“There’s always a way – if you’re committed.” So said American author, speaker, consultant and expert on peak performance, Anthony Robbins. He also said there’s no abiding success without commitment.

Loreto Secondary School in Fermoy appreciates the value of committment and rewarded a whole host of students last Friday night for their dedication to, not just their academic studies, but to activities right across school life. Awards were presented, for example, for those volunteering in school life, as in helping with the lunchtime activity club, being part of the folk group or acting as examination aides.

There were academic awards too of course, for maths, for outstanding Leaving and Junior Cert results and a NASA scholarship cert was awarded. Special awards saw students recognised for their work as head girl and deputy head girl while special commitment awards and ‘Spirit of Mary’ awards were also presented.

Others received awards for achievements in Gaisce, in debating, history, for taking part in the MS Readathon and a short story festival.

In the enterprise category awards were presented to those showing culinary skills, to YSI advocates, members of the student council, to the school’s entrant in the Junior Dragon’s Den, to those who took part in the school bank and to the Transition Year peer reading programme participants.

Members of the school choir received citations, there were trophies awarded in art for those who took part in the Junk Kouture competition this year and also those who achieved success in the Texaco art competition. There were lots of sports awards, unsurprisingly, in a school which did so well this year, including, of course their All Ireland football win, and which has a number of students outstanding in rugby, athletics, rowing, karate and other disciplines.

Guest speaker at the awards night was Dr. Catherine Stanton, Principal Research Officer at Moorepark, Fermoy.

List Of Winners

The full list of award winners is as follows: Lunchtime activity club: Rasa Bartuseviciute, Kayleigh Dingivan, Grainne Collins, Ilona Platek; Folk Group: Eileen Lonergan, Stacey Cronin, Aishling Shinnick, Aine Hussey, Julie Buckley; Examinations Aides: Becky Collins, Molly O’Connor, Sarah Eason, Gill Blackburne, Una Blackburne, Jemma Dearden, Evie Kearney, Jessie McCarthy, Orla Redmond; Nasa Scholarship: Grainne Kearney; Joe Ralph Maths Competition: Anna O’Sullivan; Outstanding LC Results: Eadaoin O’Donovan, Niamh O’Donovan, Selma Bouanane, Daniele Ryan, Laura Walsh, Megan Carey; Outstanding JC Results: Mary O’Donoghue, Cliona Murphy, Clodagh O’Donovan, Elaine Culloty, Aine Mulcahy; Head Girl/Deputy Head Girl: Ciara O’Sullivan, Leanne Bumster; Special Commitment Awards: Emily Mulqueen, Laura Norris; Spirit of Mary Award: Dearbhla Kenny; German Debate: Helena O’Connor, Bridget O’Flynn, Monika Zahauskte, Gill Blackburne, Jemma Dearden; Debating: Evie Kearney, Cliodhna Condon, Helen Geary, Jemma Dearden, Hannah Beresford (shield); MS Readathon: Ruth Crowley, Illaria Salvatore, Avril Heffernan, Khjara Fenton; Short Story Festival: Rebecca Doocey, Ava O’Flynn, Anna O’Sullivan; School Community Award: Maggie Chan; History Awards: Megan Blackburne, Laoise Ryan, Grace Kelly, Bronagh Bolger, Katryn Buckley, Anna Clancy; Cullinary Skills: Amy Barry, Marian Walsh; YSI Advocates: Jemma Dearden, Aoife Courtney, Ciara Roberts, Niamh Hegarty, Courtney Hickey, Laura Bartley, Katie Kearney, Emma Spillane, Una Blackburne; Student Council: Becky Collins, Elaine Sheehan, Ellen Buckley; Nominated by Student Council: Chloe O’Flynn; Dragons Den: Helena O’Connor; School Bank: Helen Geary, Katie Norman, Alanna Fraser, Clodagh Maye, Una Blackburne, Marie Claire Caplice; TY Peer Reading Programme: Gillian Blackburne, Melanie Buttmore, Nora Anne Murphy, Una Blackburne, Jemma Dearden, Joanne McGrath, Cliona Murphy, Clodagh O’Donovan, Emer Dorgan; Choir – LC Students: Stacey Cronin, Dearbhla Kenny, Lisa Feerick, Eibhlin Lonergan, Julie Buckley, Ciara O’Sullivan, Christina McGrath, Niamh Allen, Anne Marie O’Connor, Aishling Fitzgerald, Aine Hussey, Eidin Shinnick; Art: Ilona Platek, Rasa Bartuseviciute, Kayla Dingivan, Caroline Roche, Ilona Wojciechowska; Texaco Art Competition: Wiktoria Platek, Katie Cody, Ellen Brooks, Niamh Donnellan; Football – LC members of team: Julie Buckley, Jennifer Cahill, Jennifer Barry; 3 winning captains: Julie Buckley, Sarah Kenny, Claire Murphy; Inter-county players U14: Grace Culloty, Emma Barry; U16: Jessica Tonks, Grace Kelly, Anne Brennan, Abbie Scannell; U18: Aoife Heffernan; Senior: Jennifer Barry; Basketball/Karate/Athletics: Marie Holt; Outdoor pursuits: Marie Ring.