Thank You Transition Year! – My Year in Review

As my Transition Year in Crana College draws to a close, I look back on one of the most interesting and inspiring times in my school life. The year has by far exceeded any expectations that I ever had, encompassing everything and anything inside the Irish Education System.

I think that it is fair to say, that I had an action-packed, yet educational year in TY. Like many other skeptics, I came into the year, with an idea of prejudice in my head, thinking that the year didn’t yield any opportunities or chances for me, and I couldn’t have been further wrong! Within a matter of weeks, I realised that TY In Crana College (and in many other hard working schools around the country) is one of the best organised programmes, that aims to get the most out of each and every student, based on the effort and commitment that the students dedicate to the programme.

Transition Year, has improved me for the better. I have became a lot more confident in this year. Through this, I have countless unforgettable memories, but of these, the most prominent include:

Speaking on behalf of TY Ireland at the National Parents Council of Post Primary Secondary Schools annual conference in the INEC, Killarney.

Participating in the 5K Mud Run!

Making the Eir Junior Spiders – Giga Spiders – Best Induvidual Project Shortlist.

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Being ‘Highly Commended’ in the National Career Skills Competition with CareersPortal.ie 

Transition Year has been simply, amazing, and has made me much more ‘well-rounded’, and confident person. I feel that this year has benefited me greatly, and that I have taken every opportunity possible to get the very best out of this year. I would urge any student who is doing TY next year, to firstly, push themselves in TY, secondly, take every opportunity available to you, and thirdly, enjoy TY – It will be amazing!

Above, is only a snapshot of what has being going on in my Transition Year! I’m sure that if you were to read through this blog, or my Twitter Feed, you would see a much bigger picture of what my Transition Year was all about.

Writing one of my final blog posts of TY has really saddened me, not only has this blog been an ongoing assessed piece of work for my Media Studies Module, but it has been a space where I can freely write about a topic that I have grown to love! A special thanks has to be given to absolutely everyone who have supported me in this journey – My TY Coordinator, Teachers, Staff, Employers, Co-Workers, Transition Year Ireland, Volunteers, Guest-Speakers, Fellow Bloggers & Twitter Users, Family & Friends , and everyone in between- each and every one of you have helped make my TY that extra bit more special!

Thank you Transition Year!

The Eir Junior Spiders Shortlist

TY’s at the Colosseum

The TY Boys Walking in Sorrento

The Trevi Fountain

The Colosseum

Me & Ciarán Touring Rome

5th Years at the Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast

The Streets of Sorrento

‘Rome’-ing about with Roisín & Tiree

The TY Boys on a Boat Trip

Selfies at the Trevi Fountain

Outside St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican

‘Frescos’ in the Vatican

The Time Elevator

Subject Choices for Leaving Certificate 2018

TY First Aid Training

Promoting Inishowen’s Tourism Industry

Skiing Tour Key Ring Design

Rome Tour Key Ring Design

My Cover of ‘O Fortuna’

Starting the Architecture Module!

Me and my little sister Dearbhla, pictured just after my last day at work experience at her “Big School”

My ‘Space Study’ for Architecture

Blog Challenge – Six Word Story

Ice Skating in Belfast

Hill Walking Trip

Hill Walking in Uriris

Christmas Market Poster

Drugs & Alcohol Conference

Disability Awareness Module Part 1

Our Greatest Scientist – Nikola Tesla

Completion of the Cube Project

TY Panel at the National Parents Council Post Primary Annual Conference in the INEC, Killarney

TY Panel at NPCpp Annual Conference

‘Chain Reaction’ Key Rings – TY Enterprise Mini Company

Semi-Completed Cube

Prize-giving – Co-Junior Student of the Year 2014/2015 & Co-Recipient of the ‘Bríd Boner Memorial Plaque’

TY Panel at the National Parents Council of Post Primary Secondary Schools

Irish Wheelchair Association Collection

What I’ve been learning about in TY Geography – The Human Development Index (HDI)

‘Chain reaction Keyring’s’ first product!

