The Columban Issue 24 - St Columba's School

ST COLUMBA’S SCHOOL NEWSLETTER • ISSUE 24
Get all the news online at
The World Schools
Debating Championships
www.st-columbas.org
Cooking up a Feast for
the Year of the Ox
An invitation to the
Silver Tablet Concert

1
January was, of course, also dominated by the
SV & VI Preliminary Examinations and full
written reports were issued to parents on
the 4th March. The results are an important
guide to a student’s present performance.
Together with the late evidence assessments,
which are undertaken towards the end of the
courses, they are also vital evidence in case of
appeal. SIV pupils commence study leave on1
May followed by SV and SVI on 12 May, and
as I always remind students a great deal of
their success in the SQA examinations will be
dependent on the good use that they make of
this time. I ask parents to support pupils in
this endeavour.
We are happy to report that cashless
cafeterias are now fully operational in both
Junior and Senior Schools. There appear to
have been few ‘teething problems’ and queues
are certainly moving much quicker.
A History of Musical Excellence
Rector’s Message
The Spring Term began with great activity. Many of our pupils were involved in the 84th
Inverclyde Music Festival. It was my pleasure to present a number of medals and cups, including
the Andrew B Cockle Trophy and Medal for the winner of a competition among outstanding
performers either vocal or instrumental aged 18 years and under. I was delighted to learn too
that seven pupils have successfully auditioned for the National Youth Choir of Scotland Girls
Choir and Boys Choir. For one school to provide what amounts to nearly one-tenth of the
Girls Choir is an amazing achievement. Parents, staff and friends of St Columba’s subsequently
enjoyed an evening of music which showcased the immense talent within the Senior School.
The new school website
(www.st-columbas.org) was launched in
March. We hope you like the new design,
find the site more accessible and generally
enjoy greater ease in locating key
information.
For many years the Former Pupil matches
have been a highlight of the season. As many
of you may now be aware, the SRU is
currently reviewing player safety in schoolboy
rugby. Recently Mr Manson and I attended
separate meetings (for Directors of Sport
and Headmasters, respectively) at which the
SRU’s intentions were discussed. A key
proposal is the organisation of rugby into age
groups so as to ensure that players of similar
skill, strength, weight and size play against
one another. As a result and with
tremendous regret, it will not be possible for
the FP rugby fixture to go ahead.
The cover image is of the Silver Tablet.
During Miss Janet Waugh’s time as Headmistress
(1900-1928), the Silver Tablet award was set up in
honour of Miss Martha McIntyre and Miss Margaret
Macindoe (both of whom taught Music until 1914) for
pupils who reached the very highest standard in music.
The first winner of the Tablet in 1917 was Margaret Harper
who went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London where she gained great
distinction. During the next ten years another five girls attained the standard. In 1922 Lilias
Cook played a programme of seven pieces entirely from memory. Indeed in later years it
became usual for contestants to perform without the music score.
Even those who were never destined for musical greatness were taught to listen to and enjoy
music by Miss Waugh, something which they carried with them from their time at the school
and which lasted them through their lives. This is a sentiment still promoted at St Columba’s.
An Invitation to the Silver Tablet Concert
The concert celebrates the best of musical talent from the Senior School and performers are
chosen from SVI students who have attained a minimum standard of Associated Board Grade 8.
Following the success of last year’s competition, early indicators suggest that at least four pupils
will participate this year and programmes are already well underway. The event will take place
on Tuesday 9th June, 14:00, at St Columba Church, followed by light refreshments. Former
pupils and friends of St Columba’s are cordially invited to attend.
To confirm your attendance: please email kzhang@st-columbas.org or write to Kirstin Zhang at
St Columba’s School, Duchal Road, Kilmacolm, PA13 4AU
Pupil safety is of prime importance to me and
the School will implement all directives and
advice issued by the SRU.
We hope to include the FP rugby fixture in a
slightly altered form. Please refer to the
School website for details. The hockey
fixture between FPs and the 1st XI will
proceed as planned. I am confident that
despite the changes we will enjoy an exciting
morning and I look forward to seeing plenty
of old faces.
Please note that the annual presentation
evening at which The Chairman of
Governors, Mr David Ward, Mrs Cook and I
report to parents, has been rescheduled for
Wednesday 13th May in the Senior School
hall (6.30 p.m.). This will be followed
immediately by the Parents’ Association
AGM.
To date we have raised nearly £3,000 for St Ignatius School in Letham, Guyana and over
£1,000 for other charities. SV's charity event this year was a Wii Mario and Sonic
100m Challenge organized by Andrew McAlpine and Matthew Murray.
The competition was held over several lunchtimes and raised £100
for St Ignatius School. Nobody managed to better Usain Bolt’s
world record, but Mr Weir, Head of Physics, was very pleased to
beat 10 seconds. The positions were: Mr Weir, Christopher
Marshall(SIV) and Calum Grant (SII). Staff and students indulged
their sweet tooth for a good cause when SIII held a bake sale in
the senior school foyer. £240 was raised for St Vincent’s Hospice.
Eco School
Niamh Allen (SII) on the other hand
was happy to go without in order to
support the World Society for the
Protection of Animals and Yorkhill
Children's Hospital. Nearly eighty
friends attended a disco to celebrate
Niamh's birthday, but instead of
presents they were asked to make a
donation. She was surprised at their generosity,
and delighted to discover she had raised £450.
