Thanks to everyone who supported the launch for our Pedal to the Peak fundraising event on Sunday! For more information on the event, photos, social media, how you can help and much much more, click on the Pedal to the Peak link www.herbertstownns.ie/pedaltothepeak
Photos courtesy of Pat Moloney. For more photos, please visit the Pedal to the Peak Facebook page.
On Friday 19th January the Green Schools Committee went to the Woodlands Hotel in Adare for a Water Forum, where the Committee members represented Herbertstown NS as a model school to other schools present, in order to show them how to go about achieving the Water Flag.
Mr.Davern was teaching the 5th and 6th class students for spike ball this year. They’ve been practising for the big day. The spike ball tournament was on the 23rd of January. There was four teams… red ,blue, orange and green. The tournament was on in Villiars school. When we got there it was full of other schools. Each of our teams got to play 3-4 games . Two of ours played each other in the quarter-finals. In the end the Herbertstown orange team was successful. Herbertstown orange played St. Michael’s in the semi-finals. Unfortunately Herbertstown orange lost by 11-16. It was a great day for the school. And they can’t wait to go again next year.
By Chloe , Emma ,Emily.
Our fourth class made the short journey into Limerick today to exhibit their project at the RDS Primary Science Fair in Mary Immaculate College. The children have been working on the project since October. Elements of the investigation involved a fieldtrip to hurley maker Ed Shanahan, identifying alternate woods for hurleys, testing the ‘new’ hurleys and interpreting the results.
The project was very well received by visitors to the Fair and huge credit is due to the pupils both for the effort they put into completing the investigation and also for the way they represented their school today. In a nice co-incidence, the judge assigned to our school was 18 time All Ireland winning camogie and football player Rena Buckley. The Cork legend gave some feedback to the class on the project and presented the pupils with an award for their hard work.
Here is the feedback received by the class:
The research question was both clear and catchy. The class predicted that the traditional timber, ash, would be best. It was obvious that huge thought was put into the design of this project, to test the various timbers in every aspect of the game of hurling/camogie. This was very impressive. The results of the tests were presented very clearly using a bar chart and the use of different colours to combine results of all the tests meant patterns were very easy to follow. The hurleys on display also contributed positively to the project. The discussion of the results and the preferences students relayed showed how each student contributed and enjoyed the project. This was a really impressive project which was excellent from both a science and interesting point of view – well done to all.
One pupil from each classroom was selected by their class teacher and the award winners were presented with certificates at today’s assembly. They were also given a night off homework for their efforts!
The Infants do an Absorption Experiment.
Our Classroom Supermarket – Junior and Senior Infants
A forest of Christmas Trees!
Learning through play at the Doctor’s Surgery!
Santa comes to school!
Limerick players Colin Ryan and Conor O’Grady (past pupil of Herbertstown NS) called to the school today with the Munster and All Ireland cups won by Limerick in 2017. There was great excitement as the pupils had an opportunity to ask questions and hold the cups.
Thank you to Limerick GAA for facilitating the visit.
Mr. Gubbins is currently studying at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and the children had an opportunity to ask him questions about life in America. Topics included food, hobbies, travel, sight seeing and sport.
Congratulations to our Star Award winners for November! One pupil from each classroom was selected by their class teacher and the award winners were presented with certificates at today’s assembly. They were also given a night off homework for their efforts!
Here are two accounts of the trip:
“Last Friday the fourth class and Mr. Fitzgerald went to Clarina to see Ed Shanahan. First we got the bus at 11:45am to Limerick. The workshop was in Shanahan Hurleys in Clarina (Limerick).
When we arrived Ed was working on some hurleys. We went in and he greeted us. We needed information on hurleys because we are doing a project on hurleys for the RDS Science Fair. We watched him demonstrate how to make a hurley and we asked a lot of questions. Then he sanded the hurleys until they were spick and span.
Mr Fitzgerald had ordered two hurleys before that and I got to hold one. We took a photo and said goodbye and thanks to Ed. Then we got the bus back to school.”
“Last Friday, November 24th, we went to see the Shanahan Hurleys’ workshop. We left school at 11;45 on the spot. We went on a bus. It was in Clarina in Limerick.
The hurley maker’s name was Ed Shanahan. It was in a garage. He showed us how to make hurleys. First he put them into the drier. Then he got a see-through hurley to use to draw the outline of the hurley. Next he cut it. Then he sanded the hurley. He said if he wasn’t happy with a hurley he would not give it to someone. We got our photo taken and finally we got the bus back to school.”
It was a very educational trip and it gave the children lots to ponder in their investigation. The Fourth Class will be exhibiting their project at the RDS Science Fair satellite event in Mary Immaculate College on January 18th.