School Life

A window into the daily spirit and rich traditions of Davitt College, capturing student experiences, assemblies, themed weeks, and the vibrant community culture that makes our school unique.

Academic & Curriculum, Awards, Core News & Information, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News, Transition Year, TY-Awards

Sporting Legend Cora Staunton Guests of Honour at Davitt College Transition Year Awards 2018

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🏆 Transition Year • Annual Awards 2018 Sporting Legend Cora Staunton Guest of Honour at Davitt College TY Awards 2018 11 May 2018 Davitt College, Castlebar, proudly hosted its annual Transition Year Awards Event on Friday 11th May 2018, celebrating a fantastic year of holistic development, academic progress, and active participation in school life. The school was deeply honoured to welcome eleven-time Ladies Football All-Star winner and professional AFL player Ms. Cora Staunton as Guest of Honour. Ms. Staunton warmly congratulated each of the student recipients, noting that the sheer breadth of successes and awards achieved by Davitt College students continues to astound her and fills her with a great sense of encouragement for the future. Students were commended across various categories, highlighting the unique value of the Transition Year programme in building self-confidence, fostering independent analysis, and encouraging personal growth before entering Senior Cycle. Main Transition Year Honours ⭐ Highest TY Honour TY Outstanding Young Person Ruairi O’Boyle & Sadhbh Reddington Presented by Guest of Honour Ms. Cora Staunton, alongside Ms. Tracy Britton (TY Co-Ordinator) and Ms. Bernie Rowland (Principal). 🎭 Creative Arts Transition Year Musical Awards Ethan Barrett, Enda Harrigan, Annabelle Riona Comer-Halliwell & Shauna Jordan Presented by Musical Producer Mr. Dave MacDon-nacha and Ms. Cora Duffy (DanceWorld). Congratulations to the Transition Year Class of 2018 on a wonderfully inspiring and memorable celebration! ×

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

The Sligo Wilderness & Campfire Songs

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🌲 Transition Year • Gaisce Expedition 2018 The Sligo Wilderness & Campfire Songs 3 May 2018 • County Sligo Wilderness Our 2018 Transition Year cohort truly embraced the spirit of adventure during their two-day Gaisce expedition in the scenic wilderness of County Sligo. Under shifting Irish skies, the group tackled challenging hillside climbs, navigating rough heather-strewn terrain and narrow wooden footbridges with high spirits and superb teamwork. The rugged landscape provided the perfect backdrop for students to put their navigation and map-reading skills into practice. Once the day’s trekking was complete, camp life began in earnest. To beat the evening chill, our young adventurers took over the camp shelter, firing up a massive indoor barbecue to cook up a well-deserved feast of burgers and sausages. The absolute highlight of the trip, however, came after dark. Gathering in a massive circle around a spectacular, roaring campfire, the students sang the night away, accompanied by live acoustic guitar. It was a classic, tech-free bonding experience that perfectly captured what Gaisce is all about: resilience, community, and friendships that last a lifetime! 🌲🔥🎸⛺🥾🌟

Academic & Curriculum, Awards, Core News & Information, Extra-Curricular, Media, School Life, School Life, Culture & Achievements, School News, STEM, Transition Year, Video Hub

Davitt College Crowned All-Ireland Winners in SFI ReelLIFE SCIENCE Competition 2017

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🏆 All-Ireland Winners • ReelLIFE SCIENCE Davitt College Crowned All-Ireland Winners in SFI ReelLIFE SCIENCE Competition 2017 13 November 2017 • Science Week National Awards At the beginning of Science Week 2017, the winners of the ReelLIFE SCIENCE Secondary School category were officially announced, and we are incredibly proud to share that Davitt College took home the top prize! The brilliant short science video, produced by our 4C Transition Year class, was selected from almost 200 entries created by over 1,500 participants across 83 schools and community groups nationwide. A Prestigious National Initiative Based in NUI Galway and supported by SFI, the CKI, CÚRAM, and Cell EXPLORERS, ReelLIFE SCIENCE challenges participants to engage with STEM by producing fun and educational short videos. The Winning Production: ‘The Death of Paul Donovan’ Produced under the expert guidance of Ms. Fiona O’Connor, our winning entry secured the CÚRAM-sponsored first prize. High-profile judges, including Prof. Luke O’Neill and Shane Curran, praised the originality and investigative depth of our students’ work. “Very funny and original.” — Prof. Luke O’Neill A massive congratulations to our 4C Transition Year students and Ms. O’Connor on this phenomenal national achievement!

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

Fantastic Turnout for the Davitt College Career Options Event 2017

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🎓 Guidance & Careers • Annual Exhibition 2017 Fantastic Turnout for the Davitt College Career Options Event 2017 14 October 2017 • Davitt College Joe Langan Sports Hall To meet the specific needs of post-primary students in Co. Mayo, Davitt College, in partnership with the Education Working Group of Mayo County Council and the Mayo LEADER Partnership Company, held its fifth very successful Career Options Event on Saturday, 14th October 2017. There was certainly something for everyone on the day in the Davitt College Joe Langan Sports Hall. The exhibition provided a fantastic opportunity for second-level students and their parents to access vital information regarding the wide range of education and training courses available at Third Level. Over 1,600 people were present at this free-admission event. 🤝 A Collaborative Success Career Options 2017 was a prime example of partnership and collaboration in action. Over thirty universities and colleges from throughout Ireland, the UK, and Europe were represented. Attendees benefited from highly informative presentations on the day covering the CAO, SUSI Grants, UCAS, HEAR, and DARE. There was also extensive information available regarding Third Level scholarships, bursaries, and grants, as well as new developments in apprenticeship and training programmes. 🎤 Expert Guidance Davitt College was absolutely delighted to welcome guest speaker Mr. Brian Mooney, a renowned Guidance Counsellor and educational expert. Well-known as an educational analyst with a weekly column in The Irish Times, he delivered a highly comprehensive presentation packed with the most relevant, current, and strategic information to help students research and prepare for their future career pathways. “There was a wealth of information available on the day to accommodate every interest – academic, creative, and technical. I feel students’ experience has been enriched and I hope parents and their sons and daughters are now better able to make informed decisions about future careers.” — Ms. Bernie Rowland, Principal A bustling exhibition hall in the Joe Langan Sports Hall Students exploring third-level opportunities Educational analyst Mr. Brian Mooney addressing attendees Organising committee, school management, and guest speakers at Career Options 2017

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

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🏆 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

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

All-Ireland STEM Award Success for Davitt College Students

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🧪 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, 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. ×

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