"The Witching Hour" - Author Event
Kilmacolm is the setting for Elizabeth Laird's novel 'The Witching Hour'. Described as a
thrilling historical adventure which takes place during the seventeenth-century, the story
describes how fourteen-year old Maggie's life changes when her grandmother is accused of
witchcraft. Elizabeth Laird has written more than 150 books and been nominated five times for
the Carnegie Medal. On Wednesday 29 April she will speak to students at St Columba's School
about her new book and the process of writing. We are pleased to announce that she has also
agreed to participate in a second event on the evening of the 29th, which is to be hosted by
the school and will be open to the public. This should prove a wonderful opportunity for
anyone who is interested in learning more about a fascinating period in Scottish history, and to
discover what prompted the author to locate her latest fiction in Kilmacolm. For more details
please visit our website www.st-columbas.org or contact Kirstin Zhang on 01505 873972
An update from Vicky Reilly:
Having achieved the Bronze Eco-Schools award last session, this year we aim to achieve the
Silver Award. An elected Eco-Committee has been established and is working hard towards
producing an Eco-Code for the school, and a number of initiatives are well under way. SII
Geography pupils, who are currently working on climate change, have been asked to submit
their recommendations for how to make the school more environmentally friendly. In addition,
the SII Business Studies group are planning to sell eco-friendly bags to encourage us to reduce
the number of plastic bags we use when shopping.
Recycling has been a major initiative and all
classrooms now have paper recycling bins.
Pupils are responsible for emptying the bins
on a weekly basis. In January we held our first
Eco-Month with the aim of promoting
recycling throughout the school. A large
number of Christmas cards were collected
and recycled with the Woodland Trust. As
well as paper, we have also joined the
Recycool Project which allows us to raise
funds by collecting printer cartridges and
mobile phones for recycling. Please support
this initiative by sending your used cartridges
and old phones into school. The funds we
raise can be used for vital resources and
equipment. In January we donated mobile
phones to The Haven, a drugs rehabilitation
centre for young men, which provides
CHARITY & COMMUNITY NEWS
interesting and thought-provoking speakers
for our SIV Social Education classes.
Pupils have also been learning about the
harmful environmental effects of batteries.
We have collected a number of batteries
which will be disposed of safely at Pottery
Street in Greenock.
Parents are invited to help us meet one of
our targets by logging on to
www.generationgreen.co.uk a schools and
community programme developed by British
Gas. Each family who completes an Energy
Savers Report can contribute towards our
Green Leaf target. Meeting our target will
enable us to acquire further resources and
equipment. Please help us to improve our
environment for future generations.
Accord Hospice Carol Service
The Transitus Choir made their annual
appearance at the Accord Hospice Carol
Service in Paisley Abbey on the last day of term,
18 December. They performed two contrasting
pieces, the lively Taraq Salayma followed by the
softer and more lyrical Welcome Carol. They
were conducted by Mrs Mitchell and
accompanied on the organ by George McPhee,
the Abbey organist. Kenneth Mathie, the Accord
Hospice Fundraising Manager, praised their
beautiful singing and the wonderful effect it had
on the Hospice supporters. The pupils
thoroughly enjoyed the morning and appreciated
the warm welcome
and delightful
comments.
2

Debating
SCHOOL NEWS
Debating continues to flourish. Megan Girdwood and Hannah Reilly have reached the ESU
Schools Mace Final which will take place on 26 March. Fiona Ritchie and Elliot Gemmell
participated in the Edinburgh University Schools Competition, and Rebecca Meredith and
Hannah Reilly qualified for the Oxford Schools Finals.
World Schools Debating Championship Athens 2009
By Megan Girdwood (SV)
In October 2008 I was selected to join the Scottish team to go to the 21st World Schools
Debating Championships (WSDC) in Athens. Having been through this arduous selection
process did help prepare me for the large amounts of reading and writing up of cases that was
required before the trip to Athens, but it was not an easy task juggling this whilst also trying to
study for my Higher prelims. However, the team set off with added confidence following a win
at the Home Nations Tournament in Cardiff the previous month where we beat England
in an intensely patriotic final.
Despite some early
setbacks related to travel delays
(half the team spent a day at
Heathrow, eventually stumbling
into the hotel at two in the
morning), we quickly settled
into the routine of the
tournament. We debated twice
a day; once on a motion we had
prepared and once on an
unseen topic which we were
given an hour in advance. The
endless mental strain proved to
be a challenge, particularly when
we faced strong teams such as
Australia and the competition’s
eventual winners New Zealand, but we
performed well and managed to break
inside the top sixteen. Although we were
finally knocked out in the quarter-finals by the
home nation Greece, in a close debate
concerning lowering the voting age, this did
allow us to relax on the last day of the
competition, indulging in a takeaway pizza and
Bollywood session with the Indian team. The
final was a rematch between the 2008
finalists, England and New Zealand. In the
Washington competition England had secured
victory. However, this year the New Zealand
team was determined to win and after a close
debate they did so,
convincing 6 out of the 7 judges.
Despite the hard work we did have a chance
to enjoy Greek culture during a visit to the
Parthenon and the Octo-finals, which were
held in Delphi, in the mountains. This trip
gave some contestants, who had never seen
snow before the opportunity to engage in
their first snowball fight! Debating was
obviously a crucial part of the experience in
Athens but far more important was the
international dimension of the event, which
allowed us to meet and get to know teams
from thirty nine different countries. It was
particularly impressive that several teams
competing spoke English as a second
or third language yet still managed
to formulate complex arguments
and present them convincingly.
We were encouraged to
socialise in the evenings, and
the convenor of the
competition organised several
dinners and parties. The
WSDC is a unique
competition; national teams
which would normally never
interact let alone debate against
each other have a forum on which to
meet. This promotes international
Tick Tock
Inverclyde School Health 'No Smoking' Competition
Sophie McNair (J6) won a competition organised to encourage people to
stop smoking. Sophie came up with a clever design that used both the
recognised ‘no smoking’ sign and a clock.
Second-Hand Uniform Sale
The Parents Association will be holding a
second-hand uniform sale in the Livingstone
Hall (Junior School) on Friday 27th March.
This will coincide with Mrs
Cooks monthly coffee
afternoon, which
begins at 3pm.
Book Fair
Always a popular event. The Scholastic Book
Fair was set up in the lobby of the Junior
School and enjoyed a busy trade.
