Barack Obama Buzz :)

Well, were sitting here in careers and there is only 12 of us here!! 10 of which are going to see Barack Obama :) It should be a good day. He's heading to Moneygall in Offaly to see his ancestors then into College Green in Dublin to do a public speech which is where the rest of TY are today!! Everybody is heading in at different times to see him. The gates are opening at 2 but her won't be there till around 6ish now he has to drive to Moneygall with the bad weather. A good day will be had by all :)
Aoife O'B

Geography Project

Michael Cusack was born in 1847 in Carron, County Clare. Although young Michael did not attend school until he was 11 years old, he quickly showed that he was a bright and able pupil. After a spell as a student teacher in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, he returned to teach at the national school in Corofin for a few months. He then went on to get his teaching qualifications in Dublin. His first major post was as school master at Lough Cutra national school in Galway where he received the princely sum of £18 per year. Michael Cusack also thought in Clongowes Wood in Clane, Co.Kildare. He then set up his own school in Dublin and settled there.

In 1884 Michael Cusack, founded the Gaelic Athletic Association in Hayes Hotel in Thurles, Co Tipperary, in Liberty Square which is in the centre of Thurles. The other founders are Maurice Davin, John Wyse Power, John McKay, J. K. Bracken, Joseph O'Ryan and Thomas St. George McCarthy, who were from all over Ireland.

Croke Park is the 3rd largest stadium in Europe. It has played host to many events, not all of which involve the GAA. It is situated in Dublin centre just off Lower Dorset Street and Jones Road. The GAA also opened the doors of Croke Park to the FAI and IRFU during the reconstruction of their own ground on Lansdown Road, which is now called the Aviva Stadium. The names of the four stands in Croke Park, Hogan Stand, Davin stand, Cusack Stand and Dineen-Hill 16. Each stand is named after a person involved in the GAA. The Cusack stand is named after Michael Cusack, founder of the GAA. The Davin stand stand is named after Maurice Davin, who was involved in the founding of the GAA. The Hogan stand is named after Michael Hogan, who was captain of the Tipperary team that were playing in Croke Park when it was attacked during Bloody sunday. The Dineen-Hill 16 was a mound measuring 60m was called Hill 60. In 2006 the Hill was renamed Dineen/Hill 16 in honour of Frank Dineen, who purchased the grounds for the GAA in 1908.

Muhammad Ali was born in Cassius Marcellus Clay on January 17 1942. He is a 3 times former heavyweight champion and is considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. His Grandfather Abe Grady was born in Ennis in County Clare, so he has Irish connenctions!!

What I have learned from this project is that 2 of my favorite sports to watch, boxing and GAA, have Clare relations. The town of Ennis and the town of Carron are around 30 minutes away from each other. The founder of the GAA and Muhammad Ali's grandfather were from Clare.

English Book Report

"My Sisters Keeper" By Jodi Picoult

This was my second time to read this book, and I love it as much as the first time!!

This book tells the story of Kate and Anna Fitzgerald, two sisters who share so much with each other. When Kate was 2, she was diagnosed with APL, Acute promyelocytic leukaemia, which is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. When she was diagnosed with APL, Dr.Chance the oncologist did tests with Kate's brother Jesse to see if he was a donor match, but he wasn't, and neither were her parents. He asked Kate's parents Brian and Sara had they ever thought about having another child. He told them that they could have another child that would be a perfect genetic match for Kate, through genetic modification, and also that umbilical blood is the most effective type of blood to help save Kate’s life.

Anna has always helped Kate through her sickness. She has given blood and bone marrow and whatever else her sister needs, until Anna is asked to donate a kidney. She has decided that she doesn’t want to do it anymore. Her brother Jesse brings her into meet a lawyer, Campbell Alexander. Campbell has agreed to take on Anna’s case to be medically emancipated from her parents and to have the rights to her own body even though she has no money to pay him.

While Anna is in the hospital with her mom Sara and Kate, her mom is presented with the legal documents from Campbell Alexander. Sara, Brian and Anna sit down to talk about it when Anna tells them that she didn’t want to do it anymore, saving Kate’s life.

The rest of the book is a mixture of the present day and the past. Each character has their own chapter.

