School News & Events

Marymount Hospice Coffee Morning

6th class, under the wonderful guidance of their teacher Ms. Hoskins, recently organized a delightful coffee morning at our school in support of Marymount Hospice. The event featured a fantastic selection of cakes that were enjoyed by parents and members of the local community who came along to show their support. It was a sunny and enjoyable morning filled with warmth and generosity, making it a memorable occasion for everyone involved. Well done to 6th class and Ms. Hoskins for their hard work and dedication in making this event such a success!

The School Garden: A Growing Success

At our school, the garden has become a vibrant space where students cultivate a variety of produce, from deep purple beetroot to bright orange carrots, alongside stunning sunflowers that tower above. Each child plays a vital role, as they carefully set the seeds in the rich soil and tend to the plants with love and dedication. Watching their hard work bloom into beautiful vegetables and flowers fills them with pride and joy. This hands-on experience not only teaches them about nature and responsibility but also fosters a sense of community. Well done to the pupils involved.

Celebrating Success at Cork City Sports

The recent Cork City sports event was a remarkable day for the boys and girls who participated, showcasing their hard work and dedication. Many of these young athletes returned home proudly wearing medals, a testament to their talent and effort. This successful outing not only highlighted their achievements but also fostered a sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship among the participants. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mrs. Barry for her unwavering support and the extensive training she provided to prepare the children for this event. Her commitment played a significant role in their success, making this day an unforgettable experience for all involved.

Lá Spraoi

More than 100 children with additional needs took part in a special Cork primary school sports event yesterday at Munster Technological University (MTU). Abbie from 1st class in took part in this wonderful event.

The event, now in its third year, entitled Lá Spraoi, took place from 10am to 11.30am at the athletics track at MTU in Bishopstown.

The annual inclusive sports event is aimed at children with disabilities or additional needs and is part of the wider Lúthchleasa Bhunscoileanna Chorcaí programme, which has been running since 1924.

This year, 110 children with additional needs participated in the event, which featured a range of activities including races for children with mobility aids and/or personal assistants, children requiring verbal or visual prompts, and competitors using manual or powered wheelchairs.

Abbie came first place in her race and was presented with a gold trophy. We are all so proud of Abbie. Well done Abbie.

       

Horticulture Workshop with Mary Barry

Last week, our 1st class boys and girls had the wonderful opportunity to take part in a horticulture workshop with Mary Barry from heritage in Schools. During the session, they learned all about important gardening terms like germinationtransportationrecycle, and decompose.

Each child had the chance to make their very own decomposable flower pot using eco-friendly materials. With lots of excitement (and a bit of mess!), they planted sweet peas and marigolds, getting hands-on experience with nature.

The boys and girls had a fantastic time digging in the soil, exploring how plants grow, and learning about the environment. A huge thank you to Mary for such an engaging and fun-filled workshop — we really appreciated the time and care you took to teach us!

Please see our school gallery for more photos.

A Trip to Midleton

Ms Foley’s class and Ms McCarthy’s class had a fantastic trip to Midleton on Tuesday, 29th April. First, we went to the library. We read books. Some of us checked out books using our library cards. Next, we had a picnic in the baby walk. After our picnic we walked to ‘Stir It Coffee’ in Market Green Shopping Centre. We bought treats. Finally, we went to the playground. We ate ice lollies in the sun. We had a super day! Thanks so much to Garda Donagh for driving us to Midleton on the community bus. 

Please see our school gallery for more photos from the day.

Friendship Concert

We were so lucky and proud to be taking part in the Cork International Choral Festival by hosting a Friendship ConcertVoices International is a brilliant choir from Luxembourg – that’s a small country in Europe near France, Germany, and Belgium. The choir has singers from all around the world – 45 different countries! Isn’t that amazing? They sing in lots of different languages too – like Zulu, Hindi, Haitian Creole, Slovenian, and even a language called Pakpanese! Their music brings people together and helps us all feel connected. Dr. James Libbey, their conductor, has worked with choirs in many countries, and he helps make their concerts exciting and full of joy. We enjoyed the music and had fun joining in – some pupils even got a chance to be the conductor today! Our school band lead by Mr Murphy performed for the choir in return. Well done to the school band and to Mr Murphy for all his hard work in preparing the children.

Music is a beautiful way to share friendship, kindness, and joy – just like we try to do every day in our school.

Please see our school gallery for more photos.

Our African Drumming Experience


As part of the Creative Schools initiative, our school recently had the incredible opportunity to host Patrick Naughton, a skilled African drummer who introduced our students to the rich tradition of drumming. Every class participated, and each child was provided with their own drum, allowing them to engage fully in this vibrant art form. The rhythmic beats filled the air, creating an atmosphere of joy and excitement. Students learned not only the techniques of drumming but also the cultural significance behind each rhythm. This experience was not only educational but also a fantastic way for all to connect through music, fostering teamwork and creativity among the students.

Please see our school gallery for photos from the day.

Wellbeing Week 2025

We ended our term with Wellbeing Week and lots of fun activities were planned to support the wellbeing of our pupils and staff. We had rugby, soccer and dance as well as collaborative art, board games, mindfulness, baking, shared reading and story writing taking place across the week. We even had an Easter egg hunt for all classes organised by Mr McCarthy, to round off the week.

