TY Newsletter 7th - 11th September
Updated: Sep 10
We have been very happy with how the first few days of the year have gone. TYs have made a fantastic start and it has been great to see such positive energy, enthusiasm and engagement already.
Keep it up, boys - we’re looking forward to a brilliant TY year together!
You'll find the following in this week's TY Newsletter:
TY Adventure Trip: Killary Adventure Centre (SIgn Up Deadline is TODAY 4th Sept)
TY Musical
Gaisce Bronze Award Sign Ups
Community Participation Opportunities
Activities Weeks and Work Placement Programmes
Welcome to our South African Exchange Kingswood College students
🏕️ TY Adventure Trip:
Killary Adventure Centre
20–22 September
One of the highlights at the beginning of the TY year is our two-night residential trip to Killary Adventure Centre in Connemara.
The trip is designed to help students build friendships, develop teamwork and kick off the year with energy and enthusiasm. Set against the spectacular Connemara landscape, students will take part in a wide range of outdoor activities, including team challenges, high ropes, kayaking and bog obstacle courses.
The focus throughout is on fun, connection, teamwork and personal development, helping to establish a strong and positive TY group experience.
The cost of the trip is €255, which covers:
Transfers
Activities
Accommodation
Meals
24-hour supervision
The trip also incorporates the Gaisce Adventure Journey, fulfilling a key requirement of the President's Award programme.
Sign-up deadline is TODAY: Friday, 4th September
Parents, please ensure that you complete payment via the “TY September Trip” payment link to confirm your son’s place.
TY September Trip – Payment Link** (pleasse scroll to the bottom of the payments page to find the Killary link)
**Important: For record-keeping purposes, please enter your son’s name when prompted on the payment page.
🎭 TY Musical
The TY Musical is already getting underway and promises to be another fantastic experience for everyone involved.
If you haven't signed up yet, please make sure you do so.
Anote fom Mr Sheridan to parents:
"TY musical ‘Beatlejuice’ will take place in the week leading up to October mid term. This is open to all TY students and is an amazing experience.
There is one more opportunity to become part of the cast.
Please encourage your son to come to rehearsal next Monday the 7th of Sept in the assembly hall from 4.30-6. He does not have to have ever done music before to be part of the cast or maybe even take one of the lead roles."
The musical has consistently been one of the highlights of the TY year and provides students with an opportunity to develop confidence, teamwork and creativity while having plenty of fun along the way.
It also counts towards your Gaisce Community Participation Award, making it a great way to combine involvement in the TY Musical with your Gaisce journey.
🏆 Take on the Gaisce Bronze Award
Sign up here: Gaisce Bronze Award Sign-Up Form (access is restricted to stmc Gmail accounts)
The Gaisce Bronze Award is a fantastic opportunity to challenge yourself, develop new skills, contribute to your community and make the most of your TY experience.
The Bronze Award involves completing one hour per week for 13 weeks in each of the following areas:
🤝 Community Involvement
🛠️ Personal Skill
🏃 Physical Recreation
Students then complete an additional 13 weeks in one of these three areas, choosing whichever activity they prefer.
There is also an Adventure Journey, which must be completed over two days and one overnight stay.
If you are interested in taking on a challenge that is meaningful, rewarding and a great addition to your TY year, make sure you sign up.
Please also read the Gaisce Bronze Award Information Pack for full details of the award requirements.
🌍 Gaisce & Community Opportunities
There are also some excellent opportunities currently available for students who are looking to get involved in community projects and volunteering.
🔗 TY Links Programme
We are looking for 10 TY students to take part in the TY Links Programme.
If you are interested in joining the programme, please complete the Google Form below by the end of the school day today, Friday 4 September (3.40pm).
Please note: Students who express an interest should also submit a short paragraph by the end of the school day on Monday explaining:
Why you would like to join the TY Links Programme
Why you are interested in the programme
What you feel you could bring to the programme
Why you think you would be a valuable member of the group
This paragraph will help us in selecting the 10 students who will take part.
If you have any difficulty accessing the form, please contact Ms Doherty.
🎾 St Mary's Tennis Club – Volunteer Opportunity
St Mary's Tennis Club in Donnybrook is looking for TY students to help with tennis sessions for children with additional needs.
📍 St Mary's Tennis Club, Donnybrook
🗓 Sunday mornings, 9.30–10.30am
🚀 Starting Sunday, 13 September
No tennis experience is necessary — just a kind, patient and positive attitude.
Approximately six TY boys are being sought to join a group of volunteers alongside students from Muckross College.
You can volunteer for the full 13 weeks required for Gaisce, or simply come along for fewer weeks to help out, have fun and make a difference.
