With sunny days ahead and summer excitement in the air, we are proud to share some of the highlights and happy moments from our school community.
6th Class Graduation
On Thursday, 18th June, our 6th Class pupils celebrated their Graduation and End-of-Year Mass, marking the end of their primary school journey. The Mass was a special occasion for pupils, families, and staff to come together and reflect on their years at our school. We are very proud of all that the students have achieved and wish them every success and happiness as they begin the next chapter of their education. Congratulations to the Class of 2026!
School Hurling
Our boys’ hurling team had a fantastic end to their season. They first played Tallow in the Western Final and emerged victorious to qualify for the County Final. In the County Final, they faced Mount Sion and produced an excellent performance to win on a scoreline of Stradbally 5-07, Mount Sion 1-03, securing the county title. The scorers for Stradbally were Kevin Óg Coffey (2-05), Niall Walsh (2-01), Dan Walsh (1-01) and Shane Fennell (1-00). The panel for both matches consisted of Jayden Murphy, Darragh Cummins, Daniel Murphy, Tadhg Gough, Corey O’Donnell, Dan Walsh (Captain), Oisín Casey, Niall Walsh, Kevin Óg Coffey, Tom Boland, Shane Fennell, Tiernan Coffey, Seán D’Arcy, Ryan Costelloe, Liam O’Mahony, Lorcan Power, Darragh Kiely, Fionnán Ronayne and Rory Kiely. Congratulations to all the players on their hard work, commitment and outstanding achievement. We are very proud of their success in winning both the Western and County Finals. Sincere thanks to Mr. Walsh for all his time and dedication to coaching the team.
Sports Day
Sports Day was one of the highlights of our summer term, filled with energy, excitement, and great team spirit. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in a variety of races and activities, cheering each other on every step of the way. We were so proud of the enthusiasm, determination, and sportsmanship shown by all pupils throughout the day. A big thank you to our staff, parents, and families for helping to make the event such a wonderful success.
Tennis Tournament: Causeway Tennis Club
On Thursday, May 22nd eight students from 6th class were invited to the Causeway Tennis Club in Abbeyside to take part in a tennis tournament organised by Shelly Mernin. Three other schools also took part and the children had a chance to play against one another in singles and doubles matches. It was an enjoyable day out and we greatly appreciate the time and coaching Shelly gave to each child on the day!
Athletics
The pupils of Our Lady of Mercy N.S. represented their school with distinction at the 2025 Big Schools Western Final Primary School Athletics event on Thursday, May 28th. Huge well done to all those that participated. On the night great success was had in many races- Fionnán Ronayne came 3rd in the U11 100m sprint and Corey O’Donnell came 3rd in the O12 800m long distance race. The Girls U12 Relay Team (Kenzie Connors, Eva Gough, Emmie Halpin & Dearbhla Costelloe) won gold ; the Boys U12 Relay Team (Shane Fennell, Liam O’Mahoney, Niall Walsh and Fionnán Ronayne) won silver and lastly, the Boys O12 Relay Team (Corey O’Donnell, Oisín Casey, Tadhg Gough and Dan Walsh) won bronze.
Our Lady of Mercy 5km Race
After weeks of training, jogging, and building up their stamina, our students from 2nd to 6th Class put their hard work to the test in our exciting 5km race on Friday, June 12th! Held at the soccer field, the event was filled with energy, determination, and plenty of smiles. Students encouraged one another every step of the way, showing fantastic teamwork and resilience. Crossing the finish line was a huge achievement, and we are incredibly proud of everyone who took part. What a brilliant way to celebrate the end of our 5km challenge! All students received a medal after crossing the finish line.
Our Lady of Mercy N.S. Football & Hurling League 2026
This month saw the beginning of our in-house Football League begin in Our Lady of Mercy N.S. Students from 2nd to 6th class are divided into teams and over the course of several weeks they go head to head with their opposing teams. Each team is led by a captain and vice-captain from 6th class or 5th class. The students thoroughly enjoyed both the hurling and the football league. Every child is encouraged to participate, show true sportsmanship, cheer on their team-mates and work as a united team to win and gain points. Congratulations to Kevin Óg who led his team to victory in the hurling final and commiserations to Jayden Murphy’s team on finishing as runners-up- a tremendous effort throughout the competition and a performance they can be very proud of. Congratulations to Dan Walsh who led his team to victory in the football final.
Our Lady of Mercy Soccer League 2026
The Soccer League Final saw Dan Walsh’s team take on Dearbhla Costelloe’s team in an exciting and hard-fought contest. Both teams showed great skill, determination and sportsmanship throughout the match, providing a fitting finale to the league season. Congratulations to Dan Walsh’s team on securing the victory.
School Tours!
Our school tours were a huge success this year and a wonderful way to celebrate all the hard work throughout the school year. Junior Infants to 2nd Class had a fantastic day at the Kingfisher, where everyone enjoyed swimming, games and lots of fun activities.
Meanwhile, 3rd to 6th Class travelled to the Watershed for an action-packed day full of excitement, teamwork and fun. The pupils represented the school brilliantly and created many happy memories with their classmates and teachers.
Hurling Coaching with James Lacey
We were delighted to welcome James Lacey to the school for a series of hurling coaching sessions with all classes. The children thoroughly enjoyed developing their hurling skills through fun drills and activities, and there was great excitement during the game time each week. James created a positive and energetic atmosphere, and it was wonderful to see all pupils taking part with such enthusiasm and teamwork.
Walk to School Wednesday
Walk to School Wednesday continues to be a fantastic initiative in our school. Each Wednesday morning, children meet at the GAA Club and walk together to school, helping everyone to start the day off on the right foot!
The initiative promotes healthy habits, exercise and social interaction, while also encouraging road safety and reducing traffic around the school. It is wonderful to see so many pupils taking part each week with great enthusiasm.
Visit from James- an employee with Flahavan’s
We were delighted to welcome James from Flahavan’s to speak with our 4th, 5th and 6th classes. James spoke to the children about biodiversity, sustainability and his work in marketing as part of the Flahavan’s company.
The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the visit and impressed James with their excellent questions during a lively Q&A session. To top off a fantastic afternoon, James very kindly gifted the classes three large boxes of Flahavan’s flapjacks – a very popular snack amongst the children in our school!
Biodiversity Workshop at Stradbally Cove- May 28th 2026
Students from 4th, 5th and 6th Class recently enjoyed a wonderful biodiversity workshop compliments of Stradbally Tidy Towns at Stradbally Cove, facilitated by Tina Keating. The beach workshop provided a fun and engaging opportunity for the children to enjoy the coastline as a classroom.
Working in groups and teams, the students explored the natural world around them through a variety of games and creative activities. As “Beach Detectives”, they developed their observational skills by investigating the coastal environment. The children also took part in a treasure hunt around Stradbally Cove, making for an exciting and memorable day of outdoor learning.
Green Flag Celebrations
We were delighted to receive our Green Schools Travel Flag in recognition of all the work our school community has done to promote sustainable travel. To celebrate this achievement, Breda Costelloe and Cess Hearne visited our school and had the honour of raising the Travel Flag. Pupils and staff gathered together to mark the occasion and celebrate this important milestone.We are very proud of everyone who contributed to earning the flag- especially the Green Schools committee, Ms. Kiely and Ms. Geraghty- and will continue to encourage walking, cycling, carpooling, and other sustainable ways of travelling to school.
