To mark the centenary of the Easter Rising, Proclamation Day was celebrated on March 15th 2016 in St Joseph’s.

 

The weather was favourable and the entire school community gathered at the front of the school..The Irish flag was raised to the sound of Holly Roynane playing the french horn. Staff and students then sang Abhrán na bhFiann. The Proclamation was read by the Head Girls Julianne Casey and Tara Scanlon. The first half was read in English and the second part in Irish.

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The History Department gave a very interesting presentation on “The Days of the Rising”. The Business Department compared how the price and cost of many items have changed over the past 100 years. The English Department had two poems read. The poems were the winners of poetry competitions that were held in school “A Rising Poem” and “To the People of Ireland”. The winners were Amy Wright and Annie O’ Neill. The Art Department had a beautiful display “Rising Banners and Portraits” The Geography Department’s “Rising Map of Ireland” signed by all members of the school community was also on display. Cara Woods read “Our New Proclamation, our Hopes for the Future”.

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The conclusion was organised by the Irish Department and Traditional Irish Music was played followed by Irish Dancing and the whole school singing Oró ‘Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile. As students came back into school traditional brown bread cooked by the Home Economics Department was distributed also a packet of Lemons sweets was given to each student. The Maths Department had an in-school display called “A Century of Change” and the German Department did a classroom project called “The Rising in German”.

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Proclamation Day was a very special event and will be long remembered by the staff and students of St Joseph’s.