January in 2nd Class
We have been very busy since our return from the Christmas holidays. We have had many fun activities, one in particular which we all enjoyed was creating our pinch pots out of clay. Using their hands, the students shaped balls of clay into unique pots by pinching and moulding them, allowing their creativity to shine. As they worked, laughter filled the room, and each student shared ideas and techniques, fostering a collaborative environment. The process not only helped them develop fine motor skills but also encouraged self-expression and artistic exploration. The joy of crafting something with their own hands made this project a memorable experience for everyone involved.
A Memorable Day with the Irish Army Band
On an exciting day at our primary school, the Irish army band from Collin’s Barracks in Cork visited us, bringing with them a lively performance that filled the hall with music and joy. As the band members played a variety of pieces, they also took the time to explain the different instruments they used, showcasing the unique sounds of various musical instrument families like brass, woodwinds and percussion. The entire school gathered to watch, and soon, the atmosphere transformed into a celebration as everyone joined in singing and dancing along to the captivating tunes. This special event not only entertained us but also taught us about the wonderful world of music and the importance of teamwork in creating beautiful sounds together.
Thank you to Ms Barry for organising this event. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Camogie Competition
Well done to our 4th class girls who recently took part in the Cork schools Indoor Camogie competition which took place in Little Island. The girls played fantastic and were very unlucky to narrowly miss out on a spot in the final. Thanks to the 3rd class girls for helping out on the day and to the parents who offered to drive also. A very positive and fun day out all round! Well done!
Say Yes to Languages
This year the boys and girls in 6th class took part in the ‘Say Yes to Languages’ module over ten weeks in Term 1. The Say Yes to Languages module introduces primary pupils to a new language by facilitating schools to introduce a Modern Foreign Language (MFL) of their choice. This year the children learned Spanish. They had a lot of fun during the lessons with role play, song and games as they made connections with other languages and learned about Spanish culture. They enjoyed a visit from two Spanish students from Midleton College during the Spanish themed party during the final lesson. They even got to taste some Spanish food including a tortilla cooked by Mr. Healy and his two commis chefs! Well done to the boys and girls for their enthusiastic participation in the Spanish lessons! Adiós!
Please see our school gallery for more photos.
A Festive Celebration: Our School Assembly ☃️
Our recent school assembly was a delightful event that brought together students and staff for a morning filled with joy and creativity. The talented 6th class trio of Megan, Cathal, and Maeve took the stage as master of ceremonies, guiding us through a program that showcased the amazing talents of our younger students. Both 2nd class and junior infants performed with enthusiasm, with 2nd class presenting a beautiful rendition of “An Chéad Nollaig” and junior infants reciting a charming poem about Santa, followed by two lively songs that had everyone dancing.
The excitement was palpable, especially during the best dressed staff member competition, where Ms. Barry triumphed with her festive attire. Adding to the fun, Maeve, Cathal, and Megan organized a “Dress the Snowman” contest that featured Mr. Healy and Ms. Barry competing to dress 2nd class students Eoghan Casey and Xavier Palmer as snowmen, with Ms. Barry emerging victorious once again. Well done to Ms O’Sullivan for being nominated for our VIP award by the pupils in 6th class, for all her help teaching them Spanish and making it fun. Mr McCarthy closed the assembly with reading a beautiful Christmas story to everyone. This assembly was a wonderful way to celebrate the spirit of the season and the talents within our school community.
A Podcast by 4th Class
For the Christmas season, 4th Class recorded an audio podcast. The material includes songs, stories, poems, questions, a rap and a few other festive pieces. The children prepared material to record and practiced beforehand. Some got material from home, while others made up their own Christmas stories, shout-outs and lists. Sometimes they needed a few takes but that’s all part of the fun and learning. We recorded the podcast in the classroom on a Scarlett Focusrite interface to Reaper sound software, and then edited the tracks on Movavi to generate a flowing podcast. We hope you enjoy it. Happy Christmas to all!
1st Class Making Pizza
First class have been very busy learning all about procedural writing over the past month and we thought it was only right we put some of those procedures to the test and make some yummy pizzas. We can confirm they were super tasty! Please see our school gallery for more photos.
Making Slime in Ms McCarthy’s Class
We made slime in our class. First, we poured cornflour into a bowl. Then we added water into the bowl. We used our hands to mix the cornflour and water together. Next, we added food colouring to our mixture. Finally, we had lots of fun playing with our slime. It was very
messy! The slime is a non-Newtonian liquid which means it is different to ‘normal’ liquids. It gets thicker when it is pushed or pressed down.
