Abandoned Station
Dark clouds loomed over the desolate city. A tall, slick sign stood beside a mysterious staircase that lead down to a dark and musky tunnel. The steps that lead down to the tunnel were broken in places, they were ridged and uneven. The stench of stagnant water wafted through the dust-ridden air. A single train track lay broken with a single train car on its side. Graffiti engulfed the top of the car. Bright reds and blues seemed to act as a light in the shadows. Loud creeks came roaring from deep within the dingy tunnel. A sign that once read the cities location had several bullet holes indented into it. The remanence of a fire lay perfectly in the centre of the cracked platform. Bins thrown on their side and benches flipped over. Ash scattered sparsely across soggy cardboard. The walls were damp with water trickling down slowly like tears down a widow’s face. I could feel the dampness form the walls start to absorb into my clothes. Stagnate water continued to strangle my nostrils. It was safe to say this place was the opposite of paradise. The apocalyptic station was like somewhere where my demons would hide from the unsuspecting world.
3rd year Student
All Ireland Camogie Champions 2020!
POETRY CORNER
COVID-19
Covid-19 is a virus we cannot see, It makes ordinary people sick like you and me. A simple cough or sneeze can really hurt. You can end up in hospital on high alert.
Wash your hands and block your sneeze. Throw away the tissue to stop spreading this disease. Our schools are closed now I thought that would be fun. But in actual fact I miss everyone.
Virtual classes are not much fun, I hate not physically talking to everyone. I miss my nanna and granda too. Ohhh, how I love to give them a hug or two.
We must stick together by staying apart. No hugs or kisses now that’s very hard. Social distance they tell us 2 meters apart.
When the new going out is staying in. Virtual family quizzes are the new done thing. Ticktoks dance is the new craze..Ohh how I long for Scoozis bolgnese.
Covid-19 well you brought no fun. I feel as if you have blocked everyone’s fun. I’m sick to death of staying inside .Ohhh how I wish Covid-19 would say goodbye.
Jack O’ Gorman - 2nd year Student
No Words - One Picture
How Dare you Speak on behalf of the Irish people!
Is anyone else infuriated by Gemma O’ Doherty? She is the Irish journalist that is going around challenging the Covid -19 restrictions. She is challenging Gardai when they stop her and ask her where she is going. The way she speaks is an absolute disgrace. One incident ended up on the internet where she is screaming abuse at a ban Garda saying ridiculous comments like “I am your master and your day will come”. We are all living in a pandemic including the Gardai who are putting their lives at risk every day doing the job. I not a huge fan of the Gardai at times but in this case I think she is completely out of order. The restrictions are rubbish but we don’t have a choice in it we need to stay at home to stop the Covid-19 spreading. I think she looks like a fool acting this way. You don’t speak for me Gemma O’ Doherty so please don’t say you speak for ALL the Irish people when you are talking rubbish.
Just my opinion.
3rd year student
Letters to the Editor
Dear trusted friend
Its Sunday the 26th of April 2020. The world and I are living through a global pandemic called Covid-19. Over 200,000 people have died globally, with over 2 million infected. We are all living through unprecedented times.
I am currently living in isolation in my family home with my parents and two sisters, only being allowed out to buy necessities such as food. On the other hand, my two sets of elderly grandparents are cocooning. Which means they cannot even go out for a walk. As a second-year student, I am enjoying my unexpected time from school. I miss meeting up with my friends. We are lucky we can Facetime, Snapchat and Zoom on our phones. This helps, but if you have poor wifi, it can be very frustrating as the picture freezes, and the signal gets lost.
Last weekend I tried our gardening as a new hobby. The time flew by. I had lots to do. I planted flowers in containers, and I created a new flower patch. With help from the family, we erected a fence. I enjoyed cutting the grass too. It was lovely to look out at when it was finished. I also enjoyed going out on my bike or for a walk obeying the 2km limit thaI'm’m allowed by our government. I try to complete my homework in the evening for the next day.
Finally, I have found hope in the enjoyment of my grandparent's faces as I engage with them on Facetime. We recently had a record recital on a group Face Time. There was 9 of us altogether. Everyone had two requests, and your favourite songs were played. The generational gap made some of the choices extremely funny. Another night we played bingo and had a putting competition. We put a cup down and stood two club-lengths away from it. Each of us took a putt and whoever hit the cup got the point. The person with the most points won. We are planning an awards night for all the winners when this is all over. A party to celebrate how we all worked together to get through Covid-19. Hopefully, I will have better news for you next week.
