Partnerships
Partnership
Our school has established an Active School’s Committee. Each class has its own representative from Junior Infants to 6th. Our members meet at least once a month and have many and varied roles including acting as ‘Playground Leaders’, managing equipment, delivering messages on the school’s intercom, organising school events, updating the Active School Zone noticeboard, laying out the Active School Walkway, coming up with suggestions for Active School Week and other events etc. Ms Herity, Ms O’ Shea and Ms Schneider are the staff representatives on the Committee. We are a very busy committee and value all suggestions and contributions from everyone in our school. A special thanks to all of the wonderful members on the Active School Committee who have been part of our journey since the start. We would also like to remember Patrick, Cillian and Conor from last year’s Sixth Class who also made a great contribution.
Active School Committee 2022
Active School Committee 2023
St. Patricks De La Salle B.N.S. works with different agencies to promote physical activity throughout our school community. Over the past two years we have been very fortunate to work with exceptional coaches who shared their expertise with us.
- In Basketball Puff Summers put us through our paces and shared his knowledge of the game with all classes. He taught the basics of dribbling and controlling the ball to the younger classes and introduced different moves such as the crossover and even between the legs and behind the back to the older classes! (February to May 2022 and April/May 2023).
- Caoimhe Sheil taught us gymnastics for 4 weeks in January 2022 where all pupils learnt the fundamentals of gymnastics. The boys learnt the different shapes (straight, tuck and pike or L shape), basic jumps, handstands, balances, rolls and body control. They also learned how to stretch properly. Caoimhe returned for another session of lessons in April/May 2023.
- In June 2022 our pupils were very fortunate to be offered badminton coaching from Sylvia Campion, a current Leinster and Irish International badminton player. The boys enjoyed learning the skills of the game. In September 2023 Ms Mackey and Mr Byrne attended a Shuttle Time Badminton Course where they were trained up as badminton coaches. In April they will accompany pupils from 6th class to a badminton blitz in The Watershed Sports and Leisure Complex in Kilkenny where our pupils will take on 6th class pupils from other schools in Kilkenny.
- Noel Devlin from the Leinster Rugby Schools Development shared his love of rugby with 3rd class to 6th class. As a relatively new sport for many children to play in our school, the children absolutely loved it and thoroughly enjoyed advancing their knowledge and skills of the game.
- The students of 5th class were guided through the skills required for correct and safe cycling from Jason. We communicate regularly with (KRSP) Kilkenny Recreation and Sports Partnership regarding any initiatives they are running which would benefit our school. With their support we have been fortunate to hire a set of balance bikes and helmets from them for the Junior and Senior Infants. Last May Transition Year Students from Presentation School in Kilkenny worked with the Junior Infants on balance bikes. In April 2023 Transition Year Pupils from Presentation Secondary School will work with the pupils in Junior and Senior Infants on the Cycling Champions programme where a mixture of balance bikes and BMX bikes will be used. This programme is offered by Caitriona Corr Cycling Officer with Kilkenny County Council and Roisín Hickey Coach Education and Development Administrator.
- Karen Power, our Senior Infants SNA offers yoga and mindfulness to the children through fun and games. Practising yoga aids balance, coordination, body awareness and relaxation.
- Irish Dance teacher Evelyn Shortall visited our school in March 2022 coinciding with Seachtain na Gaeilge to teach us some dance steps. Every class level got a taste of this. Evelyn returned this March 2023 and worked with boys from Junior Infants to 2nd class. She was impressed by the natural technique of some of our pupils. Who knows? The next Michael Flatley may be amongst us!
- Volleyball is another sport which has become very popular in our school. In April 2022 and again in April 2023 Transition Year Students from the Presentation offered coaching lessons to the pupils in 4th class. This was followed by a volleyball blitz in the Watershed. Ms Walpole and Ms Mulroe kept a close eye as St Patricks De La Salle played matches against different schools from the city and county.
- Every June our school enters the Kilkenny City Swimming Gala which takes place in the Watershed in Kilkenny. Pupils from 2nd class to 6th participate in the Front Crawl, Breast Stroke and Back Crawl events. There is always stiff competition but we are always successful and enjoy returning to school with our haul of medals. Mr Meredith and Ms Herity organise this annual event.