Gibb Stuart Eco Bag
Alaina Taylor (J4) was delighted to see her design on the Gibb Stuart eco bag. Gibb Stuart
asked schools in the area to help decorate their new bag. Alaina’s design was one of five
chosen. It features the recycle symbol and a friendly-looking hammer and nail. The bags can
be purchased from Gibb Stuart or from the Junior School reception. They cost £2.49,
and the School will retain the proceeds from their sales to put towards a project
or charity of their choice.
Staff News
Nichola and Richard McKay welcomed a baby
girl, Philippa on 4 February.
Joan and Tony Judd were delighted at the
arrival of baby, Beth, on 11 March.
Mrs Jacqui Marshall has returned to teach
Mathematics in Mrs Judd’s absence.
Mr Ian Forster has been appointed
Development Officer for the SRU. He will
leave St Columba’s at the end of term.
Mr Eric Milligan will be returning to the
School as Teacher of Physical Education after
the Easter break.
Diary Dates
28 Mar Former Pupils v School Hockey and Rugby
Matches - hockey, 9.30, Astroturf
- rugby (please see school website for details)
1 Apr Senior Swimming Gala,
Johnstone Baths, 13.00
Sports Dinner, Senior School, 19.00
2-6 Apr Pipe Band Trip to New York
3 Apr School closes for Easter holiday
20 Apr School reopens
29 Apr Author Event
4 May May Holiday
13 May Chairman, Rector and
Head of Junior School’s
Annual Presentation to Parents,
Senior School, 18.30
Followed by Parents’ Association AGM
5-26 May May Holiday
27 May Staff In-Service
9 Jun Silver Tablet Concert,
St Columba Church, 14.00
10 Jun Senior Sports Championships, Linwood
‘St Columba’s Has Talent’,
Junior School Hall, 19.00
12 Jun Junior School Sports Day, Birkmyre Park
15-19 Jun Senior School Activities Week
22 Jun Contingency date for Junior School
Sports Day
Senior School Golf Championships,
Kilmacolm GC
23 Jun Pipe Band Social Evening –
Beating the Retreat, Junior School, 19.00
24 Jun Junior School Prizegiving,
St Columba Church, 10.30
SVI Leavers’ Evening , Junior School, 19.00
25 Jun Senior School Prizegiving,
St Columba Church, 10.30
3 understanding and cooperation.
4

Robert Burns and Rockn' Roll
SCHOOL NEWS
Good food, song and company. Students, staff and guests enjoyed a convivial evening
celebrating Robert Burns and his work. Most of the traditional speeches employed
some good-natured ribbing of peers and staff alike. On a more measured note was
Fraser Dunlop’s enquiry about the nature of Burns’ appeal. What quirk of fate had
rendered him an ‘untouchable’ – revered despite his many flaws? Why should the
Scottish Nationalist Party feel the need to publicly condemn the historian, Michael
Fry, when he described Burns as “a drunken
misognynistic, racist philanderer”? Well
researched and well delivered, it concluded
that Burns was the 18th century equivalent
of a rock star, no less a cultural icon than
Warhol or Cobain – a brilliant talent who
rose from obscure beginnings, shone brightly,
burned out, and died young.
Thank you to the student servers and to Pauline Drummond and
her team in the kitchen for providing
us with an excellent supper.
Prefects’ Motivational Weekend
by Claire McGregor(VI)
On Saturday 10th January the SVI pupils travelled from Kilmacolm to the
Winnock Hotel in Drymen. Mrs Reilly was noticeably impressed by how
little luggage the girls had brought with them.
At the first session Mr Neil Johnstone
spoke to us about CHANGE.
We were then split into teams
and sent on a treasure hunt
to find 10 objects, including
a pin, aftershave and a
petite four! Later we gave
group presentations about
how change is affecting our
lives and will continue to do so.
Our group included some of the
comedians in our year, so this was an opportunity to shine;
our presentations ranged from trying to find the exit of a foreign
Ikea or to the surprise appearance of the legendary Ron Burgundy.
The hilarity continued into the evening as we enjoyed a murder
mystery dinner which will remain one of our fondest memories
of 6th year for many years to come.
Sunday began well, with most of 6th year managing to wake up
in time for breakfast. Over the course of the morning we had
the opportunity to listen to various motivational speeches by a
panel of people with connections to the school. These talks gave
us a chance to think about our future in a different light.
We learned that we will need to adapt to constant changes.
Achieving your long term goal by the time you are 23 years old,
keeping great contacts and not having the fear to go it alone were
just a few of the great things to expect from later life. The day
ended with a light lunch and informal chat with the panel.
Our weekend in Drymen was definitely both enjoyable and insightful.
Amendment - Scots Poetry Award
In Issue 23 of The Columban we reported on the winner of the
Herald’s McCash Poetry Competition. It was in fact Saskia
Robinson in Transitus who won first prize. Our apologies for
any confusion.
Honours Awards January 2009
Before making the presentations at Assembly on 12 January the Rector reminded us of the
rigorous selection process that is undertaken by the Honours Committee. It is pleasing to see
so many young people attaining such high standards in their extracurricular activities.
