The International Congress of Youth Voices

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The International Congress of Youth Voices is an annual summit of young people with an interest in both writing and social justice. Student delegates are chosen based on their commitment to leadership and social justice and their passion and eloquence as writers. The event is designed to provide a path to leadership for all delegates and represents a continuum from students who have exhibited potential in local writing and tutoring programs to writers and activists who have already made notable achievements at a very young age.

Politics of the world affect young people as much as anyone else, and they have little to no voice as major decisions are made. The Congress was founded as a means to amplify their ideas and energy and to unite young people for a weekend of collaboration. 130 students worldwide are chosen to represent their country and are brought together for workshops, to meet world leaders and make speeches on behalf of their country and what they are most passionate about. When I received the call that I had been chosen to attend this congress in San Juan, Puerto Rico this August I was astounded and incredibly excited to have been given such an incredible opportunity.

Throughout my 6 years in Dominican College I have been nothing but supported, especially within my writing. Being chosen for opportunities like this makes me so grateful for the time I’ve spent here, where each individual can grow and develop so that we can all make a difference in the world. Though it is so difficult to leave this school, I owe this amazing opportunity to Dominican College and the way that I was allowed to explore my passion for writing and activism. Each teacher, student and member of staff have contributed to this and I am eternally grateful for the confidence and support I have gained here.

When I’m over in Puerto Rico, I may be representing Ireland; however I know that I’ll always be proud to represent the values and lessons that make Dominican College the place that it is. I’m so excited for my future and that is all thanks to my past here! (Kerry O’Sullivan)

Dominican's Dare to Dream - Minor Football

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DOMINICAN’S DARE to DREAM as heroic fightback sends Griffith Avenue into ecstasy

Dominican College has new heroes, girls whose names will be revered for a very long time, thanks to their exploits in an North-Leinster final which appeared all wrapped up in Sacred Heart colours when Dominicans found themselves five points down early on in the first half.

Dominicans needed a goal to revive them, but where was it to come from?

Enter full forward Emma L’Estrange, who did so much to unpick the Loreto College locks in the semi-final. This time, she made an even greater contribution, popping up to take a pass from Robin Fitzpatrick and burrowing her way in on the Drogheda goal before driving the ball into the net. Suddenly, being only two points behind didn’t seem too big a task. There were gasps from the capacity crowd when three minutes of stoppage time was played, and Dominican’s stomachs began to somersault when Sacred Heart’s full forward promptly rippled the net to make her first real impact on the game. Sacred Heart had most of the play and should have gone in more ahead, instead having to settle for a 2-3 to 2-1 interval advantage. Sadhbh Hession and Lucy McGrath picked up where Kate Kelly left off and started half back line and dominated, forcing switches in the Drogheda half forward line.

Final score: Dominican College 6-07  Sacred Heart, Drogheda 5-03

International Congress Of Youth Voices

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KERRY O’SULLIVAN, 18                                                                                  https://www.internationalcongressofyouthvoices.com/kerry-osullivan

Kerry O’Sullivan is from Dublin, Ireland. She started writing when she was 12 years old and has found her confidence and strength through putting pen to paper. She mainly writes poetry, both spoken word and traditional. She focuses on the political and personal to try and make sense of her world through words.

O’Sullivan has had poems published numerous times through supplements in The Irish Times for youth writing created by Fighting Words, a creative writing nonprofit with which she regularly volunteers. She has performed at Lingo, a Dublin-based spoken word poetry festival and also volunteers with children in hospital as a play volunteer. She was the senior public relations officer of her student council and ran her school newspaper, providing both her and other students with a platform to voice their opinions and feel heard.

Through her writing, O’Sullivan became involved in politics, specifically the successful Repeal campaign in Ireland. During May of last year, she canvassed her area every night and spoke at public meetings and political rallies most weeks. This allowed her to see the power of words and the real-life impact of writing when changing someone’s perspective on an important issue.

Now that she has finished secondary school, O’Sullivan hopes to do more to tackle global issues such as climate change, as well as Ireland-centric problems such as the housing crisis. She feels it is vital to not waste the opportunities that she has been given in her life. O’Sullivan plans to study European and Middle Eastern languages and cultures in Trinity College, Dublin. Afterwards, she aims to do humanitarian work and transition into the diplomacy field.

Luck

by Kerry O’Sullivan

You are not lucky.

As if some cosmic force celebrates each of your golden breaths

An entity

Marked by milestones,

Marked by your community.

You are not lucky,

Though you wear a cross proudly round your neck every day

And see the scarved girl that’s your age

Sneered at by strangers

As if their contention

With her existence

Is their daily routine,

As casual as drinking a cup of lukewarm tea.

 

You are not lucky

Though your days have been perfumed

With privilege

Felt only by those born into

The culture they’re living in.

And you anticipate allowances and freedom and welcome

Still refuse to grant it to children of corruption

 

You are not lucky,

and you don’t cling to your culture like a safety blanket,

a haven when uprooted.

Thrown from everything you know and

Have nothing left

But

The words on your lips

The dance on your hips

Music you remember reverberating in each ear,

Days and nights punctuated with prayer.

The certainty of what each season would bring

Who you would see and how you would do anything

To be around the familiar,

The syllables that you’ve heard from before

You could even speak yourself.

 

Perhaps bad luck makes us

The accidental perpetrators

But bad luck does not make us sit back and take it

Sit back and watch the faces on our TVs

Faces in these magazines.

No, you are not lucky

And you should not be taught so.

Rather, you have been born

Into a society

That protects you through

The systematic hatred of

The opposite of you.

You are not lucky.

 

You are not lucky

Because you are guilty.

Whole School Evaluation Report

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Dominican College had a whole school inspection on the 6/12/18 and we are delighted to be able to share the report with you. Click here for the report.

Whole-School Evaluation – Management, Leadership and Learning reports on the quality of teaching and learning and on the quality of management and leadership in a school. It affirms good practice and makes recommendations, where appropriate, to aid the further development of educational provision in the school.