Oisín i dTír na nÓg – Mindmap

TY Panel at National Parents Council

Month In Review – October

My Work Experience Report, written in ‘The Drumfries Times’

Monthl

Foyle Hospice Coffee Morning Donation

National Road Safety Week

Ireland Trip

TY1 Post-Surfing Selfie

Cube Project

Surifng

Surfing

Foyle Hospice Coffee Morning

Cube Project

Music Appreciation Module

Room 13 – Pre-Coffee Morning Setup

TY1 Receiving the iPads

Junior Cert Results

Irish Mythology presentation

European Day Of Languages

 

Month in Review – March

A Snapshot of March

To take note of all that I have done in March, I will review and reflect my top 5 highlights of March

1. Crana College Italy Trip

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One of my favourite and most adventurous experiences of my school year and Transition Year, has been the annual international school trip, which this year was in Italy and was based in Rome, Fiuggi & Sorrento. I really enjoyed the 5 days in Italy as it was something that I never experienced before, as I never went on a trip abroad with the school. It was such a busy 5 days, and so much was crammed into the 5 days, which lead to an unforgettable experience, with amazing memories! Italy was such a fun experience, and it is impossible to sum it up in a short review post!

Click here to read my full analysis of the trip!

2. Making my Leaving Certificate Subject Choices

Although not one of the most fun activities of my Transition Year, choosing my subjects that I will study for my Leaving Certificate was of major importance to me in Transition Year, as I didn’t have much of an idea of what I wanted to do, prior to doing TY. However, with the extra year of continuing many subjects from Junior Certificate, coupled with Work Experience, I got a more ‘well-rounded’ and clearer idea of what I will study next year. Although it is not totally decided as of now, I am quite optimistic that I will study the four following subjects:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Geography
• Spanish

Along with the ‘3 Core Subjects’ , which are:

• English
• Irish
• Maths

I am really happy with my Leaving Certificate Choices for 2018!

3.Seachtain na Gaeilge i gColáiste Cranncha

Mar pháirt Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016, socraigh mé ar blog a scíobh as Gaeilge, bunaithe ar na ocáidí a bhí ar súil i gColáiste Cranncha, ar feadh Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016. Ba mhaith liom mo chuid Gaeilge a úsaid, chun blog a scríobh , cé nach bhfuil mé liofa sa theanga!

Bhí ar na daltaí san Idirbhlain i gColáiste Cranncha, na ocáidí a heagrú don seachtain san scoil, agus bhí orm Tráth na gCeist a heagrú do na daltaí san 1ú agus an 2ú bliain. Bhí me ag obair le ceathrar daltaí i mo rang – Niamh, Ciara, Sonia agus Máiréad.

Thaitin an Tráth na gCeist go mór le na daltaí agus thaitin sé go mór linn freisn, mar bhí muid abálta ar gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid!

Thaitin ‘ag blogáil’ as Gaeilge go mór liom freisin!

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As part of Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Week) 2016, I decided to write a blog in Irish, based on the events that are going on in Crana College, as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016. I liked using my Irish to write this blog, even though I’m not fluent in Irish.

The Transition Year Students in Crana College, had to arrange the events for Seachtain na Gaeilge, in the school, and I had to arrange a quiz for 1st and 2nd Year Students. I was working with four people in my class, to arrange this, they are – Ciara, Sonia, Niamh & Máiréad.

The quiz was enjoyed by all of the students and it was enjoyed by us too, because we were able to use our Irish!

Blogging in Irish was also fun, as it was something new!

4. Participation in Proclamation Day

It was a major honor to be asked to read out my very own proclamation as part of the the Proclamation Day celebrations in Crana College. I was chosen by History & English Teachers to read the proclamation which I wrote myself (which can be seen above). The proclamation varies somewhat from the original 1916 Proclamation, and deals with issues such as Equality, Tolerance, Education, Healthcare & Homelessness. I was really proud to deliver my proclamation in front of the school, especially I had never studied History prior to my Transition Year!

5.Designing Schools in Architecture! 

It would hardly be a Month in Review post on my blog without mentioning the Irish Architecture Foundation’s Architecture Module, at least once, and March will be no different! This month, we have continued to design types of schools, for our design tasks. 3D Models are popping up left, right and center, and I have been very busy, putting the principles which I have learnt over the past few months into play, and I am really happy with the designs which I am coming up for the designs of the school!

 

 

 

 

Seachtain na Gaeilge i gColáiste Cranncha -Tráth na gCeist don 1ú agus an 2ú bliain

Mar pháirt Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016, socraigh mé ar blog a scíobh as Gaeilge, bunaithe ar na ocáidí atá ar súil i gColáiste Cranncha, ar feadh Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016. Ba mhaith liom mo chuid Gaeilge a úsaid, chun blog a scríobh , cé nach bhfuil mé liofa sa theanga!