Hockey
Junior Colours
SIV Kirsty Rarity
Senior Half Colours
SVI Lorna Barclay
SVI Emma Leighton
SVI Emily Jayne Russell
SVI Lucia Wylie
Rugby
Junior Colours
SIV Jamie McDonald
Senior Half Colours with Dates
SV Sean McAlindon Re-Award
SV Christopher Rhodes Re-Award
SV Craig Steel
SVI David Conn Re-Award
SVI Christopher Johnstone Re-Award
SVI Michael Kent
SVI Fraser McDonald Re-Award
SVI Kyle Nish Re-Award
Senior Colours with Dates
SV Jamie Binning
SV Jamie Yacoubian
SVI Stewart Gray
Tennis
Junior Colours
SI Steven Leighton
Debating
Junior Colours
SII Maxine Muirhead
SII Megan Reilly
Music
Junior Half Colours
SII Niamh Allen
SII Karina Bailey
SII Fiona Bell
SII Fiona Faint
SII Rachael Ferrier
SII Emma Findlay
SII Kirsten Findlay
SII Hilary Harrison-Milan
SII Dakota Hlaing
SII Jessica Lee
SII Amy MacIntyre
SII Megan Reilly
SII Duncan Stewart
SII Sophie Stuart-Menteth
SII Laura Watson
SII Emily Weir
SII Edward Stirrup
SIII Clare Eagle
Senior Half Colours
SV Iain Boyd
SV Sarah Coyne
SV Jennifer Hoad
SV Lewis Millar
SV Stephanie McCabe
SVI Rachel Cannon
SVI Fraser Dunlop
SVI Laura Dunn
SVI Paul Haig
SVI Carolyn Lang
SVI Emma Leighton
SVI Becky Marshall
SVI Gillian MacDonald
SVI Jessica Weir
SVI Lindsay Wright
Senior Colours
SVI Scott Dickson
SVI Flora La Thangue
SVI Cicily Patterson
SVI Kirsty Wilson
Silver Honours Award
SI Steven Leighton No 3 in Scotland,
No 36 in Britain Tennis
SII Jessica Lee Scottish Junior Cross
Country Championships
Showjumping Re-award
SIII Rachel McCabe Scottish Schools
High Jump
SIII Stuart MacQueen Scottish U-16
Chess Team
SV Rebecca Meredith Debating
International Re-award
SV Hannah Reilly Debating
International Re-award
Gold Honours Award
SV Megan Girdwood Scottish Schools
Debating Team Selection
SVI Kirsty Wilson Selection U-18
Scottish Hockey Team Re-award
SVI Becky Marshall Selection U-18
Scottish Hockey Team
Duke of Edinburgh
Alec Cumming (Assistant Director of the
Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scotland)
presented a number of pupils with awards at
Assembly on Monday 8th December 2008.
Bronze Award Silver Award
Alex Baum Jennifer Hoad
Sarah Findlay James Mitchell
Rebecca Grant Louise Paterson
Peter Hargreaves Peter Wren
David Johnstone
Hal La Thangue
Mercedes McKay-Turner
Calum Mair
John Miller
Cicily Patterson
Kirsty Rarity
Douglas Turner
5 6

Music
AROUND THE DEPARTMENTS
The girls take individual tuition from vocal coach Mrs Betty
Kidd, who visits the school three times a week. They are
also members of the School Junior Choir led by the
Director of Music, Ms Yvonne Carey. Singing to impress is
not new to the girls, several of whom enjoyed recent
success at the 84th Inverclyde Music Festival – Rebecca
Ronney won the Janet C Munday Trophy for Scots Song,
while Melissa Meighan took three cups, including the
Andrew B Cockle Trophy and Medal for the winner of a
competition among outstanding performers.
Seven to Sing with NYCoS Choirs
Seven pupils from St Columba’s School have successfully
auditioned for the NYCoS National Girls Choir and
for the National Boys Choir. The six girls,
Caitlin Findlay, Rebecca Ronney,
Melissa Meighan, Fiona Ritchie, Sally
Bishop, Jennifer Faint and one boy,
Luca Hlaing, are all in Senior III.
Unlike the girls, Luca Hlaing has never received any formal
singing tuition. He is particularly excited about the opportunity
to work one-on-one with a professional coach and get their
perspective on his voice. In April all seven students will undertake an
intensive six-day residential course, followed by a number of high profile
engagements. Past repertoire has included works by Hatfield, Brahms and
Britten. Last year the National Boys Choir performed the world premiere of
Seven Planets and a Cosmic Rock, by Tom Cunningham, a cantata that was
specially commissioned for them. This year the Girls Choir will perform a new piece
by Tim Sutton, who recently worked on The Bacchae with the National Theatre of Scotland.
Ms Carey is confident her students will shine. “Yes, it’s a challenging repertoire, but they are
hard workers and they will give their best.”
The Boys Choir will perform at Perth Concert Hall on Friday 10 April and at Coats Memorial
Church, Paisley on Sunday 10 May. They will then embark on a short tour to Falkirk and
Edinburgh on 16 and 17 May respectively.
The girls will attend the Aberdeen International Youth Festival in April and end on a high note
with a performance at the BBC Proms in the Park, Glasgow in September.
Trinity Guildhall
Congratulations to Scott Dickson (SVI) who passed Grade 8 Piano with Merit at the recent
Trinity Guildhall Examinations.
Name Instrument Level Class
Thomas Rainey Piano Initial Distinction
Joe Yacoubain Piano Initial Distinction
Jennifer Buchanan Piano Initial Distinction
Jessica Curry Piano Initial Distinction
Alexander Schellekens Piano Initial Merit
Caoimhe Cutherbertson Piano Initial Merit
No Pipe Dream
In April the School Pipe Band will attend
Tartan Week in New York to play in
Pipefest 2009. As part of their fundraising
activities they organised two highly
successful evenings of music and
dance. Pupils from Junior 5 to Senior
SVI performed a varied and exciting
programme. They were joined by
some fabulous guests, including The
Tara Dancers and King Arthur’s Men.
Our piping instructor, World
Champion Pipe Major Gordon Walker,
did a splendid job as compère on both
evenings. Guests clearly enjoyed the
concert and there was plenty of audience
participation.
Thank you to guests for supporting the
concert and to everyone who helped in the
organisation.
Associated Board
Name Instrument Level Class
Rebecca Anderson Flute 03 Merit
Saskia Cooper Violin 02 Pass
Julia Cunning Clarinet 01 Distinction
Kirsty Harper Clarinet 02 Distinction
Rhona McPhail Flute 01 Merit
Lauren Morrison Flute 03 Pass
Fraser Quinn Clarinet 02 Distinction
Tom Thickpenny Saxophone 01 Merit
Mercedes McKay-Turner Theory 05 Merit
7 8

The 84th Inverclyde Music Festival
Once again students from St Columba’s have brought a little musical magic
to the festival. The Junior Choir won their competition and high praise
from the adjudicator for ‘a lovely programme performed by a first class
choir’. They were awarded the Linda Conn Trophy for the second
year in a row.
