Please take some time to read our Extra Curricular Activities below:
Community Games Handwriting Competition
Congratulations to Abdul who came 1st, Peter who came 2nd and Samuel who came 3rd in the U12 boys Longford South and Town Community Games Handwriting Competition.
Poetry Competition
During the last term we focused on Poetry in our English programme. Our pupils were introduced to poetry as a fun way to explore the world and as an enjoyable means of expressing themselves.
We listened to poetry, read poetry and wrote poetry, exploring its rhythms, rhymes and imagery.
The senior classes were treated to a visit from past pupil and local poet, Darragh Coady. Darragh was delighted to return to his old school and to explain how he gradually developed his skill of poetry writing and performing. He even composed a poem for our pupils to mark the occasion of the visit. We were treated to a very enjoyable afternoon with Darragh who hopes to return again soon.
From February all pupils in the school were invited to submit a poem for a poetry competition on the theme of Spring. The level of participation was very high and the quality of the poems, outstanding. Mrs. Sorohan and Ms. Barrins had a very difficult job in judging these poems as there were prizes for each class. Pupils described spring using beautiful images and descriptive words. Some of the boys decorated their poems with pictures. It was a joy to read them all.
In the week leading up to the Easter holidays, the boys gathered in the hall for the presentation and photographs, each receiving an Easter egg. It was wonderful to celebrate their ability to write and to listen to poetry. Congratulations to all!
Where I Came From by Darragh Coady
Remember that first day of second class?
Where will I go
Or who should I ask?
It’s a little bit scary this old place
Making new friends right away
Isn’t always easy to do
You started out on day one with some
Then by second’s end you were a crew
Come third class you had your nicknames
For teachers and for friends
And would argue over football teams,
Who plays up front and who defends
Fourth was just a bit of craic
And one more summer you were coming back
A little taller and way more cool
Just one more year ‘til you rule the school
It doesn’t really matter
If you’ve won pupil of the year
All that counts is how hard you’ve tried and
How well you’ve trained your ear
To listen to lessons teachers taught
And apply them as you grow
For what you might laugh at and think is funny now
Might help later in ways you’d never know
And teachers never expect a thank you
Don’t ask for praise or compliments
Their reward is to see you thriving
And take pride in your accomplishments
Maybe you’ll want to be a painter
Or even a rock n roll star
Just remember whoever you choose to be
Be the best version of who you are
So go on out there boldly
Be the best person that you can
And never forget the school you came from
As you grow from a boy into a man
You can shout it loudly
Or choose to say it cool
When someone asks you, tell them proudly
Saint Michael’s boys national school
Scór
After Christmas some of our school choir group gathered together to practise a new ballad for the school Scór competition. This year there was a combined effort by Mrs. Sorohan, Ms Quinn and Ms Barrins to coach the group. As always in our school the enthusiasm and commitment of the boys is never in question. The chosen song for this year was Grace which commemorates the marriage of Joseph Plunkett and Grace Gifford in Kilmainham Jail in 1916 on the eve of Plunkett’s execution. We started by explaining the history portrayed by the song and the tragedy expressed by the lyrics. The boys immediately empathised and very quickly knew the lyrics. All that remained was to sing the song and to add the harmonies. We were so proud of the boys’ performance in St Joseph’s school at the competition in February. While we did not proceed to the final, we were happy with the performance. It is wonderful to see a group of twelve boys who are able to stand on a stage and present themselves so well on behalf of our school. These boys have gained huge confidence over the years and now have a bank of Irish ballads in their repertoire due to singing at Scór.
The group was are follows: Samuele, Michael, Gabriel, Noah, Samuel, Alex, Tadeas, Jeron, Enoch, Akshat, Adonai and Calvin.
We were especially proud of newcomer to our school, Alex who shared his guitar skills and enhanced the performance.
We must commend fifth class pupil, Calvin who volunteered to sing Kingfishr’s popular song, Killeagh. Calvin stunned us all with his beautiful voice and perfect rendition of the song. It was a very brave act to walk out on stage on his own and to perform in front of a full hall. It is no wonder that he received such rapturous applause. We have no doubt that Calvin has a very bright future ahead and his musical talent will bring him a long way.
As we are gaining confidence with showing our musical skills, Ms Lennon brought a group of her 4th class pupils to performance level. This group, having just started learning tinwhistle a few months ago, gave a rendition of Maggie in the Woods which made it seem as of they had been playing for years. Again the boys presented themselves impeccably and were note perfect and in time with each other, a huge achievement. Congratulations and well done to the following musicians: Timofejs, Yehor, Nathan, Michael, Oliver and Ivan.
