Naomh Pol News Issue 2

NAOMH PÓL NEWS
ISSUE 2

INTRODUCTION
Mr Burns
Dia dhaoibh a chairde!
It is a great privilege for me to introduce our second student e-magazine. I want
to thank all of you for how you have performed during this strangest of years and
hope that we will be back to normal soon. I really feel for our Year 14 pupils who
won’t get the chance to wear the school jersey again, or get onto one of our
International projects and of course, you missed the school formal! These are important events in
the final year of a student and I hope it won’t impact too much on you that we have had to cancel
them.
Once again, we have an excellent magazine for you and I want to sincerely thank all of those whose
work and effort have made it happen for our school. Our students continue to excel and make us
proud of them. I listened to Eamon Lynch recently talk about Tiger Woods’s car accident. Eamon is
a renowned golf commentator and journalist in the US now and a past pupil of St Paul’s. And of
course, Aimee and Blaithín getting their Allstars was a real high point for our entire county, but also
for their club and the Mackin family. Our school has produced two Players of the Year now in Aimee
and Steven McDonnell and we are proud, not only of them but of all our students, for their
wonderful achievements. I also want to congratulate Aidan Sands whose short story over lockdown
made it into a published book.
As I write this piece, we are back in school with some of our students and it feels much better. They
say that Education is what remains when we have forgotten everything we learnt in school, but
having a school building to go to, having desks and corridors, a canteen, a study, a library and a
playing field, laboratories and practical workshops are all part of what makes a school special. All of
these things make learning easier and more straightforward and most important of all – the absence
of the school buildings makes us realise just how significant a role it plays in our lives because it is
the social hub which brings us all together as a community, a family, a society. Tá súil again go léir
go mbeidh muid in ann theacht le chéile arís mar chomhphobal arís.
Mrs Hollywood
Naomh Pól Abú!
Welcome to the Second Edition of Naomh Pól News!
I’m delighted to be part of this project and at a time filled with remote
teaching and home schooling- it was a welcome distraction! As we find
ourselves in the midst of another lockdown, St Paul’s High School is still a
hive of activity. It never ceases to amaze me how adaptable and
accommodating our students are. This edition will showcase some of the
things our students have got up to during this time. Our Year 13 students
have done great work in putting this e-magazine together during this period of lockdown. Thanks to
everyone who has contributed to this edition. We also owe a debt of gratitude to our wonderful
study supervisor Georgina Larkin, who brought it all together.
When this edition is released, our Year 12,13 & 14 pupils will have returned to school! It’s wonderful
to see our students roaming the halls again.
I hope you enjoy reading our 2 nd edition!

Meet the Year 8 Student Mentors!
Hi everyone, my name is Ellen Kissward. I am currently studying Religion,
Business Studies and Health and Social Care. I am really enjoying my time
as a mentor and I have loved getting to know my Year 8 form class. I
would advise the Year 8s to always try your best. I think if you always try
your best and give 100% in your school work and extracurricular
activities, it will be rewarding in the end- in terms of achievement and
memories. As well as that, I would say always try to have fun and be kind!
Hi, my name is Sophia Sloan and I am the Year 8 mentor for 8/23. I am
currently studying English Literature, History and Biology at AS evel. I love
being a mentor because it’s really nice to see the future students of our
school, how their different personalities shine through and the affect it
has on the dynamic of the class. I would advise the Year 8s that even
though it’s tough for everyone right now: you can’t see your friends, your
grandparents and you can’t have that holiday abroad just yet, remember
that you’re still young. The end is in sight, and you can have all the hugs, the special dinners
made by your grandmother and the football games and chats with your best mates you’ve
dreamed about this past year very soon. And most importantly, remember that the people
in your house right now that you get to see every day: your pets, siblings and parents are
still there for you and you should make sure you appreciate them. Go show them some love.
Hello, my name is Tanisha Thompson and I’m a Year 8 mentor. I’m
currently studying History, Religion and Sociology- all subjects I truly
enjoy. Being a mentor has made me realise the impact that we, as post 16
pupils, can have on the younger students; they idolise us and I’m grateful
to be a role model for my class. The enjoyment of seeing them flourish
throughout the school year has been both rewarding and heart-warming.

