School News

Stay up to date with the latest official announcements, weekly updates, and stories from the Davitt College community.

Awards, Core News & Information, DC-Awards, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News

Inspiring the Next Generation: Special Guests Honoured at Davitt College Awards 2017

🏆 Annual School Event • Awards Ceremony 2017 Inspiring the Next Generation: Special Guests Honoured at Davitt College Awards 2017 23 May 2017 • Davitt College Castlebar Davitt College, Castlebar, proudly hosted its Annual Awards Ceremony on Tuesday 23rd May 2017, bringing together students, staff, and families to celebrate an exceptional year of success across academics, sport, music, and extracurricular activities. The school was honoured to welcome a distinguished group of Guests of Honour: Captain Noel Carey (Congo Veteran), Ms. Geraldine Lennon (Lough Lannagh), Ms. Sinead Shaw and Mr. Colm Kelly (Bank of Ireland), Mr. Liam Egan (Public Speaking and Debating Mentor), and Mr. Michael Gallagher (GAA Coach and Journalist). “These awards are a mere stepping stone to greater achievements in the future. I sincerely hoped that the students would go on to achieve their life’s dreams and ambitions.” — Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal Main Award Winners 2017 ⭐ Highest School Honour Overall Students of the Year Callan Quinn & Simona Fernandes Davitt College Annual Awards 2017 Recognising exceptional academic application, character, and school leadership throughout the year. 🛡️ Special Tribute Joe Langan Perpetual Shield Aishling Hughes Special Community Recognition Presented in recognition of dedicated service, warmth, and contribution shown to the entire Davitt College community. 2017 Awards Roll of Honour Explore the complete breakdown of award winners across special honours, academic subjects, sporting achievements, and class recognitions. 🌟 Special Awards & Highest Honours View Section Fifth Year Students of the Year Dara Kelly & Rachel Kelly Academic Application Award Meabh Murray 📚 Humanities, STEM & Business Awards View Section Engineering & Construction Projects Senior Engineering Project: Eoin O’DohertySenior Construction Project: Louise Mongan Arts & Craft Projects Junior Craft Project: Ruairí O’BoyleJunior Art Project: Annabelle Riona Comer-Halliwell 🏆 Sporting Achievements View Section Overall Sportsperson of the Year Senior Female: Amy Dowling Senior Male: Jordan Keighley 📖 Academic Achievement, Effort & Commitment View Section Effort & Dedication Commendations Second Year: Stephen MooreThird Year: Cathal Derrig Special Student Recognition BOI Student Choice: Ryan Walshe & Emma SheeranMusic Excellence: Aoife Halligan & Ethan Carey

An Gaisce, Core News & Information, Extra-Curricular, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News

Teamwork, Lakeside Trails, and Twilight Cookouts

🌲 Transition Year • Gaisce Expedition 2017 Teamwork, Lakeside Trails, and Twilight Cookouts 12 May 2017 • County Sligo Countryside From Tent Pitching and Lake Views to Skillet Cooking and Forest Walks In May 2017, our Transition Year group headed into the beautiful Sligo countryside for an unforgettable two-day Gaisce expedition packed with outdoor challenges and team-building milestones. The adventure started right on the campsite field, where students paired up to pitch their red and navy basecamp tents. The daytime trek treated the group to incredible panoramic views, including a scenic lunch stop right on the rocky shoreline of a sprawling Sligo lake, a few fence-stile crossings out on the hills, and a surprise encounter with an incredibly friendly local black-faced lamb who quickly became the unofficial mascot of the trip. Back at camp, the energy stayed high with a series of classic outdoor team games, including a giant skipping rope challenge that had the whole cohort cheering. As twilight settled over the hills, camp life shifted to the main fire pit. Sitting in a massive circle on log benches, the group watched their dinner cook on a large skillet nestled directly into the glowing embers – a true back-to-basics culinary experience. The real test of trust and communication came just after dark. Students entered the dense forest to tackle a night-line course, navigating the trees by relying entirely on their senses and their peers. The evening concluded in spectacular fashion under a clear full moon, with the triumphant cohort gathering around a roaring campfire for a brilliant lakeside sing-along that capped off an incredible journey! 🌲⛺🔥🥾🌟

Core News & Information, Extra-Curricular, Public Speaking, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News

Best of Luck in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals!

