Gaisce –The President’s Award:
This is a self-development programme for young people aged 14 -25 which has been proven to enhance confidence and wellbeing through participation in personal, physical and community challenges.
It is a direct challenge from the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, to all young people to dream big and realise their potential. Students will receive a signed certificate from the president on completion of the Gaisce Award.
Gaisce Awards are non-competitive and self-directed: participants choose their own activities, goals and projects with the support of their President’s Award Leader (Ms. Courtney & Mr. O’Sullivan).
Students must complete 13 weeks (1 hour per week) in each of the following areas, Personal Skill, Community Involvement and Physical Recreation. One of these areas must be continued for an extra 13 weeks.
Personal Skill:
The Personal Skill Challenge Area is a chance for you to develop an existing skill or try something brand new.
This is an opportunity for participants to explore an activity that interests them and to develop skills that they may have previously thought beyond their reach.
Working on a skill helps to boost your self-esteem, develop other practical and social skills, and learn how to set and rise to a challenge.
Community Involvement:
The Community Involvement Challenge Area is an opportunity for Gaisce participants to volunteer with a wide variety of community groups and charities helping people, animals or communal activities.
Gaisce is often people’s first experience of volunteering and active citizenship.
Volunteering is a great way to connect with their community, gain confidence, make new friends/network and develop new skills.
Community involvement empowers you to have a voice and make a difference in your communities
Physical Recreation:
Physical activity is great for both body and mind and is essential for a person’s well-being.
In this Challenge Area, you can choose to improve your ability in a physical activity you already take part in or try out a new sport or exercise.
The physical activity should be set at an appropriate level for your capability.
Activities can be undertaken on an individual basis, or as part of a team.
In the case of a team sport, it is the individual effort and commitment that counts.
Adventure Journey:
Finally participants will partake an Adventure Journey later on in the school year. The Adventure Journey often proves to be the most memorable aspect of Gaisce for participants. It is an opportunity for you to plan, train for and complete an outdoor activity over 2 days and 1 night as part of a team. It is a unique, challenging and memorable experience that creates strong bonds between participants as well as the opportunity to develop self-sufficiency and leadership skills. Adventure Journeys will take place on land in the form of hiking/walking.
To sign up for Gaisce you must use the link below to sign up and pay. The cost is €15 (please pay this online). Please note participants must complete the physical recreation, community involvement and personal skill to partake in the adventure journey. The price of the adventure journey will be confirmed later in the year (it will roughly be €130)
Sign up Link:
24/10/2025
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
I am writing to you to inform you of the various events that were on offer in Transition Year in the first term.
The TY first term, in tandem with academic progress was packed with various activities inside and outside the classroom. Some great experience for the TYs in a massive diversity of areas. Thanks to all the TY teachers that have given so much of their time and energy to make the TY experience as rounded and engaging as possible for all our TY students. Well done to the TY students that have grabbed these below mentioned opportunities and will mature, develop and learn massively as a result.
Outdoor Activities:
Old Kenmare Road to Torc Mountain hike
Warren beach surfing and pitch & putt
Ballymaloe and Mahon Point Farmers market food trip
Induction Day outdoor team building activities
Fundraisers and voluntary work:
Mercy hospital hero’s fundraiser
TY litter picking for the Tidy Towns
Cara House voluntary work
TY students active in the Skibbereen residential care centres for the elderly
Convent Graveyard clean up
Coaching/Teaching Courses and activities:
GAA coaching Course
TY Sports centre gymnastics teaching to the primary schools
TY Future Leaders nutrition presentation
Athletics Ireland coaching course
IRFU Coaching course sign up
Chinese Module:
This year we are again happy to offer our TYs the opportunity to learn Chinese.
Language and culture week:
Food, Art and Language
Zumba,
Tomatina
Soccer tournament
Films
Guest Speakers:
Maths and Engineering Careers talk by Mr Ian McCarthy engineer with McDonnell Piling and foundations
Mini Company Talk by Christine Duggan
Preparation for Work Experience Talk with Patrick Nealon and the career service team.
Celtic Ross Young Enterprise Competition
Health and Wellbeing talk with Nurse Margaret Crehan
RSA talk on road safety by Mr. TJ O’Connor from the National Road Safety Authority
Work Experience:
Week 1 Work experience ran from the 20th – 24th Oct
Other Opportunities:
Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement awards afternoon
Music tour to London and Liverpool
Gaisce sign up
West Cork Secrets Sign-up
All Extra Curricular Activities and Sports
Sign up for trips to Italy(Sorrento and Rome), France (Paris)
Modules:
First Aid training
Cookery, food & hospitality
Gaisce sign up
Health Ed and Fitness Ed
Career Guidance
Computers and Digital media
Driver Ed, Road safety and Theory test
Relationship and Sex Education
Woodcraft
Sustainability
Attendance:
To you the parents we thank you for your encouragement and we ask you to work with us in ensuring your son/daughter maximum attendance and engagement throughout the second term and beyond. We ask you to try and set appointments for Wednesday afternoons as much as possible to avoid students missing school. Subjects and modules require maximum attendance to ensure academic progress and receive module certification at the end of the year.
Fees outstanding
The Transition Year fee of €130 is now overdue. This payment includes TY Journal, 24-hour school insurance, software licensing, locker rental, photocopying, communications and TY module instructors.
If you haven’t already done so please complete payment on the TY hub or directly to the school office.
If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the school.
Please also keep an eye on the TY hub to see upcoming events and opportunities.
Yours faithfully,
Conor Uhl (TY coordinator) and Gretta Burchill (TY Year Head)
TY Work Experience Week two takes place from the 23rd Feb - 27th feb.
Students are responsible to source their own placements.
TY musical practice will take place this week for students involved in the production.
Students involved in the TY musical will do their second work experience week from April 13th - April 17th instead.
The relevant reflective report needs to be filled out in the student Journal daily and upon completion.
Social Placement Week is an opportunity for our TY students to get involved in the local community. We encourage students to source placement in local clubs, charity shops, child care, Local Tidy Towns or community activities.
This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to develop social awareness and give back to the local community from which they have received so much during their childhood.
TY Work Experience Week two takes place this week for those that missed it due to being involved in the TY Musical.
All social placement and work experience should be sourced by students and the relevant reflective report needs to be filled out in the student Journal daily and upon completion.
TY Portfolio and TY Journals need to be completed and submitted to the TY coordinator Mr Uhl no later than this date.
Failure to submit these will result in you not completing the TY programme and therefore you will not be certified.
