Thanks to local writer Caragh Bell for visiting our Literacy students yesterday in the LRC.
She gave an interesting insight on the life of a writer which was enjoyed by all.
UCC’s CAO LIVE Q&A 2026 (Online)
📅 Wednesday, 14 January 2026
🕓 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
We are delighted to invite you to our UCC CAO Live Q&A Online Session, an informative and engaging event designed to support you as you explore your options.
This session is a great opportunity to:
• Ask our team questions about UCC courses and student life
• Get the information you need to make the right decision for your future
By joining our Open Days and Live Q&A sessions, you are taking the first steps on your UCC journey. Become part of a vibrant community of over 25,000 students from more than 100 countries.
👉 To register, simply complete the short online form here.
We’re delighted you’re considering UCC and look forward to welcoming you online on Wednesday, 14 January at 4 pm.
Explore our Interactive UCC Undergraduate Guide 2026 and ucc.ie/cao to see if UCC feels right for you.
SCS Drama club's Christmas performance of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'.
Dear students & parents/guardians,
University College Cork (UCC) and Munster Technological University (MTU) are collaborating to host a **DARE and HEAR National Information Session**. This is a drop‑in event designed to support anyone considering applying through the **Disability Access Route to Education (DARE)** or the **Higher Education Access Route (HEAR)**.
🗓️ **When:** Saturday, January 10th 2026
⏰ **Time:** 10:00am – 2:00pm (Drop‑in)
📍 **Where:** Nexus, Student Centre, MTU Bishopstown Campus
What to expect:
- Guidance on eligibility and how to apply for DARE and HEAR
- Tips on documentation and common application questions
- Information on supports and services available to students
- Opportunity to speak with staff and ask individual questions
*Who should attend:
Prospective students, parents/guardians, and guidance counsellors interested in DARE and/or HEAR.
No registration required — drop in anytime between 10 am and 2pm.
If you require any accessibility accommodations for the session, please let us know in advance so we can support you.
We look forward to seeing you at MTU Bishopstown Campus!
You can email any queries to :
DARE: dare@ucc.ie
HEAR: hear@ucc.ie
Kind regards,
The Access UCC Outreach Team
Access UCC Website
The School Community would like to wish Seanan the very best of luck in the Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in Dublin.
6th Year Students took part in a Study Skills Workshop on Tuesday 6th of January 2026 - a great opportunity for all to reflect on how they approach study, to reset for the new year and to gain some new skills and tips which will help students to effectively prepare for upcoming Pre Exams and for the Leaving Certificate Exams in June.
Dear Parent/ Guardian, There are no School Buses operating this morning due to the icy road conditions.
Classes will start at 11.10am on Tuesday, Jan 6th due to the Adverse Weather Conditions. The School will be open from 10.15am onwards. The Bus Inspector hopes that School Buses will run two hours later than normal operating times.
5th Year Parent Teacher Meeting, Thurs Jan 8th, 4.15pm to 6.30pm.
School will Open at 11am this morning due to the Icy Road Conditions. Please drive carefully. There are no School Buses Running.
SCS hosted its annual Festive Christmas Themed Day on Friday December 12th with a number of special events.
First years kicked things off with a fun event to celebrate their successful first term in SCS.
Mr. O Shea was MC for a festive table quiz including his signature music round. This was followed by the official turning on of the lights on our Christmas Tree.
Our 6th year students had organised a Christmas Jumper fundraiser for St. Vincent De Paul and they spoke to all the first years about the true meaning of Christmas, before Baby Jesus was placed in our crib. We finished off with some carol singing, such a fun event for all.
A delicious traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings was served by the canteen at lunchtime.
Safe to say we are all now very much in the Christmas Spirit!
On Thursday November 26th TY Food & Hospitality Students headed over the mountains to Kenmare for a food tour with Karen Coakley of “Kenmare Foodie” fame. Karen runs her own food tour company in Kenmare, Killarney and the Beara Peninsula.
Karen and her assistant Justine hopped on the bus in the Square in Kenmare and it was off to our first stop, Lorge Chocolatier where our students had the opportunity to meet Benoit Lorge, owner and founder of this award winning business. Students heard how Benoit started out as a pastry chef in the Sheen Falls Hotel and is now supplying shops all over Ireland including our own Field’s in Skibbereen. David his assistant demonstrated how to temper chocolate along with how to line and fill the moulds. Benoit talked about where he sources his chocolate, how he has coped with the huge price hike in his raw materials and our students got to sample three of his handmade gourmet chocolates. Benoit even created his own take on the Dubai Chocolate Bar – the Kenmare Chocolate Bar! We will never look at a simple bar of chocolate the same way again – bonus, we even got to keep our very fetching hats!!!
