Post-Primary School Finalists 2012

Finalists (in alphabetical order)

Cashel Community School, Co. Tipperary
John Scottus Secondary School, Dublin 4
Our Lady’s College, Drogheda, Co. Louth
Our Lady’s Secondary School, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan
St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge, Co. Westmeath
Ursuline College, Finisklin, Co. Sligo

Castleknock College, Dublin
Portmarnock Community School, Co. Dublin
St. Louis Secondary School, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Cashel Community School, Co. Tipperary

In addition to curricular music to Leaving Cert. level, Cashel Community School offers a wide range of music-making opportunities for its students, including three choirs and trad, percussion, brass and string ensembles. Regular music making is encouraged through such activities as a ‘Buskers Concert’ outside the music room at lunchtimes. The school has recently started a brass band, for which instruments are supplied by the school and has plans for a variety show as well. Cashel Community School would use a Waltons Music for Schools Prize to get additional instruments for brass/wind tuition as well as music technology equipment.

Their entry is ‘Winter Fire & Snow’, performed by the 15-strong Cashel Community School Chamber Choir and guitarists.

John Scottus Secondary School, Dublin 4

In addition to curricular music to Leaving Cert. level, John Scottus Secondary School offers a very wide range of tuition and music-making opportunities to its students, including lessons in various instruments as well as choirs and an orchestra. John Scottus would use a Waltons Music for Schools Prize to get a range of orchestral instruments that it could then rent out to students who show an interest in them.

Their entry is ‘Chili con Carne’, performed by the 33-strong John Scottus Senior Choir & Ensemble.

Our Lady’s College, Drogheda, Co. Louth

In addition to curricular music to Leaving Cert. level, Our Lady’s College offers tuition in violin, cello, bass and choir, funded by parents and the board of management. The school has a range of music-making opportunities available for students, including an orchestra, choir, traditional group and two bands. The school would use a Waltons Music for Schools Prize to get ukuleles for students who wish to set up a ukulele band, as well as mandolins to introduce participants in their string programme to traditional music, and music recording equipment.

Their entry is ‘Africa’ by Toto, performed by the 80-strong Our Lady’s College Choir, with guitar, bass and percussion accompaniment.

Our Lady’s Secondary School, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan

In addition to curricular music to Leaving Cert. level, Our Lady’s Secondary School offers extensive extra-curricular music tuition and has a choir, traditional group and bands that meet at lunchtime or after school. The school also plans to set up guitar and percussion ensembles, as well as a dance troupe to accompany the trad group. Our Lady’s Secondary School would use a Waltons Music for Schools Prize to get recording equipment, as well as instruments for those students who can’t otherwise afford them.

Their entry is a medley of popular songs and traditional airs performed by the 80-strong OLSS Performing Arts Group of instrumentalists and singers.

St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge, Co. Westmeath

In addition to curricular music to Leaving Cert. level, St. Joseph’s Secondary School offers a range of extra-curricular music activities, including junior and senior after-school choirs, a traditional music group, biannual school musical and rock bands, which together provide a range of music-making opportunities for students. Junior music students have the opportunity to learn recorder while a module in guitar lessons is offered to TY students. The school raises money for charities with a ‘band night’ fund-raiser and carol singing by transition year students for Goal. An annual end-of-year school concert helps to fund the music department. St. Joseph’s Secondary School would use a Waltons Music for Schools Prize to get music technology equipment and orchestral instruments.

Their entry is ‘Awake My Soul’ by Mumford & Sons, performed by the 9-strong Sixth Year Ensemble.

Ursuline College, Finisklin, Co. Sligo

In addition to offering curricular music to Leaving Cert. level, Ursuline College requires all junior student to participate in the choir (for senior students it is optional). Students can also avail of harp or piano lessons in the school, and music-making opportunities include two traditional groups, a harp ensemble and orchestra. The school encourages peer tutoring of students in the junior trad group by their senior peers. Ursuline College would use a Waltons Music for Schools Prize to expand the number and range of instruments available to students, particularly traditional and string instruments.

Their entry is ‘The Shining / Her Lovely Hair Flowed Down Her Back’, performed by Rí-Rá, an 11-strong group of instrumentalists.

We would also like to single out the following schools for special commendation:

Castleknock College, Dublin

Portmarnock Community School, Co. Dublin

St. Louis Secondary School, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Waltons New School of Music