Sciath na Scol Football Final
The recent Sciath na Scol football final held at Páirc Uí Chaoimh showcased the remarkable spirit and determination of the girls from 5th and 6th class as they faced Aghada. This thrilling match captivated spectators from the beginning to the end, highlighting the girls’ hard work and teamwork throughout the season. Despite their impressive performance and relentless effort, the game concluded with a narrow defeat, as they lost by just one point. This experience not only demonstrates the competitive nature of youth sports but also teaches valuable lessons about resilience, sportsmanship, and the importance of striving for excellence, regardless of the outcome.
3rd Class News
We had a busy start to the year in 3rd Class. We have been working especially hard on our narrative writing, science experiments and STEM, maths talk and our Gaeilge. We wrote spooky stories and read them to 1st Class, we built structures out of spaghetti and marshmallows and we put eggs into different liquids to see investigate what would happen. Here are some of our photos.
Halloween in Dungourney
What a fang-tastic day we had at our school for Halloween this year! The excitement was palpable as all the children arrived dressed in their spookiest, silliest, and most imaginative costumes, showcasing the incredible effort they put into their attire. From superheroes to witches, pumpkins to ghosts and even a headless horseman, the creativity was on full display!
In the morning, we gathered for a special whole school assembly where everyone could see the amazing costumes across the school. The atmosphere was buzzing with laughter and cheer, making it a celebration of imagination and fun! We wished Ms Caitríona O’Sullivan the best of luck for her wedding that will be held over the midterm break. Children from Juniors and Senior Infants performed a poem for Ms O’ Sullivan, wishing her all the best.
After the assembly, the festivities continued with a lively Halloween disco organised by Mr. Murphy. The children had a chance to show off their best moves while mingling with friends.
A huge thank you to all the parents and guardians for their wonderful contributions in helping the children create such fantastic costumes.
We hope everyone enjoyed the Halloween festivities! Please see our school gallery for more photos of the day.
5th class trip to Leahy’s Farm
On the 23 of October, 5th class were invited to visit Leahy’s Open Farm to learn about gardening. We planted crocus and bluebell bulbs. These flowers will bloom in early spring and will come back every year at Leahy’s farm. We planted a total of 500 bulbs! After we had finished planting we got to enjoy some of the activities at Leahy’s farm. We went go-karting and to the playground. We even got to see some of the
animals. It was a great morning! Please see our school gallery for more photos of the day.
Written by: Sinéad McKeon.
School Showjumping Event
A few weeks ago three of our students Shona, Emmeline and Brian Casey went to Maryville stables for the inter schools. The first rider was Shona and she did the 60cm team jump and got up to number ten. Her horse’s name is Max. The next rider was Emmeline, she did an 80 cm jump. Brian Casey went clear and then they all got a rosette and medal. Emmeline and Brian Casey then did the individuals competition. Brian had a circle and crossed his track with four faults and Emmeline came in 5th place. Written by: Brian Casey, 6th class.
There’s Something Special About Cross Country Kids:
“Cross Country kids turn up for their teammates.
These are the kids who cheer for everyone, regardless of pace.
Who cheer for the runner in first place as much as they cheer for the runner coming in last.
They know how much courage it takes to show up at the start line and how much effort it takes to cross the line.
These are the kids who celebrate every single finish and respect each of their teammates equally”
Our First Assembly of 2024/25 – September
Exciting Visit from Two All-Ireland Camogie Stars!**
Cross Country Challenge September 2024
On a beautiful sunny September morning 49 of Dungourney’s finest athletes took a short bus journey to the grounds of Fota House to participate in the inaugural Fota House Cross Country Challenge. For many of these children it was their very first time toeing the line at a cross country event – which is not for the faint of heart. As usual our wonderful pupils did not disappoint and ran with strength and stamina across a lovely course that had gentle rolling hills, straights and turns. A great day of sportsmanship and fun was had by all involved, we even met and chatted with an Olympian! We look forward to next week where our school will line up again in the grounds of Fr’ O’Neills Gaa club for the East Cork schools Cross Country event. Well done to each and everyone who ran their hearts out and a big thank you to Mrs Barry for all your work in preparing the boys and girls.
Please see our photo gallery for more photographs from the day.
Junior Infants School Tour 2024
Junior Infants headed on their first school tour to Tír na Sí. They had a fantastic day.
