Prize Day

Prize Day 2009

Prize Day took place on Friday 23rd October. The school community assembled at Silversprings Moran Hotel. Present were Bishop Paul Colton, Chairman of Board of Govenors as well as members of the Board of Govenors and Board of Managment. Guest of Honour was Mr. Alan Brook

Prize Day Speech 2009

Governance
I welcome the members of the Board of Management and Board of Governors this afternoon as our hosts. One of the most significant developments in the governance of the College in recent years has been the completion of the review of governance structures. The past year saw the completion of this process. Our College now has a tripartite governance structure compliant with the 1998 Education Act. The Trustees of the College, the Governors, now oversee the day-to-day management and operation of the College in partnership with parent/guardian and teacher members. While the process has been long and the documentation necessarily arduous, the outflow of the process is simply stated in the presence of Mr. Morrissey, Ms. Power, Mr. Lynch and Mrs. O’Neill-Coyne here on the platform alongside our Governors.

I thank each of you for giving your active commitment to ensuring the ongoing development and well-being of Midleton College through your contribution over the next three years to the Board of Management. I also take the opportunity to thank the Governors for their confidence in establishing our new structures and sharing the responsibilities of oversight with the partners in the education process. Your collective determination to see this process through to implementation, under the leadership of our Chair, Bishop Colton, displays once again, your insight into the needs of a successful, open, outward looking educational institution in the 21st Century.
It has been a tremendously challenging 12 months since we gathered for this occasion last year. The national economic downturn has had significant impact here in East Cork as elsewhere. The new economic realities place challenges in front of all of us, in our personal lives and in our professional ones. That we can gather today in a spirit of hope and relative confidence for the future is a tribute to the efforts of everyone who supports Midleton College but most particularly our parents and guardians. I thank each one of you for your continued support for, and belief in, the rounded education that we in Midleton College seek to provide to our pupils. We are acutely conscious of the financial demands that face us all of at present. We have sought to ensure that we continue to provide the very best for all of our pupils while equally ensuring that the impacts of Budgetary cuts imposed last December, implemented initially in January and extended this September, have had as little impact as possible both on the breadth of educational experience we provide to pupils and costs to parents and guardians.
As you will be aware there were specific additional cuts imposed on Protestant Voluntary schools. A determined campaign against the imposition of which has been mounted involving church leaders, governors, principals, teachers and parents.

Over 300 people attended a conference in Tallaght on the 3rd of October organised by the Committee on Management to highlight these matters. Speaking at that conference Dr. John Neill and leaders from the Presbyterian and Methodist communities united in their call for the re-instatement of both the grants withdrawn and the re-alignment of Protestant voluntary schools with all other schools in the ‘Free Scheme’. This in itself was a re-statement of what had been said to the Minister and his officials in writing last March and face-to-face last May. It is significant that Dr Neill has spoken so strongly to clarify this mis-representation of the facts by the Minister and his officials in recent days.
This issue is reaching a crucial phase in these coming weeks. Further impetus to the matter occurred as recently as Wednesday when Dr Diarmuid Martin spoke, as he does on so many matters, with wisdom and insight, saying that Protestant schools have represented a major contribution to pluralism in education in Ireland when minorities of various kinds, religious and others, were able to 'find a home in Protestant schools'. He went on to say that ‘without Protestant communities and without their schools, pluralism today in Ireland would be 'poorer'.
I welcome these strong statements of support and ecumenical understanding from Archbishop Martin and thank him for the strong ecumenical message that his words send out across the country.
The reality is that the Protestant community is not looking for an exemption from education cuts, what it is looking for is equality across education cuts, if there are to be such cuts. Will those with the power to make decisions listen finally to the strength of what has been said? In the coming weeks, I believe we will know.
Since this week last year, when the Government intention to withdraw pre-existing grants and change the status of the protestant voluntary schools was announced Bishop Colton has played a leading role in highlighting the injustice of this decision. At General Synod, at diocesan synod, in the media, in print, on Twitter and Facebook, you have consistently given voice and leadership not only to the diocesan community but to the diverse and widespread network of interested parties in Ireland and beyond. You have been instrumental in keeping this issue live and in front of our national decision-makers. For the strength of your conviction, for the clarity of your arguments, for the personal time sacrifice you have made, I offer you our collective gratitude today.
It is nonetheless of great encouragement to note that despite the significant change in the economy, parents and guardians continue to value what Midleton College offers. For that expression of trust, I express my appreciation to the broad parental community of the College. Our pupil numbers continued to expand in line with the objectives of the development plan that the Governors have set in place. This year our enrolment stands at 321 pupils having closed last June with 306. Our projected enrolment over the next four years envisages a rise of total pupil numbers to 360, with three form groups in each of our junior years.