Tá ar na daltaí san Idirbhlain i gColáiste Cranncha, na ocáidí a heagrú don seachtain san scoil, agus tá orm Tráth na gCeist a heagrú do na daltaí san 1ú agus an 2ú bliain. Táim ag obair le ceathrar daltaí i mo rang – Niamh, Ciara, Sonia agus Máiréad.

D’úsáid muid an suíomh gréasáin ‘Kahoot.it’ , chun an Tráth na gCeist a cur i láthair. Bhí muid abálta ar gceisteanna don tráth na gceist a cur isteach san suíomh, chun an tráth na gceist a dhéanamh.

Inniú, chuaigh muid go trí ranganna, conas a bhí ríomhairí ar na daltaí chun an tráth na gceist a himir. Ba iad ár múinteoireanna ‘Stáidear na Méain’ agus Gaeilge –  cé a spreag muid Kahoot.it a úsáid, chun an Tráth na gCeist a dhéanamh.

Thaitin an ocáid go mór le na daltaí, mar bhí orthu na ríomhairí a úsáid, chun an tráth na gceist a dhéanamh.

Comhgairdeas do na daltaí cé a bhuaigh an tráth na gceist, agus go raibh maith agaibh do na múinteoirí cé a cabhair leis an tráth na gceist.

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As part of Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Week) 2016, I decided to write a blog in Irish, based on the events that are going on in Crana College, as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge 2016. I would like to use my Irish to write this blog, even though I’m not fluent in Irish.

The Transition Year Students in Crana College, have to arrange the events for Seachtain na Gaeilge, in the school, and I have to arrange a quiz for 1st and 2nd Year Students. I am working with four people in my class, to arrange this, they are – Ciara, Sonia, Niamh & Máiréad.

We used the website Kahoot.it , to create the quiz. We were able to put our questions for the quiz on to the website, to make the quiz.

Today, we went to three computer classes, where the students could play the quiz. It was our Media Studies and Irish teachers who inspired us to use Kahoot.it to make the quiz.

The event really appealed to the students as they were able to play the quiz by using the computers. Congratulations to those who won the quizzes, and thank-you to the teachers who helped make it possible.

A Link to the Quiz can be found here: Seachtain na Gaeilge Quiz

Preparations for Seachtain na Gaeilge begin #SNaGaeilge

Irish has always been one of my strongest subjects in secondary school, and Transition Year Irish Studies, has immersed me in the Irish Language, Culture, Traditions & History.

One of the most prominent celebrations of the Irish Language is Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Week), which is celebrated every year on March 1-17, celebrating Irish language, and all of its benefits! This year, Transition Year Students in Crana College have been entrusted to arrange all of the celebrations in the school.

Along with our Irish teacher, and Transition Year Coordinator – Ms Bradley, my class – TY1 have began to arrange the celebrations! Our class was split up into smaller groups to organise varying events to occur over the seventeen days. I have been arranged into a group along with four other students in my class – Ciara, Sonia, Niamh & Máiréad, to arrange a ‘Tráth na gCeist’ or a quiz.

In this we have decided to go paperless, and arrange the quiz, and host it on the online quiz site – http://www.kahoot.it, which was introduced to us by our Media Studies teacher – Mrs Morrison, earlier this year. It is unsure as of now, if we will go in to quiz all 5th, 2nd and 1st Year classes in the school, or if my will zone in  one one specific year group, however it is almost certain that it will be a digital and paperless quiz, and we are certain that it will promote Seachtain na Gaeilge, the Irish Language, and Irish Culture!

Gaeilge – Mythology – Fionn agus an Brádan Feasa

Irish Mindmap

Continuing on my trend of blogging about the many Irish Myths & Ledgends that I learn about in my TY Irish Module, I have yet again decided to blog about the tale of ‘Fionn agus an Brádan Feasa’ or Fionn and the Salmon of Knowledge.

The story follows a series of events of the great warrior of Na Fianna – Fionn MacCumhaill. At a young age, Fionn was sent to live with a man who was known to be the most clever man in Ireland. this man was Finnéigeas, who lived on his own near the banks of the River Boyne. Finnéigeas spent hos days writing books and poetry.