🎙️ Transition Year • Concern Debating Series Best of Luck in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals! 22 March 2017 • Athlone National Stage The very best of luck to our fantastic Transition Year Debating team as they travel to Athlone this evening to compete in the Concern Debating All-Ireland Quarter-Final! Captained by Chloe Bright and expertly mentored by Mr. Liam Egan, the team has put in countless hours of research, practice, and preparation to reach the final eight in the country. Standing on the national stage tonight is a phenomenal achievement, and the entire Davitt College community is behind you every step of the way. Bring it home, team! 🎤🏆💬🌟👏 ×

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

Davitt College Students Reach Public Speaking All-Ireland Quarter Finals

🎙️ Public Speaking • All-Ireland Series 2017 Davitt College Students Reach Public Speaking All-Ireland Quarter Finals 21 March 2017 • Concern Debating & Public Speaking Congratulations to Davitt College Transition Year students Emma Barrett, Chloe Bright, John Feeney, and Claire McHale, who have successfully reached the All-Ireland Quarter Finals of the prestigious Concern Public Speaking and Debating Competition 2017! 🎙️ A Tradition of Excellence These talented and dedicated students are expertly tutored by Mr. Liam Egan, who has guided Transition Year, Fifth Year, and Leaving Certificate students for over 25 years in the fine art of public speaking and debating. The participating Transition Year students highlighted the incredible confidence and character-building value of the pursuit, urging younger pupils to get involved and become part of the vibrant debating fraternity here at Davitt College. 🌟 Skills for Life Principal Ms. Bernie Rowland warmly congratulated both the students and Mr. Egan, wishing them the very best of luck in the next round of the competition. Emphasising the lifelong value of the initiative, she noted: “Public Speaking provides our students with not just debating skills but also a capacity to cope under pressure and present themselves in a confident manner while under public scrutiny.” — Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal Best of luck to the team in the Quarter Finals! We are incredibly proud of your hard work. 🎤🏆💬🌟👏 Davitt College Transition Year students Chloe Bright, Emma Barrett, Claire McHale, and John Feeney with mentor Mr. Liam Egan ahead of the All-Ireland Quarter Finals 2017. ×

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

All-Ireland STEM Award Success for Davitt College Students

🧪 SciFest 2016 • All-Ireland STEM Excellence All-Ireland STEM Award Success for Davitt College Students 12 December 2016 • SciFest National Final Davitt College students Clodagh Hegarty and Aoife Parsons were recently awarded a prestigious Excellence in STEM award for their innovative project, “The Education and Promotion of Breastfeeding to Children, Adolescents, and Adults”, at SciFest 2016. Their exceptional research and creative approach to health education caught the judges’ attention on the national stage, demonstrating the high caliber of scientific inquiry and civic awareness fostered among students here at Davitt College. A massive congratulations to Clodagh and Aoife on this fantastic All-Ireland achievement! 🧪🏆🌟👏✨ Davitt College students Clodagh Hegarty and Aoife Parsons receiving their Excellence in STEM award at SciFest 2016. ×

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

University College Dublin Academic & Irish Language Scholarships

🎓 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

🎓 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

🔬 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

🎉 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!

Awards, Core News & Information, DC-Awards, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News

Celebrating Success: Davitt College Annual Awards Ceremony 2016

🏆 Annual School Event • Awards Ceremony 2016 Davitt College Annual Awards Ceremony 2016 24 May 2016 • Davitt College Castlebar The atmosphere at Davitt College was filled with immense pride and community spirit as the school hosted its Annual Awards Ceremony on Tuesday 24th May 2016. The event served as a wonderful showcase of the incredible hard work, talent, creativity, and commitment demonstrated by students across all disciplines. Over 100 students received awards ranging from academic achievements and stellar attendance records to accomplishments in sports, music, and extra-curricular activities. This was a particularly successful year for students who achieved local, regional, and All-Ireland honours. Adding a special touch of inspiration to the celebrations, the school welcomed special Guests of Honour Mr. Diarmuid O’Connor and Mr. Liam Irwin—both former students of Davitt College. Diarmuid was a player on the All-Ireland Mayo Minor Winning Team 2013, the All-Ireland U21 GAA Football Team, part of the All-Ireland winning title team in 2016, and named Young Footballer of the Year 2015. “These awards are a stepping stone to greater achievements in the future. I sincerely hope that the students will go on to achieve their life’s dreams and ambitions.” — Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal Main Award Winners 2016 ⭐ Highest School Honour Leaving Certificate Students of the Year Ben Studnicka & Caoimhe Kilkenny Davitt College Annual Awards 2016 Recognising exceptional academic application, character, and overall contribution throughout their senior cycle. 🎖️ Special Contribution Bank of Ireland Award Serena Kearns Leaving Certificate Student Recognition Awarded for an outstanding and sustained contribution to the daily life and community of Davitt College. 2016 Awards Roll of Honour Explore the complete breakdown of award winners across academic excellence, project work, attendance, and year group recognitions. 🌟 Academic & Special Honours View Section Academic Application Award Leaving Certificate: Ellen Murphy Fifth Year Students of the Year Aiden Ruane & Meabh Murray 📐 Projects & Special Commendations View Section D.C.G. Project of the Year Norah ConlonPresented by Construction Teacher Mr. Colm Garvey First Year Commendation Damien LydonFor Effort, Commitment and Dedication (commended by Year Head Ms. Maria Carey) 🏅 Attendance & Milestones View Section Perfect Attendance Award (6 Years) Shane Gavin (Leaving Certificate) — never missed a single day of school throughout his entire six years at Davitt College. ×

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