Picture a Hazelwood College 1A class with their Year Head, Ms Betty Cotter (far left), their class teacher Mr Tom Halpin (third from left standing) and Mr Brendan Burke, Principal (far right) in their first week at Hazelwood College.

Picture b Hazelwood College 1B class with their Year Head, Ms Betty Cotter (far left), their class teacher Mr Matt Finn (second from right) and Mr Brendan Burke, Principal, taking in the sun shine during their first days at Hazelwood College.

Picture c Hazelwood College 1C class with their Class Teacher, Ms Noreen Daly (far left), their Year Head, Ms Betty Cotter (second from left) and their Principal Mr Brendan Burke (far right)

Picture d Hazelwood College 1D class with their Year Head, Ms Betty Cotter (far left), with their class teacher Ms Sinead Walsh (second from right) and Mr Brendan Burke, Principal of Hazelwood College, (far right).

Past Student Darren Roche who is a member of the Trad/Folk group Moxie this week release their first album. The album was launched at the Fleadh in Sligo where three of the fix piece hail from. Currently the band is touring America before returning to some Irish dates in October.

Darren recently spoke to Tradconnect.com about the new album:

Moxie have arrived. Their debut album called Planted has will be released on 25th August. To accompany the release they have today posted an official video of the opening track, also called Planted. As an official music video it sets new standards, especially within traditional music. We spoke to Darren Roche earlier in the week about the pressure that must have existed in delivering this much anticipated album. “Before we even got to the studio we were under a lot of pressure” he said. “We were focusing on getting all of our material completed for the recording! It was hectic!”

“We were excited to get recording but also wondering what the album would sound like. We didn’t really know what we were in for. Thankfully we had our heads screwed on and the recording went pretty well. When we had some time free in the studio, we also composed some additional material, and added it to the tracks with some of the music evolving in that way. We only had 5 days to record and we thankfully got it all done!”

There has been a lot of hype around Moxie and whether they can live up to it will be determined by the reaction to the album. While it has a “traditional backbone” as they describe it, it is also infused with elements of jazz, rock and many other world music elements. New compositions dominate with tracks evolving from the many influences that the band members have been exposed to down through the years.

“Well we just go for whatever we feel will work” Darren says. “We all listen to the same sort of music but we also have different influences at the same time. Some days we create from scratch and other days we work on a composition that one of the band may have written. It could be a real old traditional Irish tune or a French tune – anything in fact was open to consideration!”

Describing their music for them is a challenge. “Fresh and connected to nature and emotions? Not really sure” he says. “We’ll just have to wait and see what people think of it.”

On its evolution both within the studio and outside Darren says that “we spent 5 months straight together! We spent almost everyday with at least one member of the group so we always had some sort of music coming out of our heads! It depends who is on what instrument? Who is accompanying or who is playing melody? We would attempt to come up with a structure. Then, we would separate. Some would go upstairs working on the melodies and others would stay downstairs working on bass lines/rhythms. We felt that was the best way to work. It also helped to speed up the process. Different parts of sets were composed in different areas too, be it at Darren’s house down in west Limerick, in Sligo and even in Cillian’s house upstairs from the Temple Bar Pub in Dublin – that was where we would practice most days!”

The album will be launched at the Sligo Fleadh this week and then the band are touring America for a month. More album launches will follow in Ireland in September/October. The band are also signed to LYTE records and hope to spread their appeal to a wider audience.

More information about the group can be found on their website MoxieMuso.com

Physical CD copies of the album can be purchased through the bands online shop here
The album can also be downloaded through iTunes and Google Play Store

Maybe we should acknowledge the hardwork of the backroom team too:

CALENDAR 2014 – 2015

 

 

 August

Tuesday 26^th August                1^st years start (9am – 1pm)

Wednesday 27^th August          3^rd yr, 6^th and LCA 2 Return

Thursday 28^th August              All students return except LCA 1

Friday 29^th August                   LCA 1 Return

Friday 29^th August                   Viewing of Leaving Certificate Scripts

 

September

Monday 8^th September           Staff meeting (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

Wednesday 10^th September    Junior Certificate Results

Thursday 18^th September        HSE Vaccination for all first years

 

October

Wednesday 15^th October        Staff Meeting              (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

