord na Gaeilge Scholarship, which recognizes students who demonstrate a passionate commitment to promoting the Irish language and culture within the university community. Additionally, congratulations are in order for Ruth Tobin, who received a UCD High Achiever Award in recognition of her exceptional academic performance. We are incredibly proud to see our graduates thriving and maintaining a high standard of excellence at third level. Well done to both Ruth and Seamus! 🎓☘️🌟👏 Pictured at the official Scholarship Awards ceremony at University College Dublin are Professor Michael L. Doherty (Bord na Gaeilge UCD Chairman), Seamus Tiernan (Scholarship Recipient), Ms. Bernie Rowland (Principal, Davitt College), and Clár Ní Bhuachalla (Scholarship Scheme Coordinator). ×

Academic & Curriculum, Core News & Information, Leaving Cert, Past Pupils, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News, Senior Cycle, STEM

Davitt College Past Pupils Progress to Third-Level Education

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🎓 Class of 2016 • Third-Level Progression Davitt College Past Pupils Progress to Third-Level Education 11 October 2016 • Davitt College Castlebar A number of our exceptional Leaving Certificate students from the Class of 2016 recently dropped back into Davitt College to say their final goodbyes and express their gratitude to management, teachers, and staff for supporting them throughout their six years of post-primary education. These ambitious young men and women are embarking on an exciting new chapter as they begin third-level courses in prestigious universities and training colleges for the 2016/2017 academic year. Our graduates are spreading their wings to all four provinces of Ireland and beyond—with destinations ranging from Trinity College Dublin and University College Cork to NUI Galway and Aberystwyth University in Wales. 🔬 Strong Trend Towards STEM Disciplines Reflecting on the class profile, Davitt College Principal Ms. Bernie Rowland highlighted a significant shift in student academic focuses: “There is definitely a trend towards the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) this year. We offer all four science subjects at Senior Level: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Agricultural Science. There has been a steady increase in the uptake of these subjects over the past two to three years, and this is highly evident when you consider the diverse degree programmes our students are choosing at third level.” — Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal 📚 Class of 2016 Graduate Destinations Pictured at the school presentation (from left to right) are our past pupils alongside faculty: Liam Laffey – B.Sc. in Animal Science, Aberystwyth University, Wales Molly Rowland – B.Sc. in Science, UCD Nasmul Uddin – B.Eng. in Biomedical Engineering, DCU Hannah Duffy – B.A. in Applied Languages, University of Limerick Claire McDonagh – B.A. in Product Design, I.T. Carlow Laura O’Donnell – Disability Studies in Early Childcare and Education, Castlebar College of Further Education Allanah Morris – Bachelor of Music, NUI Maynooth Ms. Bernie Rowland – Principal, Davitt College Norah Conlon – Bachelor of Commerce, UCD Aoife Brody – B.A. in Early Childhood Care, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick Amy Gibbons – Bachelor of Business, GMIT Jade Murphy – B.Sc. in Biomedical Science, NUI Galway Laura Brody – B.Sc. in Genetics & Cell Biology, DCU Ellen Murphy – Bachelor of Science, Trinity College Dublin Ms. Bernie Lennon – Career Guidance Teacher Davitt College Class of 2016 graduates pictured with Principal Ms. Bernie Rowland and Career Guidance Teacher Ms. Bernie Lennon ahead of starting their third-level courses. ×

Academic & Curriculum, Core News & Information, Extra-Curricular, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News, Transition Year