This process commenced this year with the arrival of a new sibling for the long-standing twins of ‘E’ and ‘O ‘Form groups, in 1X. Concerns that this expansion may dilute the personal, familial nature of the College are offset by the knowledge that this re-structuring has allowed us to reduce class sizes in Junior Cycle while continuing to provide equally for the differing needs of all our pupils: male, female, boarder, day and their wide-ranging academic needs.

A growing pupil body requires the increased provision of resources and facilities in which to learn and live. Despite the serious change in economic circumstance, under the leadership of the Governors we have not been found wanting in this regard. The summer saw the installation of 3 new classrooms and two expanded Music rooms. The Main Building has been insulated to SEI standard. While we have found much to be critical of the DES for over the past year, I must express our gratitude to the Department of Education for their contributory funding to these necessary capital developments. The provision of locker space for all pupils has been upgraded. The upgrading of the library, generously supported by the PTA continues.

Looking back over the 2008/09 year:
Today, we gather to reflect on and celebrate the academic achievements of the past school year. As we do so, I take a moment to reflect on the wider life of the College over the past 12 months. We are an open, family-based community. It is this which attaches many people; staff, parents, former pupils, to Midleton over long periods of time. Last June, two of our longest serving members of staff retired from the College. Mrs. Irene Geary and Mr.. Tim Dineen, as members of the household and grounds staff had, each in their own way, woven themselves in to the fabric of daily life in the College. Both were utterly reliable, capable and dedicated members of staff. For colleagues and pupils they worked quietly at their tasks ensuring that what was needed was done and done well. With a strong sense of gratitude we held a celebratory meal and made a presentation to Irene and Tim last June and I wish to acknowledge once again today our appreciation for their contribution to this school.

Irene and Tim were members of two of the many teams that collectively make up our staff. As a member of the teaching staff as well as Principal, I fully recognise the support that our front line teachers receive from our administrative, household, catering, grounds and nursing staff. Quite simply, without their professional commitment we could not do our jobs effectively. To Cliona, Thelma, Rory, Gerry and Paula and by extension all those colleagues who work with them in their respective areas of responsibility, I express today the sincere gratitude of the College community to you for the contribution you give.

We have equally had the good fortune to welcome new members of the College community. Mr. Terry Jones, as assistant groundsman, Mr. James Buckingham as GAP Year student, Ms Claire Hinchcliff as a Church of Ireland JUMP Programme participant. I also welcome Ethan Mathew O’Sullivan, whose mum, Ms Jane O’Sullivan has been on Maternity Leave in recent months.

6th Form 2009
Last June we also said farewell to our 6th Form of 2009. Saying farewell was an elongated process stretching over the Governor’s Reception, the Farewell Ceremony, Sports Day and the State Examinations in June. But perhaps that was no harm. As a year group )hey were people whom we enjoyed having in the College. They were friendly, co-operative and, during 6th Form, positive leaders within the College community. The senior prefects, Darragh, Rosie, Clare and Daragh brought mature, consistent leadership to the Prefects and the year. As a year group they demonstrated once again, as we shall see, that it is possible to succeed in academic study while also being heavily involved in a rich diversity of activity. They aimed for high academic attainment, backed it up with serious application to study and earned the reward of outstanding collective and individual results. It is a pleasure to welcome members of our 6th Form and their families back for one final hurrah today.

