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Saint  Patrick    

 

Who  was  St.  Patrick?  St.   Patrick   was   a   humble,   pious,   gentle   man,  

whose   love,   trust   and   total   devotion   to   God   were  undeniable.  He  is  the  patron  saint  and  national  apostle  of  Ireland  and  he  converted  the  Irish  to  Christianity.    

He  was  born   in   the  4th  Century   in   Scotland.  His  parents  were  Romans   living   in  Britain   in  charge  of   the  colonies.     At   14   he   was   captured  and  taken  to  Ireland  as  a  slave  to  tend  sheep.  During  his   captivity,  he   turned   to   God   in   prayer.  When  he  was  twenty  he  escaped  after   having   a   dream   from   God  in   which   he   was   told   to   leave  Ireland.   He   found   some   sailors,  who  took  him  back  to  Britain.  He  had   another   dream   where   the  Irish   people   begged   him   to   return   and   walk   among  them  once  more.     After   studying   to   become   a   priest,   he   later  became   a   bishop   and  went   to   Ireland.   Patrick   and  his  disciples  preached  and  converted  thousands  and  began  building   churches   all   over   the   country.   Everyone  converted   to   Christianity   when   hearing   Patrick's  message.     After  doing  some  miracles,  he  died  at  Saul,  

where  he  had  built  the  first  church.    Source:  http://www.catholic.org/       Carlota  Rosa  9ºA      

The  English  Newsletter       Spring/Summer,  2015  

Welcome!  

This issue of the English newsletter is dedicated to Saint

Patrick’s Day, which was commemorated in our school on 17th of March. Here you will

find written assignments by

students, together with other information about this subject.

The newsletter also includes assignments done by students from

different levels, concerning a variety

of topics.

Finally, we have a challenge for you.

Check it out and drop us a line.

See you next time!

 

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Spring/Summer,  2015    

ST. PATRICK´S DAY - TRADITIONS  

St.  Patrick´s  Day  is  celebrated  every  year  on  March  17th,  honouring  the  Irish  patron  saint,  St.  Patrick.  

People  all  over  the  world  celebrate  St.  Patrick's  Day,  especially  places  with  large   Irish-­‐American   communities.   Feasting   on   the   day   features   traditional  Irish   food,   including   corned   beef,   corned   cabbage,   coffee,   soda   bread,  potatoes,   and   shepherd's   pie.   Many   celebrations  also   hold   an   Irish   breakfast   of   sausage,   black   and  white   pudding,   fried   eggs,   and   fried   tomatoes.  Common  traditions  include:  

§ Parades   -­‐   This   event   is   most   often  associated  with  the  holiday.  Cities  that  hold  large   parades   include   Boston,   New   York,  

Philadelphia,   New   Orleans,   Savannah,   and  other  cities  worldwide.  

§ Drinking   -­‐   Since   many   Catholics   are   Irish-­‐American,   some   may   be   required   to   fast  from   drinking   during   Lent.   However,   they  are  allowed  to  break  this  fast  during  the  St.  

Patrick's  Day  celebrations.  This   is  one  cause  for   the   day's   association   with   drinking  heavily.  

§ Dying  water  or  beer  green  -­‐  Chicago  dies  its  river  green  for  the  festivities,  and  many  bars  serve   green-­‐dyed   beer.   The   White   House  fountain  is  also  dyed  green.  

§ Other   incorporations   of   green   -­‐   In   Seattle,   the   parade   routes   are  painted   in   green.   Observers   are   supposed   to  wear   green   or   else   risk  being   pinched.   Parade   floats   and   decorations   will   feature   the   colour  green.  

§ Religious   services   -­‐   Those   who   celebrate   the   holiday   in   a   religious  context  may  also  hold  a  feast.  Outside  of  this  context,  overindulgence  tends  to  revolve  around  drinking.  

§ Pea  planting  -­‐  In  the  Northeast,  many  celebrate  by  planting  peas.  This  is  largely   due   to   the   colour   and   time   of   year   (prime   pea-­‐planting  conditions.  

