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Local political representatives have expressed their disappointment at the news that the Department of Education due to budgetary pressures are ending funding for a popular primary school sports coaching programme. The programme was delivered by IFA and GAA coaches in over 200 primary schools across the North.
Newry City Councillor, Aidan Mathers said the decision was "punishing children and young people" while Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty is seeking an urgent meeting with the Department's Permanent Secretary to have the programme restored.
Mr McNulty believes that children will lose out following the decision “Since its introduction the school sports programme has had a massive impact in schools across the North, allowing young people to enjoy sport with elite level coaching from both the GAA and IFA. When a similar scheme ended in 2018 there was a real sense of disappointment, but on that occasion common sense prevailed and a new scheme was launched for primary school pupils." he said.
“This programme had huge benefits for our children, not only encouraging them to participate in sport which keeps them fit and healthy, but teaching them the importance of teamwork and the emotional resilience that comes with taking part in organised sport. Developing these skills at a young age will encourage children to keep active throughout their lives with all the benefits that brings. The decision to end this programme will have a significant impact on our young people and schools and demonstrates yet again that PE is the poor relation in education.
“Sports coaching for children cannot be yet another casualty of the DUP’s Stormont boycott and the austerity budget imposed on us by the Tory government. No matter what harm is visited on people in the North these people fail to face up to the reality of their actions. To see this programme ripped away, which contributes so much positivity to children and their families’ lives is extremely disappointing, and I hope to see this scheme return, as it did in 2019.
Councillor Aidan Mathers said “It is deeply concerning that the funding for the primary schools' sports programme is to be cut. This is a vital sports programme delivered by GAA and IFA coaches to over 200 schools and over 24,000 children across the north.
“These coaches deliver much-needed physical education lessons and ensured pupils were at least getting some form of physical activity throughout the week. Physical activity has been proven to help children and young people both physically and mentally.
“This is yet another consequence of immoral and indefensible Tory cuts that has decimated our public services and is punishing children and young people. The British government must end the cycle of cuts and properly invest in our education system."
The Newry councillor called for the Executive to be established now so that local parties can support our children and young people.
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Athletics teams from Saint Paul's High School, Bessbrook took top honours at the VHC Post Primary Athletics Invitational held at St Colman's College in Newry.
The School's Year 8, 9 and 10 boys’ athletics teams claimed the overall ‘team award’ in the 2023 Competition held on Friday last. The event was part of St Colman’s College bicentennial celebrations and teams from St Colman's were joined by St Louis Ballymena, St Joseph's Newry, De La Salle Downpatrick and St Paul's.
In blazing hot sunshine, all pupils performed to an exceptional standard throughout. On what was a great day for the school, Year 8 pupils, Daithi Hoey and Setanta Mc Donald, were also joint winnners of best individual first year. School captain, Jarlath O’Neill, accepted the trophy on behalf of the school.
Year 8 Team
Setanta Mc Donald, Daithi Hoey, Kaelin Mc Quaid, Matty Mc Ferran, Hayden O Callaghan and Philip Posmyk.
Year 9 Team
Aodhan O’Neill, Oisin McCrink, Noah Campbell, Finn Loughran, Jack Casey and Alfie Brown.
Year 10 Team
Paul Stanfield, Ronan Martin, Jarlath O Neill, Charlie Rock who replaced the injured Tomas Fox, Eoin Mc Parland and Paddy Crilly.
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It’s nearly the end of the academic year, which means one thing – time to recognise the outstanding success and contributions made by Further Education students at Southern Regional College. The College held its annual award ceremony at Armagh City Hotel at the end of May. Current students were invited to attend to find out if they were worthy winners in the fields of Academic Excellence; Student Contribution which included the categories Fundraiser of the Year, Triumph Over Adversity, and Inclusivity; and lastly Student Recognition Awards.
Over fifty awards were up for grabs, with several awards having runner ups in their category, it was clear to see a decision was difficult to reach, with so many well deserving nominations.
Guest speaker at the event was Jodi Murnin. Jodi was recently a student at the College having undertaken the Higher-Level Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing and Advertising. Graduating with her degree in September 2022, Jodi has had a metaphoric rise since graduation with a recent promotion to Social Media Director at Ardmore Advertising; only having joined the business in September 2022 as Digital Marketing Manager. Jodi currently works with large clients including Translink, Stena Line, Phoenix Energy and manages social media accounts for businesses.