Expanded Activity:
Each school year brings new opportunities and possibilities to further enhance the depth of our pupils experience. 2009 brought enrichment in a diversity of ways. In modern languages we have built relationships with the Colleges Georges Brassens in Paris and the Parque Lisboa de Madrid over the past 3 years. 3rd Form Spanish pupils traveled to Madrid in November, accompanied by Ms. Power, Mr. Leopold, Mrs. Johnston and Mr. Baker, (and we acted as reciprocal hosts last April. These language exchange opportunities will continue to develop as we have now introduced German into the curriculum in Junior Cycle.

Agricultural Science is now firmly rooted in the curriculum alongside, Economics, Applied Maths and Religion.
To date we have managed to implement these expansions of the curriculum without reducing the number of class groups within core subjects, thereby retaining our distinctive class sizes at Senior Cycle. For this I thank my teaching colleagues for their flexibility in undertaking additional teaching loads in order to diminish the impact to pupils of the budgetary cuts imposed on the College since last December. This professional commitment is reflective of all that is good about our teachers’ dedication to the learning of our pupils.

2009 saw Mr. Morrissey complete his first year as Deputy Principal with a calm assurance deriving from his personal and professional expertise in understanding colleagues, pupils, parents/guardians and flustered Principals!

Beyond the curriculum Midleton College made its debut at Hurling, participating in the Lord Mayor’s Trophy, ably coached by Ms Kelleher, and assisted by Mr. O’Mahony. The Summer Music Evening reached new heights moving to the Assembly Hall and featuring individual, duet, quartet, choir and orchestral pieces: classical to contemporary with over 60 pupils involved, co-ordinated by Ms Anderson, Mr. Sexton, Mr. O’Callaghan and Mr. and Mrs. Nicholls. A similar level of expanded participation and achievement was on show in ‘South Pacific’, ably directed by Ms O’Brien and featuring a cast and crew of 70 pupils.

The College has begun to put the lands acquired at Yougrove to productive use on our behalf. While a significant portion of these lands are ultimately destined for use for sporting activities there is great scope for the development of agricultural and horticultural use as well. In April the College acquired six Gloucestershire Old Spot Pigs. We were also the recipients of a generous donation of over 600 vegetable seedlings from Irish Plant Propagators in Carrigtwohill. Both vegetables and the pork meat are now being consumed in the College Dining Hall. In the summertime the College ran a traditional skills course for teenagers during the month of June and substantial clearance work was undertaken by a group of VSI volunteers in August. Access has recently been improved and Ms. Mackillop’s horticulture group is now based there.

A final area of new development was in our Nursing care. Mrs. Paula Stead has been joined by Mrs. Sheila White and Ms. Sinead O’Connor to create a nursing team that ensures round the clock care for all our pupils, boarding and day, based in the Surgery in the Main Building. As one consequence of the implementation of our nursing team, the College now has 17 trained First Responders on the staff and possesses 3 Defibrillators for emergency use if ever required.

In addition to new developments within the curriculum, 2009 saw the retention of all that we take for granted but which goes beyond the experience of many second level pupils. Bh? Seachtain na Gaeilge again arís I mbliana, eagraithe ag an t-usal OMath?na, in?on N? Bhuachalla agus in?on N? Bhriain. I measc na n-imeachta? a bh? ar si?l, bh? com?rtas postaer, tr?th na gceist, agus c?il? m?r. Dhein gach duine s?r iarracht an teanga a labhairt, fi? amh?in m? f?in. Seachtain na Gaeilge, organised by Mr. O’Mahony, Ms Buckley and Ms O’Brien brought us a magnificent Ceili, Table Quizes, poster competitions and widespread use of Irish by all – even myself.