The J2, 3 and 4 Choir were third in their class, and the J5/6
Choir took second in the Scot’s Song class.
Although their performances of ‘The Lamb’ by John
Taverner and ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That
Swing’ were widely admired by the audience, the Senior
Ensemble narrowly missed out to Garnock Academy.
The two schools were again engaged in close
competition when the St Columba’s Jazz Band was
awarded the outstanding mark of 90 only to be pipped
at the post by Garnock with 91.
Pipers from the school also enjoyed success during the
two-week event. The adjudicator, Pipe Major of the
Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, Jim Wark, described the
standard as extremely high, and our own Pipe Major,
Gordon Walker, said that the results boded well for the
future success of piping at St Columba's School.
Congratulations to everyone involved.
An Evening of Music
The evening was a chance to celebrate the
recent success of pupils at the Inverclyde
Music Festival and NYCoS auditions, as well
as to give the Senior Choir an opportunity to
perform before an audience; the choir had
not been able to attend the Festival due to a
clash with Prelims. The programme ranged
from ‘Spider Pig’ to ‘Prelude in C Sharp
Minor’, included Piano Solos and Piping Trios.
Special praise must go to Head Boy and Girl,
Christopher Johnstone and Kirsty Wilson,
who managed to juggle their role as hosts
with a few star turns of their own. We are
delighted to add that the event raised over
£500 for the St Ignatius School in Guyana.
Thank you to everyone who attended and
contributed so generously.
Major Award - Overall Trophies
AJ Gourlay Trophy
Scott Dickson
Andrew B Cockle Trophy And Medal
Melissa Meighan
Vocal Classes – Solo and Duet
Gender/Age Group Place Name Place Name
B7 1st Findlay Halliday
G7 2nd Annabel McCusker
G8 1st Emily Capell 2nd Nicola Lambert
B9 1st Alexander Schellekens 2nd Gavin Findlay
G10 1st Alice Donaldson 2nd Olivia Gemmell
BScots11 1st Archie Morris
G15 1st Melissa Meighan 2nd Caitlin Findlay
G18 1st Emma Leighton
GScots15 1st Rebecca Ronney 2nd Fiona Ritchie
GBurns15 1st Melissa Meighan 2nd Fiona Ritchie
GScots18 1st Emma Leighton
Shows15 1st Sally Bishop 2nd Fiona Ritchie
Shows15B 1st Caitlin Findlay 2nd Melissa Meighan
Duet13 1st Lucy Bishop/
Caitlin Girdwood
Duet15 1st Fiona Ritchie/ 2nd Caitlin Findlay/
Melissa Meighan Sally Bishop
Duet18 1st Gillian MacDonald/ 2nd Emma Leighton/
Cicily Patterson Jessica Weir
Instrumental Classes
Class Type/Age Group Place Name
Recital Class Senior 1st Scott Dickson
Piano18 1st Scott Dickson
Electric Guitar18 1st Fraser Dunlop
Violin Solo18 1st William Hesselmann
Woodwind13 1st Kirsty Harper
2nd Equal Fiona Faint/Karina Bailey
Woodwind11 1st Julia Cunning
Piano11 2nd Alice Donaldson
Piano Leisure Play 1st Claire Eagle
Piano Play with Teacher 1st Joe Yacoubian
2nd Alice Graham
Parent and Child 1st Gregor Keir
Instrumental Duet18 1st Mercedes McKay-Turner/Jennifer Hoad
Piano 15 1st Rebecca Anerson
Piano Duet 1st Zoe Borland/Jennifer Buchanan
Piano 2nd Zoe Borland
Piano 2nd Georgia Taylor
Piano Trio 2nd Iona Grant/Lucy Grant/Katia Guyler
14years & under Runner-up Sandy Ritchie
Strathspey & Reel14 Runner-up Sandy Ritchie
16years & under 1st Hugh Gillies
Strathspey & Reel16 Runner-up Hugh Gillies
Jig Runner-up Hugh Gillies
Trio18 Runners-up Graeme Mann, Jamie McDonald, Blair Williamson
Trio18 1st Iain Findlay, Kyle Nish, Hugh Gillies
9 10

English
AROUND THE DEPARTMENTS
Spreading the Word
Faculty Week is a chance for one department to showcase their work to the rest of the
School. In December the English Department organised a number of activities, including
writing competitions, debates, quizzes and recitals. There were also visits from authors Alex
Gray, Christopher Brookmyre and Liz Lochhead and journalist Joan McAlpine.
Science versus Classics
The debate over whether Science and Technology is more beneficial to today’s society than the
literature and mythology of Classical Studies was definitely one of the highlights of English
Faculty Week.
Accompanying Dr Spencer and Mrs Carey in this
impromptu debate were Megan Girdwood and Rebecca
Meredith. Two of the school’s top (and slightly more
experienced) debaters, they added to the passionate
and intellectual arguments put forward by both
teachers. Despite the persuasive and
interesting points made by ‘Team Classics’, ultimately Science
prevailed, confirmed by an informal vote (a.k.a. the loudest
cheer won).
The Power of Nature Writing Competition
A writing competition was held on the theme of “The Power of Nature”. Pupils
submitted poetry, prose or drama in three age groups, SI/SII, SIII/SIV and SV/SVI.
Commended in each group were -
SI/SII Caitlin Girdwood, Dakota Hlaing and Harry Lang
SIII/SIV Jerome Bailey, Keira Bowden, Elliot Gemmell, Christopher Leiberman and
Christopher Marshall
SV/SVI Iain Boyd, Tessa Robins and Jennifer Smith
You can read the winning entries on our new website www.st-columbas.org
Ancient & Modern Languages
Advanced Higher Paris Trip
By Flora La Thangue and Amy McCulloch
In early February the Advanced Higher French class (Flora and Amy) visited the French
capital accompanied by Mrs Kennedy and Mrs Holt. Although they only had time for a
whirl wind tour of the city, highlights included visits to Montmartre, Notre Dame and, of
course, the Eiffel Tower at night. They revelled in the delights of French culture during a
visit to the Musée d’Orsay and enjoyed Parisian cuisine.