Reflecting on her experiences Jodi’s urges current students to believe in themselves and grab opportunities where they present. Jodi commented “Southern Regional College where I really gained a lot of confidence, and started to believe in myself, and knew that marketing was the career for me. I was so glad of the good foundation in business that I had built on from my earlier course in the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business and previous jobs, which accelerated my learning in marketing.
"I took opportunities that felt right, as and when they came up. One door opened another and I am grateful that I didn’t hold myself back. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and if I could talk to my 17-year-old self, I would tell her that there is never failure, always learning. And there is growth to come from your setbacks in life.”
Newry and Portadown students saw a number of sporting successes, with students Jamie Gray and Eugene White both coming top of their weight classes in the All-Ireland Under 18 Colleges Boxing Championships; Newry student Ellen McCartney representing the NI Ladies Under 17s Soccer Team at the European Qualifiers in Turkey; and Portadown student Noah Legge who was part of SRC’s winning volleyball team who lifted the Schools Cup.
Also picking up awards included Media student Steven Doran from Banbridge. Steven was nominated for the inclusivity award having increased inclusion within the student population, and in particular with one classmate who has physical limitations and some communication difficulties. Steven spends time with this classmate and the classmate’s support assistance during break and lunch to ensure he is fully included in student life, ensuring a positive college experience for all. Lecturer Marianne McGee also commented that Steven brings the class together ‘with his friendly and approachable nature’.
Fellow Armagh student, Conor Nugent picked up a student recognition award following his recent success winning The Montgomery Award for Excellence in Wall and Floor Tiling. In winning the Montgomery Award, Conor had to complete a stretch (speed) test and then create a large thistle motif in cut tile to precise measurements on one wall and to craft circular work and tile niche with a border on the adjacent wall. Conor is currently undertaking the Wall and Floor Tiling level 3 apprenticeship and is employed by Leo Duffy Tiling.
In his closing comments, Dr Thomas Moore, Chairman of the Governing Body at Southern Regional College commented “May I wish each of you every success in your future studies. Continue to believe in yourself. You are more talented and capable than you will ever know.”
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St Clare's Abbey Primary School have won the Peoples Choice Award at the UNESCO Young Environmentalist competition. The final was held in Dublin last week and the schools Eco Team aka ‘St Francis’ Followers’ returned home with a spring in their step from the finals.
The award was for the school's St Francis' Garden. The pupils have recorded the sounds of birds and wildlife in their garden as part of their project.
A spokesperson from the school commented "It was a phenomenal experience for our pupils and staff and was a well deserved validation for the tremendous work we do to care for our environment. "
Thanking those involved the spokesperson added "We thank Mr Fitzpatrick, co-ordinating teacher and the hardworking Eco Council; Laoimh, Tom, Lily, Adam, Adomas, Lottie, Grace , Lexi, Daire, Oscar and Cara. They were truly outstanding and represented St Clare’s Abbey magnificently. We also thank Mr Meleadey for his guidance and the parents, grandparents and staff who help us with all things Eco in our school."
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Filling the gap between the creative industry and the education sector is Southern Regional College’s brand-new degree in Creative Music and Audio Production. Southern Regional College is the only college in Northern Ireland’s further education sector equipped to deliver this course programme, subject to validation by The Open University.
The degree is open to applications from anyone currently working in the sector, from musician, songwriter, engineer, producer, technician, teacher, promoter, or manager. To launch the degree, the highly successful bluegrass and folk band Cup O’Joe returned to their Southern Regional College origins to see where it all began and check out the Armagh campus’ state of art facilities. The College boasts one of the largest recording studios in further and higher education in the UK. No expense has been spared in equipping studio space, with over £100,000 spent in bringing the latest technology to students.
Current student Rory Harte from Newry is planning to progress onto the course. Rory commented “The degree will help me establish a financially realistic path to music, from being a session musician, teacher and opening avenues while continuing to perform live music. It will enable me to develop my portfolio and equip me with the right industry contacts. In the day that I’m in College, my skills will be developed, with the remainder of the week used for doing gigs and making connections in the music industry. It’s the real next step towards getting a job in industry. I would advise anyone to come to SRC”.