5th and 6th Form Geographers traveled to the Netherlands to complete a four day Field Study as preparation for their Special Study for Leaving Certificate, 4th form spent a week in Kilfinnane, 2nd Form a day getting wet and muddy in Oysterhaven, 1st Form seeing history in action in Ferrycarrig.
1st Form pupil Jack Cowhig won a special award at the Young Scientist Finals held in Dublin in January and, partially in consequence of this outstanding achievement and partially for his excellent practical work is the winner of the Ron Little Award for Practical Science.

The incredible work of pupils staff and families members in support of The HOPE Foundation continued in 2009. The total amount raised by pupils over the past four years exceeds 100,000. This unique effort funds a 24 hour a day, 365 day a year ambulance service in the city of Kolkatta, something in which we take great pride.

In rugby the senior squad almost pulled off an historic ‘four-in-a-row’ in the Mungret Cup. The squad worked hard all season and were narrow losers to Newtown in the final Mungret Cup finalists. Brian Quill earned selection for the Munster U19’s and Jack Lynch, Denis O’Riordan, Daragh Crosbie all played for the Munster A side. The JCT also reached the Cup final loosing a ding-dong encounter to St Nessan’s but showing great determination and pride in a tough game.

The Senior Girls Hockey team, captained by Lillian Hurley, were Munster B champions and as a result the squad has been promoted to the Munster A League for the first time ever this season. Julie Coyne played for Munster U18’s and Jess Griffin was selected for Munster U16’s.

The Junior Boys became Munster Cup winners in one of the most memorable matches in years: 4-4 at full-time: 5-5 after extra time: 2-2 in penalties, when Nick Burns stood up to score the penalty to win the Cup for the first time in 23 years. The Senior boys hockey squad, captained by Alistair Murphy, qualified for the All Ireland Schools Championships and reached the Munster final loosing narrowly to Bandon but laying a clear foundation for the coming years. Nick Burns represented the Irish U16 and Munster U18’s, Adam O’Callaghan Munster U21’s and Andrew Colton Munster U16

Our girls’ soccer team competed in the Cork Schools League last year and we are installing new goalposts on the soccer pitch over half-term.
Orienteering continues to grow in participation and attainment.  Former pupil Nick Simonin competed for Ireland at both junior and senior level this summer. All Ireland Schools Post-Junior Certificate Boys and 1st year Boys won the team titles Hattie Durrant won the individual 1st year girls title.
In Golf, Julie and Edel Coyne who won the Irish Ladies Golf Union, Munster Senior Schools Championship.

All of these strands of activity reflect our ethos of providing an educational experience that is rich and diverse, open to a range of aptitudes and abilities, supportive, encouraging and caring of all pupils. However, by itself it is not enough. Parents/ guardians who seek a ‘rounded education’ for the children want assurance that this is based in a strong, varied academic programme that caters for the needs of their child.

At Midleton College can we successfully fulfill both dimensions of a rounded education?
In a phrase attributed in my own home more to Bob the Builder than President Obama: ‘Yes we can’.
Can we significantly exceed national attainment levels at Junior Cycle?
Yes we can.

At Junior Certificate, our pupils’ collective attainments exceeded the achievements of almost all their predecessors within the College, while also outstripping national figures. 79.4% of all papers were taken at Higher Level of which 90% attained Higher Level A, B or C grade.
Tim Bourke, Mark Twomey and Andrew Colton each attained 7 Higher Level A grades and are joint winners of the Intermediate Shield for outstanding Junior Certificate attainment. Tim, along with Elsbeth Wolfe and Shane Murphy are awarded prizes for their tremendous capability in Art, while Andrew, Mark and Sabrina Laatz receive History prizes in Junior Cycle.
It is wonderful to see the success that Sally Anne Quill and Hugh Delahunty achieved recognised in the award of the Midleton College Association Prizes.

Can we exceed national CAO Points attainment levels at Leaving Certificate?
Yes we can.
3 times the national average of Leaving Certificate pupils attained over 500 CAO points this year. 10 individual pupils out of 47 attained over 500 Points. Twice the national average attained 450 Points or higher. One third more pupils attained over 200 Points than the national average.
Can we consistently exceed national attainments at Leaving Certificate?
Yes we can.

