The past few weeks have been filled with learning, achievements and exciting school events as we head towards the summer season.
GAA News
On Monday 27th April, our boys’ and girls’ hurling teams took part in Cumann na mBunscoil matches against An Rinn N.S. and Coolnasmear N.S. Both teams performed exceptionally well throughout the day, displaying great skill, teamwork and determination in all of their matches. The boys’ and girls’ teams were delighted to come away with victories in all games played. The pupils represented the school with pride and showed excellent sportsmanship both on and off the pitch.
On Monday, May 11th the semi-finals took place in Cappoquin. Our boys team played against Glenbeg N.S. and our girls team played against Tallow N.S. We were proud of both teams and how they performed on the day- our boys’ team reached the final after a great semi-final win, while the girls were unlucky to bow out after a very strong effort on the pitch.
On Wednesday, May 20th the final was played against Tallow in Dungarvan GAA Grounds. A huge well done to our boys’ school hurling team who won the Roinn B Hurling Western Final. A great achievement for them and the school!
Thank you to Mr. Walsh and Mr. Griffey for dedicating time to training the teams and having them well prepared for their matches.
FAI Soccer Final
Our 6th Class soccer team recently travelled to SETU to take part in the FAI Soccer Final. The team competed against schools from Glenbeg, Faithlegg, Piltown and Strangsmills in a series of exciting and competitive matches.
The pupils represented the school brilliantly throughout the day, showing excellent teamwork, determination and sportsmanship in every game. Although the team did not progress any further in the competition, it was a fantastic experience and a great day out for everyone involved. We are very proud of the effort, attitude and commitment shown by all the players.
Sacrament of Holy Communion
Well done to the pupils in 2nd class who recently made their First Holy Communion in a lovely ceremony with Fr. Cullinan on Saturday, May 2nd. Thank you to Ms. Geraghty for preparing the children so well and warm thanks to Mrs. Jones’ also for her time and effort in preparing the beautiful music sung by the school choir.
Concern Primary Debate Final
The Concern Primary Debate Final took place in City Hall, Waterford City, and was attended by Ms. Mitchell’s 5th and 6th Class pupils, Mr. Walsh, along with parents and siblings who came to support the team. It was a wonderful day and a fantastic experience for everyone involved. Although the result did not go our way, with Gortnahoe N.S. carrying the motion, we are incredibly proud of our team and all they achieved throughout the competition.
Oisín, Dan and Tadhg represented their school with pride and demonstrated excellent public speaking, confidence, delivery, rebuttal and refutation skills throughout the debating series. Their hard work, dedication and commitment over the past few months were evident in every debate, and they should be extremely proud of their efforts. A sincere thank you also goes to Ms. Mitchell for all of her time, guidance and encouragement in coaching the team during what has been an excellent and enjoyable run in the competition.
Food Dudes
During the week of April 27th to May 1st, our pupils took part in the Food Dudes programme. The children enjoyed tasting a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables each day and learned about the importance of healthy eating in a fun and engaging way. Well done to all the boys and girls for their enthusiasm and willingness to try new foods!
Soccer Blitz
Our recent Soccer Blitz was a great success and enjoyed by all involved. Teams were made up of pupils from 2nd to 6th Class, with our 6th Class pupils taking on the important role of team captains and showing excellent leadership throughout the day. It was a fantastic afternoon of sport, teamwork and fun, with wonderful displays of skill, encouragement and good sportsmanship from all the children. Congratulations to Dan Walsh and Dearbhla Costelloe’s teams who made the final which will be played in the coming weeks.
Zumba
Our pupils have also been enjoying Zumba sessions with April each week. We have been very lucky with the weather, allowing the classes to take place outdoors where the children could fully enjoy the music, movement and fresh air. The sessions combine dance, fitness and rhythm in a fun and energetic way, helping the children to stay active while building confidence and coordination.
