Extra Curricular at Scoil Eoin Báiste
The school calendar at Scoil Eoin Báiste is packed full of extra-curricular activities that cover a wide range of interests from sport to drama, chess to cross country.
September and October are the start of a busy Cumann na mBunscol schedule for both the boys and the girls football teams. Children from as young as third class get to represent their school in this very prestigious competition where all the past and current Meath footballers made their first bow in competitive schools’ football. In 2009 we reached the final of the Boys division 5 final for the first time in the school’s history. We were beaten by one point that day, but we returned again in 2014 to win it for the very first time in what was a marvellous occasion for the school, Nobber GFC and indeed the whole wider school community. The girls best ever showing in their respective competition was a semi-final appearance in Division 4 in 2009.
In November we participate in the interschools cross country championships in Bellewstown. For weeks beforehand we train regularly in preparation for the boys and girls Under 11 and Under 13 competitions. During this month we send representative teams from 3rd and 4th classes to compete in the Meath FAI Futsal competitions held in Gormanstown College.
The month of December is all about preparing for the Christmas Concert that we host in the Church of St John the Baptist. Pride of place is always given to the Junior and Senior infants Nativity which is generally followed by a whole school performance wonderfully prepared and put together by our talented and fun-loving teaching staff.
Back to school after Christmas in January sees the start of our 8 weeks swimming programme in Kells pool. This month also sees the continuation of Gaelic Football coaching by a Meath Coaching and Games Development Officer for one day a week.
In late February and early March, boys and girls from 4th, 5th and 6th class take part in the FAI Schools Regional Competition. There is also the INTO Mini 7’s Gaelic football competitions around mid-March where we always seem to perform well and indeed have won through to the Final 12 schools in the County Blitz on numerous occasions.
The Summer term sees us partake in a myriad of sports such as Basketball, Rounders, Inter Schools Athletics and the Callaghan Cup, a Gaelic Football competition played in Hunterstown every year between schools in Meath, Louth, and Monaghan.
The Grand Finale in sport for the year is the fantastic School Sports Day where all the children in the school are placed in colour teams and compete for the much-coveted Scoil Eoin Báiste Annual Sports Day Cup. We also make sure that the children in Spraoi and Sonas are catered for and have a fun Sensory Day where the children get to play with and sample lots of sensory activities.
Here in Scoil Eoin Báiste we’re not all about the sport in our extra- curricular activities. Every two to three years we host a musical which has been staged in the Solstice Theatre in Navan. Here we ensure that every child in the school gets an opportunity to for that Big Stage experience and perform in front of a huge crowd of their families and neighbours. We have had great success in the past with shows such as Annie, Honk and High School Musical Junior. Indeed, some of the students have gone on to greater things as a result of their first experience in treading the boards in one of our musicals.
Chess, organised day trips, Science Blast, Art competitions, Travelling Theatres to the school and of course the eagerly awaited annual school tour, are all integral parts of our busy school year. There is something for everyone at Scoil Eoin Báiste and we always love to see someone having a go at whatever activity it is, sporting or otherwise. We see it as a key part in the holistic development of the children in our school.