Hi everyone! My name is Shane Malone and I am the Year 8 mentor for
8/62. I am currently studying Health and Social Care, Business Studies and
Digital Technology. I have really enjoyed my time so far as a Year 8 mentor
and I am looking forward to the next few months we have together. My
favourite part has been seeing the Year 8s on their first day versus now!
Everyone has really settled into their new environment. My one piece of
advice I would give to the Year 8s is to always be yourself and to not let what
others think of you get you down! Although it is easier said than done, I strongly believe that
if you be yourself and believe in yourself, you will enjoy every minute of the next 7 years!
My name is Ciaran Conachy and I’m one of the Year 8 mentors this year.
I’m currently studying Maths, Spanish and Chemistry. The thing I like the
most about being a mentor is just having the craic with my class and
seeing what’s happening with them each week. A bit of advice I’d give the
Year 8s is just to enjoy themselves as much as possible and take advantage
of all the opportunities that they have in school.
Hi, my name is Shane O’Keefe. I am a year 13 student mentor at St Paul’s.
I am currently studying A-Levels in Music, Maths and Digital Technology.
Being a mentor is a great honour to me as I love helping other people,
especially when I have been in their shoes and can use my own
experiences as a guide to help younger students transition into our
school. One thing I have learned throughout my years at St Paul’s is that it
is extremely important to be productive in your life. Productivity to me, is
driven through a positive mental outlook. It is very important to have a clear mind and a
driving force towards a goal. It’s surprising how much a simple walk and a breath of fresh air
can do when your lacking in motivation.
Hi everyone, my name is Cara Hoey and I am the Year 8 mentor for the class
08/62, along with Shane Malone. For A-Levels I am studying Irish, Spanish,
Maths and Health and Social Care. My advice for the Year 8s is to get as
involved as you can in everything throughout the school. Some of my best
memories have been from trips through the music department. I enjoy being a
year 8 mentor because it reminds me of how fun my time was in Year 8, and of
all the new friends you make that last a lifetime.

My name is Deárbhla Byrne and for my A-Levels I chose to study Health
and Social Care, Religion and Irish. I love being a Year 8 mentor because I
know what it feels like to be in their position and that gives me the chance
to advise and guide them through their first year at St Paul’s. It has been
an honour to be given this opportunity and I hope that the Year 8s found
comfort in the transition from their primary schools to St Paul’s. The
advice that I would give to all of Year 8 would be that I know you all may
find this big change in your life very challenging and difficult but just remember, it is worth it
in the end!
Hello everyone, my name is Sean Small. I study Cambridge Technical
Business, Cambridge Technical IT and Religious Studies. I have loved being a
mentor this year because I enjoy helping and ensuring that our Year 8s
adjust from primary to secondary school as easily as possible.
Hello my name is Brianagh McVerry. I study Sociology, Irish and Health
and Social Care. I enjoy being a Year 8 mentor as you get to see them
grow and gain more confidence throughout the year. The advice I would
give to the Year 8s would be to stop worrying so much what other people
think and do what you want to do without the fear of being judged.
Hi everybody! My name is Ava Pache. I am studying Chemistry, Biology and
Digital Technology for A-Level. I love being a mentor because I remember how
intimidating it was to be a Year 8. Being able to turn to a senior student for
advice might help to alleviate some anxiety. My advice I would give to the
Years 8s is to always stay true to yourself.