One day, Finnéigeas heard that there was a Salmon of Knowledge and that it would have the answer to all the worlds mysteries, however ths would only be accessible for the person who ate this salmon. It was a myth that was of great importance at the time, and it was taken very seriously.

Fionn was assigned to Finnéigeas as a student, as he wanted to become a fully qualified warrior. One day Fionn was sent out to catch the salmon of knowledge. He caught the fish with no dificulties. He took it back to the house where he began to prepare it. The fish was sat on an open fire where it was left to cook, while Fionn watched over it. Foolishly Fionn leaned over the fish, where he burned his thumb on the fish.  Immediately Fionn put his thumb in his mouth, without thinking about the consequences of eating the fish that was meant for Finnéigeas. Fionn suddenly realised that he had received a talent of major importance, that was meant to be for Finnéigeas, but it was too late, and Fionn was deemed the smartest man in Ireland!

Gaeilge – Mythology – Toraíocht Diarmuid agus Gráinne – Mindmap

Toraíocht Diarmuid agus Gráinne - Mindmap

Continuing the pattern of blogging about the mythological stories and ledgends, that I have been learning about in TY Irish, I have decided to write a post about the story, that I have studied most recently – ‘Toraíocht Diarmuid agus Gráinne’ or ‘The Chase of Diarmuid and Gráinne’.

The story features around three main characters – Gráinne (daughter of Cormac Mac Airt – High King of Ireland), Fionn MacCumhaill (Fionn McCool – Great Warrior & Leader of ‘Na Fianna’) and Diarmuid Ó Duibhne ( The most skilful, strongest and loyal warriors of ‘Na Fianna’)

The story starts when we hear that Fionn’s wife has passed away, and because of this Cormac MacAirt promises Fionn, his daughter Gráinne’s hand in marriage. Gráinne, is reluctant to marry Fionn, but goes along with the wedding anyways not wanting to provoke her father – The High King, or Fionn MacCumhaill – leader of Na Fianna. 

Many people were in attendance at the wedding, where the celebrations went on for three days and three nights. At the wedding Gráinne laid eyes on Diarmuid Ó Duibhne – The most loyal of all the Fianna, who was willing to spill his own blood for the life of Fionn. Gráinne decided to take matters into her own hands, where she put all in attendance at the feast under a spell, including her husband Fionn and excluding her love interest Diarmuid. Everyone under the spell would be put into a deep sleep. Diarmuid was left with no choice but to escape with Gráinne.

When Fionn woke from the sleep, he noticed that the pair was gone. He was heartbroken, and sougt his revenge. Fionn spent countless years looking for Diarmuid, before he heard that Diarmuid and Gráinne were seeking refuge on Benbulbin Mountain in Co. Sligo. Fionn takes his boar that kills Diarmuid, despite him having no other choice but to escape with Gráinne! Gráinne pleads with Fionn, on Diarmuid’s deathbed to use his powers to take him back to life, as Fionn could heal anybody with the water that he lifts into his hands. Fionn lifts water from a hole beside him three times, before throwing  it back into th whole, leaving Diarmuid to die.

Gaeilge – Mythology – Oisín i dTír na nÓg – Mindmap

Oisín i dTír na nÓg - Mindmap

As part of my Irish Module in TY, we have been learning about old Irish Myths & Ledgends. Previously,  I posted another blog another mythology mindmap, and I am going to post another one about the ledgend ‘Oisín i dTír na nÓg ‘

The ledgend takes place, long ago, and is based around the life of the Fianna warrior – Oisín, and his venture to the land of the youth known as Tír na nÓg, with a woman known as Niamh, who traveled across the sea with him on a white horse. When Oisín arrives in Tír na nÓg, he knows that he will enjoy his time there. He thinks that only a few days pass, and he yearns for Ireland. He goes to Niamh, and asks to go home. Reluctantly she agrees, but warns him to not get off the horse. He returns to Ireland, where he sees a man, trying to move a heavy rock. Oisín foolishly gets off the horse. When his feet touches the ground, he suddenly ages, realising that he has not been in Tír na nÓg for a few days, but for 300 years. 

Careers Fair in St. Columb’s College, Derry!