2nd Class – June 2024
5th Class School Tour 2024
On the 11th of June, 5th Class set off early for their school tour to Oysterhaven. There was huge excitement on the journey and we had a great sing song on the bus on the way down. When we arrived we quickly changed into our swimming togs and wetsuits and headed out to the water for kayaking, rafting and the “Moonwalk”. After lunch we played some team building games which was followed by the forest run. The challenge was to get as muddy as possible and some people in the class definitely achieved this. After a quick run into the sea to clean off the mud we got back on the bus and headed home to Dungourney. A great day was had by all!
Junior Infants and Senior Infants ‘Fun in the Sun’.
All the boys and girls in Junior Infants and Senior Infants have been having great fun this June. They have been having Teddy Bears’ picnics, have been playing soccer tournaments, doing Aistear outside and making the most of the fine weather. See some pictures here
Battle of Clonmult Site – 5th & 6th Class
In June 2024, 5th class and 6th class were invited to visit the site where the Battle of Clonmult took place. We have been learning about the Battle of Clonmult in school over the last few months. We invited Tom O’Neill to come and talk to us about the battle. He was very knowledgeable on the topic. He showed us a Powerpoint presentation all about the Battle of Clonmult which was very informative. He also brought in a revolver, a grenade, a rifle and a bayonet that would have been used at the time of the Battle of Clonmult. Each item had its own story to tell.
After the Powerpoint presentation we got on the bus. When we arrived at the battle site we had a look at the monument of the old farmhouse that was on display. Tom answered all the questions we had about the battle. Overall the experience was fantastic, informative and fun.
Written by Cathal (5th Class)
Student V.I.P Awards 2023/2024
(Values In Practice)
Each month students are picked from throughout the school who demonstrate our school values of KINDNESS, RESPECT and BELONGING. The teachers nominate these pupils and they are awarded a trophy and a prize at our monthly assemblies. Well done to all the pupils who have received a V.I.P awards this school year.
Firefighters from Midleton visit our school!
We were delighted when two firefighters from Midleton Fire Station visited our school. They spoke to 3rd Class and 4th Class about fire safety and how to keep safe at home. They encouraged all children to know their postcodes and create a fire escape plan with their family . 1st Class, 3rd Class and 4th Class got a tour of their fire engine.
Ms McCarthy’s Class – May 2024
We have been doing lots of planting with Hilary in our school garden. We have planted sunflowers, potatoes, pumpkins and green beans. We have also planted rudbeckia, echinacea and marigolds. We are watching the plants grow. There has been lots of sunlight and rain recently. This weather helps our plants to grow. We want to say a huge thank you to Hilary for all of her help and for her gardening expertise. We really appreciate it.
Peace Proms – SETU, Waterford 2024
4th Class Football Blitz – April 2024
Location: Páirc Uí Chaoimh
By Aaron and Amy
A couple of weeks ago, 4th Class were lucky enough to go up to Páirc Uí Chaoimh to play a match. When we got to the stadium, they got us ready for the tour right away. We were escorted to our seats and got to meet with other schools.
The guide talked about what we would see during the tour. We started the tour by looking at the away dressing room, and then saw the home dressing rooms … which was similar to the away room, only the walls were red and white, and it had a Cork crest painted on the floor, and looked a bit nicer. The guide told us where each player sits.
Most just sit under their squad number, except the oldest player, who has his own seat. We then went into another room with lots of seats. The guide told us that this is where journalists ask the managers questions. We then saw the warm-up room, where the Cork team goes before they play the match.
Outside there is a big hall, with pictures of all Cork’s hurling and football sponsors. The guide then took us out on the pitch, and showed us the bench, the commentary boxes and where the premium area is. He said the stadium could hold around 32,000 people.
After that, we played our own matches on the astro. There were two girls teams and one boys team. We played three matches each and won all of them.
Once we had our food, we went back on the bus and headed back to school. We were very happy with ourselves and we’d love to do it again.
Rugby Sessions – March 2024
As part of our Wellness Week, we were lucky enough to have a few sessions with coaches from Midleton Rugby Club for 1st to 6th Class. It was great fun, thanks to the coaches including Aidan McCarthy for training us.
Cór Fhéile – March 2024
3rd and 4th Classes travelled to Cork City Hall on March 22nd to participate in Cór Fhéile, a music festival. All children and parents enjoyed the performance and they did our school proud. Well done to all involved.