My name is Anna Lindsay and for my A-Levels I chose to study Maths,
Construction and Technology. I love being a Year 8 mentor as I know what
it was like to be in their shoes and sometimes they need a helping hand or
some advice. It has been great so far watching them settle into St Paul’s
and hopefully there will be many more memories to come. My advice I
would give to any Year 8 is that you have more courage than you realise.
Stop saying “I can’t”, just take that step and don’t look back!
Hi, my name is Katherine Babe. I am studying Health & Social Care, Food
Science and Nutrition and Cambridge Business. I enjoy being a mentor to my
Year 8 pupils because I enjoy sharing the positive experiences I have had in St
Paul’s. I also enjoy being a mentor as I would like to think I am approachable,
understanding and an easy to talk to person. My advice to the Year 8s would be
always to ask questions, because if you don’t ask you won’t know and be kind!
My name is Orlaith McVerry! I study Maths, Health and Social Care and
Digital Technology. I am one of the mentors for 0843. I really enjoy being a
mentor and have a great relationship with my class. The advice I would give
to the Year 8s is to not worry, everyone is feeling the same way and even if
you get lost or forget something, everyone is there to help you!
Hello, my name is Jack Donnelly. I’m currently studying Physics, Maths and
Construction. I am thoroughly enjoying my time as a Year 8 mentor; my favourite
part so far was seeing the Year 8s on their first day so eager to get to know
everyone. My advice to the Year 8s is to work hard and it will be worth it in the
end.

Hi everyone. My name is Rachel McKeown and the A-levels I am studying
are Art, English Literature and History. I enjoy being a Year 8 mentor
because I love seeing that all the new Year 8s have settled into St Paul’s so
well.
Hi, my name is Eoin Sands and I am studying Music, Business Studies and
Sociology. I enjoy visiting my form class each day (which was my old form class)
to see how they are getting on. Even though it hasn’t been the best year for
everyone, my advice is that you have to keep your head down and keep working
and you will be rewarded very soon!
Hello, my name is Conor Meegan. I am currently studying A-Levels in
Maths, Business Studies and History. I am a Year 8 student mentor. Being
a mentor is a great privilege as it has given me the opportunity to meet,
talk and listen to so many Year 8 students. I hope that I can help them
enjoy and excel in St Paul’s. I have joined many of the school clubs and got
to travel abroad and meet new people while representing my school. I
would highly recommend joining some of the various clubs and activities
St Paul’s has to offer, as interesting opportunities may arise. Being a member of some of
these groups and clubs has given me great memories. The teachers, mentors and staff of St
Paul’s want you to have the best experience while being a student. Enjoy your time in St
Paul’s and be proud of your achievements and experiences.
Hello! My name is Marsha, I am currently studying Art, Music and French for my A-
Levels. I wanted to be a mentor because being a leader and an approachable figure
is something I aspire to be. If I had any advice to give to the Year 8s, it would be to
do your homework as you get it, so you don't get too stressed out!
My name is Brian McCann and I am currently studying Maths, Physics and
Chemistry for my A-Levels. I enjoy being a mentor because sometimes you
can learn from the younger students in the school and it teaches you that
it is good and rewarding to be someone who they can look up to and learn
from. Some advice I would give the Year it is be yourself and work hard at
your education!
By Shane Malone, Year 13

Art In Lockdown
Ivea Bukyte. Year 8
Kacie O’Donoghue. Year 9

Guess which teachers are pictured below!
B
C
D E F
Answers on Page 41!