Bye for now, Dylan (2nd year Student
“Hope’ is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all”
Silence
Road, Silence
School, Silence
Restaurant, Silence
Town, Silence
Cork City, Silence
By Katelynn Kennealy
2nd Year Student
5TH YEAR STUDENT RESPONDS TO THE WORK OF FLORENCE GIVEN
Christy Ring
Laura O’ Leary - First year Student
AN SAOL FAOI LÁTHAIR-
Áine Hanafin
An Saol Faoi Láthair
Tá sé greannmhar an tslí go n-athraíonn meon aigne gach duine tar éis dúinn a bheith sa bhaile ar feadh cúpla seachtain agus gan aon áit le dul. Ar dtús, bhí áthas agus sceitimíní orainn, coicís saor ón scoil a bheith againn, gan aon ranganna, níos lú obair bhaile agus gan aon ghá éirí ró-luath ón leaba. Faraor, níorbh fhada gur thosaigh daoine ag éirí tuirseach den chás agus a bheith ag fanacht sa bhaile. Tá an seanfhocal fós fíor, “Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin”, ach is maith linn go léir sos ón dtigh freisin.
Níl taithí againn ná ag duine ar bith ar a leithéid. Tá idir daoine óga agus aosta ag foghlaim le chéile conas an víreas seo a choiméad ó dhoras. Is cinnte nach bhfuil an víreas seo cosúil le rud ar bith a bhfuil taithí againn air roimhe seo. Tá athrú tagtha ar gach gné dár saol le cúpla seachtain anuas . I mo thuairim, is iad an dá rud is mó atá tar éis tarlú ná go gcaithfimid go léir ár scolaíocht a dhéanamh sa bhaile agus níl cead againn a bheith ag dul amach chun bualadh lenár gcairde.
Is cinnte go bhfuil an tréimhse seo an-neamhghnách agus éiginnte. Faoi láthair, ní féidir linn aon rud a dhéanamh ach siúlóid laethúil a bheith againn go dtí go mbeidh smacht againn ar Covid 19 agus vacsaín éifeachtach a aimsiú. Táim cinnte go bhfuil caitheamh aimsire nua aimsithe ag gach duine ó thosaigh an t-ordú chun fanacht sa bhaile. Táim féin tar éis tabhairt fé leadóg agus tá sé ar nós An Nollaig leis an méid cluichí bóird agus cluichí cartaí atá á imirt agam le mo theaghlach. D’éirigh liom preabshábh ollmhór le trí mhíle píosa a chríochnú. Áfach, táimid fós ag fáil go leor obair bhaile ón scoil agus tá ranganna againn ar an idirlíon a choimeádann gach duine gnóthach gach lá. Bainim taitneamh as an dea-aimsir atá againn le cúpla seachtain anuas freisin. Déanaim iarracht dul ar shiúlóid gach lá agus téim amach sa ghairdín ar feadh tamaill gach trathnóna. Creidim go gcaithfidh gach duine iarracht a dhéanamh cothromaíocht a fháil idir a gcuid oibre scoile a dhéanamh agus a scíth a ligean. Cé go raibh an Teastas Sóisearach curtha ar ceal, beidh scrúduithe scoile againn i ngach ábhar i gceann cúpla seachtain.
Tá an t-ádh liom go bhfuilim ag labhairt go laethúil ar an bhfón le mo chairde ach fós ba mhaith liom bualadh leo. Táim cinnte go bhfuil pleananna á dhéanamh ag gach duine bualadh lena gcairde nuair a bheidh sé seo ar fad thart. Tá súil agam go mbeidh cead againn dul amach ónár dteach féin i rith an tsamhraidh ach ní féidir linn a bheith cinnte. Tá díoma orm agus ar mo chairde go bhfuil cúpla ceolchoirm agus cluichí CLG curtha ar ceal. Faoi láthair tá polasaí sláinte an rialtais níos tabhachtaí ná cluichí. Dá gcloífeadh gach duine leis na rialacha ar feadh cúpla seachtain eile, tá súil agam go n-ardófaí na srianta.
STAY AT HOME
By Matthew McAphee
We stood up with confidence, admidst, People wailing and lamenting. There we were! discussing oppoutunties Cold-hearted? No! The pandemic was a nightmare! College shut! Offices shut! The word was doomed in darkness. Countries accepting their defeat. Ran shortage of burial grounds. Fighting the epidemic. Our brave soldiers! With masks and stethoscopes, parting ways from their dear ones! They stand in the front line, with armed weapons. Attacks from allies and axis! With double-crosssing traitors fighting both sides, "Patriotism" - Their biggest weapon! Not just for their country, but for humanity! Deserve an eight-rifle salute, all they got were stones and sticks! Victims of comspiracies, and saviours of the pandemic, There they lie peacefully!
