different buses and dashed off to Kilkenny, where a magnificent exhibition was displayed to us. Located in The Hub, Kilkenny, TY Expo was the perfect way to begin Transition Year on a high note. There we were able to visit multiple stalls which taught us about different activities we would be able to participate in this year, and were able to absorb the magic and energy emanated by TY. For me, this day out was a highlight to the start of my year and really let me explore my creative side as a student. I would definitely recommend it to next year's TY students!
This month was one of chaos, one of thrills, one of emotion. Day One began with the embracing of old friends, and the making of new ones; the otherworldly yet ohso familiar feeling of stepping inside the very building in which I had spent three whole years of my adolescent life laughing, crying, frantically finishing homework, you know, more of ‘the usual.’ In some ways I felt shaken I was moving upwards, into a new stage of my life. I was moving away, letting go of another. And although it was strange, discomforting even, I knew that my year ahead was going to be full of new thoughts, new friends and new experiences. Knowing that felt good.
The first week was a blur. I remember faces and emotion, the awkward tickling of a new jumper, the smell of sizzling bacon in the cafeteria. I remember a weak sunshine pushing through the leaves outside, like a runny egg in the sky. I remember drizzly mornings on the bus and the electric buzz of being separated into new classes. I remember thinking that it felt good to be
back. And although not everyone was ecstatic about their new class (you must understand that being yanked from your comfort zone is not the most wonderful sensation in the world), I know that they all felt the same way as I.
The general sensation in the air was turbulent, yes, but it was thrilling too that cheesy backtoschool kind of 'new year, new me' vibe had managed to get into just about everyone!
When Wednesday the 9th of September rolled around everyone had adopted a new anticipation that hadn't been there before an almost alien tension that clung to each student as they roamed the corridors, going about their daily routine. However, once the results of last year's Junior Cert had been drawn out of those big brown paper envelopes, all that was to be seen was brightly glowing faces and tears of absolute joy and relief. (Those feelings of joy and relief were very well celebrated later on that night!).
The Wednesday after that was yet another one to look forward to, as my year group and I tumbled onto two
A New Beginning by Abby Morales
BGS TY Newsletter 2015-2016 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5 I S S U E 1 . 1
P A G E 2
“Many of us
tried to block
out the
thought of it
but still felt
quite giddy
with
expectation!”
Junior Certificate Results Day
by Rachel O’Leary
The nerves clawed their
way into our systems
on the morning of the
day. Slowly they
climbed up our veins
and infested our blood,
devouring every happy
thought we possessed.
Every dispute was
heightened and turned
into a vicious brawl.
Brother turned on
sister.
Friend betrayed friend.
Until all that was left
was the day.
Waiting.
Devouring.
E v e r y . H a p p y .
Thought…
…said no one!
Yes, the day was nerve-
wracking for most, but
certainly not nerve-
wrecking-I hope!
On Wednesday the 9th
of September 2015 our
year quietly ambled
into school, anxiously
awaiting the results of
our Junior Cert. Many
of us tried to block out
the thought of it but
still felt quite giddy
with expectation!
The day rolled slowly
along, with Wednesday
being quite a relaxed
day, many sincere
thanks to our timetable!
We had to wait an
eternity to receive our
results though, as they
weren’t issued to us
until 3:30pm in our last
class. This was torture
as you can imagine as
although none of us
really wanted to get our
results, we still itched
to get it over with. Put
all this worry to bed!
W h e n t h e t i m e
eventually came our
entire year filed into the
Lecture Theatre and sat
at the edge of our seats.
Most people talked
excitedly amongst
themselves in little
groups. Others laughed
and acted the eejit (take
a wild guess…) while
the latter sat quietly,
hailing decades of the
Rosary while rocking
back and forth, as if in
a trance. An outside
o b s e r v e r w o u l d
certainly find the scene
an odd one!Then.
It began.
First up:
Clodagh Young.
I think we all remember
Clodagh being first
because, well, this was
it. Time had come to
deliver us (hopefully)
the good news and she
was its first messenger.
One by one we all
exited the room (I
would love to say in a
neat, orderly fashion
but that would be lying)
once our name was
called and the envelope
was handed to us. It felt
like lead in our hands.
Mayhem.
But of the good kind.
Scenes of
friends hugging
tears of happiness
crying
not-failing-high-fiving
exchanging of results
and well-done to one
and all.