Our thanks also go to all of their parents who facilitated their turning up for a long evening in St Joseph’s.
Community Games Art Competition
Congratulations to Noah who came 1st in U14, William who came 3rd in U14 and Calvin who came 2nd in U12.
Longford Dreamspace Competition
Our 4th class team of Kacper, Mattie and Dominic worked on an exciting and meaningful Dreamspace project where they combined creativity, technology, and empathy. Before building their solution, the boys programmed a Scratch video to clearly explain their idea to their teacher, Ms Mollaghan. They outlines how their system would support children in the classroom. The boys then programmed a micro:bit to alert the teacher if a child was feeling anxious or frustrated while working on a task. When the micro:bit sent a signal in class, the teacher knew that the child may need a short break, such as going for a walk or spending some quiet time in the calm corner reading a book.
They proudly presented their work at the Longford Dreamspace competition. Here they also got the opportunity to explore many interesting and innovative projects from other schools. To top off this fantastic project, they were delighted to receive runner-up in the category for Most Innovative Project, a wonderful achievement that recognised their creativity, teamwork, and thoughtful approach. Congratulations and well done boys.
FAI Primary 5’s Competition
St Michael’s BNS soccer team delivered an outstanding performance to win the FAI Schools 5 aside competition in Longford, overcoming St Matthew’s of Ballymahon in a thrilling final. From the first whistle, the team showcased great skill, moving the ball with confidence and precision across the pitch. They showed great teamwork throughout, with each player contributing to create scoring opportunities. They showed great determination even under pressure, as they defended numerous attacks. Their accuracy in front of goal ultimately made the difference, securing a well-deserved 3-2 victory and highlighting the team’s hard work and commitment throughout the competition. The boys will now proceed to the North Leinster Finals in Navan, on Wednesday the 29th April. Good luck to all involved.
St. Patrick's Day Parade
St Michael’s once again entered a float into the St Patrick’s Day parade in Longford. The boys under the guidance of Mrs. Quinn, Ms. Barrins, Ms. Lennon and Mr Delaney helped to create the pieces needed for the parade. The theme this year was ‘Amuigh Faoin Spéir’. The boys created clouds, suns and a large rainbow to show the sky, We had a weather man too. The rest of the boys dressed in the School sports kits to represent the activities we enjoy doing ‘amuigh faoin speir’ or under the sky. We also had flags from lots of different countries to represent the diversity of our school community.
The boys were excited for the parade. Cristín came to help out on the day. Thankfully the weather stayed dry. There was a great crowd out to see the parade. The boys had a great time walking in the parade and to top it all off, we were announced the winners of the ‘Best School’ category at the prize giving ceremony that evening.
It was great to see so many boys represent the school so well and winning the trophy was a great reward for all the hard work that went into getting the float ready.
STEM in St Michael’s:
Green Schools Committee:
Pupils in The Green Schools Committee meet to have their say and take action. They are working towards the 9th Green Schools flag for our school. Pictured above are pupils meeting to organise a travel survey. St Michael’s BNS have already won Green Flags for Litter & Waste, Energy, Water, Travel, Biodiversity, Global Citizenship Litter & Waste, Global Citizenship & Energy, Global Citizenship & The Marine Environment.
Students Council in The Longford Arms:
Mr Gannon with some members of the Students Council in The Longford Arms Hotel, November 2025
Our first Student Council:
St Michael’s BNS first ever student council formed in October 2025. Pictured here with Ms Horan and Ms Maher. Two pupils were selected from each of the 4th, 5th and 6th classes and 1 pupil from each of the 2nd and 3rd classes.
Amber Flag:
Amber Flag Initiative - Promoting Wellbeing in Our School:
As part of our journey towards achieving the Amber Flag St Michael’s BNS is committed to creating a positive, inclusive environment that supports the mental health and wellbeing of both students and staff.
We currently our working towards our second flag.
We do a lot in St Michael’s BNS to support wellbeing including monthly wellness walks, whole school art projects, fundraisers, celebrating different days such a World Mental Health Day and of course a Wellness Week each year.
Our Amber Flag Committee are working hard the next few weeks for our annual fundraiser “Hot Chocolate and Pyjama Day” and our Christmas Tree Decoration Competition.
The Amber Flag Committee members 2025-2026:
6th class- Samuel, Cian and Michael
5th class- Alex and Renne
4th class- Timofejs and William
3rd class- Jacob, Brian and Maurico
2nd class- Nathan, Sandis and Matej