Prospective students can expect to be paired with industry clients and work on projects aligned to their own talents and interests. The degree was developed following consultation with music industry professionals who identified gaps in current education provisions. Students can expect to have their skills honed as they gain relevant experience whilst networking with industry professionals; one of the many benefits to the degree.
The innovative industry centred degree will be delivered one day a week over two years. This flexibility allows students to fit study around work commitments. Plus, low tuition fees of £1,178 per year make the course practically a steal compared to full time yearly university fees of £4,700 in Northern Ireland and £9,250 in Scotland, England, or Wales.
Students will be tutored by experts in their field, namely Paddy Craig and Matt Duke. Both lecturers have a long list of musical accomplishments to their names, from musical performances, live sound engineering, studio productions and compositions for radio, TV, and films. Their work has appeared in many outlets including BBC Radio, RTE Radio, Today FM, BBC One, Channel 4 and E4. There is no doubt that students are in the best hands, with these industry experts. Something which Cup O’Joe were quick to note.
Commenting on the new degree, Paddy Craig, lecturer at Southern Regional College commented “The degree is a fantastic opportunity to develop your career in music and create something new and exciting with one of the best equipped colleges in the UK!”
Declan Legge, Producer & Artist Manager of Jealous of the Birds/Atlantic Records, further commented “The SRC music department has produced some of the best young musicians and technical crew, I have worked with in Northern Ireland. The teaching staff, many of whom still work within the music industry, help to nurture a sense of professionalism and creativity that can only help us to continue to punch above our weight.”
To find out more about the degree, visit: https://bit.ly
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Students at Sacred Heart Grammar School in Newry excelled at the recent Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Young Economist of the Year Awards in Dublin with 12 of them receiving awards.
Year 14 Student Isabella Morgan was the overall Northern Ireland winner of the PDST Young Economist of the Year Award 2023. The student was awarded for her research project entitled 'Back to the Future: Is gold providing stability to central banks in unstable times?' The project questioned the feasibility of returning to a gold standard and if there are other alternatives. It analysed the current anomaly in the economy of entering a recession while still experiencing inflation. It explored the history of gold and the reason countries have decided to turn away from gold in the past centuries. Also, it explored why countries could be relying more on it with the current geoeconomic and political conditions.
The Northern Ireland Award Runner-Up was announced as Lily Brannigan, Lucy Johnston and Orlaith Lambe, Year 11 students from the Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry. Their research essay and animation was entitled: Unheard Consequences: Unveiling the Economic Implications of Hearing Impairment in Today's Society. This explored how individuals with hearing impairments affect the growth of the global economy, and the cost burdens it has on both the individual and society. It focused on a range of aspects, from hard of hearing individuals to inequality rooted in the educational system.
Also, a number of Sacred Heart students were awarded a Silver award for their projects and were invited to the ceremony to be presented with their medals and to present their projects. They included Eleanor Dunne, Orlagh McEvoy, Lauren McSwiggan (Year 11) for their project 'The Climate-Economy Conundrum,' which investigated the implications of climate change on the global economy. Isabella Leary, Grace Mallie, and Ellen Boyle (Year 11) for their project 'Uncovering the Correlation between Crime and Poverty,' which delves into the connection between crime and poverty. Tara Reilly (Year 13) for her project 'Examining The Paradox of Peace: Is Peace Good For The War Business?' This was a commentary piece focusing on the question of defence spending in a time of non-conflict. Ella Finnegan (Year 13) for her project 'Cinematic Growth: An Economic Analysis of the Impact of Film and Media on Ireland's Tourism Industry,' which provided an economic analysis of this booming industry.
Mr McComb, the Head of Economics at the Sacred Heart Grammar School, expressed his immense pride in his young economists and commended them for their dedication, diligence, and enthusiasm. "All of the contributions from my students demonstrated a considered methodology, probing significant economic investigations through the employment of economic theory and empirical exploration. I am genuinely pleased that a vast number of students took part in the 'Young Economist of the Year' contest, as it availed them of the chance to polish their research skills and amplify their enthusiasm for economics, hence augmenting their understanding of the world that surrounds them."