Anna’s tells of her present day life. She tells of her struggle with dealing with the court case and how she moves into the fire station with her dad. She talks about how she met Julia Romano and Campbell Alexander and all her memories with Kate. Anna also tells us about how she had started playing hockey for a local team when she was accepted on a full scholarship to a summer hockey camp for a few weeks, but her mother Sara wouldn’t let her go in case while she away, something happens to Kate and she needs something from Anna. It’s just to show how Anna can’t live a normal life while Kate is still sick.

Sara tells of her life in each year leading up to the present day. She used to be a successful lawyer, but she gave up her job when she had her children. Her chapters tell of each time Kate has gotten sick and how they have changed their lives to help her to get better. She tells us about the changes in their lives and how she deals with her sick daughter while she defends herself in the court case.

Brian tells us of how his life is as a fire man and how every few days he is putting out fires from a mysterious arsonist who he later finds out is his son Jesse. Himself and his daughter Anna move out of the house and into the fire station when things at home start to boil at home with the court case. Brian loves to look at the stars. He spends nights at the station on the roof looking at the starts and consolations. He named his daughter Anna after a consolation.

Kate is Anna’s sister. When she was two she was diagnosed with APL and has been in and out of hospital ever since. She was cured when she but had another relapse when she was 5. Kate’s kidneys are failing and her parents wanted Anna to give one of her kidneys. Kate has told Anna she doesn’t want the kidney and asked her to start the lawsuit against her parents.

Jesse is Anna and Kate’s brother and he lives in a separate apartment over the garage of their house. He spends everyday drinking, smoking and doing drugs in his apartment. He also goes to set fires to old buildings and his father is the Fire Captain. He goes to see a homeless guy every few days to get the things to start the fires with and in return brings him a meal from McDonalds.

Taylor is Kate’s boyfriend. They met during chemo; Taylor also has cancer but has AML which is a different type of cancer to Kate’s. Kate and Taylor went to a dance in the hospital together but Taylor died the next day. Sara found out but didn’t tell Kate for two months because she was afraid Kate would give up the fight and die so be with Taylor.

Campbell is Anna’s lawyer. Campbell agreed to take on Anna’s case even though she has not got enough money to pay him. He has a service dog called Judge, whose service is not known until the end of the book when he has a seizure during the court case we find out that he his an epileptic. During the case, he is reunited with an old girlfriend, Julia Romano, who was appointed to look after Anna and advise her in what she does.

Suzanne or Zanne as the kids like to call her is Sara’s sister and is very wealthy. When Kate gets sick, she looks after Anna and Jesse. When Sara and Brian come into trouble paying for Kate’s treatment, she offers to pay for it but Brian lies and tells her that he raised it through the Fire Station.

Dr. Chance is Kate’s oncologist and has grown close to the Fitzgerald family since Kate’s illness. When he gets up to speak at the court-case, he tells the judge he is not sure if Anna giving her kidney to Kate would be of any benefit.

Julia Romano is appointed by Judge DelSalvo to advise Anna and talk to her during the trial. She is reunited with Campbell and when she first realises that she has to work with him but they bond as we read through the book and up as a couple at the end.

At the end of the book we come into the court case. After much deliberation and consideration, the Judge rules in Anna’s favour and she is medically emancipated from her parents, and the judge appoints Campbell as someone to help her make her medical decisions Her parents head over to the hospital to be with Kate because she has gotten really ill and the doctors don’t think she will make it much longer and Anna stays at the courthouse with her lawyer to sign some papers.

While they are at the hospital, Brian gets called out to work on a road accident, a car and a truck. While he is out he goes into pull out the passenger and the driver, he looks and sees that it is Anna and Campbell and Campbell’s dog Judge. He gets them straight out and onto ambulances to the hospital. At the hospital, Anna is pronounced Brain Dead,. It means she wont wake up, but her organs still function. Before they turn off the life support, Campbell says as Anna’s medical advisor, that Kate should get the kidney. Brian and Sara then have to turn off the life support and Kate gets Anna’s kidneys.

