Douglas Community SchoolDouglas, Cork

Congratulations to the Class of 2008

E X C E P T I O N A L L E AV I N G C E R T I F I C AT E R E S U LT S :> 7 TIMES NATIONAL AVERAGE OF A1'S IN HIGHER LEVEL CHEMISTRY

> 5 TIMES NATIONAL AVERAGE OF A1'S IN HIGHER LEVEL CONSTRUCTION

STUDIES

> 4 TIMES NATIONAL AVERAGE OF A1'S IN HIGHER LEVEL ACCOUNTING

> 3 TIMES NATIONAL AVERAGE OF A1'S IN HIGHER LEVEL PHYSICS

> 3 TIMES NATIONAL AVERAGE OF A1'S IN HIGHER LEVEL ECONOMICS

> DOUBLE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF A1'S IN HIGHER LEVEL MATHEMATICS

> DOUBLE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF A1'S IN HIGHER LEVEL GEOGRAPHY

> DOUBLE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF A1'S IN HIGHER LEVEL HISTORY

I congratulate the DCS Leaving Certificate class of 2008 ontheir excellent results in the Leaving Certificate examination. Leaving Certificate results day is one which most studentsremember for a long time. This year media reports on theresults took precedence over a war between Russia andGeorgia, the Beijing Olympics and problems in the Irisheconomy. This media circus puts great pressure on bothstudents and parents. In getting a novel storyline the focus isoften on the exceptional and the extreme - students with nineA grades and comments about the numbers doing honoursmathematics and the sciences. These stories do not reflect thereality of the majority of students who achieve good solidresults and gain sufficient points for their chosen course atThird Level.The results of the class of 2008 across the wide range ofsubjects studied at DCS show grade levels consistently abovethe national averages. Many of our students achieved points inthe 500+ range with significant numbers over 550. The highpercentage of students getting A grades is particularly

gratifying. It was also good to see the support and friendshipshown for each other when our students got their results. Thetrue spirit of DCS was evident in the concern shown by ourstudents that their friends also got the grades and points theywere seeking. As the DCS class of 2008 deal with CAO offers I wish themevery success in their further studies. You have completed oneimportant stage in your education; you have grown from childto man in your years with us. Looking at the man who leavesus it is difficult for us to remember the little boy who came toDCS six years ago!As one stage in the life of our students and school life endsanother begins with the start of another academic year. I urgeall our students to follow the example of the class of 2008 inworking to achieve the highest grades in your examinations inthe year ahead.

Website: www.dcscork.ie Email: admin@dcscork.ie Tel: 4294201

Our open night will take place on Thursday September 25, 2008 between

6.30pm - 9:00pm. Parents and boys in fifth and sixth classes in Primary Schools are

welcome. Principal's address at 7.30 p.m.

John McNamara receiving his U.C.C. scholarship award from President Dr. Michael Murphy.

BERNARD HORGAN, PRINCIPAL

2

Brian Murray was one ofseven Junior Certificatestudents in the country

to get 11 A's in hisJunior Certificate.

Cork and Munster Champions - Mental Health Public Speaking team of Kevin Tobin, Andrew O'Reilly, and Aidan Murphy.

MENTAL HEALTH PUBLIC SPEAKING

Congratulations to the DCS Mental Health Public Speaking team whowon the Cork and Munster sections of the competition and who wenton to reach the semi final of the competition. The team will travel toParis on Monday 8th September as part of the prize.This was a difficult journey but Kevin, Andrew and Aidan excelled atevery level. In the first round of the competition DCS students beatRochestown Community College and North Monastery to successfullyreach the second round. DCS continued with their successful run in subsequent roundsinvolving Presentation Secondary School Mitchelstown and BallincolligCommunity School and won the Cork final. This is the third time DCShave won this competition in recent years. The school continued their success when they reached the MunsterFinals in Clonmel Park Hotel. They beat the home team LoretoSecondary School, Clonmel and Meanscoil San Nioclás of Ring in thefinal to become Mumster Champions. Our team went on to contest the All Ireland Semi-final. This time eachstudent had to take one title and speak on it for seven minutes. Ourteam had the topic “ The greatness of a society can be measured by itstreatment of the vulnerable”. The team researched their topicthoroughly and included an impressive props display in theirpresentation. Unfortunately they lost to Presentation Convent Kenmare.Well done Kevin, Andrew and Aidan on your great achievement in Corkand Munster!