 Source:    http://www.wilstar.com         Maria  Antónia  Andrade      9ºA        Nº15  

 

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              Spring/Summer,  2015        St.  Patrick´s  Day    The  wearing  of  green…  According   to   some   accounts,   blue   was   the   first  colour   associated   with   St.   Patrick’s   Day,   but   that  started  to  change   in  the  17th  century.  Green   is  one  of   the   colours   in   Ireland’s   tri-­‐colour   flag   and   it   has  been  used   in   the   flags  of  several   Irish   revolutionary  groups   throughout   history.   Ireland   is   the   “Emerald  Isle,”  so  named  for  its  lush  green  landscape.  Green  is  also   the   colour   of   spring,   the   shamrock,   and   the  Chicago  River,  which   the  Midwestern   city   has   dyed  

green   on   St.   Patrick’s   Day   for   the   past   40-­‐odd  years.      Source:  http://www.csmonitor.com            Fátima  Santos  nº8  9B              

Saint  Patrick’s  Day  Soup  with  Shamrock  Shaped  Cheese  Croutons  

 Ingredients:  

• 60g  butter  • 2  medium  white  onions,  chopped  • 600g  potatoes,  peeled  and  chopped  • Salt  and  pepper                                                                            • 800ml  vegetable  or  chicken  stock    • 240g  sorrel  leaves,  shredded  

Cheese  Croutons  :  • 2  slices  thick  wholemeal  bread  • Olive  oil  or  melted  butter  to  brush  on  • 100g  grated  Irish  cheese  

 

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Preparation:    To  make   the   soup:  Melt  the  butter  in  a  saucepan,  add  the  onion  and  potato   and   cook   gently,   covered   for   about   10   minutes,   stirring  occasionally.  Add   salt,   pepper   and   stock   and   bring   to   the   boil.    Simmer   uncovered   for   about   5  minutes   until   the   potatoes   are   tender.  Add   the   sorrel   leaves   and   cook   for   5   minutes   more.    Liquidise  the  soup  until  smooth.  To  make   the   Cheese   Croutons:   Cut   shapes   from   the   bread   and   brush  lightly   with   olive   oil   or   butter.     Grill   on   one   side   then   turn   over   and  sprinkle   with   the   grated   cheese   and   grill   until   cheese   is   melted.  Place  on  top  of  the  hot  soup.    

Research  done  by:  Maria  Paulina  Silva   9ºA   Source:  www.bordbia.ie       Irish sometimes referred to as Irish Gaelic or just Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European languages family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is spoken as a first language by a small minority of Irish people, and as a second language by a rather larger group. Here are some examples of Irish Gaelic and its equivalent in English. Scoil Leabhair

Pinn luaidhe Teaghlaigh

The Language(s) of Ireland

 

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Spring/Summer,  2015  

Rothar Oráiste

Buachaill Cailín

             Scaffolding,  by  Seamus  Heaney  

 Masons, when they start upon a building, Are careful to test out the scaffolding; Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points, Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints. And yet all this comes down when the job’s done Showing off walls of sure and solid stone. So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be Old bridges breaking between you and me

Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall Confident that we have built our wall.  

And now a bit of literature.  

 

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Spring/Summer,  2015    

Leprechauns  The leprechaun is likely the most widely

known type of fairy living in Ireland.

Leprechauns have been in existence in Irish

legend since the medieval times. Traditionally,

leprechauns are tall fairies and often appear to

humans as an old man – much different from

the modern view of a small, childlike fairy in

a green suit. As legend holds, Leprechauns

love to collect gold, which they store in a pot and hide at the end of a rainbow. If a

human catches a leprechaun, the fairy must grant the human three-wishes before he

can be released. http://www.toptenz.net/top-­‐10-­‐irish-­‐myths-­‐and-­‐legends.php  

 

Love Story

Kaitlyn looked at the map and realized she was completely lost. She

decided to ask for help. She was walking around the forest when she

heard a strange sound from behind the trees. She turned around and saw

a little leprechaun with blue eyes and blond hair.

- Who are you? What are you doing here? – Kaitlyn asked.

- I’m Niall and I live here. – He answered.

- Why do you live here? Why are so small? How old are you? By the

way, I’m Kaitlyn.

- I live here, because I’m a leprechaun and we are small. I’m

seventeen years old and you?

- I’m sixteen years old. I live in Dublin and I was an a party and now

I’m lost but as you live here you can help me.

- Of course. Where do you want to go?

A  Short  Story  based  on  an  Irish  Folk  Legend  

 

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Spring/Summer,  2015

- I want to get out of the forest.

