Maryfield College

Maryfield Hosts Active School Flag Cluster Day

ASF Cluster Day 2025

On the 2nd of October 2025, the Active Schools Team at Maryfield College hosted ASF Cluster Day. We were joined by Coláiste Bríde and Belmayne ETSS. The event took place in our school library, sports hall and also included an outdoor wellbeing walkway.

A group of students, (Katie Whelan, Isabelle Gill, and Casey Wang) set up the library at 8:40am in preparation for the schools to arrive.

The Wellbeing Walkway group, (Keelin Ahearne and Lizi Doyle) helped set up the Wellbeing Walkway at 8:40am in order to be able to help lead their groups later on in the day.

The Welcoming Committee, (Leah Dolan, Grace Dunne, and Lola-Rose Murphy) met the schools as they arrived at the Cluster Day and showed them to the library.

A group of students, (Grace Manning, Georgie Dunne, and Layla Kiernan) helped set out the healthy lunches when it came to lunch time.

 

The three schools were joined by two Active Schools Flag organisers, Carol and Brian, who gave us a lot of helpful advice when it comes to organising ASF events for our school. Carol showed us how to analyse data using AI when doing surveys, which we all found very useful. Brian got us to do ‘physical activity bingo’ which we all found very fun and got to know each other. He was also joined by a group of last year’s ASF team from Maryfield College, and got them to give us any tips and advice that they had for us.

 

Then,  we got sorted into groups and did the wellbeing walkway. Each station involved multiple-choice questions based on physical activity. We had to work together as a group in order to answer each question correctly. When we got inside, we played a physical activity Blooket game with our groups. After this, we had our healthy lunches in the library.

 

Lastly, we all went to the sports hall and got split into two groups. Our job was to practice our event organising skills, and organise an event for the other group. One team decided to do benchball, and the other team decided to do tug of war. This activity was very successful as each team had to distribute jobs like event managers, equipment managers, motivators, etc.

 

At the end of the day, our ASF team discussed how the day went. We think that the things that went well were the wellbeing walkway as there was good interaction, PA bingo, Blooket, and the event management.

However, we believe that if we were to host the day again, we think that there could be a few minor improvements. For example, make sure that the other schools have good communication for things like what time they may be getting to our school,  and time management skills.

 

Overall, the day was a success and Maryfield’s ASF team can all agree that we learned a lot of important tips on making sure we organise the best events possible for our school.

 

Thanks to Mr Smith and Mr Kiernan who helped us prepare for Cluster Day.

 

Katie Whelan 4K


Part 2 of the Building Healthy Friendships Series from the National Parents Council

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Dear Parents,

We are excited to announce another round of information sessions from National Parents Council.

Following on from Part 1 of our RSE three part programme where we looked at how we can support children to make and sustain healthy relationships and friendships, now in Part 2 we look at active listening skills and how we use those skills to build our relationships and support conversations with our young people.

This session is ideally suited to parents who have completed part 1 but will also provide useful information and advice as a stand alone session.

Register now to find out how developing communication skills will help build your relationship and support conversations with your young person.


Event Details:

  • Dates: Monday, 6th October to Friday, 10th October 2025
  • Location: Online via Zoom
  • Cost: Free

 

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Session Highlights:

  • Learn how to truly listen and respond to your teenager.
  • Develop skills that foster stronger relationships.
  • Enhance communication to support your young persons emotional well-being.

 

How to Register: Spots are limited, and we encourage you to register early to secure your place. Simply click on the link below and choose the session that best fits your schedule. 

https://forms.office.com/e/SmfNrgGV8e

 

 

Session Schedule:

  • Monday 6th: 10am/ 7:30pm
  • Tuesday 7th: 10am / 7:30pm
  • Wednesday 8th: 10am / 7:30pm
  • Thursday 9th: 10am / 7:30pm
  • Friday 10th: 10am

 

Looking Ahead:  Stay tuned for Part 3 of our series, where we will delve deeper into active listening skills and integrating meaningful conversations into your daily interactions with your young person.

 

 

  • Part 3: Making ‘The Big Talk’ Many Small Talks (Week starting 13th October 2025)

 These follow-up sessions are designed to build on what you learn here, providing a comprehensive toolkit for supporting your young persons relational development.  

 

Don’t miss this opportunity to play a proactive role in your young persons social development. We look forward to seeing you there and sharing valuable strategies that will help your child build and maintain positive relationships.

Please also find below some links which you may find helpful on this topic.

https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/for-parents/resources/booklets/making-the-big-talk-many-small-talks-13-to-18.pdf

 

https://ncca.ie/en/resources/sphe-presentation-for-parents-and-guardians/

Warm regards,

National Parents Council


Maryfield Competes in Its First Chess Tournament

On 26th September 2025, eight Maryfield College students of 3rd and 4th Year took part in a chess tournament at St. Andrew’s College in Booterstown. This tournament featured nearly 80 teams (each with four students) from over 30 schools, including both beginners and experienced players. Over the course of the day, each student played five games of chess, accumulating points for their team with each victory. The event was a great success and a fun day out for students and teachers alike, marking the first time that Maryfield College has entered a chess tournament, but certainly not the last! Accompanied by Mr. Kirwan and Ms. Norling, the students representing Maryfield College at this event were: Alannah O’Farrell (4K), Annmariya Shajeeve (3R), Sarah Farrelly McKeon (3K), Lauren Rouse (3R), Aoife Carrick (3K), Jing Ting Hong (3K), Elaine Gao (3R), and Grace Horan (3K). Congratulations to both teams on scoring 6.5 points.


