Activities
Our Lady of Mercy National School strives to create broad learning experiences for each child. This is achieved both through the curriculum and through additional learning experiences where children form friendships, improve their fitness and develop an understanding and appreciation of cultivating a good work ethic.
Music
Music has always played an important role in Our Lady of Mercy National School. We regularly participate in the prestigious Peace Proms choir. This is a cross-border choir involving children from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which culminates in a fantastic concert.
The school also enjoys a Christmas Carol Service biennially in the Church where the children perform beautiful carols and sing Christmas songs.
Music Generation is another initiative where children are given an opportunity to learn the recorder. They make great progress during the year, and we always look forward to hearing them perform. Students from 4th-6th class have the opportunity to take on another wind instrument such as the clarinet, flute or saxophone. Pupils in the junior classes learn about different instruments, rhythm, beat and body percussion. Click here to learn more about Music Generation.
Chess
At our school, pupils from 4th to 6th class take part in a fun and friendly chess programme. Children learn the game together, often peer-teaching and helping one another to build confidence and new skills. Throughout the year, they also have the chance to represent the school in the Ficheall Chess Tournaments, where teamwork, strategy, and good sportsmanship are celebrated.
Drama
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. provides lots of opportunity for students to engage with drama: integrating drama across all curricular areas, especially History, Gaeilge and English.
Ms. Aileen Hogan, the founder and head Drama teacher in Encore Creative Arts Academy comes to the school each year to conduct drama lessons with the children in the school, providing children with the opportunity to develop their confidence and public speaking.
At Christmas time, The Red Kettle Theatre Company performs an interactive show. This is always a greatly anticipated event. The senior classes also attend the local musical in St. Augustine’s College, Dungarvan.
Green Flag
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. have a very active Green Schools Committee. Having received the award for ‘Litter and Waste’ in 2021, and the award for ‘Water’ in 2022. The Green Schools Committee, staff and community in Our Lady of Mercy continue to work hard to educate the pupils on how to care for the environment. The committee are currently working hard to earn their ‘Travel’ flag.
Student Council
As part of the promotion of well-being in Our Lady of Mercy N.S. our first student council was established in 2022. Students learn about the democratic process through the preparation of manifestos and canvassing their class mates. Two children are elected from each class in 1st to 6th class. The committee has the opportunity to learn how to gather information, discuss strategies, to promote the voice of their peers and to enact change in the school. We look forward to seeing what the committee can achieve over the coming years.
Debating
Children in 5th and 6th class have the opportunity to get involved in the Concern Primary Debating competition.
Learning to debate teaches children how to apply critical analysis and how to prepare an argument using facts and research. It also teaches students valuable communication skills such as how to deliver a speech and how to effectively defend the points they make. In 2025, the team made it to the quarter-finals of the Concern Primary Debating Competition. We are incredibly proud of the passion for debating within our school.
Quiz Teams
Quiz Club is available for students in fourth, fifth and sixth class. Students get to learn lots of interesting and fun facts and to take part in quizzes both inside and outside school. Our junior quiz team enjoyed success in recent years winning the first round of the Credit Union quiz and placing third in the semi-finals.
Reading
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
Reading has always been promoted and encouraged in Our Lady of Mercy National School. We have a large and superbly stocked library, which is regularly monitored and updated. We proudly boast a comprehensive set of Collins Big Cat levelled readers, spanning 12 levels and over 120 titles. The teachers use initiatives such as “Guided Reading”, “Building Bridges” and “Literacy Lift Off” to further promote reading and comprehension skills.
In 2023, Our Lady of Mercy N.S. introduced the “Accelerated Reader™ programme. Accelerated Reader puts students in the driver’s seat. The students engage in quizzes and activities to help hone their reading skills with authentic practice-encouraging growth. Personalised goals help students stay focused on the factors that matter most for reading growth. Individual reading recommendations use students’ interests and reading levels to suggest appropriate titles that are of interest and benefit to the children.
World Book Day & The Readathon
Easily one of the highlights each school year, World Book Day yields a wonderful day of costume, camaraderie and of course, reading! The children partake in a readathon for the six weeks leading up to World book day where they diligently read a variety of books each day. This culminates in World Book Day where each child dresses up as a character from a book they have read. There is an incredible response to the readathon each year.
Gaeilge
“Beatha teanga í a labhairt”
Tá traidisiún láidir Gaeilge sa scoil. Baineann na múinteoirí úsáid as modheodhlaíochtai gníomhach chun na páistí a spreagadh chun Gaeilge a labhairt. Cuirtear béim ar labhairt na Gaeilge go príomha ‘sna bunranganna agus ansin forbraítear an scríbhneoireacht agus an léitheoireacht ‘sna meán agus ‘ins na hárd-ranganna. Gach bliain, bíonn béim ollmhór curtha ar an nGaeilge i rith Seachtain na Gaeilge. Glacann na páistí páirt i gcéilithe, foghlaimíonn na páistí amhráin agus dánta agus déanann siad neart rudaí eile.