For a while after she died, they all just stopped their lives. They spent their time at home thinking about her, afraid to laugh at anything funny or to leave the house. Life does improve for the Fitzgerald’s. Kate gets better and become’s a dance teacher, Jesse went to Police college and is now a policeman. The 4 of the Fitzgerald’s attended the wedding of Campbell Alexander and Julia Romano who they kept in contact with.

I loved this book. Even though I had read it before, I still didn’t expect what was coming. It is one of my favourite books and I could read it again and again! it was a great opportunity to read this book again

What have I accomplished from TY?

So TYs almost over :( I really don't want it to end!

I know over the year of TY, when I tell people I am n TY they say "Oh is it a doss year yeah?" Its really not!!

We do so much work. Everyday presents a new challenge :) I have learned so many new things. I've taken on new subjects, like Mini Company, Music and Art :)

I enjoyed Mini Company. There was a lot of work involved and it can get pretty stressful at times. Music was good :) I loved the way we had it last class on Wednesday because we were all so tired were just allowed to sing our hearts out. I Loved art class! I'm not an artist at all but we all did so many things I really enjoyed it all :)

I've also become a referee after TY :) Mr.Lawlor got a few of us involved in a course and we are now qualified referees. He has also got me involved in doing a bit of coaching in the GAA club too so Thanks for that Sir!! Its been great fun :)
I will certainly miss TY but I have left it with so many great memories.
Aoife O'B :)

Swim a Mile with a Smile

A few weeks ago, we got a visit in schoo from Brian Daly. He is a neighbour of mine who's son died from a brain tumor when he was 11. It was a really intesting talk and we all wanted to go swimming so when Brian asked us to get involved we were all really excited :)

So the day we got our easter holidays we all went to the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) with Mr L and Ms O'C where we were met by Brian Daly. We all went into get changed and headed into the pool where we were seperated into different lanes as to how far we were swimming. Iwanted to do a full mile on my own but i couldnt finish the whole thing because we ran out of time :( Brian told us though that we could come back and finish the swim if we wanted :)After the swim, we went into the waterworld part for a while and the into lachardstown shopping centre for food and then headed back to school :)

Check out the swim a mile website :) http://swimamile.webnode.com/

Irish Autism Action

A few weeks ago we went to Tesco in Celbridge to do a bag pack for Irish Autism Action. Stephanie S from Amina kindly took on the job of organizing this and did a fantastic job in getting people to come down!! I went down at 4 on friday but I could only stay for an hour because I had to go to training in the GAA club. We all had so much fun and raised a lot of money for Irish Autism Action :)

Jabba Jabba Jembe

This was a really good workshop!! We had so much fun :) We learned about different types of drums. The one everyone thinks is a bongo isn't actually a bongo!! Its a Jembe. its a drum thats made in Africa and from cow skin and a special type of wood. We did different rythems and different beats like Pat the Baker, Slice Pan, Pat the Baker, Slice Pan, Pat the Baker, Slice Pan is nice to eat. We tried out the different types of drums and did different songs and some of the teachers did them with us too :)

Margaret Aylward

We went to Glasnevin on Tuesday 15th March. We went to do a set of dramas for members of the Holy Faith Congregation. We left school at 11am and arrived home at 11pm!! We arrived in Glasnevin where we were met by Sr.Susan who brought us in to where we were going to be performing. We watched the other school do their dramas and we then practiced our own, after which we all walked down to the shop to get some lunch. We arrived back and sat in outside the school where we ate after which Ian came out to do a warm up with us on the grass and we went for a walk aorund the grounds. The people in my drama were brought into a room in the main centre with Sr.Susan where she went through our play again and it was then back to the main hall for pizza from dominoosss :) we then went back stage and got ready for the night ahead, performed and headed home for 11 o clock :) between costume changes and many line changes it was a good day all in all :)