“Don’t listen to people who doubt you!”
Many of us have taken the time during these lockdowns to
relax and take things easy! However, this is not the case for
our Year 14 student Lauren Higgins, who recently released
her new hit song “Angel Eyes” which already has been
listened to over one thousand times on the app Spotify, not
to mention iTunes, Apple Music and YouTube! ‘Angel Eyes’
was recorded, produced, mixed and mastered in Dublin at
Beardfire Studio by producer David Virgin and his sons
Rohan Healy and Al Quiff.
Earlier this month, Lauren kindly took the time out of her
busy schedule to sit down and answer some of my
questions!
Year 14 Student Lauren Higgins on the release of
her new song “Angel Eyes”
How long have you been singing Lauren? “I’ve
always loved singing, but I only really took it
seriously a few years ago! I was 15/16 when I knew I wanted to pursue music as a career, so
I guess I have been singing since then.”
Do you have a singing teacher or are you self-taught? “I’ve never had singing lessons so I’m
self-taught. When I was younger, I used to listen to singers and try to figure out how they
were able to do what they do. I guess that's how I started teaching myself. From there I've
just kept developing my singing voice into what it is today.”
You play the guitar; do you play any other
instruments? “Yes, I do! Guitar is my main
instrument that I play but I also play bass
guitar, drums and a little bit of piano!”
Tell me about your new song, what influenced
it? “I wrote Angel Eyes on the topic of being
deceived, I guess. Everyone has met someone
in their lives that seem like an Angel with your best interests at heart but in truth it's pretty
much the opposite! It’s a song calling those kinds of people out because no one deserves
that kind of treatment!”

What famous musicians do you look up to?
“I look up to so many musicians.
Freddie Mercury, David Bowie and
Elton John are all huge inspirations
for me, they were so
unapologetically themselves. But I
also love bands like Sir Chloe, Pixies,
The The and Nirvana. I could go on
forever but those are a few of who I
look up to the most.
What do you enjoy most about creating music? “Creating music is an amazing way to just
get whatever you're feeling out and into a song. The song doesn't even have to make sense
but it's therapeutic in a way. I love creating music because I always get a huge sense of
accomplishment when I finish a song. It's like ‘Wow’, this is unique and it's something that I
need. It's kind of surreal!”
What’s next for you and your career?
“Well, whenever places start opening up again, I'll definitely be out there gigging! I'm always
working on new material. As of now, I've got so many cool things in the works for this year
so I guess you will just have to wait and see!”
Have you got any advice for other musicians within the school community?
“My advice would be to just do whatever makes you happy?! If you're thinking of pursuing a
career in music at the minute, then I think you should just go for it!
Surround yourself with those who actually care about you and care
about what it is that you're doing, and you can't go too far wrong. Also
don't listen to people who doubt you or say that you won't make it
because no one needs that kind of negativity in their lives!”
Where can the readers listen to your new song and your music?
“Angel eyes, along with all my other songs are on all streaming
services! Including Spotify, iTunes, Apple music and YouTube!”
By Shane Malone, Year 13

Crisis Café
Interview with Harry Collins
There are so many pupils in St Paul’s who are thriving and
excelling in their work both inside and outside of school. One
pupil in particular has gone above and beyond to make a
difference in our local area. He is Mr Harry Collins.
Harry has attended St Paul’s for 6 years and has always been a
committed member of the student population. During his time
here he has taken part in musicals, as he has a passion for
drama and acting. He is the founding member of “Twins Club”
which he ran in the school for a period of time. He has been a
serving member of the school council and represents our school
as a member of the school choir.
Outside of school, Harry is involved in a range of different organisations such as the Newry
and Mourne Youth Council, where they discuss issues which are relevant to young people in
our area. He is a part of the “TBUC group” which provides young people ages 11 to 19 from
across Northern Ireland with the opportunities to come together to build positive
relationships across what have become divided parts of our community.
Harry is also an active member of the Crisis Cafe in Newry. He told me that “The Crisis Café
is a welcoming place for young people who find themselves in crisis or in need of mental
health support and they provide a range of early intervention services.” The Crisis Café is on
all social media platforms, where you can connect or follow some of their programmes and
initiatives. These are all led by young people who are working to ensure their peers know
that there is always someone out there to help. The group was founded by Year 14 student
Odhran McAllister and there are two bases: one in Newry, one in Warrenpoint and a third
one on the way. Harry definitely illustrates how he is living by our school motto, “Rooted in
Charity”, by helping to make a huge different in many different ways in our community.
Kaitlyn Magill
Year 14