Midleton College pupils have consistently significantly outperformed the national average attainments over the course of many years and thus been able, in the vast majority of cases, to access the domain of life experience beyond school that is their chosen field of endeavour.
I am proud to be able to say that there is persuasive evidence from analysis of the State Examination achievements of our pupils that we do indeed succeed in providing a rich, varied, meaningful education that allows our pupils take their place with confidence as informed active citizens in their lives beyond Midleton College.

Main Prizewinners:
Darragh Crosbie nearly made it a perfect 6 A1’s. Barry Cunningham reached the 99th percentile on the Hpat test prior to entry to medicine. Ten 6th years have entered University College Cork this year Josh Gregory McCarthy has entered Trinity College Dublin along with Darragh, Clare and Miranda.
Simon Casey, Lillian Hurley, Alistair Murphy, all managed to maintain high standards of application to study across the full range of subjects while making a discernable contribution to the life of the College through their captaincy of senior hockey and cricket teams.
The winners of the Midleton College Association Prizes, Rourke MacMonagle, Robert Markham, and Meg O’Hanlon each demonstrated a determination to tackle the challenge of Leaving Certificate study that was maintained throughout senior cycle and rewarded with a strong sense of accomplishment in the State Examinations
Alison Kavanagh’s tremendous creativity is acknowledged in both her awards in Art and Creative Writing.
Kate Murray and Alistair Murphy both receive the Bishop Hearn Memorial Prize in recognition of their sustained academic improvement through the two years of senior cycle concluding in impressive overall grades obtained in the exams.
5th Form remained a high achieving year group with the prize winners each attaining a set of summer exam grades that marks them as students of outstanding academic capability.
The 2nd Form prize winners were closely bunched in terms of academic attainment, but, encouragingly are closely pursued by many others who hope to have their turn next year.
First Form pupils found the initial Christmas exams a challenge but many people’s overall grades had risen by the summer time with the class prize winners displaying their abilities right across the breath of the curriculum.

4th Form concluded with both the TY Awards Ceremony and the summer examinations. Julie Coyne and Caleb Powell hosted an unforgettable evening of presentations in which over half the year group participated. The diversity of presentations from the award winning ‘Lazer Blazers’ Mini Company to self-composed musical items, to reflections on the year was a tribute to all that the pupils had done and the guidance they had been given.

Senior Prefects
The new 6th Form have commenced their final year in positive manner and are ably led by our four senior prefects,
Head Boy Sean O’Regan Senior Day Boy Ethan Dillon
Head Girl Paige Crosbie Senior Day Girl Laura McPadden
Who I now ask to come forward and receive their insignias of office for 2009.
I referred in my notes to the role of the PPA and the importance of reunions and maintaining links with former pupils. In doing so I thank Mr. John Smith and his MCA committee for the time they give in support of the Association. Today we recognise the outstanding achievements of five former pupils who this year completed academic study at the highest level or were awarded for excellence in their field of professional activity.
Presentations to Sarah-Jane Phelan, Nicky Phelan, Oileann Lyons, Meriel Smith, Tara Browne

I would also like to thank all the members of the PTA committee of 2008, chaired by Mr. Robin Smith for the many ways in which they have supported parents/ guardians in meeting and socializing while also providing practical assistance to parents through activities such as the Second Hand uniform sale.
It would be wrong however not to conclude on a note of optimism. Well actually, not one note but two. The Board of Governors this week gave formal consideration to the Tender Reports from Henley Kavanagh McGowan for the Sports Complex that forms the major component of the College Development Plan. The recommended tenders came in at just under 1.9million euro, some 23% below the prices expected just 12 months ago. The Governors have decided to commit to the establishment of a Development Plan Fund-raising committee to oversee the generation of the necessary funding to ensure that this project can be brought to fruition without putting the College finances at risk in troubled economic times. This is another significant step forward in seeing these ambitions plans become a reality in the near future. Parents/guardians will continue to be informed as this project moves forward.
Finally, two pictures. The first shows pupils in 1908. They sit by the front steps in much the same way that pupils continue to do so today- with some obvious differences. The final picture shows some of the new first year pupils at sports day last June, just before they joined the College. Lives long since completed through Midleton College, lives in the early years of life’s journey. For nearly three centuries this College has educated young people in a unique manner. Let us look forward with enthusiasm, the same enthusiasm that you can see in the eyes of our youngest pupils as we continue to live, work, learn and guide young people in the development of fulfilling lives in Midleton College.