Back on the bus into Kenmare town where we split into two smaller groups and walked to our next destination the bakery which supplies all the baked goods for the much-loved Maison Gourmet Café in the heart of Kenmare. Here we met the owner and founder Emma. Originally from France, Emma and her husband came to visit Kenmare as two of her three sons were working in the Park Hotel and the family never left. Emma spoke passionately about sourcing ingredients to make their legendary croissants. We learned about the difference between French & Irish butter – both have their jobs in the bakery. Students got to work rolling their own croissant, they got the hang of it straight away. Lucky for us Emma had some freshly baked croissants for all to take with us – devine, all those layers!
Then it was a short walk across the street to meet Tom Crean’s granddaughter Aileen and her husband Bill who told us their fascinating life story (Netflix are definitely going to make a movie of this!). Aileen a native of Kenmare ran Darcy’s a successful restaurant for many years before pivoting to set up the award winning Tom Crean Micro Brewery in more recent years. This brewery is bucking the trend in terms of expansion and success, including a very interesting product – Hop Infused Sparkling Water. The real story here is how they run their business taking sustainability to another level while honouring the memory of Aileen’s grandfather, Tom Crean. I won’t ell you the story of their epic family adventure to the Artic to retrace Tom’s expedition – it’s a story you’ll have to hear from the lady herself – well worth a visit. On departure we asked Bill for some advice for our budding young entrepreneurs - “Follow your heart but have someone with a good head close by”. Sound advice indeed.
Inspired by their story we moved on to another Bakery, this time a what could be described as the new kid on the block in Kenmare but equally a business that has been very successful since its inception during Covid – Bean & Batch Bakery which supplies the award winning Bean & Batch Café. We met owners Jamie & Brendan, who started out as a carpenter and publishing executive but who were both passionate about good coffee and sandwiches and doing this well is what they have built their business on. Open at 6am to 5pm everyday, the café has carved a place in the heart of the community in Kenmare. Both spoke in particular about hard work, connecting with people and their stories, something we heard more than once that day. Inspirational!
Then it was off to Bean & Batch Café for lunch where we got to taste their infamous sausage rolls and cinnamon rolls. We can see what all the fuss is about. Karen Coakley our tourguide then spoke to our students about her successful business, how she developed this while being a stay at home and has fine tuned it to the product we experienced that day. Another reminder that life does not always go in straight lines.
So much positivity and inspiration – there was nothing for it only a quick bit of shopping (so many lovely independent shops) before heading back over the mountains – leaving behind Neidín as the song goes, but certainly not forgetting the wonderful and inspiring people we met.
Our Christmas Carol Concert took place in St. Patrick’s Cathedral Skibbereen on Tuesday evening last.
It was a very special evening of music, songs & carols and was a real showcase of the amazing musical talent in our school.
'Well that's a Wrap'
The L.R.C. Students have had a busy month, from Panto to Plays, outing to hosting, Toy Show to Jingles.
It's time for a well deserved break.
From all the staff, Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year.
SCS Christmas Carol Service in St Patrick’s Cathedral at 7pm this evening. All welcome.
Well done to Finn Ryan in 2nd year who is representing Cork in darts.
Finn has been hugely successful in darts competing at European level. Finn has represented Cork in Cork City, Galway, Limerick and Dublin.
He is pictured here in the canteen discussing his success with his friends.
Well done Finn!
Pictured here are our first years on a friendship walk on Friday.
Each student took part in these purposeful walks designed to encourage and strengthen friendships between each other as they journey through first year.
They had to speak to, be nice to and accompany each of their classmates along the way. As the sun shone all day the smiles got bigger and bigger.
They are already looking forward to their next activity as part of well-being in SKibbereen Community School.
Thanks to Ms. Orla O’Sullivan and Ms. Sarah McCarthy for organising.
Tomorrow’s School Tractor Run has been cancelled due to the Weather Warning. We hope to reschedule in the New Year. Many thanks.
The School will be closed for classes on Thursday, Dec 11th to facilitate Whole Staff Training by the Department of Education in the new Child Protection Guidelines.