WUHAN!
Oh Covid, Covid, Covid - ninetheen
Last year in Wuhan, you emerged on the scene
Your entrance was awful, your path so direct
Not caring how many or who you infect.
On one hand we all have seen with horror and shame.
People pointing their fingers and trying to blame.
On the other hand we have seen, other people step in, giving care and support every day.
So when it is all over, what will be the effect will care take over or will compassion be wreaked.
Carla Roche (2nd Year Student)
Two Point Perspective
Emily Twomey - First Year Student
Sarah McGrath - First Year Student
Le Confinement est Fini
JEUDI 16H20
Cher Journal Intime,
Je suis très heureuse. Dès demain, le confinement sera fini! Je pourrai rencontrer des amis et mes grand-parents. Pendant neuf semaines, j’étais enfermé à la maison. C’était un cauchemar! Je m’ennuyais á mourrir. Je faisais beacoup de promenades avec ma famille et je regardais beacoup la télé.
Mes amis me manquaient et l’ecole me manquait. C’était trés ennervant. Je horreur de coronavirus. Par contre, l’enviroment est plus sain, maintenant. Mais maintenant, j’aurai le droit de, partir ma maison et rencontrer des amis. Ce sera un meilleurs moments de ma vie! J’espère que faire du sport avec mon équipe dès que possible. Mais, ce que j’apprécie le plus c’est ma famille est sain est sauf! Ca y est, Au dodo! Grace.
WAR ZONE
FIRST YEAR STUDENT - Darragh O’ Bric
It was a cold winters day, and it was the 27/03/1988. There was a lot of conflict between the people in England and the government. There had been many outbursts of the gangs in London as they had been bombing the main buildings, e.g. Big Ben, the London Eye and they have succeeded without getting caught. There is new information released that they are going to attack the King because of all the things he has not done.
The King has doubled his security and has the British army surrounding his castle. Despite all her efforts, the gangs of London came at them where nobody would expect….through the front door. It was like walking into their funeral, but they didn’t care as long as the King was dead.
As the civil war went on the army could not hold off the gangs anymore because of the many different ways they were coming. So the King had to go to the last resort MI6. These were a group of highly trained operatives. As the gangs got closer and closer to the King, the faster MI6 had to get there.
It was the gangs of London’s worst nightmare the MI6 had arrived coming up from the sewers, parachuting from a plane and even driving in armoured cars. The gangs had no choice but to retreat. The only problem was MI6 was not leaving them to get away, so they circled them and shouted “drop your weapons”, but only the smart ones did whereas 3,000 to be exact tried shooting there way out. They did not survive.
Three thousand nine hundred eighty-four people died that day, and it is a day that England will never forget.
The End
Carte postale de Malaga!
*Malaga, le 21 mai
Chère Marie,
*Me voici en vacances en Espagne en ce moment avec toute ma famille. Je suis ici pour huit jours. C’est super !
Il fait très chaud ici. Je reste dans un camping. Les installations sont super. Il y a une piscine, une salle de jeux, un bloc sanitaire et la réception.
Hier, j’ai acheté beaucoup de souvenirs pour toute la famille et nous sommes allés à la plage at nous avons joué au football. Demain, nous irons à la piscine.
J’arriverai à la maison la semaine prochaine. Je voyagerai en avion.
J’adore les vacances !
Grosses Bises,
Dylan Ahern 2nd year **
Spórt i mo Shaol
le Sarah Ahern
Sílim féin go bhfuil tábhacht mhór ag an spórt i saol an duine óig sa lá atá inniu ann. Tá fíor-thábhacht ag baint le caitheamh aimsire go ginearálta. Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil bealach níos fearr ná spórt chun do scíth a ligean nó chun faoiseamh a fháil ó do chuid fadhbanna.
Is aoibhinn liom a bheith ag imirt spóirt. Imrím camógaíocht agus peil le mo chlub áitiúil Rockbán. Ta caidreamh iontach eadrainn ar an bhfoireann. Ina theannta sin, is ball mé den chlub cispheile. Tríd is tríd bíonn cluiche nó dhó againn sa tseachatin agus de ghnáth téim ag traenáil beagnach gach lá sa tseachtain idir na trí spórt. Bím ag cleachtadh chomh minic agus is féidir liom agus chun an fhírnne a rá bím tuirseach traochta le mo chaitheamh aimsire ach mar a deir an seanfhocal ‘Ní bhíonn só gan anó’.