Throughout the trip they were immersed in the French
language from asking for train and metro tickets to
conversing with the locals. The experience will be
invaluable when they come to sit their SQA
speaking examination. Despite some narrow
escapes on the metro everyone had an
excellent time!
SALT Poster Competition
Clare Eagle & Beth Fraser, SIII,
won second prize in the
Scottish Association for
Language Teaching Poster
Competition 2008. Pupils
were asked to design a
poster or leaflet with
illustrations and text showing
why “languages are fun!”
Literary Quiz
The winner of the staff quiz was Patricia Nicoll
with Helen Beall coming second, after their
entries were drawn out of a hat. The S1 & S2
Competition was won by Madeline Stowe,
Hilary Harrison-Milan and Niamh Moran.
Maths
UK Senior Mathematical Challenge
Congratulations to the following pupils who
took part in the Senior Level of the United
Kingdom Maths Trust Competition.
Joshua Rogers Gold Certificate
Best in School
Catherine Daly Gold Certificate
Elissa McKay Gold Certificate
Katie Stirrup Silver Certificate
Sophie Cahn Silver Certificate
Stuart Nicol Silver Certificate
Megan Girdwood Bronze Certificate
Kelly Provan Bronze Certificate
David Leiberman Bronze Certificate
Beverley Macpherson Bronze Certificate
Emma MacRitchie Bronze Certificate
Hannah Simpson Bronze Certificate
Joshua Rodgers went forward to the
next round, the Maths Olympiad.
Geography
Ardentinny 5-7th Dec
Rebecca Anderson & Luca Hlaing report on the SIII field trip.
Eighteen geography students accompanied by the brave Miss Elkin and Mrs McCaffer left school late Friday afternoon and ventured over the
water to Ardentinny. Throughout the weekend the adventurous group waded through rivers in minus
temperatures and attempted to build snowmen with frozen snow. Although the cold got to
everyone, a great deal was learnt, including how to read weather charts, the
characteristics of rivers and...not to hound people with questionnaires. Vital life
lessons were also learnt, including don’t buy wellies that leak, that it is rather dark
on a night hike and some people fall over for no accountable reason.
The weekend was enjoyed by all
despite the bumps, bruises
and wet clothes.
Report on Kindrogan 30 Jan – 2 Feb
By David Johnstone SIV
We arrived at the Kindrogan Field Centre on the Friday evening where we were
greeted by our somewhat eccentric teacher for the weekend, Duncan. After dinner we
had our first lesson during which
Duncan introduced us to the
programme for the following
days, as well as to the
techniques and skills we would
be using.
On the Saturday we had a quick
lesson in studying rivers before we
set out - to study some rivers! A pleasant walk along a path through snow and ice took us to
our first location at the river. We measured the width, depth, velocity and bedload of the river
which involved getting very cold and there were a few arguments about who would have to put
their hands in the freezing water. This was repeated at two other locations and when we
arrived back at the centre, with numb fingers and toes, we had a lesson to collate our data. We
used this information to construct a cross section of the river. We were then happy to crawl
into our warm beds to get a good night sleep in preparation for the next day.
On Sunday morning we set out to climb Kindrogan Hill, armed with a variety of weather
measuring devices. At various points on the way up we measured the wind speed, temperature,
sunlight and humidity. When we emerged from the forest near the summit we were pleasantly
surprised by a beautiful sight – a landscape covered in a foot of snow. We drew a field sketch of
the glacial features, such as corries and truncated spurs, which could be seen from the summit.
Home Economics
On Monday we packed up our things and
went to Pitlochry to conduct a survey on
tourism. We had prepared a '5-question'
questionnaire to show how tourism affected
the area. Before leaving we enjoyed an
excellent hot chocolate in the ‘chocolate café’,
which was very much welcome in the cold
weather. We then paid a quick visit to a hydro
electric power plant which also contained a
fish ladder for the salmon to swim upstream
in the spring. We got on the bus home, tired
and hungry. We were sad to leave but happy
to be on the way home to a warmer climate.
Transitus Students Cook up a Feast for Year of the Ox
Food is an important part of the Chinese New Year and many items are included to
allude to wealth, health and happiness. For example, the Cantonese word for
tangerines sounds like ’gold’ so these are commonly eaten during the holiday
period. Transitus students celebrated the festival, which began on January 26, by
creating a mouth-watering Chinese meal. Amongst the dishes prepared and
enjoyed were Sweet Plum Beef Stir-fry with Firecracker Rice, Vegetable Spring Rolls,
Egg Fried Rice and Crescent Moons. We wish everyone a happy and prosperous
New Year. Xin Nian Kuai Le!
11 12

Badminton
Hockey
SPORT
Renfrewshire Area Schools Badminton Championships
The Renfrewshire Area Schools’ Badminton Championships were played on Tuesday 20th
January at the Lagoon Centre, Paisley. There were over 150 entries in 3 age groups.
St Columba's had 7 pupils in the competition. Christopher Marshall reached the 1/4 finals of
the Intermediate Singles. Christopher and Hal Le Thangue finished in 3rd place in the
Intermediate Boys’ Doubles.
Each event was played in a round robin format, leading to a knock-out. All players finished well
in their respective groups. This was the first time the event had been played for a few years
and we are delighted with such promising results.
Hannah Simpson is playing with the Scottish
U-16 training squad, while Kirsty Wilson and
Becky Marshall are members of the Scottish
U-18 training squad.
End of Term Transitus
Hockey Tournament
Transitus girls took part in
this festive tournament.
The Christmas Trees won!
Cross Country
Scottish Cross Country Club Championships
Kirsty Harper (SI) came 7th in the U-13 group at Holyrood in Edinburgh on 10th January.
Senior School Cross Country Championships -
December 2008 Results
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Sadly, neither!