- Cross country events take place annually in Castle Park. They are organised by the Kilkenny City Harriers and schools from all over Kilkenny take part. Pupils from 3rd class to 6th run different distances around the park in the hope of finishing in a medal position. Last year Paul Millea won gold in the 6th class race.
- We are proud to say that every pupil from Junior Infants to 6th class has the opportunity to learn the skills of Hurling and Gaelic Football in our school. This is the breakdown of class levels and coaches:
- Junior Infants to 1st class – Nathan Culleton, (Games Player Officer with the Kilkenny Co. Board).
- 2nd and 3rd classes – Mr Ryan and Mr Meredith. Nathan Culleton also worked with the boys in 2nd and 3rd class earlier this year.
- 4th and 5th classes – Mr Moloney and Mr O’ Flaherty.
- 6th class – Mr Burke and Mr Murphy.
- School’s Hurling Teams – Mr Burke, Mr Murphy, Mr Ryan and Mr Moloney.
- We are also very grateful to Mr Power and Mr Ruth, two retired staff members who offer coaching too with 4th class.
- Mr Burke and Mr Moloney coach the school’s Gaelic Football team and encourage the boys to try their best in every match.
- Every June Mr Burke organises the Schools Sports Day. Stations are mapped out in the main sports field and at the back of the school. Our pupils get the opportunity to try many fun activities including tug-o-war, sack race, obstacle race, penalty shoot outs, egg and spoon race, 3-legged race and long jump to name but a few. This is always an enjoyable day with something for everyone to try. In the afternoon we host an annual hurling match between the 2, 6th class teams. The winning team gets a plaque and the man of the match is presented with the Brian Cody award.
- Our school enters the Cumann na mBunscoileanna Hurling and Gaelic Football leagues every year. Class leagues are run for classes 2nd to 6th in the months April to June. Our school has the opportunity to play hurling matches against other schools in Kilkenny i.e. St Canice’s, Kilkenny CBS, St Johns and Gaelscoil Osraí.
- In March 2023 boys from 4th 5th and 6th represented St. Patrick’s de la Salle in our first Leinster Schools Tennis Competition. We defeated Gaelscoil Osrai, Gaelscoil Ceatharlach and Kilkenny CBS on the way. Our next match is a knockout match where the boys will meet to play Harold’s Boys N.S in Dalkey. We wish them the best of luck.
- Our school was represented in the Cumann na mBunscol handball competition where in the U11 doubles, brothers Leon and Johnny won their county competition and Leinster competition and went on to represent our school and their county in the National Finals Day in Kingscourt Co. Cavan. Maith sibh a bhuachaillí!
- Two teams participated in the FAI 5-a-side competition held in Evergreen Park in March. Both teams performed excellently on the day with one team being narrow runners up. Will Kinsella, our regional FAI representative, called into school to present their medals.
Even though our school has a very strong tradition of Gaelic Games we are constantly offering our pupil’s a wide and varied choice of sports and physical activities so that they get an opportunity to try out different activities and find the one that they would like to pursue further.
Since our Active School Flag journey started in November 2021 our pupils have had a taste of sixteen (yes sixteen!) different physical activities. Now I think that deserves a pat on the back for us!!! These include Gaelic football, soccer, hurling, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, badminton, table tennis, yoga, cycling, swimming, Irish dancing, athletics, tag rugby, tennis and orienteering.
Our wonderful Parents Council organise the Annual Fun Run which takes place in Kilkenny Castle Park. This is an opportunity for our school community to come together to support the school and get fit. We are always very grateful too to James Stephens GAA club in Larchfield where everyone assembles before and after the race.
Our school is actively involved with James Stephens GAA club, O’ Loughlin Gaels GAA club, Evergreen Soccer Club, Watershed Sports and Leisure Complex, Kilkenny Lawn Tennis Club, Kilkenny Rugby Club, Kilkenny City Harriers Athletics Club and Kilkenny Recreation and Sports Partnership (KRSP). We would like to acknowledge the help and support received from the KRSP throughout our active school journey.