The little boy guided Kaitlyn out of the forest. While they were

walking through the trees, they became friends. She heard her mother

calling for her and then she realized that it was just a dream. So she

woke up.

She tied her brown hair up in a ponytail. She looked at the mirror

on the wall of her bedroom and her grey eyes were shining with the sun.

She was smaller than the rest of the family. She was beautiful but she

was bullied at school. That was her teenage problem. She was bullied

because her classmates were jealous of her. She was the best student in

school.

When her mom left her at school, everyone gave her an unfriendly

looks. She was scared but she keeps going to classes.

In History, she wasn’t paying attention and her teacher asked her

if everything was alright and she said that everything was ok. After

school she went to Starbucks. She ordered a milkshake. When she turned

around to go to a table, a boy bumped into her, making her spill the

milkshake all over her clothes. She was angry until she looked at him. She

was shocked…it was the boy of her dream.

- What are you doing here? – She asked.

- I came to help you. I know everything they do to you at school.

After a long conversation, they became real friends. He started

going with her to school to protect her. Everybody was surprised

because he was handsome. For some weeks, Niall used to take her

home. One day, they were in the elevator and the atmosphere was

somewhat awkward. He wanted to kiss her but he was scared.

-Kaitlyn…

 

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Spring/Summer,  2015

She turned to him and he grabbed her and kissed her. After that

she stared at him in surprise.

-I’m sorry. – He said.

-It’s ok!

The elevator door opened and she got out.

At night, she was almost falling asleep, when she got a message.

She picked up the phone and started reading the message. “By the way, I

love u!” that was what the message said and it was from Niall.

The next day at school, she saw him and she ran to him.

-Sorry, I didn’t answer your message. – She said.

There was a deep silence, and then she looked in his big blue eyes,

and said:

-I love you too!

When she finished saying that, she kissed him. Everybody at school

was surprised with that moment.

He pushed her away and said, with a mysterious face:

-I need to ask you something. It’s very important!

Her big smile disappeared. She was very scared and nervous.

-What’s the matter?

-You…want to be my girlfriend?

She stared at him, and then she said yes.

Some months later, her problem with bullying was over because he

was there to protect her. But there was another problem: a girl was

jealous of their relationship. This girl was always threatening Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn told Niall about this and they decided to move to Belfast. There,

they started a new life together.

Esmeralda Correia, Filipa Barbosa and Mariana Medeiros (10A)        

 

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Some Movies about Ireland worth watching

Angela’s Ashes (1999), directed by Alan Parker, is based on the best selling autobiography by Irish expat Frank McCourt. It follows the experiences of young Frankie and his family as they try against all odds to escape extreme poverty in the slums of pre-war Limerick.

The Crying Game (1992), directed by Neil Jordan, is an outstanding movie that will enlighten you on the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and its terrorist activities in the UK.

 Michael Collins (1996), also directed by Neil Jordan, is a biopic that tells the story of the Michael Collins, a.k.a. “the lion of Ireland”, his fight against British rule and the foundation of the Irish State (Eire) – The Republic of Ireland (1921).

Song of the Sea (2014), directed by Tomm Moore, tells the story of Saoirse, a child who is the last of the selkies, women in Irish and Scottish legends who transform from seals into people. She escapes from her grandmother's home to journey to the sea and free fairy creatures trapped in the modern world.

 

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The Fun Page

 

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Spring/Summer,  2015

The Students’ Corner

Daily  Routines  My Day at School I usually wake up at half past seven, then I go to the bathroom and I have a shower. After that, I get dressed and I brush my hair. At about a quarter to eight I have breakfast. At eight o’clock I go to school by car. I have classes until a quarter past one, then I have lunch in the school canteen. At two o’clock, I have other classes until a quarter to five. When I arrive home I eat a snack and then I do my homework. I usually watch TV before my mother arrives home. At eight o’clock I have dinner with my family. After that, I brush my teeth and I watch TV with my family before going to bed. At ten o’clock I go to sleep.

Margarida  Castro,  8,  6B      

 

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Argumentative Essay

   

Going   to   university   has   advantages   and   disadvantages.   When   students  

finish  high  school  they  ask  themselves:  “Is  it  worth  going  to  university?”  