Mini Company

Monday was Mini Company day!! My Mini Company, The Just Desserts, got through to the County Finals from the competition in Clane GAA. We went to The Osprey Hotel in Naas with Ms. L and Ms.E and we were all nervous about the day ahead!! We arrived and Sarah and her Dad met us there with our backboard because we had made it ourselves. We set up our stand as other schools started to arrive. We had a lot of food that we had made oursleves that we could sell. We were given lunch which was really nice!! We were then met by our first judge and it didnt go as well as we had hoped but I think it was just nerves getting to us!! The second judge came and that one went better and the third one went really well :) We got a chance to look at the other projects and to talk to some of the people from other schools. Then it was time for the awards :) There were 6 awards to be won and ther was 18 groups in the competition. We won the first award of the day which was the Judges Prize :) It is an award for having a great idea, interview, stand, product and business idea and report. We were so happy!! We gogt a trophey and a cheque from Kildare Enterprise Board and we were really happy :) The other group from St. Wolstans that won were Knot A Problem which won the runners up so well done to them also :) we then packed uup and arrived back at school at around 6 20.

Work Experience

I was sad that it was over :( it was so good!! On tuesday I was only working from 3-5 and I was in Scoil Padraig in Clane with on of the guys from the office doing coaching with some of the kids there. It was really interesting because they were so small and learning gaelic for the first time. On Wednesday I was picked up at 9 30 and went to Hawkfield where they were hosting an under 14s secondary school blitz for 4 schools in south Kildare. After that it was back inside to the office for more office work and back home for 3 o clock. Thursday was interesting too :) I met one of the guys, (James who picks me up in the morning) in Scoil Mhuire in Clane for a PE coaching class with the TY's there. It was grand doing that but out of a class of 30 TY's only 7 of them brought in their gear and did PE so I joined in with them aswell!! After that we headed back to Newbridge but we went into the county grounds (St.Conleths Park) to pick up a few bits before heading to a bakery for scones to bring back out to Hawkfield!! I finished on Thursday at 3. On friday morning I was picked up at 9 30 and went out to Hawkfield where one of the guys came in with sweets and food and drinks for a little party for my last day :) I finished that day at 12 and I was sad to leave the office but they gave me 2 passes for me and my dad to go to the Kildare v Laois game in St.Conleths Park that Sunday for me and my dad so I saw the guys then again and the match was really good (Kildare won by 2 points!!)
I would definatly consider this as a career I really enjoyed everything that I did and driving around the county in a Kildare GAA van and meeting loads of people!!

Work Experience, Day 1

I'm doing my work experience Hawkfield Training Centre, Newbridge which is a GAA training grounds and office. Its really good!! Yesterday, I was picked up at 9 45 by James who works for Kildare GAA and we went  to Hawkfield and met the 5 other people working there. Yesterday was office work for the day and preparing for  the coming week. I was then brought home at around 2 50 so it was a good easy day to start off with :)

GAA Minor Girls Football

Yesterday my gaelic football team for Celbridge GAA were playing in a semi final and we were all really nervous!! The girls from TY on the team are Me, Ailbhe, Leah and Niamh P. We played the match in Naas and there was a few people there to watch. The pitch was really slippy and we were down by around 6 points at half time. We came back in the second half and were winning with around 20 seconds to go when Naas got a penalty but our keeper saved it and we won on a scoreline of Celbridge 3.08 Naas 2.10!! It was so exciting and were really looking forward to the final!! Hopefully there will be a few TYs at the match to cheer us on!! 

Aoife O'B :)

Croke Park :)

We went to Croke Park Today, and I really enjoyed it!! We left the school at around 12 15 with Ms.McG and Ms. McH and we got on the buses. We arrived at around quarter to 1, went in and watched a short program about Croke Park on All Ireland Sundays and then we started the tour. We went under the stands and down to the Players Lounge and then onto the dressing room and the warm up room. After that we wentdown the players tunnel and out onto the pitch!! We sat up in the Ard Comhairle and then headed up to the very top of Croke Park which was really cool because We were in the highest row looking down on the grounds :) We then went into one of the Box suites and headed down to the Museum where we played with hurls and footballs to see how fast we could hitit and if we could score which was good fun!! WE headed down to the café and got something to eat and headed back to school. I love playing and watching GAA so I found the whole tour really interesting and enjoyable :)

Rince Gaeilge

This was great!! We all went into the hall and started with the siege of ennis which was 4 facing 4. It was so much fun doing it with everyone and Mr.S and Ms.NíC counting out the steps!! We then did the walls of Limerick which was 2 facing 2 and my partner was Niamh C and we had good fun!! At the end of it then I did a solo when everyone else was in a circle around clapping along. I was kinda nervous because I hadn't danced in a while but I enjoyed it!!

