With spring in the air and Easter just around the corner, it has been another busy and exciting time in our school community.
Sport
SETU FAI Soccer Tournament
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. are still on a high after a fantastic day at SETU competing in the FAI Primary 5s competition on Thursday, March 19th . Two boys teams and two girls teams played on the day. There was a wonderful display of teamwork, skill and determination by all players. We are so proud of their efforts.
Our Lady of Mercy Boys’ Team triumphed and will now proceed to the county finals on April 17th. We are incredibly proud of all the boys and girls.
Mini 7s Hurling and Football
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. attended a Mini 7s hurling blitz in Bohadoon on Wednesday, March 18th. Massive congratulations to the girls’ team who won all three matches! Well done to the boys too for a great performance and a great attitude throughout. The two teams displayed great skill and sportsmanship throughout, making it a thoroughly enjoyable day out for everyone involved.
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. also attended a Mini 7s football blitz in Dungarvan GAA Grounds on Tuesday, March 24th. The boys’ and girls’ teams played against Scoil Gharbháin and Tallow N.S.; while they were not successful in securing a win on the day, they showed great effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Thank you to Mr. Griffey and Mr. Walsh for their continued dedication to training the teams. Their commitment is very appreciated by the students.
Tennis Coaching
This term the entire school started playing tennis as part of the physical education programme. Tennis is being coached by Shelly Mernin, an experienced player with Dungarvan Tennis Club. The coaching has been fantastic and the children love practicing their skills in fun drills and playing mini games against one another.
World Book Day Thursday 5th March
On Thursday, March 5th, the entire school community celebrated World Book Day. The pupils brought in their favourite books to talk about and dressed up as their favourite character. It was a wonderful celebration of the joy of reading and exciting, intriguing characters. Reading is one of the most important things a child can do and we encourage all our pupils to read as regularly as possible.
Planting
Spring is in the air and the colour and freshness is being felt by all the students in Mrs. Jones’ and Mr. Griffey’s classes. The children had lots of fun the last few weeks. They filled seedling trays with compost and planted lettuce, radish and carrot seeds. They also planted some onion sets.
Hurling Coaching with James Lacey
Hurling coaching with James Lacey has just started back in school, and the excitement among the children is clear to see. The boys and girls are delighted to be back out on the pitch, learning new skills and enjoying the sessions together. A big thank you to James for giving his time and energy to coach the children each week- it is greatly appreciated by the whole school community.
Concern Primary Debates Semi-Final
The Concern Primary Debates Semi-Final took place on March 23rd in the Waterford Teachers’ Centre. Oisín, Dan and Tadhg represented the school, proposing and carrying the motion “Universal Internet Access Should be the World’s Top Priority in 2026.” They debated against Holy Cross N.S., Tramore, who opposed the motion. It was a fantastic display of debating skills, with excellent use of argumentative and persuasive language, as well as strong rebuttal and refutation. Thank you to Kevin Óg who acted as Chairperson and to Liam who was our designated timekeeper. The team now advance to the final which will be held in City Hall, Waterford on April 29th. Thank you to Ms. Mitchell and all the parents who support, guide and help the boys prepare for each debate.
Drama with Ms. Aileen Hogan
Drama classes with Ms. Aileen Hogan have also recently begun, and the children are thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to express themselves through drama. The sessions are filled with creativity, imagination, and plenty of fun as the pupils take part in different activities and performances. Many thanks to Ms. Hogan for sharing her enthusiasm and helping the children build confidence while enjoying the arts.
Credit Union Quiz: Chapter Round
Oisín, Dearbhla, Dan and Eva proudly represented the school in the Chapter Round of the Credit Union Quiz on Friday, March 6th in Lawlor’s Hotel, Dungarvan. Only 12 teams from across the South East region qualified for this round, which was a fantastic achievement in itself. The team performed very well on the night and represented the school brilliantly. They should be extremely proud of their efforts.
Primary Games
Trials for the Primary Games recently took place, with great interest and enthusiasm from Dan Walsh, Dearbhla Costelloe and Oisín Casey. It was wonderful to see the children eager to represent their school and showcase their skills in both hurling and football. It is an honour for them to be selected to go forward and attend the trials. Well done to Dan and Dearbhla who will now get the opportunity to line out at Waterford’s next Senior Hurling and Camogie matches and will play at half time.
ESB Science Blast Competition
Mr. Griffey’s 4th and 5th class attended the ESB Science Blast in the RDS, Dublin on March 2nd. The pupils had a fantastic day presenting their project, exploring the many science exhibits, and learning about different scientific ideas and experiments. 4th and 5th class had investigated and explored the question: “Does music affect how well we concentrate?”. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to develop their curiosity and interest in science. Huge thank you to Mr. Griffey for all the time and preparation that went into this project and many thanks to Mary, our SNA, who joined the class on the day for their trip to the RDS.
Seachtain na Gaeilge 2026
We had a wonderful week celebrating Seachtain na Gaeilge in our school! We placed a special emphasis on Gaeilge Laethúil, encouraging everyone to use simple Irish phrases in their everyday conversations. Students also enjoyed a lively Céilí Mór, where classes came together to dance and celebrate our culture. Pupils took part in a Tráth na gCeist (quiz) making the celebration of Irish language and culture enjoyable for everyone. Maith sibh to all the boys and girls for making such a great effort with their Gaeilge!