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

CEIASCHOOL ROBOTICS

FINALISTS

Congratulations to Shreyas Gadgil, Robert O'Neill and Glen Walsh who competed in theCork Electronics Industry AssociationRobotics Competition. The task was to build aworking robot that was able to do certaintasks. While the team were not selected for theultimate prize they did receive manycompliments for their work. Shreyas andRobert are pictured below with the Ministerfor Education and Science Ms. Mary Hannifin.

3

Pfizers Chemistry Quiz Well done to the DCS Chemistry Quiz team of Richard Murphy, DavidWinning, David Bourke and Cian Dolan. Our team narrowly lost outto the girls of Mount Mercy College on a tiebreak question in the finalof the quiz. Speaking at the presentation of prizes, Professor DeclanKennedy remarked that he “had no doubt that he was in the presenceof the best chemistry students in the Cork region.”

Busy with Chemistry experiments

PAMOJA GROUP HELP COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING IN KENYA

The group consisted of Tyrone Gee, Gearoid Power, David Looney andAlan Smith. We were all interested in doing something to tackle GlobalWarming and Climate Change in Kenya. Our first step was to raiseawareness about Kenya and the sufferings caused by Climate Change andGlobal Warming. Our Religion teacher and Mr. Manning played a greatpart in this. We put up ''Did you know posters'' around the school whichgave information on the subject. We made huge maps of Kenya and putthem up as well. We then arranged to give talks to a number of primaryschools in our local area. This included a Powerpoint presentation aswell as work sheets for all the students at the presentations. We spoke toover 1,000 primary students.

Article by Tyrone Gee.

DCS GRADAM NA SCOILE Over one hundred and fifty students received awards at the

annual DCS Gradam na Scoile Ceremony. The awards

recognised and honoured the achievements of students who

have made an outstanding contribution to both the

academic and sporting life of DCS.

Douglas Community School proudly thanks Chief

Superintendant Tony Quilter, a past pupil of DCS, who very

kindly took time off from his own busy schedule to present

the awards.

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Cian Dolan David Winning David Bourke Richard Murphy

4

DCS Play - Snow WhiteThe 2008 school play was a pantomime production of Snow White. Once again ourFourth year students proved to be a very talented group. Acting, set production, musicand advertising were areas in which our students excelled. The show was a sell out oneach of the three nights of the production.

Our students also helped sow the seeds for future productions by organising dramaworkshops for the students in the local primary schools. The workshops in DCS onThursday mornings were greatly enjoyed by both sets of students.

The 2009 production will be Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance - no doubt withsome amendments! While this difficult production will be a test for our fourth yearstudents we do not doubt that they will match and perhaps surpass our recent success.

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Michael and friends at the Transition Year drama workshop Colin and Brian at the Transition Year dramaworkshop with primary school pupils

Oh NO! I can'tremember my lines!Final rehearsals for theirlatest production.

5

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Transition Year drama workshop with primary school pupils. Tony Healy puts them through their steps!

Whats your name - Michael Lyons welcomes primary school pupils to the Transition Year drama workshop

Simon says! Transition Year students teaching drama to pupils from the local primary schools.

6

VISIT OF UGANDAN DIRECTOR OFEDUCATION TO DOUGLAS

COMMUNITY SCHOOLOn Wednesday 14th May, DCS hosted a visit from the Directorof the Ministry of Education and Sports, Kampala, Uganda, Dr.John Mbabazi and lecturer, Dr. Justin Otaala, of KyambogoUniversity, Kampala, Uganda. They were accompanied by Dr.Margo O'Sullivan, who is currently working in the TeacherEducation Department in the Ministry of Education and Sports inUganda. Dr. O' Sullivan is a sister of Douglas CommunitySchool teacher Mr. Ted O'Sullivan. The purpose of the visit was to set up a link between DCS and aUgandan Secondary School. This has led to DCS supporting thedevelopment of the Cardinal Nsubuga Secondary School - aCatholic Community Secondary School in Uganda. Anotherpurpose of the trip was to provide information to the UgandanMinistry of Education and Sport on the development of the IrishSecondary Education system. This will be used to inform policyin Uganda. Students busy researching a project in

the school library

Playing all the right notes. Mr. Gerard O'Connell with some members of

the school choir

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

Cooling Down. Students relax on thesnow after a busy morning on the slopes.