Transition Year Forensic Science Workshop 2016

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🔬 Transition Year • STEM Workshop Transition Year Forensic Science Workshop 2016 6 October 2016 • Science Department Initiative On 6th October 2016, Transition Year students at Davitt College participated in our fourth annual Forensic Science Workshop. The aim of these engaging workshops is to bring classroom science into real-world situations, inspiring more students to continue studying STEM subjects at Third Level. As part of the workshop, students were presented with a realistic crime scenario and tasked with cracking the case wide open. The activities provided our TY students with an exciting opportunity to experience the everyday application of science, combining observation and deductive reasoning with the scientific principles they are currently learning in class. 🕵️‍♂️ Cracking the Case To narrow down their suspect list and match evidence to the culprit, the students moved from station to station utilising advanced forensic techniques, including: Suspect Profiling: Analysing suspect information, including their whereabouts at the time of the crime, their occupations, and potential alibis. Ballistics & GSR: Studying the amount of Gun Shot Residue (GSR) left on the clothing of suspects to trace the weapon used. Fingerprint Matching: Cross-referencing physical evidence found at the scene with the suspects’ records to establish a definitive link. By carefully analysing all the scientific data gathered, the students successfully eliminated false leads to solve the crime. The workshop is just one sample of the incredible showcases the Science Department organises each year, with the BT Young Scientist Competition also forming a pivotal part of the Transition Year programme. A special thank you to Forensic Scientist Ms. Alison Leck from Education Interactive, Sydney, Australia, who expertly facilitated the day. 🔎🔬💡🎓 Pictured at the Forensic Science Workshop are Ms. Pauline Boyle (Biology/Ag. Science), Ms. Martina Kelly (Chemistry/Biology), Mr. Aaron Tonry (Physics), Mrs. Caitriona O’Donnell (Chemistry), Ms. Alison Leck (Forensic Scientist), alongside Transition Year students. ×

Academic & Curriculum, Core News & Information, Junior Cycle, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News, Transition Year

Outstanding Junior Certificate Results at Davitt College

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🎉 Junior Certificate • Academic Success 2016 Outstanding Junior Certificate Results at Davitt College 15 September 2016 Celebrations Across the School Community It was a morning filled with screams of excitement and delight at Davitt College on Wednesday, 15th September 2016, as our students finally received their highly anticipated Junior Certificate results. The outcomes across the board were truly excellent, with the vast majority of our students achieving honours in all of their subjects. Ms. Bernie Rowland, Davitt College Principal, was absolutely thrilled with the outcomes, highlighting the collective effort that goes into such a momentous day: “I am delighted with all of our students’ excellent results in the Junior Certificate. Our students worked very hard throughout the three years leading up to the Junior Certificate Examination, and today they reap the rewards of that hard work. It is a wonderful day and we are very proud of each and every one of them.” “A special word of thanks to all of their dedicated teachers and supportive parents who, collectively, helped today happen.” — Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal While praising their achievements, Ms. Rowland also warmly encouraged the students to enjoy their well-deserved success, but to be sensible and responsible when celebrating. It was clearly a proud and joyous day for the entire school community—and a very happy Principal as well!

Academic & Curriculum, Awards, Core News & Information, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News, STEM

Davitt College Students Sweep the Boards at National SciFest Competition

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🔬 SciFest 2016 • National STEM Achievement Davitt College Students Sweep the Boards at National SciFest Competition 11 May 2016 • Sligo Institute of Technology It was an outstanding day for the students of Davitt College at this year’s SciFest Competition, held at the Sligo Institute of Technology on Wednesday, 11th May 2016. The school had eight projects entered and took home an incredible five Major Awards on the day, including a Special Award. The students were expertly mentored by Davitt College Science Teachers, Ms. Fiona O’Connor and Mr. Aaron Tonry. The aim of SciFest is to encourage a love of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) through active, collaborative, inquiry-based learning, providing a forum for students at local, regional, and national levels to present their scientific investigations. The initiative is funded by the Science Foundation Ireland Discover Programme, Intel Ireland, and Boston Scientific. Transition Year students Aoife Parsons and Clodagh Hegarty attracted much attention from the judges, winning the Intermediate Life Sciences Category and taking the Overall Runners-Up spot (sponsored by Abbott Ireland) with their project, “The Education and Promotion of Breastfeeding for Children, Adolescents and Adults”. The girls will now progress to compete for the SciFest 2016 Grand Award. Transition Year student Andrey Connolly won the coveted Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award for his project, “The Investigation and Research of Changeable Factors that Decrease the Chances of Survival of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Patients”. He was also named Runner-Up in the Intermediate Life Sciences Category. Andrey will now go on to compete for the Boston Scientific International Prize later in the year. Second Year students Therese Gallagher and Jane Ryder took First Place in the Junior Technology Category for their project, “The Blind’s Eye”. Their innovative project consisted of a walking stick with a motion sensor attached, which sends a vibrating pulse to the thumb of the user when it comes close to an obstacle. Congratulations to all the students involved—the future looks very bright indeed with such clever and creative young people representing the school! 🔬🏆🌟 Congratulations to Davitt College students Andrey Connolly, Jane Ryder, Therese Gallagher, Clodagh Hegarty, and Aoife Parsons, who were highly successful at the 2016 SciFest Competition held in Sligo Institute of Technology. ×

