Photographed at the Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School Awards Ceremony are Back L to R: Ida Carroll (Student of the Year 2nd Year); Helen Frewen (Leaving Cert Results 2005); Kate O'Brien (Writers Award Junior Poetry); Robert Maher (Best Attendance 2nd Year); Joe Fogarty (Paddy Broderick Award), Cian Grogan (Writers Award Junior Fiction); David Gorey (Young Entrepreneur's Award). Front L to R: John Frewen (Outstanding Achievement Award), Jillian O'Connell (Sports Award), Laura Rice (Student of the Year 1st Year); Mr Ernan Britton (Principal), Sgt. Pat Fallon (Past Pupil and Guest Speaker); Ciarán Leahy (Padraig Pearse Award); Liam Ryan (Best Attendance 4th Year) and Pádraig O'Shea (Writers Award Junior Fiction).
Friday 28th October was an unusually warm late autumn day — a day to celebrate, to acknowledge success and achievement. To all assembled at the Awards Mass — Principal, staff, ancillary staff, Board of Management, Parents’ Association, parents and students — it was a personal day of achievement, a “sense of worth” day which was self evident.
Mass was celebrated by Fr. Tom Breen P.P. and Canon Jim Power. The choir was accompanied by Kevin Hickey on organ, Fintan Maher on guitar, and the soloist was Laura Rice from 2nd Year.
Fr. Tom, in his homily, spoke very wisely of doing small things in a great way. Mrs Prendergast had prepared the altar and Mr Prendergast the liturgy. Both the head boy, John Frewen, and the head girl, Jillian O’Connell, addressed the assembled body.
Our guest speaker was Sgt. Pat Fallon and his wife Patricia, who are both past pupils of the school. Pat spoke of his delight at being back in the school of his youth, the town of his youth. He spoke to the student body of their value as people and how that value and life can be so easily lost at a young age through different forms of substance misuse and accidental death.
A highly experienced member of the Gardai himself, he related some of his memories of school, and life, and said that he would wish that all the assembled students would have the opportunity to return, like he had done, after a number of years had elapsed. He spoke of the different ways one can achieve, and how there are so many opportunities and avenues open to young boys and girls in this present time.
The Principal, Mr Ernan Britton, thanked all for their involvement and work for the Awards Day, particularly Mr. Prendergast, Mr O’Gorman and Mr Burke.
Mr Ernan Britton, Principal Patrician Presentation Secondary School Fethard presenting student Ciarán Leahy, Cedar Grove, Fethard, with the ‘Padraig Pearse Perpetual Memorial Cup’ for his academic excellence in Irish and History in the Junior Cert examination. The perpetual trophy was donated to the School in November 1991 by Mr. Breffny O’Rourke, a native of Ballingarry who spent most of his life in California and wished to make the presentation to mark the 75th anniversary of the 1916 Rising.
Achievement awards were presented to Laura Rice 2nd Year and Ida Carroll 3rd Year. The Junior Cert Awards were presented to Ciarán Leahy T.Y., who received the Padraig Pearse Perpetual Trophy, and Joe Fogarty T.Y., who received the Paddy Broderick Perpetual Trophy. Indeed, it was a pleasure to see both Mr Broderick and Mr Doocey who has been very ill, present on the occasion.
Mr Paddy Broderick (right) presenting Joe Fogarty, Garrinch, Fethard, with the Paddy Broderick Perpetual Trophy for his results in Georgraphy achieved in the Junior Cert Examination.
John Frewen of 6th Year received a special achievement award but also an outstanding achievement award for winning the bronze medal at the National Science Olympiad.
For her excellent Leaving Cert results, Helen Frewen received an award, and a memento of the Padraig Pearse and Paddy Broderick awards were presented to last year’s recipients, Nial Hayes and Ronan Shee.
Jillian O'Connell, winner of the Sports Award, photographed with Denis Burke (left) and Ernan Britton (Principal).
Denis Burke presented the Sports Achievement Award to Jillian O’Connell, and all fifteen of the panel of our All-Ireland winning boys’ volleyball team were presented with certificates. Valerie Rice, representing the Parents Association, presented the team captain J.P. McGrath, with a special prize for their win.
All-Ireland champions in the Junior A Volleyball photographed with their certificates received at the Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School Awards Ceremony. Back L to R: Joseph Sheehan, Dick Walsh, Darren Prout, Darragh Dwyer, J.P. McGrath, Jonathan Fleming, Jerome Ahearn, Kevin Hayes, Front L to R: Valerie Rice (Parents' Association), Eoin O'Connell, Thomas O'Connell, Adrian Lawrence, Ciarán Ryan, Glen Maher and Sgt. Pat Fallon (guest speaker).
Marian Gilpin, Deputy Principal and also chairperson of the local Credit Union, presented the Young Entrepreneur Award to David Gorey 3rd Year, and a memento to last year’s recipient, Emma Walsh 6th Year.
Marian Gilpin, Chairperson Fethard Credit Union, making a presentation of the Business and Enterprise Award to David Gorey at the Fethard Patrician Presentation Secondary School Awards Ceremony.
Best attendance awards went to Aisling Dwyer and Gráinne Horan 2nd Year, Robert Maher and Colm Horan 3rd Year, Alan O’Connor T.Y. and Liam Ryan 6th Year. The school acknowledged Pádraig O’Shea’s outstanding achievement in Judo at the Community Games. Mr McGree of the English Dept. presented the Fethard Writers Quill 2005 Awards in English to Pádraig O’Shea for junior fiction; Kate O’Brien for junior poetry; Cian Grogan for junior fiction; and the senior poetry award to Cormac Grogan.
The Principal, Mr Britton, has every reason to feel proud of the school on such an outstanding occasion of success and achievement. The ceremony finished with a presentation to Sgt. Pat Fallon and his wife. To conclude, the words of Head Girl, Jillian O’Connell, will resound once more: “Tá suil againn go mbainfidh gach duine agaibh taitneamh as sos na Samhna.”
School principal, Mr Ernan Britton (left), making a presentation to past pupil and guest speaker, Sgt. Pat Fallon, Templemore Garda Station.
