Students from the Leaving Certificate class of 2016/17 at St. Mary’s College, Naas, were honoured at the annual Awards Night, held in the school, on Friday, January 12th. The award recipients and their guests, present and retired staff, members of the Board of Management, Parents’ Council, Past Pupils’ Association and Student Council were in attendance at the ceremony. The girls received awards in recognition of their exceptional academic achievement and their overall contribution to school life. Board of Management Chairperson, Mr. John Clancy and Principal, Rita McCabe, spoke of the honour these girls brought to themselves, their families and the school. They are to be heartily congratulated and are living proof of the school’s ethos which encourages both talent and effort.
42 students received Academic Excellence awards, achieving 500 points or more in their Leaving Certificate exam: Sarah Behan Cahill, Bethaney Blaney, Sadie Byrne, Kate Coffey, Áife Conboy, Orla Conboy, Aoife Condon, Isabel Connors, Maria Cooke, Lauren Corkery, Mary Creaton, Ailbhe Cullen, Emma Cusack, Oonagh Deegan, Niamh Dempsey, Natasha Doyle, Ciara Durkan, Ruan Gormley, Rebecca Greevy Dillon, Grace Hanlon, Alice Hennelly, Sarah Kelly, Niamh Kinahan, Alice Linehan, Córa Moloney, Margaret Mullaney, Louise Murphy, Méabh Ní Raghallaigh, Aoife O’Boyle, Eimear O’Connor, Jessica O’Hanlon, Ruth O’Hara, Clare O’Sullivan, Laura Owens, Éadaoin Rice, Gemma Robotham, Emily Roche, Aoife Ryan, Áine Sheehan, Amy Slattery, Ekaterina Smirnova and Alison Walsh.
13 students gained university entrance exhibition scholarships: Mary Creaton and Alice Linehan (DCU) Lauren Corkery (NUI Maynooth), Áife Conboy, Orla Conboy, Niamh Dempsey, Natasha Doyle, Córa Moloney, Ruth O’Hara, Aoife Ryan and Ekaterina Smirnova (Trinity College Dublin), Ciara Durkan and Alison Walsh (UCD).
Ciara Durkin received a medal from the Institute of Biology for her outstanding Leaving Cert. result, being one of four students who gained the highest marks in the country in Biology.
Commendable Achievement Awards were given to Katie Fitzsimons, Beatrice Read, Orla Stynes and Elaine Whelan for their academic success.
Máire Coghlan (TY) received an award for achieving 9 A Grades and a Distinction in English in the Junior Certificate examination 2017. Aislinn Bambury and Sally Murphy, receiving Junior Academic Excellence Awards, were recognised by the State Examinations Commission as high achievers in Science and Mathematics in their Junior Cert. exams.
Sarah Alley, Maria Cooke, Emer Hegarty, Rebecca Mulvey, Laura Messitt, Amy O’ Hanlon and Jessica O’ Hanlon received awards for exampling our school’s Mercy Ethos through their involvement in the John Paul ll awards, their role as Wellbeing leaders and their participation in our mentoring programmes, Meitheal and Cairdeas.
Receiving our special award in honour of Catherine McAuley and the award from our Trustees, the Catholic Education in Irish Schools Trust (CEIST) were two exceptional students who had an outstanding record of contribution to school life during their years in St. Mary’s College. Involved in many activities, including Cairdeas and the Student Council, these girls have been exemplary in living the school ethos and giving of their time to help others. We were delighted to honour Lauren Fitzgerald and Méabh Ní Raghallaigh.
The Past Pupils’ Association Award was presented to Eimear O’Connor in recognition of the exceptional contribution she made to promoting wellbeing, the example she set in living the school ethos and her ability to motivate her fellow students to achieve their potential.
The Parents’ Council recognised the contribution made by Aoife Durkan and Aoife Shaw as Junior and Senior Student of the Year, respectively. Sadie Byrne, Emma Doyle, Chloe O’Leary and Chloe O’Connell were commended for their voluntary work which helped us achieve our Green Flag.
Ruan Gormley (Head Girl) and Áine Sheehan (Deputy Head Girl) received awards for dedicated student leadership, representing the student voice so eloquently at school events and their work with the Student Council.
Sarah Behan Cahill, Mary Creaton, Alice Linehan, Córa Moloney, Ailbhe O’Sullivan and Laura Owens were awarded for their sporting achievements while Rebecca McGrail, and Sinéad Robotham received awards for their achievements in Music and Art, respectively.