Maryfield College

TY Visit to the Criminal Courts of Justice

4th year Law module class of 2025

Zoe’s Account of our Visit to the Criminal Courts of Justice, Parkgate Street, Dublin

Today the 9th of April 2025 our class visited the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ) on Parkgate Street, Dublin. As a student interested in law and the justice system, this visit was both eye-opening and informative. It gave me a real-world insight into how Ireland’s legal system operates beyond the pages of a textbook.

We arrived at the impressive building just after 9:30 a.m. The architecture of the CCJ is modern and imposing, designed to reflect transparency and justice. After passing through security, we were greeted by a past student of Mary field, Asma Saleh who is a practicing Barrister who explained the layout of the building and the types of cases heard there — from minor offences to serious criminal trials in the Central Criminal Court.

Our group were brought to one of the public galleries to observe a trial in progress. The atmosphere inside the courtroom was serious and respectful. The judge, dressed in traditional robes, presided over the proceedings with calm authority. We listened as the defence and prosecution barristers questioned a witness in a case involving alleged assault. Watching the barristers’ cross-examinations and the judge’s interventions gave me a much clearer understanding of courtroom procedures and the role of each participant.

Later, we listened to a short talk with by Asma who answered our questions about how cases are prepared, the role of solicitors and barristers, and the types of evidence that can be used. I was particularly interested in how long cases can take to come to trial, and how victims and accused persons are supported during the legal process.

The most striking part of the visit was seeing justice in action. It reminded me that behind every case are real people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome. It also showed me the importance of fairness, evidence, and clear communication in legal proceedings.

Overall, the visit to the Criminal Courts of Justice was a valuable experience. It deepened my interest in pursuing a career in law and helped me appreciate the complexities of the criminal justice system in Ireland. I would highly recommend such a visit to any student studying law, CSPE, or social studies.

Thanks to our class teacher Ms Coleman and Ms Bob who accompanied us

Zoe Lenehan. fourth year student

Second Year Pilgrimage to Glendalough

Students experienced a time of peace, prayer and reflection while walking in St. Kevin’s footsteps. They learned about Monastic Life and appreciated the beauty of the tranquil surroundings.

TY Yoga

Our TY PE students relaxed and enjoyed some yoga, taught by Zara.

TY Yoga

Leinster Athletics Championship

Well done to our intermediate relay team who finished in a credible sixth place today at the Leinster athletics championships. Well done also to Ariana Silvestre, who contested the long jump.

Congratulations to Heidi McDonnell, who finished 4th in the minor 100m.

Leinster Athletics Championship

Active School Week- Day 4

It’s Day 4 of Active School Week. The day began with Just Dance in the assembly hall and continued with the Skip Around Europe Challenge. Our PE classes discovered which European capital cities their efforts would bring them in this exciting activity.

 

Active School Week- Day 3

It’s day 3 of Active School week and we had not one, not two but THREE activities running concurrently during lunchtime. The second years had a rounders tournament, the third years enjoyed a healthy lunch organised by our ASF team and Ms McAuley, while the teachers engaged in a class of yoga. Thank you to the fifth years for stepping in and running the programme, as the TY pupils were out on community action.

TY Green School Class Visit Botanical Gardens.

The 4th Year Green Schools group attended a biodiversity talk and walk in the Botanical Gardens last Friday.

As part of the Green Schools module, we visited the Botanical Gardens on the 2nd of May 2025. We attended a guided tour by Mathew, who spoke to us about biodiversity.

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It is essential for sustaining the natural living systems, or ecosystems, that provide us with food, clean water, fuel, health, wealth and other services we take for granted in our everyday lives.

The way humans use the land and sea has dramatically reduced Ireland’s natural ecosystems.

Our once-native oak forests, which covered 80% of the country, have been reduced to just 1% today. The sea around us is seriously overfished, many of our rivers are polluted and most of our boglands have been damaged through afforestation with non-native conifers.

Bees and other insects are struggling because there are so few flowers in the landscape, particularly on farmland. We learned that 120 species of plants and animals have already gone extinct in Ireland. We saw first-hand a tropical plant that is now extinct in the wild and survives in only five botanical gardens across the world. We also saw the inside of a real banana that has not been modified for consumers. The seeds are like black, hard stones — too difficult to digest!

We loved connecting with nature, from watching the squirrels to admiring the beautiful wildflowers and orchids.

I am really happy that our class had this opportunity to go on this trip, as we learned so much about the environment and how important it is to take care of it.

Regards,
Lily Rose

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