Mr. Cunningham and Mrs. Fitzgerald brought two teams to Portlaoise to participate in a Futsal Soccer Competition. The boys enjoyed the competition and represented our school very well on the day.

Mr. Crofton is running a very successful Dodge Ball League at lunch time in the school gym. There is great interest in the league and participation is at a very high level. The league is ongoing with the semi finals and final coming up soon.

Two teams of athletes travelled to Tullamore to compete in the Sports Hall Athletics Competition. They performed very well on the day bringing home the Silver Medals in both competitions.

Two teams from sixth class participated in a Rugby Blitz held in Birr Rugby Grounds. The teams were judged on fair play, encouragement, honesty of effort co-operation and how they related to their team mates and their opponents. It was a great day enjoyed by all.

Mr. Kennedy brought our u/13 Hurlers to a Hurling Blitz in Shinrone. They performed very well on the day and represented our school with pride and distinction.

Under the expert tuition of Emer Feehan our Gymnastics programme was up and running again this year. The boys enjoyed showing off the skills they had already learned and also learning some new skills. They participated in some free movement doing rolls and tumbles and also performed some gymnastic exercises on the horse, high bars and ladders. It was wonderful to see such a range of movement from the boys. The pupils were able to demonstrate their skills in a gymnastics display performed in front of other classes.

After many training sessions and a league campaign our U/13 Footballers reached the final of their competition. Having won and drawn some games along the way they faced Banagher in the final. This game proved a tough test with our boys being down by seven points by half time. However they showed a great fighting spirit and determination and began to pull back the Banagher lead. Time was not on their side and Banagher ran out eventual winners. Well done to Mr. Kennedy, Mr. McIntyre and all the boys for representing our school so well both in the league stages and in the final itself.

Peter and Kostas gave a very interesting demonstration on Fly Fishing to the pupils of sixth class. They demonstrated the techniques involved in the sport and through question and answer sessions they shared their knowledge with the other pupils. They spoke about the equipment needed, different types of bait and fly used, strength of line, best time and location and about the different types of fish that can be caught. Overall a very informative project for the pupils to be involved in. Well done to all .

Rugby Coaching started up again this term. The pupils really enjoy the sessions with the World Cup giving extra impetus this year. All the boys enjoy developing the skills they have already learned and also learning some new omes. The sessions are carried out in a fun manner and later in the year the senior classes will participate in a rugby blitz in Birr Rugby Club.

After qualifying from the school trials a group of athletes travelled to Tullamore to represent St. Brendan’s at a schools cross country event. With over thirty schools participating the boys all ran very well. St. Brendan’s managed to bring home three medals from the competition. Nathan Hynes ran a magnificant race to finish second in his individual event. Cambell Boyd also got a medal in his individual finishing in the top ten and in the sixth class race the boys managed to finish third in the team event. Well done to all runners you didi your school proud.