The annual Carol Service was held in the College chapel on Wednesday, 15 December. The service and refreshments afterwards in the Dining Hall were organized in strict adherence with the College’s Covid-19 Risk Assessment.

It was a most enjoyable occasion with truly inspiring singing from our students, directed by Dr Frances Burgess.

The St Mary's Musical Theatre Society hosted their annual production on Wednesday, 8 December. This year's show was "High School Musical" which played to two sold out performances. 

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI), in conjunction with St Mary’s Students' Union, hosted an interactive workshop on Sexual Health on Wednesday, 1st December. The workshop featured a wide range of discussions and was filmed for BBC Gaeilge.

As part of Mental Health Week, St Mary’s students and staff spent some time with a variety of animals at the petting farm, organised by the Students’ Union. The animals, including spiders, snakes, rabbits and guinea pigs, were provided for the event by local business Kidz Farm.

It is acknowledged that “although the connection with mental health may not seem obvious, the presence of an animal can have a supportive and calming effect on people. Stroking pets induces a sense of wellbeing, often creating blood pressure reduction. The warmth of contact, the brisk dog walk to maintain fitness, the cat’s calming purr, all of these offer owners gifts that are hard to place a value upon, but without which we would be clearly more impoverished.”

A special thanks is extended to Kidz Farm.

Professor Peter Finn (College Principal) is pictured with a ball python and a bearded dragon.

St Mary’s Students’ Union held their annual Women’s Day recently, where money was raised for ‘The Safe Yard’.  

Zara Campbell from ‘The Safe Yard’ was in College to demonstrate the safety and self-defence products available, including drink testers and the travel lock.

Well done to Women’s Officer, Lea, for organising a great day and thank you to all who participated!

St Mary's Students' Union organised a great day of freebies, advice, pizza, and coffee for our Freshers' Fair on Wednesday, 13 October.

A huge thanks to all exhibitors who made the day a massive success. Many students made use of the great opportunities to foster interests outside of their academic studies. These included volunteering, sports, faith and planning their future careers.

Helen Kelly is a BEd Post-Primary with Mathematics student at St Mary’s and the entrepreneur behind NOMAD coffee. She was very busy yesterday fuelling our Fresher' Fair at the College.

Sports Day

Wednesday, 6th October saw the first St Mary’s Students’ Union Sports Day. Students competed in a ‘mixed sevens’ Gaelic football tournament with an Erasmus student from the USA happy to give Gaelic a go! The sports day also saw "egg and spoon" and "wheelbarrow" races for students who came along to spectate on the day.

Rehearsals were held in the College Hall last week for the upcoming Christmas musical (a bit of a tradition in "The Ranch"). This year the show is "High School Musical" and it promises to be wholesome, but wacky fun!