Category - Language
There was great fun in the hall on February 3rd with our Eason Spelling Bee returning for the first time since 2020.
We held our 5th annual Eason Spelling Bee in the hall on February the 3rd. This was the firs time since 2020 the competition had been held due to Covid restrictions being in place during 2021 and 2022. As a result, this was the students first time to participate a Spelling Bee.
There was great level of interest in the Spelling Bee and this was reflected in a huge participation amongst our 5th and 6th class pupils.
Ms Doyle’s 3rd and 4th, as well as Mr Byrne’s 4th, came along and were a great audience to a very exciting show!
Mr Byrne and Ms Dagg were our Bee Masters and Ms Doyle acted as our Adjudicator.
Spelling aloud is a very tricky skill so we did a practice round first in which all children had immunity from elimination.
After that we got into the elimination rounds. As words were spelled, Ms Doyle would either say ‘Correct’ or ‘Incorrect’. ‘Correct’ meant you were through to the next round. ‘Incorrect’ meant you were eliminated!
Before we knew it, we were down to the final 6. Making it that far were Cathal O’Leary, Seán Byrne, Teegan O’Callaghan, Megan Mernagh, Cathal Nolan and Leah Weekes. 6 participants left but only 3 medals to win – it was now nail-biting stuff for the audience.
Mr Byrne and Ms Dagg then moved onto their ‘Hard Words’ list. Pretty soon we were down to three – Megan Mernagh, Leah Weekes and Cathal Nolan, the only 5th class student remaining. The last two Spelling Bees had been won by 5th class students (Sarah Kane in 2019; Eshaal Faiz in 2020 – read more about that here), surely Cathal couldn’t make it three-in-a-row? Well, guess what, he did!
‘Periodic,’ Mr Byrne said.
‘P-E-R-I-O-D-I-C,’ Cathal stated confidently.
‘Correct!’ Ms Doyle exclaimed!
Cathal Nolan was the Spelling B Champion for 2023! Megan Mernagh took the silver medal after a brilliant performance and Leah Weekes won the bronze after keeping her composure well the whole way through.
Well done to our three medallists and everyone who took part. Cathal will now go on to represent Ballyconnell NS in the Carlow County Final in March the 8th. Go n-éirí leat, a Chathail! Best of luck, Cathal!
A Big Crowd – Our Spelling Bee 2023 Participants!
The Final Six!
4 th class have spent the year in St Mary’s Hall. They thought it a good idea to find out a little bit more about this important building in our parish and to share what they learned with their school mates.
Our Spelling Bee Champion, Sara O’Grady, recently took part in the Carlow County Final of the Eason Spelling Bee. Read her account below.
We were delighted to welcome our former student, Rosealice Byrne, back to Ballyconnell NS last week to regale our 4 th , 5 th and 6 th class students with details of her recent trip to The Gambia in West Africa.
Cathal and Peter tell us all about their day at the Credit Union All-Ireland Final, Ballyconnell NS’s first appearance at the finals since 2001.
Rang a 4 recently did some planting with Ms Ryan. Sarah tells us more!
Rang a 5 student and team member Florrie Cosgrove regales us with the nerves and excitement of Ballyconnell NS’s recent Credit Union Quiz triumph