Mullingar :)

On Tuesday we went to Mullingar for English for the Briary Gap TY Drama Competition. It was such a good day!! We arrived in Mullingar and we were the only school there for the time being so we got to practice on stage and practice Projecting our Voices!! Also we weren't as nervous because when we performed our plays it was only our school there and the adjudicator

The drama I was involved in was called Time Of Your Life, which deals with a bad relationship and domestic violence.

We all had so much fun watching the other plays, talking to the other 2 schools and going out for lunch in Mullingar :) It was a great day and best of luck to everyone in the Results!!

Here's a few pics of us getting ready to go!!

Carol Service

This was really enjoyable! All TYs were part of the choir so we had a few days practice to get ready!! I had do a reading which I was really nervous about but I think it went fine! the last song I think was the best :) We were all singing Band-Aid "Feed the World" when all the male teachers came up and sang with us!! It was really good run and a great end to the First part of the year of TY :)

Home Ec Fashion Show :)

We had our fashion show just before christmas. When we started TY we were put into groups and have been working on our project since then. We were given a white t-shirt and white trousers and were each given a theme. Ours was black and white and my group was me, lauren t, roisin p and elaine. We decided to do a paper maché corset the was lined with the white t-shirt and a skirt which was originally a dress but we cut it up! We had great fun making the corset in Lauren's house and the dress was an old dress of her moms! We had a lot of fun and in the fashion show aswell watching Lauren modeling our dress and corset :)

Aoife O'B :)

Technology :)

In tech so far we have made key ring and clocks and done a little bit of theory!! We also entered the F1 in schools competition but unfortunatly we didn't get in :( we called our team turbospeed and it was me, grace, choe, niamh p, stephanie and lauren t :)

PE :)

Pe has been good this year :) the way is has been on our time table is that we have a single class on Tuesday and a double class on Wednesday. But that has changed temporarily to a double on both days :) on tuesdays we do rugby which is good fun!! were doing a rugby blitz next week which I am really looking forward too! on Wednesdays for 3 weeks we did pilates and for another 3 weeks we have been doind dancing. Unfortunatly I havent done any of the dancing yet because I have a bad knee but I hope to get in for the last class next week! But it looks really good and the girls are telling me how much they are enjoying it :)

Aoife O'B :)

Science :)

In science we had to work on projects to enter into the Young Scientist and now Scifest which is kinda like the Y.S :) We've also done a little bit of theory but we did lots of experiments :) My favourite experiment so far has been the Rocket Experiment :) We used a canister from a camera film and designed the outside of it with paper. We put in water and an Alka-Seltzer tablet and had to put on the lid quickly and when your not expecting it it shoots up from the desk it was really good fun :)

Aoife O'B :)

History Projects

For our Christmas test, we had to do a project in history on a town of our choice. I chose to do Abbeyside and Dungarvan in Co.Waterford because my dad is from there and so is a lot of my family. I found out so much tuff I didn't know about the town and I got a lot of help from my Grandad who used to run the local archives so he sent me a lot of information about the town :) I learned so much about the town that I didn't know before and I heard people talking about them and never really knew what the things were!! I enjoyed doing the project and had a good time learning about the town

Aoife O'B :)

Emnet MDG trip to Carlow

We went to Carlow town a few weeks ago with Ms.L for a workshop on the Millenium Development Goals (MDG). We arrived in Carlow and went into a hall where we were divided into 4 groups with students from the other 2 schools (Clane and Carlow) and were put into a different workshop. The first one we went to was with a girl called Tara. She was in he B.T. Young Scientist and won with making a steam cooker. She then went to Africa with a TV crew from RTE and showed women in the 3rd world how it worked. We watched parts of the programme and she was telling us about studying development in college. After break we went into another workshop about HIV and AIDS and we learned the facts of the diseases. After lunch we then went to another workshop with a man who was a teacher in South Africa and he was telling us about being a teacher in South Africa and the life of the people there. All the workshops were linked in with the MDGs and I found the whole workshop enjoyable :)

Aoife O'B :)