Academic & Curriculum, Core News & Information, Extra-Curricular, Music, Practical & Creative Arts, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News

Davitt College Chamber Choir Claims Second Place at All-Ireland Festival

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🎵 All-Ireland Choral Success • Music Department Davitt College Chamber Choir Claims Second Place at All-Ireland Festival 6 May 2016 • SCCUL Enterprise Galway Choral Festival A massive congratulations to the Davitt College Chamber Choir on coming second in the All-Ireland SCCUL Enterprise Galway Choral Festival at GMIT today, 6th May 2016! Considering that this was their debut public performance, it is an absolutely outstanding achievement for the group and their Musical Director, Mrs. Claire Kennedy. “We are absolutely thrilled with our success, not only in this competition but as a choir established merely three months ago,” she said following the result. The competition, currently in its inaugural year, was held on the GMIT Galway campus. Six schools in total participated in the equal voice choral competition, travelling from Dublin, Sligo, Tipperary, and Galway. We are incredibly proud to note that Davitt College was the only post-primary school representing Co. Mayo at the event. “We entered this competition to give our students a chance to experience the many benefits of singing in a choir such as improved listening skills, teamwork, commitment, and camaraderie. Numerous studies have shown that singing in a choir reduces stress and improves mood, which in turn could have a positive impact on overall health. What we ended up with was not only a real sense of achievement but a true determination to continue our success on a vocal and personal level.” — Mrs. Claire Kennedy, Musical Director 🎶 Choir Members & Performers A special congratulations to the brilliant students involved: Ella Mongey, Clodagh Gainley, Aoife Halligan, Roisin Lennon, Roisin Callaghan, Annabelle Comer Halliwell, Roadhan McKenna, Kathryn Tiernan, Marianna Tiernan, Claire McHale, Cian Kilkenny, Megan Costello, Deirbhile Mellotte, Shannon Crouch, Natasha Nally, Htoo Htoo Lar, Johanna McDonagh, and Rebecca Kenny. A special mention also goes to Second Year student Peter Belseva, who served as their talented accompanist. The Davitt College Chamber Choir is open to all students and includes an audition process. Mrs. Kennedy is already looking forward to welcoming new members this coming September 2016! 🎤🌟👏 Davitt College Chamber Choir pictured following their fantastic second-place finish at the All-Ireland SCCUL Enterprise Galway Choral Festival. ×

CSPE, Extra-Curricular, History, Humanities & Language, Politics & Society, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, Wellbeing

1916 Centenary Commemorations at Davitt College

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🇮🇪 1916 Centenary • National Commemoration 1916 Centenary Commemorations at Davitt College 16 March 2016 • Davitt College Castlebar There was singing, poetry reading, striking works of art, and poignant recollections of the heroes who fought and died in events in Ireland 100 years ago. And there was much more. Davitt College embraced the centenary challenge with enthusiasm and creativity. Months of hard work from the 1916 Committee in Davitt College culminated in a unique and unforgettable day of remembrance and vision. The event started with wonderful music from the Davitt College Orchestra under the excellent direction of Music Teacher, Ms. Claire Kennedy. The Fifth Year History classes worked on writing biographies of the seven signatories of the Proclamation, whilst the Second Year Art classes created poignant sketches of the leaders. We were privileged to welcome Mr. Noel Campbell from The National Museum of Ireland in Turlough and author of “A History of Castlebar”, who spoke in detail about the 1916 events in Mayo and the effect they had on local communities. Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal, spoke about the significance of the Proclamation and its influence on the new generation, as well as the vital importance of mutual respect in all aspects of life. The reading of the Proclamation by Leaving Certificate student Thomas Mongey was then followed by the solemn raising of the flag by Fifth Year students Michael Graven and Eoin O’Doherty. It really was a most special and memorable day for the entire school community. 🇮🇪📜🎻 ×

Academic & Curriculum, Core News & Information, Extra-Curricular, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News, STEM