Primary Games
Congratulations to Oisín, Dan and Dearbhla who were selected to take part in the Primary Games this year. This wonderful initiative gives young players the opportunity to showcase their skills by playing at half-time during important Waterford senior football and hurling Munster Championship games. It was a fantastic experience for the children to play in front of such large crowds and to be part of such a special occasion. We are very proud of how they represented both their school and club on the day.
Munster GAA Primary Schools Hurling and Football “U Can Skills” Challenge
Our pupils recently took part in the Munster GAA Primary Schools Hurling and Football “U Can Skills” Challenge, an initiative designed to promote and develop Gaelic games skills through a series of fun and challenging activities. Representing our school in hurling were Dan, Oisín and Corey, while Kevin Óg, Seán and Dearbhla took part in the football competition. The children displayed fantastic skill, teamwork and determination throughout, and we are delighted that both teams successfully qualified. Well done to all involved for representing the school with such pride and enthusiasm.
The Johnson Family Hockey Tournament- Newtown School, Waterford
On Thursday, May 14th, eight students from Our Lady of Mercy N.S. attended a hockey tournament held in Newtown School, Waterford. The girls and boys from 2nd to 6th class competed in the cup tournament. The team showed incredible teamwork, determination and school spirit right to the final whistle. We are so proud of them all! The cup team has enjoyed success over the last number of years, earning 2nd place in this year’s tournament.
Athletics
The pupils of Our Lady of Mercy N.S. represented their school with distinction at the 2026 Regional Primary School Athletics event on Thursday, May 14th. Well done to all those that participated and best of luck to those who qualified for the next round held again in St. Augustine’s College on Thursday, May 28th. Sincere thanks to West Waterford Athletics Club for organising the event and running the races so smoothly on the night.
Stop Motion Animation Art
Our 4th, 5th and 6th Class pupils recently had the exciting opportunity to work with artist Tunde Toth over three days on a Stop Motion Animation Art project. Stop motion animation is a creative process where a series of photographs are taken of objects or drawings, moving them slightly each time, to create the illusion of movement when played back together as a film.
The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and loved exploring their creativity through art, storytelling and technology. Tunde guided and worked alongside the pupils throughout the project, helping them to develop new skills in animation, teamwork and visual arts. It was a fantastic and engaging experience for all involved.
Bike Week
Bike Week took place in our school from May 12th–16th, with students encouraged to cycle to and from school each day. Throughout the week, pupils got involved in promoting fitness, fun and road safety. To finish off the celebrations, a huge number of our students enjoyed cycling to school on Friday, May 16th- many of whom were accompanied by their parent(s). A special thank you to all the parents for helping to keep everyone safe along their cycling route each day. Ms. Mitchell’s 5th and 6th baked rice krispie buns for the parents to enjoy with some tea/coffee at the school on Friday morning. All children were rewarded with some juice and cookies at break time! It was a great success for everyone involved.
Visit from Kieran Foley, WLR Journalist
We were delighted to welcome journalist Kiernan Foley to our school, where he spoke with pupils from 4th, 5th and 6th class about journalism, the media and radio broadcasting. Kiernan gave a fascinating and highly engaging presentation, sharing insights into his work and the world of news and radio.
Pupils particularly enjoyed the interactive elements of the visit. They had the opportunity to be interviewed themselves and were also invited to take to the microphone to interview each other, giving them a real taste of life in the media. It was a wonderful learning experience for all involved, and we sincerely thank Kiernan for such an enjoyable and memorable visit.
Green-Schools Awards Ceremony- 20th May 2026
We are delighted to announce that our school has been awarded the Water Flag as part of the Green-Schools Programme. This achievement recognises the hard work and commitment of our students and staff in promoting water conservation and environmental awareness throughout the school.
Liam, Sadie and Erene proudly represented the school alongside Ms. Kiely at the award ceremony held in Hotel Kilkenny on Wednesday, May 20th. It was a wonderful occasion to celebrate the efforts of everyone involved in helping our school achieve this important milestone.