Our New Vice Principals!
Ms Fearon has been a valued member of the staff in St Paul’s for 16 years. With the successful
launch of the Sociology and Health and Social Care departments in 2005, along with the launch of
the Romania part of the International Projects, she has managed to leave her extremely beneficial
mark on our school. Ms Fearon was Assistant and Head of Years 13 and 14 before settling into the
role of Head of Pastoral Care for six years.
Being a proud past pupil of St Paul’s, Ms Fearon has a great passion for progress
and in making the school experience the best it can possibly be for every student.
She says of her new job: “It’s different, it’s a challenge, it’s a new direction but I am
going to embrace it in the best way I can!”
As part of her new role, one of Ms Fearon’s main priorities is to ensure fairness in
the upcoming Centre Determined Grade process. She strives to ensure each
student gets the grades they deserve and that our school’s internal grading system
will be ‘watertight’. She is a great believer in data and analysing data to better accommodate each
student in their day to day studies.
Even though her new job differs in many ways from her previous role, Ms Fearon aims to bring the
pastoral aspect directly into her new role. She talks of how her job is “all about the students and the
improvement of individual children.” On a personal level, Ms Fearon says she is always very proud of
the child who overcomes barriers to learning and achieves C grades. She says “that C grade is
actually their A, because they have achieved their personal best.”
Ms Fearon is very focused on creating “a culture of kindness” and cares for each individual student,
saying “Sometimes being hard on a student is done out of love. Just like with parents, we want to
push to get everything we can achieve out of you when we see there is ‘more in the tank.’”
She believes loyalty, the ability to tell the truth, flexibility, being open to trying out new ideas,
straight talking and, of course, the ability to have the craic are all qualities which have helped her
throughout her life. She has always worked in all-ability schools and is passionate about creating
opportunities for all abilities through an “educational landscape where all needs are catered for and
failure is a foreign word.”
As she begins her new role in the school Ms Fearon aims to: “Champion every learner - in the
classroom, on the stage, on the court, in the field, through their personal characteristics. Everybody
leaves us, knowing that we, as a school, value them and have fought their corner in trying to bring
out the very best in them, wherever possible.”
By Shane O’Keefe, Year 13

Our New Vice Principals!
An interview with Mrs Mc Mahon
How do you like your new job?
I love it. It is very enjoyable; I am the pastoral VP, so I consider the welfare of pupils. I work
closely with the pastoral care team, as well as numeracy and the special need needs staff.
What are your past roles and experiences in St Paul’s?
I came to St Paul’s in 1985 to do teaching practice and then became a full-time French
teacher in 1989 before becoming Head of Department. Then in 2008 I became a Year Head
until 2013 when I took the on the role of SENCO, which is Special Educational Needs Coordinator.
Finally, in 2020, I became a VP and I love it. Form student teacher to Vice-
Principal! St Paul’s has been good to me!
What are your hopes for your new role?
I just hope I am successful and can support and help people. I have a lot of areas. I will focus
on wellbeing, especially after lockdown, when students may have experienced bereavement
or mental health issues. I have loved working with the Student Leadership Team and hope
to work with subject ambassadors and mentors. I am also open to new ideas and challenges.
Do you like St Paul’s?
I absolutely love St. Paul’s. I have been here for 32 years and have worked under all four
principals, Mr Mooney, Mr Duffy, Mr Ward and Mr Burns. I have been given so many
opportunities in my time at St Paul’s. I also love the fact that even though the school has
grown massively, the sense of community and family has always remained the same.
Is there anything you are looking forward to when we come out of lockdown?
I am turning 60 this year so had hoped to go on a cruise which is unable to go ahead, so I will
hopefully go to France instead. Besides travelling, I am looking forward to seeing people and
hosting dinners etc. I am also looking forward to getting back to school and normality.
By Orlaith McVerry, Year 13

Art in Lockdown
Elizabeth Kennon. Year 10
Sophie Hollywood. Year 11
“What feels
like the end
is often the
beginning.”