Still the chicken was probably thankful for the extra
padding as dozens of students (some in fancy dress)
braved the chill to take part in what is popularly
known as the ‘Christmas Canter’.
Senior Girls Senior Boys
1st Emma Leighton Andrew McAlpine
2nd Stephanie McCabe Calum McLeod
3rd Rebecca Cameron David Shields
Athletics
SIII Girls SIII Boys
1st Katie McAlpine Ker Malcolm
2nd Jenny Pirrie Stuart Wright
3rd Rachael McCabe Christopher Leiberman
SII Girls SII Boys
1st Dakota Hlaing Ian Gillies
2nd Fiona Bell Sammy Rose
3rd Sophie Stuart-Menteth Euan Hunter
SI Girls SI Boys
1st Kirsty Harper Greg Cunning
2nd Morven MacEwen Steven Leighton
3rd Chloe Finnie Jack McAlpine
Scottish Schools’ Indoor Athletics
Championships
Five students took part at Kelvinhall on 5th
February. Callum McLeod (SIV) ran in the
U-16 800m, and Andrew McAlpine (SV) in the
over-16 15,000m. Kirsty Harper (SI) and Katy
McAlpine (SIII) ran in the U-16 15,000m, and
Rachael McCabe participated in the U-16
Girls’ High Jump. All five students acquitted
themselves well, with results nearing their
personal best.
Transitus Cross Country Championships - December 2008 Results
Transitus Girls Transitus Boys
1st Chloe Hardie Tom Thickpenny
2nd Saskia Cooper Patrick Skirving
3rd Louise Colville Ross McDonnell
Swimming
Jack McCusker (SIII), Laura Atkinson and
Chloe Hardy (Transitus) participated in the
Scottish Schools’ Swimming Championships
at Tolcross on 31 January. All achieved
respectable times. Laura and Chloe were first
reserve for the Junior Girls’ Final Relay.
Rugby
Jamie Binning and Stewart Gray are playing at
U-18 District level. Sean McAlindon has
recently joined the U-17 Glasgow team.
SRU U-15 Plate
St Columba’s U-15s played against Dunblane
High School on 14 January, losing in the 2nd
round of the Plate.
Netball
A report from Miss Beggs
The St Columba’s Transitus netball team competed in the
Inverclyde Netball Tournament on Wednesday 11th February.
The team members are Hayley Skimming(GS), Jazz Catto (GA),
Meera Patel (WA), Laura Atkinson (C), Karen Finnie (WD), Ellie
Halliday (GD) and Megan Connolly (GK). They drew against one of the
teams and successfully won each of the six other games played that afternoon.
The result secured them a place in the semi-final against St Mary’s Primary School.
St Columba’s subsequently won 2-0 with Hayley scoring both goals. The girls then played
St Michael’s Primary School in the final and won 1-0, with Hayley scoring the winning goal.
This was their first netball competition and the girls were delighted with the result.They have
worked extremely hard at weekly netball practice and have improved considerably over the last
year. The girls cooperated and worked together extremely well as a team, which undoubtedly
contributed to their success at this tournament.
Junior Swimming Gala
A highlight of the sporting year, the annual Junior Swimming Gala took place on Monday 9
February at the Johnstone swimming pool. Congratulations to the following students:
Butterfly
Girls’ Butterfly Cup – Olivia Gemmell (J6)
Boys’ Butterfly Cup – Campbell Gibson (J6)
Girls’ Championship
Gold – Eilidh Love (J5)
Silver – Sarah Bradford (J6)
Bronze – Iona Miller (J5)
Boys’ Championship
Gold – Garth Finch (J6)
Silver – Josh Henry (J5)
Bronze – Jonathan Bradford (J4)
Inter House Championship
This was won by Craigmarloch.
The Junior 6 netball team also took part in
the Inverclyde Netball Tournament and
played three friendly games, which gave them
a taste of competing in preparation for next
year. They drew one of their games and won
the remaining two. The girls thoroughly
enjoyed the whole experience and were a
fantastic support to the Transitus team
throughout the tournament.
I would like to especially thank Mandy
Connolly who runs the netball club with me
every Friday afternoon. I am extremely
grateful for all her support and expertise,
which has greatly contributed to the success
of the team. I would like to say a huge well
done to all the other Junior 6 and Transitus
girls who attend netball club. They have also
worked extremely hard to improve their
netball skills. We are hoping to arrange some
friendly games against local schools.
13 14

JUNIOR SCHOOL
Our Local Area
J1 has been learning about Our Local Area.
They had great fun building a den in the
classroom, playing cops and
robbers and enjoying the
Bee Bots.
Visit to Garnethill Synagogue
J3 travelled to Glasgow to visit the Garnethill Synagogue.
The pupils have been learning about the Jewish religion
and it was a chance to see at first hand some of the
items they’ve discussed. The boys even donned skull
caps for the visit. The pupils clearly enjoyed the
experience, asking plenty of informed questions.
Do you know a Diplodocus from a Plesiosaur?
Or an Allosaurus from a Triceratops? Pupils in J2 do! The class followed up their
study of dinosaurs with a trip to the Hunterian Museum. They have been
learning about the dinosaurs which existed during the Triassic,
Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. During their trip they had a
chance to examine closely some unusual objects, including a
fossilised T-Rex claw and a piece of dinosaur dung.
Katie Morag Comes to Prep
An Exotic Topic!
J4 brought in exotic fruits as part of their healthy eating topic.
Parents also had a chance to sample something tasty at the
Healthy Eating Cafe where they enjoyed first class service from
the student waiters.
Appreciating the Bard, Robert Burns
What a Load of Rubbish!
On March 2nd, Pupils from Prep to Junior 6
enjoyed a performance by Hopscotch Theatre
Company. What a Load of Rubbish! was a
very funny play with a very serious message
about recycling. All of the children came
away with the mantra Reduce,
Reuse and Recycle.
J6 recently enjoyed the full Burns experience.