Prize Day 2008

This year Prize Day took place on Friday 24th of October. The whole school community assembled in the Silversprings Moran Hotel for the occasion. Bishop Paul Colton as chairman of the Board of Governors was the MC for the afternoon and performed his duties with distinction and no small measure of humour.
The guest speaker was Ms. Terry Prone, the renowned broadcaster, journalist, and P.R. guru. The audience anticipated a lively and entertaining speech and was not to be disappointed! To begin proceedings, the staff took part in the academic procession following which Bishop Colton introduced the Headmaster to give his annual report.
Mr. Thompson began by speaking of the “challenging privilege” that we as a staff have in working so closely with over 300 adolescent students. This lead on to mention of two key players that had recently retired from active participation in the life of the school. Mr. Jim Tait has retired from the Board of Governors and Mr. John Levis has retired from Deputy Principal of the school. The Headmaster praised them both fulsomely for their years of dedicated service [See Headmaster’s Report p. – for details].
The next part of the speech covered our students’ great success in the state and house exams, and singled out the many pupils that were to receive prizes in recognition of their performances. It was at this point in the proceedings that this year’s Senior Prefects received their insignia of office. These are Rosie Hockenhull (Head Girl), Clare Stead (Senior Day Girl), Darragh Crosbie (Head Boy), and Darragh Mathews (Senior Day Boy).
Mr. Thompson went on to laud a wide variety of extra-curricular activities and made special mention of the outstanding achievements such as David O’Callaghan’s selection for the Irish School’s Rugby team. However it was the final section of his speech which really hit home with the audience as he addressed the troubling implications of the recent Budget for the education sector in Ireland. In no uncertain terms Mr. Thompson pointed out the government’s extreme shortsightedness in making cuts in education funding. His justifiable anger and concern for the future of all Irish school goers was met by rousing applause. [For fuller details of all aspects of the Headmaster’s speech, see Headmaster’s Report p. --]
Next the Bishop introduced Ms. Terry Prone, the guest speaker for the day. She amusingly glorified failure as she spoke of the many jobs held and lost for various reasons. Her ultimate point being that it is surely much better to try and to fail than to never risk anything at all! Ms. Prone was particularly entertaining on her resignation from the Board of Dublin Zoo following her bludgeoning of a goat with her briefcase (an act of self defense)!
Ms. Prone winged through many of her careers including her time with the Abbey Theatre, R.T.E. Radio, Carr communications and her ongoing work as an author and a journalist with the Irish Examiner. Interestingly she very deliberately told the assembled students that she had no lessons, advice or “words of wisdom” to impart to them. She had a strong awareness that teens hate being preached at or given “life lessons”. She concluded with the simple, but important observation that life just happens to you no matter what and that love and fun matter much more than money. This is something we hope our students already understand, especially in the current recessionary times! Ms. Prone’s speech was very well received due to its humour, topicality and (dare we say it), brevity.
The musical interlude has grown into a big part of Prize Day over the last few years. This year it featured four items beginning with the College Orchestra’s rendition of Pachelbell’s “Canon”. Next came an original pop composition “11:55”, written by Alex Spink and Josh Hartnett and performed by this dynamic duo ably assisted by Josh Spink on drums. This really woke the room up and was visibly popular with the students. The College Choir performed an old American gospel song, “I Went Down to the River to Pray” and the concert concluded with Johnathan O’Mahony performing a classical piece on his violin.
Finally, the prizes were distributed among the various class groups. The Bishop proposed a vote of thanks to Ms. Prone, he gave a final blessing and Prize Day was concluded for another year.
-Ed