A Student Teacher in a Pandemic
My name is Emma Ruddy. I am a third-year student teacher currently studying at St Mary’s
University College, Belfast. I have been honoured to be placed here in St Paul’s, for my third
of four placements. My subject areas are Religious Studies and English and it has been an
absolute joy to be a part of both of these departments in St Paul’s.
This experience of teaching remotely has been a huge
learning curve for me, both personally and
professionally. Despite the overwhelming
consequences of this pandemic, teaching and learning
has progressed at a much-accelerated rate. The shift to
remote learning has resulted in many of us having to
adjust quickly and effectively. I have made adaptations
to my own style of teaching and I can now fully
appreciate the benefits of using technology to improve
learning for pupils. I have been so impressed with the
pupils in St Paul’s as they have proven their resilience
and endless capabilities throughout this pandemic, as
they are excelling at taking part and interacting with
online teaching. I am so grateful to each and every
pupil who I have taught for exactly this, as they have
made my experience here so enjoyable. It has been my privilege to be given the opportunity
to play a small part in their education, over the last 8 weeks of online learning.
Throughout the inevitable challenges faced when teaching online, I have been comforted by
the fact that St Paul’s have such a supportive and caring staff. I have been able to
communicate with staff in both the English and Religion departments almost
instantaneously as they were always ready and willing to respond, as quickly as though we
were in a classroom. The online platforms used here in St Paul’s are extremely efficient as
they allow for communication to flow so easily and at such a fast pace. Each member of staff
who I have worked with have been so helpful, nothing was ever too big an ask.
With this combination of hard-working pupils and a dedicated staff, not even a global
pandemic could get in this school’s way! I can honestly say I have loved every minute of
being a part of the English and Religion departments and of the entire school community
here in St Paul’s. I have been made to feel like a part of the school family from the outset
and I will be truly sad to go.

The learning support have been enjoying a live cook along every two weeks
with Miss King. They have developed many new skills which they are very
proud of. They have developed the skill of weighing ingredients, following a
recipe/live lesson and cleaning up!
Pupils pictured with their fantastic cookies are Eoin
Magennis and Neil McVerry. They have enjoyed
cooking over lockdown and their families have been
loving their cooking masterpieces.
Here are some photos of the excellent cooking done by other members of the classes over
lockdown. I think you will agree that their cooking skills are fantastic and they have really
enjoyed the live cook along lessons with Miss King.
A special mention to Tierna Kelly and Ronan O’Hare who have also created excellent food
products during the live lessons.

Concern
Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organisation that strives for a world free
from poverty, fear, and oppression. They deliver life-changing, and life-saving interventions
around the world to poor, vulnerable people. Concern strives for a poverty free world, where no
individual should live in fear of providing for their families. No one should ever have to feel like
this, we all deserve to live a long, happy, healthy and creative life. You can help make this a reality
worldwide by volunteering, donating or taking part in an event or challenge. Our religion
department this year had to fundraise differently for Concern. This year they took on the
challenge of either a food fast for 24 hours, or a digital detox of giving up their phone for 24 hours
and it was a great success for everyone. They raised over £750 for Concern Worldwide and they
are all working extremely hard to help poor countries all over the world to put an end to poverty.
Miss McKeever and Courtney Cassidy, Year 13
The Concern Student Ambassador programme was set up by myself within St Paul’s three
years ago as I felt it went hand in hand with the Religion Department. It has proved very
successful with our Year 13 pupils, offered to them through their enrichment programme.
The purpose of the student ambassador role is that so our pupils can help the world’s
poorest countries who are in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. It, in turn, enhances their
leadership and teamwork skills and they also receive the chance to explore the work that
Concern does.
This year the programme had to be approached a bit differently than in previous times due
to Covid-19. Our usual ideas for fundraising were not going to work such as the traditional
bun sale and our bag pack in Sainsbury’s. However, we were determined to not to let that
beat us and we decided that this year we would sign up to do the Concern Fast. Our student
ambassadors received their training via zoom with a Concern leader and they were prepped

