Transition year students immersed themselves in a dynamic forensic chemistry workshop, navigating through ballistics, gun-shot residue analysis, photographic scrutiny, fingerprint examination, and autopsy simulations. These activities intricately linked history with modern forensic theories, testing their analytical and critical thinking skills while unveiling the captivating world of forensic science.

Senior Biology and Agricultural Science students were delighted to welcome our past pupil John Fehily, who gave the Science Week Lecture this year.  John spoke of his experience in UCC, where he graduated with a BSC and a MRes in Genetics. He is currently pursuing a PhD in UCD, where he is using gene malipulation of Zebra fish as a model to better understand night blindness in humans.  A huge thank you to John for taking the time to share his experience with the students and we wish him all the best in his studies.

Our TY Biology students visited the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology on Tuesday for a full day DNA Workshop. The timing of this opportunity was fantastic as it ran alongside National Science Week and this was one of the many activities and events occurring in our school to celebrate it. 

Students were introduced to key concepts surrounding DNA in a lecture provided by Dr. Sinead Kerins during the morning session. This was then followed by a range of practical work which focused on utilising different laboratory equipment used in DNA analysis of both peas, kiwis, and their own DNA. 

Students also did DNA profiling using electrophoresis techniques which are beyond the capabilities of a school lab. By using this technique, we investigated the genetic disease - sickle cell anaemia in a variety of individuals which took their understanding to a whole new level beyond the leaving cert course. 

Thanks to Ms Lynch for organising the event! 

Congratulations to James O Regan and Oscar Naughton of 3rd Year and to Nico English of 1st year on their wonderful winning stories in this year’s P.B.C. Halloween Creative Writing competition. Ms McKenzie was kept busy throughout the month with over 50 submissions from across the Junior classes with some very worthy and impressive efforts across the board.

The remit was to scare and a lot of the students certainly did that with their chilling and spine tingling tales. James O Regan took first prize however with judge Ms Mckenzie commenting that the story had :

an imaginative central concept, executed well, with some lovely descriptive passages, particularly at the start when describing the forest. The story shows a student with good instincts for writing horror; letting the tension build slowly and steadily rather than rushing to get to the bloody bits, not over-explaining the mechanics of the horror, an attempt to put some sort of thematic spine in there. What placed this definitively in the top spot for me was the ending.

On Oscar Naughton’s story, the judge commented:

This story won me over with its imaginative imagery and the writer’s emphasis on the physical nature of his encounter with the giant evil snowman. The plot itself is a standard monster encounter, but the writing manages to bring out the creepy elements, making it seem like the monster and the narrator’s injuries have a real weight and impact. The ending is a cliché, but the writer makes it work well enough.

Finally, and most impressively for a 1st Year, Nico English was lauded for his entry:

What makes this story stand out is the unique ambition on display; whatever this story is, it’s certainly not lazy. This piece is very impressive in its scope for a first-year, and there’s also plenty of genuinely good descriptive writing and strong imagery on display. There’s a prologue to grab the reader’s attention, there are several perspective changes throughout the story, and an attempt to build to a climax where both strands of the plot collide and explode.

It’s wonderful to see such creativity in the school so well done to the winners, not forgetting of course all the students who spent time crafting stories and thinking imaginatively in the process. Much thanks as always to all the teachers in the English Department for nurturing and supporting creativity in the boys, to the wonderful librarian Sophie McKenzie for her judging and forensic analysis and to school management for supporting the competitions.

Pictured below are Principal, David Barry, Nico English, Oscar Naughton, James O Regan and PBC Librarian, Sophie McKenzie.

James O Regan's winning entry on PDF below

All our T.Y. students were on the streets collecting for the Mercy Hospital, Mercy Heroes Street Collection on Friday 20th November despite the inclement weather. 

Photo shows L to R : Jack Daly, Rory Power, Mr. Michael Mc Grath (Minister for Finance) and Sam Geary.

Congratulations to all of our Junior Cycle Class of 2023 on their great Junior Cycle Results.

All their hard work and determination has paid off. 

A huge thanks to all their teachers and School Staff who guided them through their first three years in Pres.

We wish the boys well as they now move into senior cycle. 

On Wednesday 18th October, seven boys and two staff members from St. John Vianney High School, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, visited Pres. as part of their Ireland Immersion Programme.

Despite the atrocious weather that Storm Babet brought, it failed to dampen the high spirits of our guests!

The boys from St. John Vianney joined in module classes and then P.E. class with our T.Y. students where they shared stories and experiences with one another.

Another positive experience for our T.Y. students!

The entire school community got behind Past Pupil and Rugby Legend Peter O'Mahony and the Ireland rugby team by wearing green to school on Friday, before Ireland take on the All BLacks in the Rugby World Cup quarter final.

COME ON IRELAND!

Thank you to all the 1st. Years who entered their photos into the competition over the last couple of weeks. All the great pics of your family pets were a joyful addition to our school corridors. Our judges had a very difficult decision to choose winners, but finally selected four favourites. Congratulations to Tom Collins and his pony 'Gin' to Billy Honohan and his dog 'Lucy' to Andrew Burns and his dog 'Cooper' and to Patrick Barry and his cat 'Tom Dooley'. well done boys.