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Southern Regional College’s Art & Design students are hosting their end of year showcase this week. The event is open to the public from Tuesday 30 May to Thursday 1 June with an incredible variety of work exhibited. The exhibits are inspired by many different factors with the environment taking a central role. Inspirations come from as varied topics as the Climate Crisis and the Orange Order. Current affairs and the plastic surgery industry also feature.
Maeve Mcmanus is exhibiting a sculpture entitled '"Swallow", "Envelop", "Dissolve"' Mcmanus explains "Through this scuptural project, I hoped to convey a tangible representation, of the physical sensations, experiences and 'Umwelt' that can sometimes accompany those who struggle with mental illness such as Depression."
Martin Moore's exhibit is entitled 'Powerless' which examines the relationship between the landscape and power.
Sheila McGaffin's installation is entitled 'Take a Seat'. McGaffin explains "We as people are forever running around, progressing, never thinking of what happens when we advance, what is left behind. Never stopping and thinking about the consequences, only looking forward. Take a Seat is to stop, think and acknowledge the Climate Crisis, rather than ignoring or completely seeing through the issue. If we do not see the issues now, eventually we will be consumed by the trash that we are actively ignoring, and we will have no one to blame but ourselves when the time comes."
Student Raymond McAteer's installation is entitled 'When Beauty Kills' which explores the plastic surgery industry. McAteeer explains "I created a narrative which depicts the addictive and progression of plastic surgery procedures. Through the use of digital processes, I indended to pay cognisance to the digital world that bombards us with images of 'perfect' bodies, which are often enhanced. These images were set in a pseudo clinical environment to evoke a sense of unease with the viewer."
Gergana Georgieva's exhibition is entitled 'Herbalism for the Modern Mind' and her brief was to design a book cover and chapter openers for the title. Georgieva explains "The client asked for a 'modern vintage' style so they could draw in an audience of young adults into the practice of plant healing."
Jordan Lennon's exhibition was entitled 'Society in Freefall' and is a social commentry on politics and current world events. "The creation of my works is a visual response to articles and research on world news and ongoing events, as well as bringing in my own views and stances on these subjects."
Kimberley Liggett's exhibition is entitled 'Is Orange in Order' and it was commissioned by a local orange lodge. Liggett explains "I was commissioned by a local lodge to create a series of mixed media pieces showing my perception of the Orange Order within my culture from a young person's perspective."
Tarry Sweet has two pieces in the exhibition 'It's Happening' and 'The Storm'. On 'It's Happening' Sweet said "This mixed media piece is a visual representation of the impact of climate crisis on our planet, as it is happening!"
Mairead Havern's exhibit is called 'Eco Anxiety' Havern said "My work is my interpretation of climate change, more specifically eco anxiety. While researching climate change I came across the term eco anxiety and I decided to explore it further"
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Our Lady's Grammar School U15 seven a side team have won the regional section of the Electric Ireland Super Schools Tournament held at Lurgan Town Arena.
J3/S1 in their group had 2 wins, 1 defeat and a draw but it was good enough to see them get through to the semi finals as runners up. They won their semi final and played Lagan College in the final, the team that beat them in the group stages. The girls played fantastic in the final and came away with a deserved 1 nil victory over Lagan.
The Our Lady's J1/2 squad topped their group with 3 wins out of 3 won their semi final but were unfortunate to come up against a very good and strong St Pauls team in the final who went on to beat them 2-0.
The school thanked the IFA for providing their pupils with a platform to showcase their talent.
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St Paul's High School U13 Girls' soccer team have won the regional IFA Electric Ireland 7-a-side football tournament.
The girls played amazingly throughout and came through a tough group consisting of Markethill High, Lagan College and Brownlow Integrated College. The team overcame Fort Hill College, Lisburn, in the semi-final to set up a place in the final against Our Lady's Grammar School.
St Paul's kept their best performance for the final and won with a convincing 3-0 scoreline.
A school spokesperson added "Massive thanks and well done to coaches Miss Rooney and Mr Caldwell. Special thank you to our team sponsor Fiships in Camlough for the amazing jerseys."
Team: Connie Havern, Danielle McParland, Sophie Rock, Niamh Muckian, Ava O'Neill, Emma Toale, Charlotte Havern, Cadhla Faloon and Anna McKeown.
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