Nílim ábalta cur síos a dhéanamh ar an mbród a bhraith mé nuair a bhuamar Cluiche Ceannais na hÉireann le foireann na scoile i mbliana. Is maith is cuimhin liom an lá a bhuamar Cluiche Ceannais na Mumhan ar an bpáirc i Carraig na bhFear. Bhí an aimsir go hainis ach níor chuir an aimsir isteach orainn. Cúpla seachtain ina dhiadh sin, d’ardaíomar corn Ceannais na hÉireann. Beidh cuimhne agam go deo ar an lá ionatch sin.
Mar a deir na saineolaithe linn, cruthaíonn corp sláintiúil intinn shláintiúil. Ní gá a rá go mbíonn aclaíocht nó spóirt ag teastáil chun an duine a choimeád gnóthach, gníomhach agus chun spiorad pearsanta a choimeád. Is é mo thuairim láidir go mbaineann tú taitneamh níos fearr as do shaol nuair a bhíonn tú i mbarr na sláinte. Bí Gníomhach, Bí Sláintiúil!
La voiture est un fléau !
Elle nous envahit, nous empoisonne l’air et la vie !
Joseph Dorgan (5th year)
La voiture est un fléau ! Elle nous envahit, nous empoisonne l’air et la vie ! Je suis entièrement d’accord avec cela ! C’est vrai que la voiture est très pratique et je doute que nous puissions vivre sans, mais il faut bien admettre qu’il y a beaucoup plus d’inconvénients que d’avantages.
D’abord, les coûts de fonctionnement d’une voiture sont très élevés. On doit payer les taxes, l’assurance et l’essence. A mon avis, ça ne vaut pas le coup.
Deuxièmement, elles sont très mauvaises pour l’environnement. Les voitures sont responsables de plus d’un quart des émissions de CO2. C’est ridicule ! Surtout parce que l’émission des gaz à effet de serre est responsable du réchauffement climatique, un problème grave dans le monde en ce moment.
Enfin, s’il y avait moins de voitures, on réduirait le risque d’accidents de la route. Malheureusement, trop de gens meurent à cause des accidents de la route chaque année. Et aussi, s’il y avait moins de voitures, il y aurait moins d’embouteillages.
Cependant, il y a beaucoup de solutions. Vous pouvez marcher à pied, prendre le vélo, utiliser les transports en commun. Absolument, je pense que nous pouvons tous faire quelque chose pour aider à résoudre les problèmes liés à la voiture !
The Model United Nations - DCMUN - CITY HALL
The Model United Nations is a simulation of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council, in which students represent delegations (countries or NGOs) and thereby become experts in the delegation they represent and on the issues being debated. They write clauses, debate, and vote on resolutions, mirroring the United Nations in all procedural aspects. Coláiste an Chroí Naofa have been involved in the Davis College Model United Nations, held in Cork City Hall, since 2016. Dozens of TY students have taken the opportunity to learn about the workings of the UN; participate in research; and debate and co-operate with hundreds of students from both Irish and international schools. It is often regarded as one of the high points of the delegates’ TY experience.
My DCMUN experience.....................................In fourth year I participated in DCMUN, which was held in the City Hall. over four full days. I did not expect it to be as intense as it was (in a good way)! My country was Romania and I had done a bit preparation: the capital; the traditions of the country; and various other cultural, economic and political information- none of which was related to any of the topics debated, but was invaluable for taking on the world view of the real Romanian delegation in debates and discussions.
I was very shy going into the General Assembly but gradually over the course of the week I gained confidence. The first day we signed resolutions from other delegations (a solution to the topics being discussed). I didn’t think anything of standing up in front of hundreds of people and speaking about why I believe this resolution should be passed. Thankful I was not asked to speak on behalf of anyone! On day two we began debating – this was the best part. The adrenaline of arguments and laughs was unbelievable! The following day we continued the debating and voting on more resolutions. On the final day there was a closing ceremony where awards were given out such as best Debater! The benefits of my experience were not all apparent immediately. It was difficult. For example, I found it hard voting a certain way on resolutions because I had to think as a country and not what I personally believe. I tried to ask questions but I didn’t get asked, which I wish I had because I am usually afraid to speak in front of a massive group but the people beside me encouraged me and gave me questions to ask. Overall, DCMUN was an experience I will never forget. I made friends that I continue to talk to and it has taught me more about politics and the world around me...... Kara Kennedy Fifth Year.