To close out Stand Up Awareness Week 2024, the school held a Rainbow Tie Day and the winners pictured were the wearers of the most colourful ties in each year group. Special mention to 6th year student, Ivo Kok, going to great effort and making his own tie!! 

Stand Up Awareness week has been a great success. The week has been filled with bright visuals and inspiring words throughout the corridors, reminding our students that our school is a safe space where all are welcome and a place where everyone is supported and respected.

We look forward to continuing this new tradition in 2025.

Photo shows L – R: Ivo Kok 6th Yr., Sami Flannery 5th Yr., Jack Horgan 4th Yr., Ms. Kayleigh Whelan, Billy Stephens 1st Yr., Daniel O'Mahony 2nd Yr. and John Noonan 3rd Yr. 

Stand Up Awareness Week is a time for post-primary schools, youth services, and Youthreach centres in Ireland to join together and take a stand against homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

This is the second year our school is marking Stand Up Awareness Week. It is a week when our school shows support for all in the LGBTQ+ community. We want Presentation Brothers College to be a place in which everyone feels a sense of belonging and support.

For the duration of the week there will be pride flags hanging in the school as well as student-created posters on display throughout the corridors. Students can also visit the library where they can find LGBTQ+ inspired books and comics. 

Photo shows some of our 6th Yr. Prefects with Ms. Kayleigh Whelan launching Stand Up Awareness Week 2024

Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Dan Boyle, recently visited Pres. where he met with all our 1st Yr. students. 

As part of his address, the Lord Mayor spoke of the importance of the environment and he presented the school with seeds to plant wild flowers.

The Lord Mayor took questions from some very enthusiastic 1st Yr. students before departing.

Congratulations to all the junior members of the P.B.C. Debating Society who took part in the three weekly rounds of the annual October Leagues debating competition.

The debates were held in C.B.C., P.B.C. and Rochestown College. Our junior debaters performed very well across all of the stages and upheld our high standard. A special congratulations to our first years on their performance over the three events.

Special thanks to our senior debaters who acted as adjudicators for the competitions and to school staff for all their help in organising the event.

New members at junior and senior level are always welcome to join the Friday afternoon sessions.

With such a high standard in the first competition of the year we look forward to a successful year ahead!

Adam Wiezcorek, 4th Yr.

Senior Debater.

Presentation Brothers College Writing Club recently visited Cork City Library to attend the Swerve Showcase.

Swerve is an annual Journal, which publishes the work of emerging writers and artists from Ireland, as well as more established names.

 Our Writing Club group were treated to four readings of short stories by the authors of each - all previously featured in Swerve magazine editions. Our boys enjoyed hearing the four different tales delivered in different styles and contexts.

 The editor of Swerve magazine thanked our Writing Club for attending and commented on their excellent behaviour and level of engagement.

Special thanks to our librarian, Mr. McCormack, for organising this excursion and accompanying the Writing Club to the event.  

Hard luck to our U-17 Hurlers who fought to the bitter end showing great character but were beaten by a stronger team from Scoil Pól, Kilfinane, Co. Limerick at UCC Mardyke.

Unfortunately, this competition was a straight knock out competition so focus now moves to our senior Hurlers as they commence their Munster competition.

Many of our U-17 hurlers showed that they will be putting some of our senior players under pressure for places on the starting senior Hurling team! 

Congratulations to our students who took part in the first lunchtime concert in Pres. of this school year.

 Michael Scott 5th Yr., Robbie Labowicz 4th Yr., Sami Flannery 5th Yr., Cillian Philpott Vendrells 1st Yr., and Charlie McKibben 1st Yr. all captivated the audience with their musical and vocal talents.

MC for the event was the very capable Ruairí Ó Donnchadha 6th Yr.

The concert took place in our recently redecorated library which had been rearranged for the occasion by our very energetic and enthusiastic Librarian, Mr. Mick Mc Cormack.   

Thanks to all the staff who helped to facilitate this fantastic event and in particular, Mr. Éanna Ó Loingsigh, Mr. Dave O’Riordan, the Arts Dept. in Pres. and Kenia, the school's musical facilitator.

We all eagerly await the next lunchtime concert!

All 6th year students attended a intensive two hour workshop which was facilitated by Inspire Study Skills. The 'Maximise' programme is designed to support 6th year students in the use and application of specific skills, competencies and success mindset. All students are now asked to use and apply the specific skills and competencies learnt today to enable them to make informed decisions about their approaches to study, revision, and exams. Students were introduced to the five steps to exam success in a dynamic and structured way. They looked at brain plasticity and its role in success and explored a range of multi-sensory study and revision strategies. Maximise also examined the role of sleep, nutrition and technologies in overall wellbeing and exam performance. Students were given countdown planners as part of an exploration of effective time management tools. Finally, students were shown how to prepare psychologically for exam time and how to maximise exam techniques. Each student also received an A4 booklet during the seminar that also contains follow-on activities.

I encourage you to speak with your son about his "take home points" that he learnt today and how he intends on implementing these in the lead up to his State Exams.

I want to compliment the class of 2025 for their excellent behaviour and engagement with the facilitator today. 

K.O'Flynn