Some of the brochures received at the Careers Fair

Today Transition Year students got the chance to attend a careers fair in St. Columb’s College in Derry, accompanied by two teachers – Mrs Galbraith and Mrs Keogh. We got on the bus at a quarter to ten and headed for Derry. We arrived at the school at about twenty past ten, where we were lead to the door by a student, before being taken to a hall where many different companies, universities, colleges and IT’s had set up stands about their respective courses and careers on offer.

The stands in the hall ranged from Chemical Engineering at Queen’s University to an airplane design company! Many of the large educational institutions in Ireland and the UK had sent representatives. These included Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University (DCU), NUI Galway, Sligo IT, Leterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT), University of Ulster (Magee, Jordanstown & Coleraine Campuses), Queen’s University Belfast and Liverpool – John Moore University, among many many others!

We had also been given a timetable of different talks that were during three different periods throughout the day. The first talk that I attended, was a talk from Trinity College Dublin, which touched on the subjects which they offer, their entry requirementnts, examination and fees, as well as student life. 

I also went to a talk on medicine, and how you can peruse it as a career. A local Derry Doctor – Dr. O’Hagan, gave a very inspiring and insightful talk, where he talked about the challenges that he had faced when trying to peruse a career in medicine. I felt that this talk was very inspirational and his determination was admirable.

The third, and final talk that I attended was a talk on Modern Languages in Queen’s University Belfast. This talk and subject was right up my street and really appealed to me, as I would say  that two of my favourite subjects would have to be Irish and Spanish. I felt that this was a possible course that I may enroll in someday, as the course itself is to versatile and student friendly! I really liked that you could get the chance to either sit a joint honours course, in which you could study two languages – where I could study both Irish and Spanish, or sit a singe honours course where  you would study only one language –  where I could study Spahish or Irish. There is also an option to study for one year of your course  abroad. This talk has really appealed to me and I am seriously considering it as a possible course that I will study after my Leaving Certificate in 2018. 

I was extremely happy that I attended the careers fair today, as it had given me a great insight into what I may study before I even chose my subjects for my Leaving Cert –  a chance that I have only received as I am lucky enough to be in Transition Year!

  

Gaeilge- Mythology Mindmaps – Clann Lir

Clann Lir

In our Irish class we have been learning about old Irish Myths, Ledgends and Folklore, and the tale that we are focusing about now is The Children of Lir. 

The children of Lir, is a well known Irish Tradgedy, that originates from the Mythological Cycle, the oldest of the 4 cycles. It tells the story of four children who have been turned into swans for nine hundred years, by their wicked stepmother, who is jealous of the affection that their father, and her husband gives to them.

The children are forced to spend 300 years on Loch Dairbhreach, 300 Sruth na Maoile and 300 at Iorras Domhnann, before being turned back into old men and woman by the bell of St. Patrick, who in the time when they were swans.

To integrate the use of technology into the TY program, we have all created mind maps to tell the story, and have to share these mind maps on our TY blogs

  

European Day Of Languages Quiz! #coeEDL

European Day Of Languages

The European Day Of Languages has been held every 26th of September since 2001, and has been celebrated throughout schools of member countries of the Council Of Europe since! The initiative has been promoting the inclusion and diversification of various European languages, that have originated from various different language groups such as Celtic – (Gaeilge, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, etc.) , Gernanic – (English, German, Swedish,etc) , Romantic -(Spanish, French, Italian, etc.) , among many others!
Across member states of the Council Of Europe, various activities to celebrate and revive the use of European languages have been set up.
In Crana College, we have also been celebrating European Day Of Languages, however we have had to celebrate the school events on Friday as the actual day falls on a Saturday this year. In Crana College, and in TY we study three European languages – Irish, Spanish and English, and we wanted to incorporate them into our language day celebrations!
In our Spanish class, along with the supervision of our teacher, we got the chance to organize a quiz for 1st year students, in honor of the event. I had to work in a group along with six other students – Sonia, Ciara, Jack, Thomas, Chloe and Ritik. We worked together,  and on Friday morning we went into a 1st year Business Studies class where we hosted the quiz. We split the class up into six groups of four students and quizzed them on four rounds of questions on numerous about Europe. I had the job of keeping track of the scores on a scoreboard. It was a very close game, and all of the teams ended up with really good scores! In the end it was Group Four, who won with 25 points!
Congratulations to all teams who had participated, and especially to Group Four who won the quiz!

European Day Of Languages Homepage; http://edl.ecml.at/

The Quiz Scoreboard; European Day Of Languages – Quiz Scoreboard