St Patrick's Week

St Patrick's week has been a great and versatile success. Year 8 galumphed around their ceili, year 10 quizzed and year 9 hunted treasure. Year 13 screened Irish short films, and there were buns for sale at break in the Irish room. The buns were advertised in Irish, so monoglots got none! The third in our series of film nights featured the Irish language, all organised by the 6th form languages committee. The Poc Fada takes place on Friday, and our money's on Alicia.

and Robbie Keenan managed to turn out for the staff soccer team as well.

Against Guantanamo

Shimna Students Lead the Protest Against Guantanamo

Five students, Oliver Elsholtz, Claire Gould, Daniel Quinn, Riona Mageean and Peter McEvoy, representing the Shimna Integrated College branch led the Amnesty International protest marking the sixth anniversary of US detentions at Guantanamo Bay. The Belfast protest was part of a world wide demonstration campaigning to close the US run prison camp. 1000 parliamentarians, including 33 from the Northern Ireland Assembly, have signed a petition calling on the US to shut the prison camp and to stop secret detention; this petition was presented to all members on the US congress on Friday 11th January. The Shimna students led dozens of Amnesty activists, all dressed as Guantanamo inmates in orange boiler suits and face masks, together with ‘US camp guards’ who shouted orders to the ‘detainees’ and forced them to assume stress positions used at Guantanamo Bay. Principal Kevin Lambe said, “ Our branch of Amnesty International is run by students themselves, and holds a very special place within the ethos of our college. I am very proud of the students who have played a lead role in a well organised demonstration on an issue about which they feel very strongly.”

Carols at St John's

Our terms ends traditionally with our carol service at St John's Church of Ireland. The service is part of our series of events across different denominations: for example our Remembrance Day service at the Methodist Church, St Patrick's Day service in Irish at the Presbyterian Church, adult baptism at the Baptist Church and the Catholic Church visits planned for next term. This year we have a change of personnel as the Rev. Cadden, newly of Castlewellan, leads our service, with Ivor Anderson leading on behalf of the College. Readers include Danas Kurmis, who will read in Lithuanian from the testament presented to him by his form class last year, on the occasion of our annual visit from the Gideons Society.

At the Cenotaph

Tamara O'Rourke, Claire Gould and Jessica Sharpe laid our wreath at the Cenotaph in Newcastle, supported by year 8 students Lucy Lakin, Sarah Louise Duffy, Emma Baker and Sinead Murray. We then all warmed up with hot chocolate and buns before joining the congregation at Newcastle Methodist Church for their Remembrance Service, led by a certain Christopher Skillen. The sermon included detail from his trip to Krakow during half term. The congregation was very welcoming and our students were able to contribute by giving the readings. Then it was off to the Strand for more sustenance in the shape of toasties, scones and ice cream. Many more of our students were in evidence in the Scouts and Boys' and Girls' Brigades, and Wills McNeilly lowered and raised the flag.

Remembrance Day Assembly

Grainne Tobin presented our annual Remembrance Day assembly, ably supported by Niamh Lindsay, Helen Crane, Tanya Murray and Rachel Cleary. The girls read beautifully. Sunday, 11.11.1914 sees Jessica Sharpe and Stuart Hanna lay our wreath at the Cenotaph and take part in the Remembrance Day service at Newcastle Methodist Church, where Chris Skillen will be preaching. A Remembrance Day assembly will follow for our senior students on Monday. Our Rembrance Day efforts are mirrored by our activities for St Patrick's Day. In each case we challenge the historical appropriation of the event by one community or the other within Northern Ireland.

Krakow Trip

Three of our staff are in Krakow during the Hallow E'en half term, Chris Skillen, Rose Murray and Deborah McDowell. Part of their purpose is to follow up some of the work Chris has undertaken as part of his Holocaust Foundation Fellowship. One possibility is a future trip for some of our students.

Presbyterian Harvest Celebrations

Lots of us headed to Newcastle Presbyterian Church today to celebrate Harvest festival and to see the decorated church. Year 8 came along; A level Religious Studies students came too; Alex McCauley sang; Michael Rutledge sang; Chair of the Board of Governors, Billy Burnison had an early start and drove down from Belfast to join in; Wills McNeilly gave the reading; Rev. Ivan Patterson welcomed us and conducted the service. We are very grateful to him and to the congregation for welcoming us to the church. The flurry of activity we witnessed afterwards alerted us to the fact that the congregation had delayed the distribution of fruit and vegetables to local families.