• Skibbereen Community School (map)

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)