Many of us revealed
our results to the
teachers who helped us
achieve our scores by
frantically running up
and down corridors and
spilling the beans in
one mad rushed,
‘I got the …!!!’
Of course, there are
always a few who can’t
bear to find out how
they got on by either
refusing to open the
envelope point-blank,
or waiting until they go
home. This year was no
exception!
All in all, the day was a
success and I think
most of us were
delighted with our
results. We put in the
hard work and it paid
off. Special thanks to
all the teachers who
guided us in the right
direction and helped us
achieve our scores.
Hopefully the Leaving
Cert results will be just
as successful…
“When the
time
eventually
came our
entire year
filed into the
Lecture
Theatre and
sat at the
edge of our
seats. “
C.S.I by Oisin Devoy P A G E 3
M u r d e r i n B a n d o n
G r a m m a r S c h o o l .
Yesterday, there was a
serious drug deal and an
altercation that ended in
bloodshed in the school. It
was up to the fourth years
to solve the mystery and
find the murderer.
Together we crowded into
the hall to inspect the crime
scene. From finger print
analysis to examining DNA
and gun shot residue we
pieced together what really
happened. Was it Greg ?
Was it the couple? Was it
suicide? It was up to us to
find the evidence and
convict the right person.
Just like Cluedo, it wasn’t
necessarily the ‘smartest’
people who figured it out,
but the people who worked
t h r o u g h t h e f a c t s
meticulously just like a
criminologist.
All in all, luckily for the
wellbeing of Bandon
Grammar School, the Drug
dealer was convicted of
murder by some very
intelligent young detective
minds.
participated and submitted a
variety of ideas and visions.
The competition was one of
the highest standard to date
with attention to detail and
research at professional
level. Our Judges,
independent fashion
designer Agnes O'Leary
and DCU's Project Design
of the year Geraldine
Breen, jobs were tough in
selecting candidates. Five
creations out of eight
groups were picked after
much deliberation! Hopeful
students this year include
Roxanne O'Brien, Erin
O'Leary, Laura Neville,
Aimee Clarke and Chiara
Rijks-Weidner.
The B.G.S Art and Design
Department had the
pleasure of holding internal
heats for Junk Kouture
2016 on Friday 25th of
September, a first for the
school, due to such a
demand for the competition
this year. Interested
students were given 2
weeks to create a mood
board and fashion proposal
that they considered to be
unique and appropriate for
one of Ireland's biggest
event for Transition year
students, Junk Kouture.
With two judges working in
the fashion world selecting
work they deemed unique,
exciting for this years
highly anticipated event.
Twenty four students
Our thanks to Mr. J. Twomey
for organising the two judges
to come to the school
especially for this event.
Junk Kouture 2016 by Mr. J. Twomey
of what it was they were
advertising and some of the
science stalls had experi-
ments you could try out.
One stall that really stuck
with me was ‘Headstrong’,
an organisation promoting
positive mental health
amongst teens.
They had a tree on which
every student wrote a
‘happy thought’, and they
also gave out free stickers
with compliments written
on them that you could
stick on complete strangers.
Undoubtedly there was
something at the exhibition
for everybody. There were
language courses adver-
tised, along with adventure
centres, competitions, chari-
ties and immersion trips
that teenagers could get in-
volved with. There were
stalls for people who love
On Wednesday 16th Sep-
tember, all the fourth years
went to a TY Expo in Kil-
kenny, an exhibition that
attempted to evoke interest
and motivation in all the
students to get involved
with what Transition Year
has to offer.
Although many people ex-
pected this trip to just be a
day off school, I think it
was an extremely interest-
ing and worthwhile expo. It
was great to see all the dif-
ferent aspects that you can
get involved with in TY.
Every stall was extremely
informative and enthusiastic
about what they were ad-
vertising. Many stalls had
free leaflets to take, pens,
stickers and newsletters we
could sign up to. Some or-
ganisations had videos they
showed us to give us a feel
science, debating, art,
sport, maths, history and
many, many more.
Although a six hour bus
journey was very long for
such an exhibition I defi-
nitely think it was a worth-
while experience. It suc-
ceeded in showing us how
fantastic TY will be if we
get involved with different
things. It was a brilliant
idea and I would think
BGS should make the ef-
fort to go to it every year!
TY Expo, Kilkenny by Emily Hamilton Foott
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