Inspiring the Next Generation at the 2016 Science and Technology Fair

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💻 STEM & Innovation • 2016 Fair Inspiring the Next Generation at the 2016 Science and Technology Fair 8 March 2016 • Davitt College Castlebar The world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and here at Davitt College, we are passionate about inspiring the next generation of innovators. To celebrate this, our Science and ICT Departments recently hosted our highly anticipated four-day Science and Technology Fair, inviting sixth-class students from National Schools across Castlebar and the surrounding districts to engage with us. The visiting pupils had the opportunity to utilise our fantastic facilities, taking part in a wide range of hands-on practical activities and witnessing some spectacular scientific demonstrations. From examining plant cells under the microscope and analysing dissected animal hearts, to exploring the fascinating effects of static electricity, the students were completely captivated by the world of science. The fair also featured a dedicated Computer Programming section, where our teaching staff guided the primary school students through the fundamentals of coding and software development. A special mention must go to our outstanding Transition Year students, who did an incredible job demonstrating experiments and assisting the younger pupils throughout the week. It was a phenomenal event designed to spark curiosity, encourage collaborative learning, and foster a lifelong love of STEM subjects. 🚀🔬💡 ×

Academic & Curriculum, Core News & Information, Humanities & Language, Politics & Society, School News, Senior Cycle

Davitt College Selected to Pioneer New ‘Politics and Society’ Subject

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🏛️ Curriculum Innovation • Leaving Certificate 2016 Davitt College Selected to Pioneer New ‘Politics and Society’ Subject 8 March 2016 • National Curriculum Launch A brand new subject has been developed for the Leaving Certificate programme called Politics and Society, and we are incredibly proud to announce that Davitt College has been selected as one of a small number of schools nationally to introduce it on a phased basis! Starting this coming September 2016, this optional subject will be available to our senior students, with the very first Leaving Certificate Politics and Society examinations set to take place in June 2018. “We are delighted that our school has been selected to introduce Leaving Certificate Politics and Society from this coming September. Politics and Society is a very exciting and rewarding subject that will suit any student who is interested in human rights, equality, diversity, sustainable development, power, and democratic decision-making.” — Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal Studying this subject will give students a real, practical insight into people, power, and how society functions. It will be assessed at both Ordinary and Higher Levels, featuring two core components: a written examination accounting for 80% of the final grade, and a hands-on citizenship project accounting for 20%. This project will allow students to research a topic they are passionate about and apply their learning in action. “The introduction of Politics and Society in Davitt College complements the already very wide range of subjects we offer to students in the Leaving Certificate Programme. There has been considerable interest in the uptake of this subject already from students, and a number of teachers have expressed a wish to teach Politics and Society here in Davitt College.” — Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal This is a fantastic addition to our curriculum and a wonderful opportunity for our future Senior Cycle students! 🏛️📚✨ Pictured at the launch of the new subject in Limerick: Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal Davitt College Castlebar; Minister for Education, Jan O’Sullivan, T.D.; and Mr. Frank Kelleher, Teacher of Politics and Society, Davitt College. ×

Academic & Curriculum, Core News & Information, English, Humanities & Language, School News

Davitt College Student Attends Poetry Masterclass with Paul Muldoon

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✍️ Literary Excellence • National Poetry Masterclass Davitt College Student Attends Poetry Masterclass with Paul Muldoon 2 March 2016 • Poetry Ireland: Writers in Schools Laura Ryan, a Fifth Year student here at Davitt College, was one of only ten students nationwide invited to attend a highly prestigious poetry masterclass with internationally acclaimed poet Paul Muldoon. Mr. Muldoon has been described as ‘the most significant English-language poet born since the Second World War’. He is the author of twelve major collections of poetry, serves as Professor of Creative Writing at Princeton University, acts as the poetry editor of The New Yorker, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2003. This incredible event was organised by Poetry Ireland: Writers in Schools and was held in the Lexicon Library, Dún Laoghaire, in March 2016. The purpose of the workshop was to nurture young poets who have demonstrated exceptional insight and flair in their own poetry, giving them expert guidance with the writing process. Laura’s outstanding poetic works warranted her an exclusive invitation to this highly esteemed workshop. Davitt College is incredibly proud of her tremendous achievement, and we wish her every success with her writing in the future. ✒️📖🌟 Fifth Year student Laura Ryan, who was selected as one of only ten students nationwide for an exclusive poetry masterclass with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon. ×

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