Vision Ireland Visit Transition Years

Maryfield College was delighted to welcome Vision Ireland to our school today with their mobile eye clinic, The Vision Van. This visit, formerly known as NCBI services, provided our Transition Year students with a unique opportunity to learn about and experience the challenges faced by individuals with vision impairment. During a thought-provoking presentation and hands-on workshop, students gained valuable insight into how vision loss affects daily life. The event was linked to their Community Action preparation classes, encouraging empathy, awareness, and social responsibility. A huge thank you to Elaine Crossan and Kelliann McCarthy from Vision Ireland for facilitating this enriching experience for our students.


Help Your Young Person Thrive: Free Training Series on Building Healthy Friendships!

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As parents, we all want our young people to form lasting, healthy relationships. It’s a skill that not only benefits them during childhood but throughout their lives. However, navigating friendships can sometimes be challenging for them, and knowing how to support them effectively isn’t always clear.

Join our free virtual training series, “Supporting Your Child to Build Healthy Friendships and Relationships,” an informative session designed to equip you with the tools and insights necessary to guide your young person through the complexities of friendships and social interactions.

Event Details:

  • Dates: Monday, 29th September to Friday, 3rd October 2025
  • Location: Online via Zoom
  • Cost: Free

 

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Session Highlights:

  • Understand what makes a healthy friendship and why it’s important.
  • Learn to identify signs of unhealthy relationships to better guide your young person.
  • Gain practical communication strategies that your young person can use.
  • Discover ways to foster positive social skills in your young person.

 

How to Register: Spots are limited, and we encourage you to register early to secure your place. Simply click on the link below and choose the session that best fits your schedule. 

https://forms.office.com/e/s6T6zwrkTp

 

 

Session Schedule:

  • Monday 29th: 10am/ 7:30pm
  • Tuesday 30th: 10am / 7:30pm
  • Wednesday 1st: 10am / 7:30pm
  • Thursday 2nd: 10am / 7:30pm
  • Friday 3rd: 10am

 

Looking Ahead: This training series is just the beginning! Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 of our series, where we will delve deeper into active listening skills and integrating meaningful conversations into your daily interactions with your young person.

 

 

  • Part 2: Enhancing Communication through Active Listening (Week starting 6th October 2025)
  • Part 3: Making ‘The Big Talk’ Many Small Talks (Week starting 13th October 2025)

These follow-up sessions are designed to build on what you learn here, providing a comprehensive toolkit for supporting your young persons relational development.

 

Don’t miss this opportunity to play a proactive role in your young persons social development. We look forward to seeing you there and sharing valuable strategies that will help your child build and maintain positive relationships.

Please also find below some links which you may find helpful on this topic.

https://www.sexualwellbeing.ie/for-parents/resources/booklets/making-the-big-talk-many-small-talks-13-to-18.pdf

 

https://ncca.ie/en/resources/sphe-presentation-for-parents-and-guardians/


Thank you for completing the Parents Association Feedback Survey

Three boxes of Bulter’s Chocolates were dropped off at the school this morning for three lucky parents who completed our Parents Association’s feedback.

We greatly appreciate all the parents who shared their thoughts and insights. We had a great response. Your feedback helps us grow and better serve our school community.

Best Regards,

Patricia – Secretary

Maryfield College Parent Association


Lourdes

Volunteering with the Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes was an amazing and unforgettable experience. As students we decide to put our self’s forward for this experience with a sense of curiosity and a feeling of wanting to help our community however what we left with was so much more than we could have ever excepted. We left with a full heart and an understanding of the importance of faith in our lives and unforgettable memories.
One of the stand out experiences during our time was the lighting of the candles in the Basilica of our lady of the rosary. This mass was a deeply symbolic time during our time in Lourdes as every flame represented something close to our hearts- our family, our friends and the people that are struggling during this time. This experience showed us the power of faith as we all gathered to pray for the things that mean the most to us. This was another unforgettable and moving memory.
One of the most moving moments of our time in Lourdes was visiting the Grotto of Massabielle where our lady appeared to Saint Bernadette, the atmosphere around the grotto is truly magical and breathtaking, the sound of the nearby river and the breathtaking view of the statue of our lady is an experience like no other. Whilst in the grotto we felt a sense of connection, and belonging. not just to the sacredness of the grotto but to the intentions and prayers of all those who asked us to carry their hopes with us on our pilgrimage. We brought these intentions to the grotto and gently placed them before the statue of our lady. We spent time in quiet prayer together whilst also reflecting on this wonderful feeling of connection we had whilst being in the beautiful grotto of massabielle and it was truly life changing.
Each night the Torchlight Marian Procession was held. Witnessing the procession with our  own eyes was truly incredible. A sea of yellow candle carried by thousands of pilgrims processing towards the basilica was indescribable . We could feel the beautiful hyms being sang .
We were lucky enough to participate in the procession at the end of the week. Being in the procession along with all our fellow blue and white shirts was a phenomenal experience, praying the rosary and carrying our own candles , being able to be part of something so big together as a community brought together by faith.
Overall the Dublin diocese trip to Lourdes was far more than just a pilgrimage. We experienced a journey of growth and connection. For us, the trip was our chance to bond with not only each other, but with the other volunteers and most importantly the sick and the elderly. We were brought to Lourdes to help and assist the pilgrims and that was truly such an experience. By the end of the trip, it was clear that Lourdes wasn’t just about the journey we made but about the people we met, the lives we touched and the ways we grew together through serving others. This pilgrimage had made a lasting impact, not just on our faith but on our lives.