The Leaving Certificate Class of 2015 of St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Castleisland graduated recently with mass celebrated by school chaplain Fr. O’Flynn in the Currch of Saints Stephen and John and the awards ceremony afterwards in the River Island Hotel.
In his address, Principal, Denis O’Donovan welcomed teachers, students, parents and former teachers. He congratulated the class of 2015 for reaching the end of a very significant stage in their lives and thanked them for the contribution they had made to school life in many ways.
Mr. O’Donovan told them that graduation is a very important experience and it’s a reminder that nothing lasts forever. He hoped that they have been prepared and are ready to move on to the next stage in their lives. He advised them to always remember the values they had been brought up with through their time in school, always do the right thing and be honest.
He advised them to be nice and respectful to everyone and to look after each other and be there for each other in the difficult times. Denis told them to value life and to remember that very often the happiest people are those who don’t have the best of everything but make the best of what they have. He told them life is not a race but a journey to be enjoyed and the journey is the reward.
Certificates and graduation medals were presented to the class of 2015 as well as certificates to the exchange students who had spent the last year in the school from France, Germany and Spain. Denis wished all the students well for the future and his parting words to them were to work hard and follow their dreams.
The list of award winners includes: Attendance Awards: First Year Green: Callum Baker,Scartaglin; David Dillon, Castleisland and Egan Brosnan, Brosna. Gold: Nathan O’Rourke, Castleisland; Aidan Ward, Knocknagoshel and Shane McEnery, Scartaglin. Second Year Red: Dylan Browne, Castleisland and Tommy Curtin, Castleisland. Blue: Stephen Murphy, Castleisland. Third Year: Pádraig Brosnan, Cordal and Con Enright, Currow. Fifth Year : Conor O’Shea, Ballymacelligott; Callum McCarthy, Castleisland; Sean O’Keeffe, Millstreet; Alan O’Mahony, Cordal and David Lynch, Castleisland. Student of the Year: 1st Year Green: Garry O’Sullivan, Currow; . Gold: Eoin Culloty, Castleisland. Second Year Red: Dylan Browne, Castleisland; Blue: Donncha Daly, Scartaglin. Third Year: Sean Walsh, Cordal. Fifth Year: David Lynch, Castleisland. Sixth Year Awards: Student of the Year: Conor Browne, Castleisland; Sports Award: Colin McCarthy, Castleisland; Academic Excellence: Jeremiah O’Sullivan, Currow and the Jim Lyons Memorial Award: Eoin O’Callaghan, Castleisland.