We hope everyone enjoyed the sunshine which was a bonus for our wellbeing! Enjoy the Easter holidays!

Please see our school gallery for more photos from the week.

Learning all about the Normans in 4th Class

Over the past term, 4th Class have been studying the Normans in Ireland, and have been busy making castles at home. Some of the castles were based on real-life Irish castles (such as Trim, Athenry, Bunratty and Kilworth), while others were based on their own interpretations. The castles also ranged from motte and bailey models to later stone structures, with interior designs in some of them. The materials ranged from cardboard and styrofoam, to timber and plaster. Here are some of the examples of the castles.
   
Well done all of you!
Please see our school gallery for more photos.

Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025

For Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025, the Dungourney NS trad band went on tour to Gaelscoil Mainistir na Corann. For this event, the band went on stage at the Gaelscoil and performed several pieces for a large audience. After their performance, they watched as the Gaelscoil pupils put on their own show of music and dance. At the end of the show, the Gaelscoil staff provided the Dungourney band members with badges and stickers for the occasion.
After the show, the band took a well-earned break for hot-chocolate at the Bailick Road Zuni cafébox, where a spontaneous busking session broke out in the walkway. It was a very enjoyable occasion for all the strollers, joggers and dog-walkers who stopped to hear the tunes. This was capped off by a generous donation of a box of chocolates by an appreciative listener as the band departed for school.
Finally, Mr Murphy wishes to thank each and every musician, not only for performing on stage, and for taking time out of their Mondays to rehearse, but also for their exemplary behaviour and respectfulness while on tour. Hopefully you will be playing again together soon.

Celebrating World Book Day: A Memorable Experience

 

At our school, we had a wonderful day celebrating World Book Day, a special occasion that brought joy and excitement to both children and staff. Everyone dressed up as their favourite book characters, showcasing their creativity and love for reading. Throughout the day, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) engaged students in various classrooms with book talks, where they read captivating stories that sparked imaginations. Additionally, we organized a fun quiz held over Zoom, allowing everyone to participate and test their knowledge about books. This event not only highlighted the importance of literature but also fostered a sense of community and enthusiasm for reading among students and staff alike. It was truly a great day!

Meeting the Munster Rugby Team

Well done to Jamie Wrynn in 1st class who was selected to be the Mascot for the recent Munster vs. Edinburgh game which took place in Musgrave Park. Despite the final result, Jamie had a great night and was delighted he got to meet with the team and coaches who were fantastic and made so much time to say hello. Jamie is an underage rugby player with Midleton Rugby Club, where he really enjoys playing with his friends and learning new skills each weekend.

February Fun in Fifth Class 2025

Fifth Class have been very busy in the month of February. We have been working hard at our “Engineering in a Box” programme with the help of our engineer Kate. We have been learning about different types of engineering such as civil, electrical, process and environmental engineering. We have completed many fun and challenging activities such as building bridges, wind turbines, boats and marble runs as well as testing water samples and making electrical circuits.

We also took a trip to St. Mary’s High School in February to see their TY show “Beauty and the Beast”. We all really enjoyed the show and afterwards we walked down to the “Kindred Spirits” sculpture as we had been learning about it in History.

Next up was Valentine’s day! We decided that we wanted to show our parents how much we loved them on Valentine’s Day so we all designed our own postcards and sent them in the post. Our lovely post lady Frances even came into our class to tell us all about where our letters go after we post them.

Finally, we’ve been working on gymnastics in PE. We have some very talented gymnasts in our class and we’ve learned a lot about counter balances and group balances with their help.

Please see our school gallery for an array of photos from the month.

A Magical Day at Our School

               

During the week, Justin the magician visited our school to put on an incredible magic show for our students. The performances were tailored for different age groups, with a show for the junior classes up to 2nd class, and another one for students from 3rd to 6th class. Justin captivated everyone with his amazing tricks and even invited many volunteers on stage to assist him, including Mr. McCarthy. The energy in the room was electric as students laughed and gasped in amazement at the wonders unfolding before their eyes. Justin’s engaging performance not only entertained but also sparked a sense of wonder and curiosity about the art of magic among our students.

Celebrating Grandparents Day at Our School

Recently, our school had the pleasure of welcoming grandparents for a special celebration. The day began with delightful coffee morning, generously prepared by the 6th class. Following this warm reception, Fr. Barry O’Flynn welcomed all the grandparents and initiated the festivities with a heartfelt prayer service. Throughout the event, students from junior infants to 4th class showcased their talents by performing songs and poems dedicated to their beloved grandparents. Meanwhile, 5th and 6th class organized an exciting game of bingo for the grandparents, which added an element of fun to the day. After the games, grandparents had the opportunity to visit their grandchildren’s classrooms, fostering connections and shared memories. It was truly a wonderful day filled with joy and love!

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”

Well done to all the boys and girls who ran at the East Cork Schools cross country event on the 27th of September in Fr O’ Neils Gaa field, Ballymacoda. A great day was had by all.
Please see our school gallery for more photos taken on the day.

s 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.