The Prince of Monaco, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II meets St Josephs Bloom team

The Prince of Monaco, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, met the St. Joseph's Bloom team when he opened the new Flower Garden in Drogheda. Photo l-r: Niall Leonard St. Joseph's caretaker and horticulturist, Prince Albert, Michael Traynor TY student and Thomas Finnegan LCA 2 student.

European Science Education Research Association Conference

From the 21st to the 25th of August 2017, Mr. McDonagh will attend the 12th conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA). The conference is being held in Dublin City University. Mr. McDonagh will present a poster detailing the Erasmus + KA2 project Matters of Matter – Future Materials in Science Education, which will be on display in the Helix.The theme of the conference, Research, practice and collaboration in science education, underlines aspects of great relevance in contemporary science education research: the need to reflect on different approaches to enhancing our knowledge of learning processes and the role of context, designed or circumstantial, formal or non-formal, in learning and instruction. For more information visit www.esera2017.org

St. Joseph’s win at Bloom

St. Joseph’s Secondary School won the top prize, the Certificate of Distinction, in the postcard garden category on the opening day at the Bloom Festival in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Entitled “Drogheda on the Boyne” the garden is a portrayal of a bright vibrant town where the image of yesterday is very different to the one of today. It was designed by Leaving Cert student Thomas Finnegan with assistance from Transition Year student Michael Traynor. It features well known historical landmarks in Drogheda; the Viaduct, Millmount and St. Laurence’s gate. To construct his design in four weeks, Thomas assembled a team which consisted of Niall Leonard (Caretaker and Horticulturalist), Mr Bernard Sharkey (History teacher), Ms Tracy Murray (Art teacher), Ms Karen Murphy (Technology/Woodwork teacher), Mr Damien McDonagh (Science teacher), Mr Cian O’Neill (Woodwork teacher), Mr Declan Farrell (Woodwork teacher) and Bryan Gardiner.

The garden was officially opened by Alison Cowzer, co-founder and marketing/innovation director of East Coast Bakehouse, a biscuit manufacturing business in Drogheda. People that visited the garden on the opening day included President Michael D. Higgins, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and RTE’s Marty Morrissey. The Bloom team would like to thank all their sponsors and Mr David Madden (Principal), Mr Paul Savage (Deputy Principal) and the Board of Management of St. Joseph’s for all their support.

Group Photo - Left to Right:

Thomas Finnegan, Bryan Gardiner, Ms Murray, Mr O’Neill, Ms Murphy, Mr McDonagh, Mr Farrell, Niall Leonard

Thank You

The end of the school year in 2017 marks the end of the Erasmus + project in the school. Over 30 Transition Year students took part in the project over the past three years. Students were presented with a gift bag commemorating their participation in the project, which contained pens, a USB key, notepad and mouse mat. Front row – left to right: Evan McGrane, Ben Flanagan, Dylan Floyd, Alan McGrane, Ryan Sands, Shane McQuillan, Shane Hickey, Finn Madden

Middle row – left to right: Sean DiFiore, Anthony Kent, Luke Callaghan, Ciaran Harmon, Ciaran Brennan, Neil Holdcroft, Aaron Stone, Robert Kinch, Joshua Reilly, Michael Collins, Kenneth Fallon, John Holdcroft, Jack Kennedy

Back row – left to right: Tadhg O’Reilly, Darren Morgan, Cian Fitzpatrick, Ciaran McCann, Zachary Keller, Euan Reid, Cillian Walsh, Adam Connolly, Aaron Foley, Alan Connor, Cian McKenna

Absent from picture: Ronan O’Gara, Eoin Reid, Harry Lipscomb, Darragh Halpin, Peter Finegan, Liam Ryan

Erasmus+ KA2 Project contribute to Bloom Entry

The Erasmus + KA2 project Matters of Matter – Future Materials in Science Education, is pleased to be part of the schools recent entry into the Bloom festival, Phoenix Park, Dublin. It is hoped that the materials added to the design by the project, which include smart materials interacting with light and sustainable materials will propel the school to success in the postcard garden competition. For more information on the garden design visit the home page of the schools website.