First  of  all,  going  to  university  requires  spending  a  lot  of  money  and  there  

are  people  who  don’t  have  enough  money  to  pay  for  university  fees,  books,  food,  

a  place  to  stay,  among  other  expenses.  Some  degrees  imply  that  we  invest  several  

years  of  our  life.  In  addition,  students  have  to  stay  away  from  their  parents  and  

sometimes  they  can’t  visit  them.  

On  the  other  hand,  going  to  university  is  important  for  our  future,  because  

we  can  have  a  better  life  and  our  dream  job.  While  we  are  studying,  we  grow  up  

and  develop  our  skills.  

In  our  opinion,  taking  a  degree  is  important  to  have  a  good  career  or  job  

and   a   better   lifestyle   even   if   it   requires  many   sacrifices.   Therefore,   we   advise  

other  young  people  to  follow  their  dreams  and  invest  in  their  education.  

 Eunice;  Marta  (11B)  

University  Degree:  an  investment  or  a  waste  of  time?  

 

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Spring/Summer,  2015    

Descriptive  Report    

   

 

In   the  middle  of  Atlantic  Ocean,  we  can   find  the  most  beautiful   island   in  

the  world:   Madeira.   This   island   has   a   lot   of   fauna   and   flora,   native   traditions,  

tasty  food,  culture,  history  and  lovely  people.  

Madeira   is   located   in   the   southwest  of  Portugal  and  has  a  population  of  

267  785  people.  The  official  language  in  Madeira  is  Portuguese  and  its  currency  

is  the  Euro  (€).  

This  island  offers  many  places  to  go,  for  example:  Pico  do  Areeiro,  one  of  

the   highest  mountains   of  Madeira  where  we   can   see   beautiful   landscapes;   São  

Vicente   caves   and   volcanism   centre.   In   Porto  Moniz   you   can   swim   in   the   Lava  

Pools   and   you   can   visit   the   Theme   Park   in   Santana.   Also,   you   can   visit   the  

recently   opened   CR7   Museum,   where   you   can   see   the   trophies   of   the   best  

football  player  of  the  world.  

There  are   lots  of   things   that  we  can  do,   like  safari  Madeira   island   tours,  

catamaran  trips,  whale-­‐  and  dolphin-­‐watching,  “levada”  walks,  scuba  diving  and  

sunbathing  in  the  sandy  beach  in  Porto  Santo.  

The   weather   in   this   island   is   a   Mediterranean   climate,   but   based   on  

differences  in  sun  exposure  and  humidity  and  there  are  clear  variations  between  

north  and  south-­‐face.  

In  Madeira  you  can  eat  delicious  local  food  and  drinks.  The  most  popular  

food   is   “Espetada”,   which   is   barbecued   beef   on   a   laurel   skewer.   Usually,  

“espetada”  is  served  with  “bolo  do  caco”,  a  local  home-­‐made  bread.  In  local  bars  

everybody  should  drink  “poncha”,  an  alcoholic  drink  with  schnapps,  honey  and  

lemon   juice.   Nowadays,   other   fruit   juices   are   used   to   make   “poncha”,   such   as  

passion   fruit,   tangerine,   orange,   etc.   Finally,   there   is   Madeira   Wine,   which   all  

tourists  love.  

To  conclude,  Madeira  is  rich  in  culture,  entertainment,  natural  landscapes,  

delicious  food  and  lovely  people.  Carolina  Andrade  João  Godofredo  

Daniel  Gonçalves  

Madeira  

 

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Luís  Perestrelo    (10A)  

Spring/Summer,  2015 And the winner of the review challenge is….

Isalina Marcos (11B) And this is her prize!

 Would  you  like  to  win  this  book?  If  you’re  attending  9th,  10th,  11th  or  12th  grades,  this  is  for  you!    

E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars is thrilling, beautiful, and blisteringly smart and, therefore, it is utterly unforgettable. It is a haunting tale about how families live within their own mythologies. Lockhart has created a mystery with a surprising ending, so horrific that it will make you want to return immediately to page one to figure out how you missed it.

It’s   easy.   You   just   have   to   write   a   180-­‐word  essay  and  post  it  on  our  blog.    You  can  write  about  your  hobbies  and  free  time  activities  …  

or  about   your   plans   for   the   upcoming   summer  holidays.    Be  original!    Deadline:  8th  June    

anglogermanlucinda.blogspot.com

 

And Our Final Challenge of the Year….