Keeping fit and healthy in our Sports Hall.

7

Graduation Night. Studentcouncil President RichardBarrett, with Principal BernardHorgan and Cormac McGarry,presents a cheque on behalf ofthe Leaving Certificatestudents to Ms. SusanMcGarry of the IrishWheelchair Association.

Graduation Night

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOL

BASKETBALL REPORT 2007-2008

It was another successful year for the school. Three of ourfour teams reached Cork Finals and two teams advancedto All Ireland qualifiers.

U19 team played extremely well coming second in theirpool to CSN. A strong team CSN beat them in the finals.The team was unlucky in the All Ireland Qualifiers wherethey were narrowly defeated.

Our First Year team had a successful year and won theCork final by defeating a strong team from Colaiste anPhiarsaigh. The team was unlucky in the All Ireland Play-offs where they lost against Presentation Bray who went onto win the All Ireland Final. We look forward to asuccessful year from this team in the second year leagues.

TENNIS

The DCS U-19 tennis team entered the Munster SchoolsChampionships with high hopes of victory. In the firstround the DCS team proved too strong for their opponentsand moved on to the semi-final stage against RockwellCollege. After an exciting game with Rockwell the skill andcomposure of the DCS team ensured a trip to Rushbrook inCobh for the final with Carrigaline Community School asthe opposition. Strong words of encouragement from DCSteam manager Mr. O'Connor spurred the team on to winthe match and take the Munster Schools ChampionshipShield back to Douglas. Another great win for the DCS.Congratulations to our team of Peter Neville, David Bourke,Kieran Gleeson, Fionn Cronin, Andrew Neville, RoryMurphy, Stephen Neville and Aiden Cotter.

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOLDOUGLAS CORK

Website: www.dcscork.ie Email: admin@dcscork.ie Tel: 4294201

DOUGLAS COMMUNITY SCHOOLPr

oduc

ed b

y le

tter

tec

021

4883

370

ww

w.le

tter

tec.

com

ATHLETICS SUCCESSThe DCS U17 Cross-Country team made Irish history

when they become the first ever Irish school team to

compete at a World Cross-Country Championships.

The event was held in the Czech Republic and 30

countries took part. The DCS team of Peter Hanrahan

(Captain), Patrick Coleman, David O'Keeffe, Adam

Kelleher, Brian Murray and Alan O' Brien performed

well in competition being the top ranked European

team and did both their school and country proud

during their stay.

It has been a marvellous year for the schools athletics

team, winning eleven trophies in total as well as many

medals. The team retained the best overall school

award at the South Munster and Munster Schools

Cross-Country championships as well as being the

best school at the All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country

championships. Craig Murphy also excelled, winning

the All-Ireland Schools Senior Boys' Cross-Country

title and represented Ireland at the World Cross-

Country championships in Scotland, where he

finished 5th European athlete. Patrick Coleman was

selected on the Irish Schools Cross-Country team that

competed against England, Scotland and Wales. The

team also retained the best overall school award at the

South Munster Schools Track & Field championships.

Here are just some of our

successes during the year:

• South Munster Schools Cross-Country

Championships: Minor team 2nd,

Junior team 1st, Inter team 1st, Senior

Team 1st

• Munster Schools Cross-Country

Championships: Minor team 3rd,

Junior team 2nd, Inter team 1st, Senior

Team 1st

• All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country

Championships: Junior team 4th, Inter

team 2nd, Senior team 4th

• Ras Na hEireann International Cross-

Country: U-15 team 1st, U-17 team

2nd and U-19 team 2nd

Peter Hanrahan (Captain), Patrick Coleman, David O'Keeffe, AdamKelleher, Brian Murray and Alan O' Brien

Congratulations to Craig Murphy who has

been awarded a DCU sports scholarship