TY Presentation Night

A large crowd attended the Transition Year presentation night on Tuesday 23rd May 2017 in the school. Ciaran Brennan, Neil Holdcroft and Peter Finegan all made presentations about the Erasmus + project, including the work they carried out and their trip to Italy in early March this year. Students were presented with a gift bag commemorating their participation in the project, which contained pens, a USB key, notepad and mouse mat. Following the presentations all attendees were invited to the Physics lab where some of the student’s projects were on display.

Sustainable materials for Insulation

Transition Year students in Mr. McDonagh’s class are investigating the uses of sustainable materials as insulation. The students created a timber model of a house, complete with cavity in the external walls. The students will add layers of different materials as insulation and record the temperatures within the house. Results of this experiment will be shown at the Transition Year Presentation night at the end of the month.

St. Josephs goes to Bloom

St. Josephs Secondary school is proud to announce, that it has an entry accepted for the Bloom festival in Dublin. Entitled “Drogheda on the Boyne” and designed by LCA student Thomas Finnegan, it will compete in the Postcard Garden competition. Thomas’s design was selected from thousands of entrants and features well known historical landmarks in Drogheda: the Viaduct, Millmount and St. Laurence’s gate. Thomas and his family have always had a keen interest in gardening and have attended the Bloom festival for the past number of years. At Bloom, Thomas was inspired by the creativity and hard work that the designers put into their gardens and hoped that one day he could also display a design at Bloom. In late February this year Thomas was browsing the Bloom website where he came across the Postcard Garden competition. He thought it would be the ideal competition to enter on behalf of the Green School Committee in the school, of which he is president. Having consulted with Michael Traynor (Vice President of the Green School committee,) Mr. Sharkey and Ms. Murphy, Thomas completed the design and application form for the competition. Across his Easter holidays from school Thomas found out his design had been accepted.

With his dream now realised, Thomas put together a team to assist him with the construction of his design, which includes Michael Traynor (Vice President of the Green Schools Committee), Niall Leonard (Caretaker and Horticulturalist), Mr Sharkey (History teacher), Ms. Murray (Art teacher), Ms. Murphy (Technology teacher) and Mr. McDonagh (Science teacher). The design will be constructed in school and then assembled on site in the Phoenix Park. All plants for the design were purchased locally.

The Bloom festival runs from the 1st to the 5th of June 2017 in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Further information and photographs will be available in the coming weeks on the school website www.droghedacbs.ie

St Josephs Junior Rugby team take the Duff Shield !

The Junior Rugby team won the Duff Shield in Donnybrook on March 15th defeating Naas CBS 25 points to 11. Captain Harry Lipscomb seen here lifting the trophy.

Pavullo, Italy Trip

From the 4th to the 11th March 2017 students travelled to Pavullo, Italy in the final mobility of the Erasmus + project. It was a busy week with much scientific work carried out and cultural experience gained.

Plant Boxes

Students are using different forms of recycled plastics to create plant boxes and containers. These containers currently have peas and broad bean seeds planted in them but will be used for a variety of plants over the course of the year.  

Sugarcane Biodegradable Containers

Students are also investigating biodegradable and compostable bagasse sugarcane containers for use as plant containers. It is hoped the bagasse sugar cane will biodegrade over time, reducing the need for traditional plastic pots for plants. If the containers biodegrade, it will reduce the need to move the plants from smaller pots into bigger pots as they grow. This will reduce transplant stress.  

Virtual Head Sets

As part of the Erasmus+ Science project students are currently finishing up working on their  virtual reality headset made from cardboard. After several attempts and prototypes the students have completed a working headset made simply from cardboard and binocular lenses.