Following a trip to the poet’s birthplace in Alloway,
they sat down to a supper of haggis, champit tatties
and bashed neeps. All the traditional formalities
were observed, including an impassioned Address to
the Haggis.
15 16

FORMER PUPILS
Annual Hockey and Rugby Matches
As the Rector notes in his Message (p1) these matches have become a highlight of the of the
season. However, due to a review by the SRU into player safety, the rugby fixture will now take
place in a slightly altered format. Two teams of ten drawn from the School will play against one
another, followed by a match between two teams of ten former pupils. Despite the changes, it
should be a highly enjoyable morning. Do come along and support the
players!
9.30 Hockey at Astroturf
10.30 School Rugby Teams at Birkmyre Park
11.20 FP Teams at Birkmyre Park
12.15 Refreshments in Livingstone Hall, Junior School
Reunions
Class of 1964
The former pupils were in gregarious mood when they met for lunch at Amaretto, Bridge of
Weir, on Saturday 7th March for their annual get together. This year seven out of twelve were
present to catch up on a year’s news: Patricia Telfer, Alisoun Fairbairn (Fullerton), Shirly Ogg
(Jack), Judy Adams (McGill), Carolyn Murray (Mackie), Lindsay Cowie (Bisset) and Dorothy
Motherwell (Carpenter). The main topic of conversation was the news of Diana Ormonde
(Hay) who has gone to Russia to teach English in a school in Moscow where she has been
asked to support Early Years.
Class of 1979-80
Several FPs are keen to arrange a 30-year
reunion in 2009 for the fifth years who left in
1979 as well as the year group who stayed on
for sixth form and left in 1980. The details
are still being discussed, however if you are
interested in attending please contact
maggie.ayre@bbc.co.uk or Pauline Davidson
Pauline.Davidson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
They plan to get together in the Glasgow area
sometime towards the end of Summer 2009.
Website
If you haven’t yet discovered the new revamped website, please visit it at
www.st-columbas.org
The Former Pupils section now has sub categories:
Contacts
Events & Reunions
Update Your Details
How to Join
Publications
Class of 1989
The 20-year reunion is still in the
planning stage and Jen Marshall (Brown),
who lives in Holland, would welcome
any help from FPs in the UK. If anyone
is interested, then please get in
contact - j.marshall@planet.nl
Additional pages can be added as former pupil involvement develops and the Update
Your Details online form should hopefully make it easier for you to stay in touch.
You can, of course, also contact us by: email fps@st-columbas.org or writing to the FPs’
Association at the Senior School address on the back cover.
Anything Else?
We would love to hear about any other
events you would like to see, either held at
the School or wherever you are across the
country. Please feel free to contact your local
area representative or a committee member.
Where Are They Now?
Erika Lucas, 1997
Erika Lucas married Jack Letson in Dunkeld
Cathedral on 5th September 2008. Erika left
school in 1997 and has since graduated from
Edinburgh University as a doctor and now
works as a GP in Glasgow. Wedding guests
included former pupils Claire Brown, Kenny
Morrice, Boyd Gawish, Georgina McMaster,
Andrew and John Lyons and bridesmaid
Kerry Morrice (Lyons).
Mark Paterson, 2006
I am now a student at Edinburgh University currently studying for a Masters in
Business Studies and Accountancy. I have been playing ice hockey for 14
years and during that time my hard work and effort has allowed me to
represent Scotland for 8 years, serving 2 seasons as team captain for
my age group. I spent my final year of school in North America
studying and playing at the National Sports Academy in New
York State and currently, alongside full time study, I play for
Scotland's only full-time professional team, Edinburgh
Capitals, in Britain's ELITE league and represent Edinburgh
University in the British Universities Ice Hockey
Association League.
Following a rigorous series of trials I have been selected
to join a 20-man ice hockey team to represent Great
Britain at the World University Games (Universade) in
Harbin, China in February 2009. Students from all over
the world will be taking part in a sporting event which is
second only to the Winter Olympics in terms of size and
quality of competition.
The majority of the team consists of English athletes who
are eligible for the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme
(TAAS), which may well cover the entirety of their expenses.
As I’m a Scottish student at Edinburgh University this avenue of
funding is unavailable to me.
Ann McKeown, 1951
Ann McKeown (Ewing) died on 12 December 2008 in Wimborne, Dorset. Ann was the
daughter of Freda Ewing (Williamson) and the sister of Eleanor Bennett (Ewing), also
former pupils. Ann was at St Columba’s as a pupil from 1945 until 1951. She later
returned and was matron at the Boarding House.
Steven Lucas, 2001
Having left school in 2001 I went to study
Pharmacology at Edinburgh University. After
two years I decided that the course was not for
me and looked towards a career in sales and
marketing. I managed to secure a position with
Slater Hogg & Howison Estate Agents, where I
worked as a valuer for five years in and around
Glasgow and Renfrewshire. Two years ago I was offered a
position as an Associate Partner in Corum Estate Agents where I am currently working
between the Paisley and Bridge of Weir offices. I still regularly keep in touch with a number of
former pupils, including Calum Brown, Jamie MacNab, Andy and John Lyons, Johny Kelly, Kenny
Morrice and Boyd Gawish.
The photo is from a recent charity ball in Glasgow - former pupils from left to right include
Kenny Morrice, PJ Eadie, (Ross Lang not an FP), (Conor Malone not an FP), Ross Miller, Steven
Lucas, John Lyons and Jamie MacNab.
17 18

Rector: David G Girdwood BSc MEd SQH
Head of Junior School: Davida L Cook DCE ITQ DipAdPrSt DipEdMan
www.st-columbas.org
Charitable Status No: Ed Cr 35129 / SCO 12598
Senior School
Duchal Road Kilmacolm PA13 4AU
T: 01505 872238
F: 01505 873995
E: secretary@st-columbas.org
Junior School
Knockbuckle Road Kilmacolm PA13 4EQ
T: 01505 872768
F: 01505 874642
E: juniorsecretary@st-columbas.org