Wellness Week – Gymnastic Display
As part of our Wellness Week in March, we were lucky enough to see the skills and talents of all the gymnasts in our school when they put on a display for us. Well done to all and to Ms Foley who organised the event.
FÍS Film Festival 2024
On the 21st of February 2024, our class lucky enough to go to the Helix in Dublin to receive an award for our short film “Dungourney Spills the Tea”
After a very early start making our way to Dublin we stopped in Junction 14 for some breakfast! We were all delighted when we arrived in Junction 14 because we were famished, Shortly after we hopped back on the bus and the excitement was through the roof.
When we arrived at the Helix we were glad to stretch our legs. We were welcomed by a FÍS staff member and got a picture taken. Following that we were ushered into our seats. As Sínead Kennedy came out everyone started applauding. Sínead made a speech and the awards began.
We waited patiently for our school to be called out, Dungourney along with 2 other schools had been nominated for best editing and we won! Aoife and I (Ali) ran up on stage to meet Sinéad. She asked Ali what our film was about and she asked me (Aoife) what you would learn about Dungourney from the film. I got nervous and said that we are amazing.
When we left the auditorium we made our way to Cashel where we stopped for McDonalds. After finishing our food we dashed back on the bus to finish the last of our journey back to Dungourney. Overall it was a great day out and we would not turn down the opportunity to do it again.
By Ali Ahern – 6th Class
1st Class – March 2024
1st class were super busy this month with lots of activities both inside and out of the classroom. Our favourite part was teaming up with some classes during Wellbeing Week. We had some much fun getting to know the older boys and girls. Some of the activities we took part in were rugby, reading, baking, card games, obstacle courses and many more. We would like to thank 3rd class and 5th class for teaming up with us this month to complete all the activities.
Cheque Presentation to ‘Alone’ – 5th Class
Emmeline and Izabel (5th Class) recently presented a cheque for €300 to ALONE. The money was raised by the children in our school during our non-uniform day at Christmas. Emmeline and Izabel wrote a letter to Mr. McCarthy detailing why they felt ALONE would be a worthy cause for a Christmas donation. Well done girls!
‘Adopt a Grand-friend’
Our Parents Association have set up a Adopt a Grand-friend initiative. Recently, they organised a visit from Nancy and Margaret to our school.
Nancy and Margaret shared stories and did some baking with 6th Class. It was a great experience for all and we would like to thank them for their time.
3rd Class – February 2024
We have had a busy month in 3rd Class. We made St. Brigid’s Day crosses with other classes.
Both the boys and girls went to Little Island to play football in the Sciath na Scol leagues against other schools. It was great fun.
We are learning about procedural writing and made some milkshakes – delicious!
For Valentines Day, we made clay heart shaped pots, painted and varnished them.
We also dressed up for World Book Day at the start of March.
Look at our photos!
February Fun in Fifth Class!
This month we have been very busy in Fifth Class.
On St Brigid’s Day the classes from 3rd to 6th class all went to the hall to make St Brigid’s crosses. We had loads of fun making them.
On the 2nd of February we travelled to St Mary’s High School in Midleton and watched “Shrek, The Musical”. It was really entertaining. After the show we decided to go for a walk into town. We visited ‘The Feathers’ first and Ms Barry told us about the history of ‘The Feathers’. After that we walked to the shops to get ourselves a treat. It was a really fun trip. We would like to say a big thank you to St Mary’s High School for inviting us.
During the month of February, we learned a bit about engineering. We learned about electrical engineering and made our own electrical circuits. We also learned about environmental engineering and tested water with litmus paper to see if it was safe to drink. We learned about biomedical engineering and we made our own 2d prosthetic hands. We have learned a lot of new things.
On Pancake Tuesday our teacher Ms O’Sullivan brought in pancakes and some toppings. We got to pick our own toppings and the pancakes were really nice.
We also started gymnastics this month. We learned how to do rolls, jumps, shapes, balances, cartwheels and handstands.
We had loads of FUN in February and we would like to thank our teachers for all the fun we have had!
By Imogen Corfield
2nd Class – January 2024
We have had a very busy January in Second Class. We made delicious rice crispie buns and wrote recipes on Book Creator. We learnt about the water cycle and made our own water cycle pictures in Art. In maths we spent time learning about length and measured items in our classroom. We celebrated Grandparent’s day with the whole school and grandparents.
Miss Foley’s Class – January 2024
