English

Paired Reading Programme

The paired reading programme involves the 5th Year Students being paired with 1st Year Students in the library, to give them extra help with their reading skills on a weekly basis. The students involved have volunteered to take part in this programme which is proving to be very popular. The students meet together three times a week, during lunch time, to read together and discuss the book at hand.

Library Grant for SHS

The Sacred Heart School received a substantial grant from the Rapid Programme to improve and develop the school library. The library was refurbished and stocked with an impressive selection of books and computer facilities. Each school department was enabled to purchase many reference books to support their subject. The improved school library is an invaluable resource to staff and students. A number of 6th year students have been appointed as library prefects to oversee the running of the library. A huge thank you to Ms. Fanning who has organised and co-ordinated this wonderful improvement project.

6th Year English

A group of 6th year English Students attended the play "Sive" by John B. Keane in the Liberty Hall Theatre Dublin on November 7th with Ms. Madden. The theatre visit was in connection with "The Comparative Study" as part of the students' Leaving Certificate English. Sive was John B Keanes's first play and is now, the 50th anniversary of its first production, an established classic.The play is set in a remote area of North Kerry in the fifties and is a superb study of mid - century rural Ireland, a classic morality tale about the consequences of greed and bitterness. It tells the story of the promise in marriage of the young and beautiful Sive to an old man, highlighting the eternal themes of youth and age, wealth and poverty and good and evil.

Poetry Competition

Congratulations to 1st year student, Anna Walsh, who recently won 2nd prize in the junior section of a poetry competition organised by the Drogheda Borough Council. Her poem was entitled "Hiding in the Shadows". She was awarded with her certificate at a ceremony held in Milmount Tower on Sunday 3rd May. She was also presented with vouchers for Easons and Waterstones. Well done Anna.

Visit to a Local Bookshop

St. Brenda's class set out for Waterstone's Bookshop recently, with their teacher Ms. Fanning, to attend a reading by a well-known author called Geraldine McCoughren. The author talked to the class about herself, and read an extract from her book "Tamburlain's Elephants". She explained why she wrote the book and what it was about. After the reading she played a game with the class, getting them to make up a story from sentences written on pieces of paper. The class then asked the author questions about how long it took to write the book, about other books she also had written, and the age group she writes for. The class really enjoyed the experience.

5th Year students see MacBeth

The 5th Year Honours English students went to the Helix in Dublin recently to see Macbeth. Macbeth is the current play on their Leaving Certificate Course. They were accompanied by their English teachers Ms. Madden and Ms. Cairns.

Poetry Competition Success

Congratulations to Gormlaith Maynes, St. Fidelma 2nd Year, who was recently awarded third place in the senior category of the Drogheda Borough Council's poetry competition, 2008, for her poem entitled "Poetry". A former winner of both the Irish and English junior categories, Gormlaith competed against hundreds of senior entrants this year to win the much coveted prize.

Poetry

The onomatopoeia, the pathetic fallacy,
the imagery and the similies,
the metaphors and the complex language,
why so complicated?

For a poet to put pen to paper and express
his deepest emotions and beliefs is magic.
However his reason to write a poem,
to share his opinions and experiences
remains a mystery.
Perhaps an important event, stories or memories
of loved ones, friends and family, some lost.

Their personality too comes accross,
what they like and dislike, their ideas and passions.
What they enjoy most and despise,
says alot about them.

Openly talking about your feelings and emotions
shows bravery.
Expressing it in a poem, shows so much more.

Everyone's a poet at heart,
a songwriter and a musician too,
a singer and a storyteller.
The time will come
when these hidden talents will be revealed.
Perhaps from under the blanket, in prayer or in tears,
through an open door or in a dark hour of fear.

Gormlaith Maynes (age 14)