Kinsale Community School proudly hosted its annual awards ceremony, Éacht na Scoláirí, on Thursday, 24 October 2024, to honour the outstanding achievements and contributions of its students. Held for the first time in the school’s new gym, the event highlighted KCS’s commitment to recognising excellence across academics, sports, music, enterprise, and community service.The ceremony, expertly hosted by Deputy Principal Ms Kathleen O’Brien, opened with a stirring performance by the School Trad Band, setting a warm and celebratory tone. Ms O’Brien reflected on the school’s recent milestones, including its designation as a Microsoft Showcase School and the introduction of the new Leaving Certificate Climate Action and Sustainable Development programme.
Sr Rita Twomey, Chairperson of the Board of Management, inspired attendees with insights from her lifelong dedication to education, exemplifying the Mercy Order’s enduring legacy of service to both local and international communities.
Students were recognised across several categories, including Student of the Year Awards, with one recipient from each year group honoured for their contributions to the school community. The nominees and awardees were:
First Year:
Winner: Xante Van Schalkwyk
Nominees: Corey Allman, Emily Carroll, Darragh Clarke, Josh Coveney, Tiernan Crean, Tom Crowley, Odhran D’Arcy, Alex Forrest, Etaoin Healy Bastow, Senan Horan, Grace Jackson, Barry Jones, Lucy Kelleher, Gina Kvak, Faye Looney, Roisin McCarthy, Max Morrison, Matthew Mulligan, Aibhlinn Murphy, Oran O’Donnell, Cliodhna O’Riordan, Auralia Pereira, Casey Schroeder, Sarah Young
Second Year:
Winner: Dylan Homan
Nominees: Emre Ates, Eli Beare, Claire Boyle, Izzy Cantillon, Eoin Condon, Dylan Cremen, Heather Crowley, Lia D'Arcy, Kasey Good, Jessica Kearney, Aisling Lynch, Emily Manning, Aislinn McCarthy, Freya Mehigan, Zoe Murphy, Pádraig O’Donovan, Liam Riordan, Dean Schroeder, Darragh Treacy, Faiz Zakri
Third Year:
Winner: Caoimhe Finnegan
Nominees: Emma Barry, Hannah Collins, Lauren Crowley, Patrick Dyer, Ben Howey, Philip Murphy, Lewis Kiely, Chloe Langford, Stephen Linehan, Aoibheann Lordan, Vivienne O'Callaghan, Rachel O'Donovan, Liam O'Regan, Corey Taylor, Joshua Wirsam
Transition Year:
Winner: Eoin Brown
Nominees: Lily Cahill, Eoin Dillon, Cillian Fitzpatrick, Martin Hickey, Holly Murphy, Matthew Murphy, Flor Rahilly Scully, Sandra Samoilenko, Ellie Sheedy, Skye Sheedy
Fifth Year:
Winner: Clara Ní Fhichéallaigh
Nominees: Sam Cantillon, Amy Casey, Lily Coughlan, Ian Cullinane, Sean Finnegan, Roan Gilli, Sarah Graham, Gracie Kearney, Caitlin Kelly, Evelyn Kingston, Solomon Li, Colum Morgan, Rowan O’Donoghue, Mark O’Driscoll, Sean O’Keefe, Aishling Rath, Beth Reilly, Lovis Urbszat, Rory Wilson
Sixth Year:
Winner: Paidi O’Farrell
Nominees: Darragh Collins, Grace Coyle, Ellen Crowley, Azra Dervish, Lauren Farrissey, Conor Hannon, David Healy, Sinead Hickey, Sean Hynes, Ross McCarthy, Gavin McCarthy, Aaron McCarthy Dwyer, Grace Monaghan, Giulia Moretto, Cerys Morris Coughlan, Joey O'Callaghan, Lily Anna O'Leary, Sophie Peare, Laura Whitehead
These outstanding students, along with their fellow nominees, exemplify the kindness, positivity, and dedication that define the Kinsale Community School spirit.The evening also celebrated achievements in sports, science, music, enterprise, and sustainability, alongside awards recognising community spirit and leadership.Junior Academic AwardDeputy Principal Mr Iggy Dineen presented the Junior Academic Award to Joshua Smyth.Nominees: Isabelle Boyce, Charlie Dolan, Eliana Hosford, Charlotte Kiely, Jessica O'Keeffe, Martha O'Sullivan, Breiffní Skinner, Holly Wade Smith.
Senior Academic AwardsDeputy Principal Ms Claire Sheehan presented Senior Academic Awards to Grace Coyle, Ellen Crowley, Eoin Deasy, Jenny Foley, Lilian Gleave, Sean Hynes, Evan Kelly, Oscar Lee, Evan Lehane, Isabelle Linehan, Conor MacCarthy, Oscar O’Callaghan, Sophie Peare, and Laura Whitehead.
Sports AwardsSport plays an integral role in Kinsale Community School. PE Coordinator Mr Gerard O’Callaghan presented the following awards:
Junior Sports Persons of the Year: Josh Lehane and Caoimhe O’Donnell
Nominees: Oliver Buckley, Kate Cusack, Donnacha Deasy, Stephen Linehan, Emma MacSweeney, Peter McNelis, Zoe Murphy, Liam O’Regan, Rian Walsh, Darragh Winters
Senior Sports Persons of the Year: Claire Crowley and Ryan McCarthy
Nominees: Zach Allen, Isobel Bergin, Dean Cosgrove, Megan Doody, David Forde, Mark Foster, Leo Hennessy, Aaron Keane, Sam Kiely, Mary Clare Murphy, Cal O’Brien, Ted O’Callaghan, Cormac O’Callaghan, Erin Ridgeway, Gemma Whelan
Joe McGrath Memorial Award: Aoife Cottrell, for embodying the spirit of dedication and passion in GAA.
Academic and Creative ExcellenceThe school’s commitment to academic and creative excellence was recognised with the following awards:
Science and Technology Award: Grace Coyle
O’Brien BioTech Award: Ronan Humphreys
Principal’s Award: Ethan Smyth
Community Award: Aoife Moloney
Civic Virtue Award: Ellie and Skye Sheedy
The inaugural Sustainability Award was presented to Lilian Gleave for her environmental leadership.
The Enterprise Award was presented to David Forde, John Quinn, Sean Dinneen, and Jack Good for their innovative product that enhances safety and efficiency in agriculture.
The evening’s guest speaker, Feargal O’Rourke, Chair of IDA Ireland, provided an inspirational address that captivated the audience. He spoke about the value that good employers place on 21st-century skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and communication, highlighting their importance in a rapidly changing world. Mr O’Rourke also encouraged students to cultivate empathy, kindness, and generosity, particularly in their interactions with one another, emphasising that these qualities are as crucial as technical skills in achieving success and building strong, inclusive communities. His speech left students with a powerful message of resilience and purpose, inspiring them to make a positive impact on the world.The ceremony concluded with heartfelt speeches from Head Girl Ellie Coughlan and Head Boy Mark O’Driscoll, followed by a musical performance by award-winning students. Refreshments in the Atrium, organised by the Parents Association, brought the Kinsale Community School family together to celebrate an unforgettable evening.
The 2024 Éacht na Scoláirí Awards served as a powerful reminder of the talent, hard work, and community spirit that define Kinsale Community School, leaving attendees inspired by the achievements of its exceptional students.
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