Wednesday 22^nd  October       Parent / Teacher meeting 6^th years & LCA 2 (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

Friday 24^th October                 Midterm break at 3:40

 

November

Monday 3^rd November            School reopens

Thursday 6^th November          Parent / Teacher meeting 5^th years and LCA 1 (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

Tuesday 18^th November          Parent / Teacher meeting for 3^rd years (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

 

December

Tuesday 2^rd December           Parent / Teacher meeting 2^nd years (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

Friday 5^th December               DATS tests for 3^rd years

Tuesday  16^th December         Start of Christmas house examinations

Friday 19^th December             Christmas holidays at 3:40

 

January

Monday 5^th January                School reopens

Wednesday 14^th January         Parent / Teacher meeting for 1^st years & TY(No Homework Club or Evening Study)

 

February

Tuesday 3rdFebrurary            Start of Pre-Examinations for Leaving Certifcate

Monday 9^th February              Start of Pre-Examinations for LCA 2

Friday 13^th February                Midterm break at 3:40

Monday 2^3rd February             Return after midterm

Wednesday 25^th February       Staff meeting (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

 

March

Tuesday  17^th March               Bank Holiday

Thursday 19^th March              Parent / Teacher meeting for 6^th years and LCA 2 (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

Friday 27^th March                   Easter Holidays at 3:40

 

April

Monday 13^th April                   Return after Easter

Tuesday 21^th  April                  Staff Meeting  (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

May

Monday 4^th May                      Bank Holiday

Wednesday 13^th May              Meeting of parents of incoming 1^st years

Monday 25^th May                    Subject Planning (No Homework Club or Evening Study)

Tuesday 26^th May                   Start of summer house exams

Friday 29^th  May                      Summer Holidays at 3:40

 

June

Monday 1st June                     Bank Holiday

Wednesday 3^rd  June              Start of State Examinations  

 

The management reserve the right to alter the calendar at any time. Please check this website for updates to the calendar.

Black Valley Adventure’s

As reward for all their hard work over the year and to help some students attain their Gaisce Award, Transition Years recently went on a two day hike to and from the Black Valley in Co. Kerry.

We set out from Muckross House in Killarney in some glorious sunshine in the direction of Ladies View. A tough climb up the side of Torc Waterfall took us to the old Kenmare Road between Torc and Mangerton Mountains which we followed to Ladies View where we stopped for ice-cream after our picnic in the mountains.

Once fed we dropped down to valley floor to hike into the Black Valley.
Despite some valiant efforts to stay dry crossing some bogs all was lost when the some brave souls had to go test the tempatures in the local river.

That evening in the hostel students cooked Spaghetti Bolognese for 24 under the watchful eyes of Ms Sugrue and Mr Fealy.

Next morning after a feed of more bolognese (long story) we headed for the Gap of Dunloe unfortunately in the rain and to the finishing line of Kate Kearney’s Cottage.

All in all over the two days we walked over 30kms taking in all the sights along the map board fitted to Pat Falvey the famous mountaineer’s shop at our finishing point.

Picture a: A group of Hazelwood College staff and students recently travelled to Spain and completed a section of the world famous Camino Walk, following in the footsteps of pilgrims throughout the centuries in an event which succeeds in testing and reinforcing the spiritual and physical of those who participate. Pictured are back row (left to right) Ms Mary O’Doherty, Laoise Bennis, Ms Mary Hickey, Megan Roberts, Ellie Stone, Sean Brosnan, Ryan O’Gorman, Owen Cunningham, Lea Docktor, Albert Fenton, Matthew Daly, Ms Catherine McCall, and Mr Denis McCarthy. Front Row (left to right) Ms Marie O’Connor, Maria Cremin, Claire Sweeney, Tara Fitzgibbon, Kevin Stokes, Megan Fitzgibbon, Sarah Shanahan, Paul McMahon, Ali Purcell, Simon Donegan and Liam O’Connor.

Picture b: Pictured outside one of their hostels are the Hazelwood College students who participated on the Camino walk, with staff, recently. Pictured are front row (left to right) Maria Cremin, Ellie Stone, Laoise Bennis, Ryan O’Gorman, Claire Sweeney and Albert Fenton. Second Row (left to right) Megan Roberts, Ellen Condon, Ali Purcell and Lea Docktor. Third Row (left to right) Tara Fitzgibbon, Kevin Stokes, Simon Donegan and Liam O’Connor. Back Row (left to right) Sean Brosnan, Sarah Shanahan, Paul McMahon, Megan Fitzgibbon and Matthew Daly.