If you are interested, please complete the form:
UNICEF – Child Rights Champion
UNICEF's Child Rights Champion Programme is designed for young people aged 15–18 who want to make a positive difference in their communities.
The programme gives participants the skills, knowledge and strategies to become advocates for children's rights.
There are two course options:
Online:For students living outside Dublin, with courses delivered via Zoom from Monday to Friday, 9am–1pm.
In person:One-day courses in Dublin city centre, running from approximately 9.45am–4.30pm.
Students will explore children's rights, advocacy and activism and develop an action plan to bring positive change to their school or community.
UNICEF covers the cost of the programme, but places are in high demand. Students applying should be fully committed to attending and have permission from their teacher and parent/guardian.
Sign Up HERE: https://www.unicef.ie/ty-application/
🚑 St John Ambulance – Get Involved
St John Ambulance is looking for recruits.
SJA is volunteer-led first aid charity that provides first aid training and opportunities for young people to develop valuable lifesaving skills while supporting their communities.
Joining St John Ambulance is a fantastic opportunity to:
Learn practical first aid and lifesaving skills
Build confidence and resilience
Develop teamwork and leadership skills
Gain valuable volunteering experience
Support your local community
Volunteer at a range of community events
This is particularly worthwhile for students who have an interest in first aid, healthcare, volunteering or helping others.
We would encourage anyone who is interested to find out more and consider getting involved. It is a great way to develop skills, gain experience and make a positive contribution to the community.
📅 Activities Weeks
All activity weeks have now been published and, now that classes have been finalised, students have been assigned to their corresponding activity weeks.
Please see the activity-week grid below for the full details.
Work Placements
If you are experiencing difficulty in securing a work placement, particularly for 4.1 and 4.4, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
These groups are due to complete their work placements from 5–9 October, so if you are still looking for a placement, please contact me and I will do my best to help you find something that is both suitable and of interest to you.
💼 Work Placement Opportunities
We have two particularly interesting work placement opportunities to highlight this week: the National Gallery of Ireland and the Houses of the Oireachtas.
🎨 National Gallery of Ireland
Applications Now Open
The National Gallery of Ireland offers students an exciting opportunity to experience working life in one of Ireland's leading cultural institutions and to explore a range of careers across the arts sector.
Applications for the 2026/27 academic year are now open.
Placements will take place during:
8–12 February 2027
8–12 March 2027
Students must be available for the full five days of their chosen placement week. Placement hours are generally 9.30am–3.30pm, although exact schedules may vary.
Please note that these placements are extremely popular and places are limited.
The National Gallery actively encourages applications from students across Ireland and will provide appropriate access and disability supports to students who are offered a place.
CVs are not accepted as part of the application process.
For further information and to apply, visit the National Gallery of Ireland – TY/Youth Work Experience Programme.
🏛️ Houses of the Oireachtas – TY Work Experience
The Houses of the Oireachtas TY Work Experience Programme provides students with a unique opportunity to learn about Ireland's parliamentary democracy, the work of TDs and Senators, and the role of the Civil Service.
Students will have the opportunity to:
Learn about how Ireland's parliamentary democracy operates
Explore the electoral process and democratic institutions
Meet elected representatives where possible
Visit the Europa Experience
Participate in debates and parliamentary simulations
Develop communication, presentation and public-speaking skills
Take part in teamwork and collaborative activities
Develop critical thinking, problem-solving and leadership skills
The programme is open to 2026/27 TY students with an interest in politics, citizenship, democracy and public service.
Provisional Programme Dates
11–15 January 2027
25–29 January 2027
22–26 February 2027
1–5 March 2027 – Gaeilge
5–9 April 2027
Each school can nominate one student to apply. Places are limited, with approximately 25 places available per programme week.
Applications close at 5pm on Friday, 25 September.
Students will be notified of the outcome by Wednesday, 21 October.
The programme is free of charge and lunch is provided, although travel expenses are not covered. Students should wear smart/casual clothing suitable for a professional workplace.
This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone interested in politics, public service, law, current affairs or how our democracy works.
🇿🇦 A Very Warm Welcome!
Finally, a very big welcome to our two South African exchange students from Kingswood College, who will be staying with us throughout September.
We are delighted to be able to facilitate this exchange and are particularly excited that two of our own TY students will have the opportunity to travel to South Africa later in the year as part of the St Michael's exchange programme.
We hope our visiting students have a fantastic time with us and quickly feel at home as part of the St Michael's community.
A special thank you to Mr Skeenan for coordinating the exchange and making this opportunity possible.
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