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. has a strong tradition of Irish. The teachers use a range of active methodologies to encourage and teach the students. Spoken Irish is promoted in the junior classes while reading and writing are developed in the older classes. Each year, Our Lady of Mercy N.S. celebrates “Seachtain na Gaeilge”. The children take part in Céilí dancing, they learn Irish songs and poetry and much more.
Maths Week
As one of the curriculum’s core subjects, maths is an integral part of the school day. The children benefit from a myriad of teaching methodologies such as the “team teaching of maths and maths stations, which ensures all children are appropriately challenged. The children partake in many activities during maths week such as maths trails, using their “maths eyes” and completing school-wide maths competitions.
Science Week
The children complete a range of experiments and investigations during Science Week, promoting critical thinking, guided discovery, co-operative learning and problem-solving. The children complete independent research to solve tasks as well as teaming up to complete scientific investigations.
Play
Junior and Senior Infants take part in Aistear, where they learn through play. Aistear takes place in small teacher-led groups, and focuses on a different theme every month.
Read more about the Aistear Framework here.
Cycling
Students in Our Lady of Mercy N.S. have the opportunity to participate in the Safe Cycling Programme taught by Cycle Right. The children learn cycling skills and techniques while also learning about being safe while cycling on roads. Cycle Right provide engaging, practical and enjoyable lessons for the children.
During the summer months, children are also encouraged to cycle to school and they make a particular effort during Bike Week each year.
Sports Day
Sports Day is always a very exciting day in Our Lady of Mercy N.S. It takes place in June each year. All students get to take part in sprint races, long distance races and novelty races. There are lots of fun activities such as obstacle courses and team races. It gives the children the chance to enjoy some healthy competition and the teachers promote the participation of all the children in this fun-filled day of activity.
School Tours
Every class in Our Lady of Mercy N.S. goes on an annual school tour. Destinations include open farms, beaches, The Watershed Kilkenny, SETU and much more.
Staying Active
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. strives to instil a life-long love of fitness through the constant promotion of physical education and active initiatives. Each year, Our Lady of Mercy N.S. hosts “Walk to School Wednesday”, where all of the children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class walk to school from the G.A.A Centre. The senior classes also take part in “The Daily Mile” and “Marathon Kids”, an initiative where the children complete an 8 week programme and perform four running sessions each week inching them closer to completing their first marathon as well as learning about the benefits of physical activity. In 2023, Irish Olympian, sprint athlete and Marathon Kids ambassador David Gillick, came to the school to inspire and encourage the children on their marathon journey and to promote the importance of exercise in their everyday lives.
Swimming
The children from Second to Sixth class complete a six-week block of swimming lessons in Clonea Strand Hotel each year. The children develop their skills and techniques and greatly improve their swimming. The lessons are eagerly anticipated each year. In school, these lessons are supported with classes dedicated to water safety so the children can enjoy swimming in the sea safely over the summer months and throughout their lives.
Athletics
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. has enjoyed many successes with Athletics over the years. Each year the children participate in West Waterford’s Primary Schools’ Athletics competition – an eagerly anticipated event each year. The school also hosts an internal athletics competition annually which allows the children to demonstrate their athletic prowess. The Parents’ Association donated a brand new set of athletics singlets in 2022 which the children don with pride. The school also enjoys a strong connection with K.C.K., the local athletics club.
Tennis
All children in Our Lady of Mercy N.S. play tennis as part of the physical education programme in the spring every year. Tennis is coached by Shelly Mernin, an experienced player with Dungarvan Tennis Club. The coaching is always fantastic and the children love practicing their skills in fun drills and playing mini games against one another.
Tag Rugby
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. is proud to promote a wide variety of sports in the school each year. Tag Rugby has become a recent favourite, with the children learning new skills and techniques while experiencing a fun new sport.
G.A.A. and Our Lady of Mercy N.S.
Each year, the children partake in a whole-school mixed hurling and football league. The children learn tactics, skills and the importance of teamwork. It is an inclusive league comprising children from Second Class to Sixth Class. The children form friendships, improve their fitness and develop an understanding and appreciation of remaining fit and healthy throughout their lives.
The children in Our Lady of Mercy N.S. compete in the Cumann na mBunscoil competition each year. They compete in the Gaelic Football championship and also in the Hurling and Camogie Championships.
Our Boys’ Football team compete in the Roinn B league and were county winners in 2025 and 2026. Our Boys’ Hurling team compete in the Roinn B league and were county winners in 2025. Our Girls’ Football team compete in the Roinn B league. They have competed very well in recent years. Our Girls’ Camogie team compete in the Roinn B league. They have competed very well in recent years.
Waterford G.A.A. coaches come to the school each year to coach hurling and football training sessions with children from Junior Infants up to Sixth Class. The children improve year after year.