Hazelwood Edge it in a Magnificent Final in Monagea

Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher 3-11
Colaiste Íde & Iosaef, Abbeyfeale 4-6

Played in very good conditions recently on the beautiful surface of Monagea GAA field, Hazelwood College, having beaten Laurel Hill in the semi-final, came up against hot favourites – Abbeyfeale in this year’s County Limerick Post Primary Schools Senior Girls’ Football Final. Abbeyfeale started well and had a goal and a point on the scoreboard before Hazelwood had time to settle. Ten minutes into the game, Marie Danaher had the ball in the Abbeyfeale net and followed up with a great point from 30 metres out. Abbeyfeale then put on the pressure, missing out on a few vital scores, but still managed to double their advantage 20 minutes into the half.
They then scored 3 points from ‘frees’ but Hazelwood fought back bravely and a goal from Donna Mulcahy and a point from Sarah Shanahan left the score 2-2 to 2-5 at half-time.

In the second half, the Hazelwood girls, who are now marking tightly, started to get the upper-hand on their opponents. Hazelwood put up a score of 1-3 in the space of 10 minutes spree to leave the match on a tight edge! Abbeyfeale replied with another goal and a point but Donna Mulcahy pointed to leave the sides level with 7 minutes remaining. Hazelwood responded with two further points, one from Donna Mulcahy and the other from Marie Danaher but Abbeyfeale kept putting the pressure on the Hazelwood goal and were awarded a penalty which was duly slotted into the net – leaving the game on a knife edge. Abbeyfeale popped over another point to leave the sides level with 2 minutes to go. Hazelwood relentlessly piled on the pressure when two late points from Marie Danaher and captain Aisling McCarthy sealed the victory for the Dromcollogher Girls.

This was the best display from Hazelwood College all year and all the girls played their part in this fantastic success. It was a great occasion for the ‘Three McCarthy Sisters’ and our mascot ‘Murish’ little brother of the three sisters.

The final score Hazelwood College 3-11 Abbeyfeale 4-6.

The Hazelwood team was:
M McCarthy, S Boyce, C McCarthy, C O’Brien, N O’Sullivan, R Lane, M Fitzgibbon, D Mulcahy, S Shanahan, A Cunningham, T Fitzgibbon, A McCarthy (Captain), S Kirwan, M Danaher, E R Mulcahy. Subs: L Dokter (a visiting student from Germany), R Cunningham, C Sweeney, E O’Sullivan, C O’Callaghan.

Have a look at this map developed by a Security company called Norse (http://norse-corp.com/about.html). They created this live map showing less than 1% of the attacks on their systems at anytime. Anyone whose been in my classes now how I feel about viruses etc. This shows just how much they are out there. Rememeber this is less than 1% of one company

Click the blue box headers to make them smaller and see the map, or click on the black/map area to get taken to the original site and see it properly.

Enjoy the summer, and update your antivirus :)

Geography fieldtrip to King John’s Castle

Picture 1: Hazelwood College Geography students from First and Second Year on their Geography fieldtrip to King John’s Castle.

Picture 2 Hazelwood College Geography students from First and Second Year on their Geography fieldtrip to King John’s Castle. Pictured are back row left to right Dean O’Brien, Conor Long, Cameron O’Flynn, Damien Burke and Ronan O’Keeffe. Fourth Row: Emma McNamara, Tara Hartigan, Fionn Roberts and Olan Carroll. Third Row: Ben Long, Julie O’Shea , Mairead Walsh, Ciara Purcell, Ben Rolfe, Áine Bennis, Kelly Doody and William Geoghan. Second Row: Darragh Lane, Karim Amer, Paul Power, Aoife Kiely, Cathy Foley, Niamh Forde, Jack McCarthy, Conor Roche, and Alan O’Leary. Front Row: Nicola Madden, Rebecca Carroll, Ciara Aherne, Micheal Begley, Shauna Kiely, Sophie Murphy, Chris Boyce, Neasa Fahy, Ava Mullane, Lorna Mulqueen and Ciara O’Callaghan