Posted 17th November 2020: In October, TY classes in Coláiste Muire participated in a Retreat delivered by An Tobar Nua. The An Tobar Nua team, Seamus and Rian, delivered a full day retreat in the GAA Hall. Their focus was on developing the student’s overall well-being and encouraging faith in an interactive, relatable, fun and contemporary manner. They inspired our young people to discover meaning, value and purpose in their lives. The retreat was extremely sensitive to religious and faith diversity. Students were given the opportunity to express their views and thoughts in an inclusive, welcoming environment.

Coláiste Muire also teamed up with Athy Nursing Home in the National PenPal Project. Over the October Mid-Term break, the news that the country would be reverting back to a strict lockdown was having a knock-on effect on all aspects of our life and visits to long term residential care facilities were suspended again. 
As a result of this, the Pen Pal Project was created and a national movement to connect volunteers with care home residents across Ireland had begun. We were lucky to be matched with a nursing home in Athy. Students from 1st and 4th Year wrote letters to the residents, in their SPHE and Well-being classes, telling them about our town, our school community and they also asked them questions about their own lives. We are awaiting their responses. 
In these trying times, knowing that a kind word can go a long way, the idea is to encourage people to send letters to nursing home residents as a way to brighten their day and show them that people are thinking of them.

On Wednesday October 21st last we had a very successful celebration of Lá Gaisce in Coláiste Muire. We celebrated our Gaisce Award Recipients past and present. Some of our current Award recipients even used thier skills to bake for the event. We look forward to this year’s Bronze and Silver Awardees receiving their medals in May. We have 40 students currently working on their Bronze and Silver Medals.