Musical Celebration of Modern Drogheda

On Friday next 10th February in the St. Peter’s Church of Ireland Hall, Peter St, Drogheda at 7pm the Drogheda Civic Trust in conjunction with Irish Public Bodies Insurance Community Engagement Fund present the pupils of Sacred Heart School, and St. Joseph’s CBS, in an evening celebration of their musical cultural heritage. The concert will involve students from both schools celebrating their own musical heritage from a range of cultures and traditions culminating in a joint piece highlighting their shared Irish experiences here in Drogheda. The Drogheda Civic Trust welcomed the support of I.P.B. Insurance Community Engagement Fund. The purpose of the fund is to support projects rooted in the local area, led by local people and to improve the quality of life for those living in their community.

‘The involvement of the IPB has allowed us to further explore the issue of integration in our town which we first examined through our History of Religions in Drogheda project' said Civic Trust Chair Denis Cummins.

All Welcome

Friday 10th February 7pm, St.Peter’s Hall CoI, Peter St, Drogheda

Hot Boxes for sick animals - Ireland

Over the past two months, Mr. McDonaghs Transition Year Science class have been researching, designing and constructing hot boxes for sick animals. It is hoped these boxes will increase the body temperature of any young animal that is unwell. To do this, the box will need to retain the body heat produced from the young animal in the box. By keeping the animal warm it is hoped to speed up the young animal’s recovery. The boxes are made from Eco Slates and Sheep Wool Insulation. Eco Slates are made from recycled plastic, manufactured by the company Athy EcoSlate in Ireland (http://www.athyecoslate.com/). The slates are light, unbreakable, fire resistant and durable. The outside of the boxes are covered in sheep wool, produced by the company Sheep Wool Insulation Limited in Ireland (http://www.sheepwoolinsulation.ie/). It is 100% pure wool, which makes it an environmentally friendly and sustainable product. The students have three different types of hot box designed and all three designs will be tested for durability and fitness for purpose once completed.

Eco Briquettes

While some students were designing and creating hot boxes for sick animals, other students in Mr.McDonagh’s TY Science class were busy collecting old newspapers and shredded paper around the school to make the school more environmentally friendly. The paper and newspaper are soaked in water for one week and are then compressed into a briquette shape using a metal briquette maker. They are then left to dry. After testing in their homes the student’s concluded that once fully dry, the briquettes will burn for an hour to an hour and a half in the fire. This will reduce the need to burn fossil fuels for heat during the coming winter months and will also reduce the schools need for disposal of shredded paper.

National Ploughing Championships 2016

On Thursday 22nd September, 5th and 6th year Agricultural Science students, along with teachers Mr. McDonagh and Ms. McManus travelled to Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly to the National Ploughing Championships. It was another year of record breaking attendances for the championships, with 283,000 people in attendance over the three days. The students visited the many exhibitors present on the day and gained valuable knowledge on the numerous companies involved both directly and indirectly with modern agriculture.  

Philipe Saint André joins students at training camp

Philipe Saint André recently joined students from St Josephs at a pre Alps training day at The Curragh. Saint André is a former rugby union footballer who earned 69 test caps for France. After retiring, Saint-André found success as a rugby coach in both England and France. He was serving as director of rugby at Toulon before being announced as the successful candidate for head coach of France from 2011 to 2015. 25 students will travel to Tignes in the Alps on Sep 6th for 6 days for some pre season training at the PSA academy. Pictured above are L-R: Evan McGinn, Conor Sweeney, Maeve Hackett, Philipe Saint André, Niall McDonnell and Aaron Kierans.

Tricolour now proudly flies at St. Joseph's

The Tricolour now proudly flies at St. Joseph's Secondary School. Well done to teachers Mr Sharkey, Mr O Suilleabhain and TY student Ryan Sands for delivering a moving oration of the Proclamation in English and Irish and a short biography of Eamonn Ceannt.

New Rugby Kit Revealed for St Josephs

The junior rugby panel and coach Ms Hackett have been presented with the brand new St Josephs rugby kit co-sponsored by CTI Business Solutions and G Morgan and Sons furniture company. Come on ye boys in Blue! Check out some more photos below of our slick new jerseys.