Concern
and ready to go. They had the choice of doing a food fast or a digital detox where they
would give up their phone for a day – needless to say the majority of them opted for food!
The fasting was very tough, I stopped eating at 4.30pm the previous evening so that I would
only have to go to 4.30pm on the current day. If anyone knows the RE store they will know
the struggle was real as there are always an endless supply of buns and bars sitting about. I
was also very grateful to some of my RE colleagues for taking part in the fast with me.
The fast this year was a massive success with the pupils raising over £750 to donate to
Concern, something which they should be extremely proud of as this money will go a long
way to helping families in need.
I hope that the Concern Student Ambassador programme is something which we can
continue into future years in St Paul’s and continue to make it a success.
I decided to become a Concern Ambassador as we are currently going through a worldwide
pandemic and it made me realise how things can change so quickly and how we cannot do
certain things. However, I could help raise money for this charity as some children in
different countries are experiencing this as well and are also in the midst of a humanitarian
crisis, which is hard enough, and no one should be left hungry.
I decided to fast for 24 hours which became quite hard after a while. It changed my
perspective as it made me realise how lucky we are to have access to food all the time
whilst these other children and adults struggle each day with hunger.
The experience showed me that we can help make a change with a small donation.
By Katherine Babe 13/66

Lockdown has been a complete and utter roller coaster for us all. However, it is
important for us to remember that we may all be on the same boat, but we are
not all on the same journey. I’m sure for each and every one of you reading this,
lockdown has been full of ups and downs, some days may be harder than the
next. Therefore, now more than ever, it is important for us all to have our own
personal self-care tool box. During this past year there has been such a huge
emphasis on tending to our own well-being. However, some of us may not know
what exactly that entails; self-care looks different for every single person and
what works for one may not work for another. In these uncertain times, it is
important that our self-care tool box is filled with various tools that will divert
our attention away from distressing thoughts or even just simply a way for us to
look after and improve our physical and mental health on a daily basis. It’s not
just through lockdown, even though it’s a lot tougher than what we are used to,
its everyday life that we all struggle with … but you need to believe that you
have the ability to thrive no matter what circumstances you find yourself in.
You need to feel that you are able to set meaningful goals that match your
values and be able to feel a sense of purpose and direction because life is like
we have been giving a car with no steering wheel and asked to steer it in the
right direction… it seems impossible, am I right?? But… that’s why having a selfcare
toolbox is so important, it is our steering wheel because it is filled with
actionable coping skills that will help us strive to be the best version of
ourselves that we can possibly be, even in an unfortunate situation. A favourite
quote of mine is ‘In Pain and Struggle, I will find strength’ and I feel like that is
something that each and every one of us can relate to, it is about being
optimistic even in hard times. So, let’s find our strength, lets create our
steering wheel, let’s be the best version of ourselves together.

Home and garden
‣ Mow the lawn
‣ Clean the car
‣ Do some gardening
‣ Declutter your room
‣ Wash the dog
‣ Re arrange the furniture
‣ Cooking
‣ DIY
‣ Brush the path
Being creative
‣ Take up a new hobby
‣ Learn another language
‣ Write a letter or an article
‣ Learn to meditate
‣ Write a short story or poem
‣ Bake
‣ Take up a musical instrument
‣ Decorate a room or piece of
furniture
‣ Take photographs
‣ Make a scrapbook
‣ Sort out photos
‣ Paint, draw
‣ Dance, sing
Getting out
‣ Join a leisure centre
‣ Go for a walk or jog
‣ Exercise
‣ Practise your
preferred sport
‣ Go for a drive
By Ellen Moley, Year 13
Leisure
‣ Watch a movie
‣ Play computer
games
‣ Surf the internet
‣ Read a book
‣ Do a crossword
‣ Colour in
Positive self-talk
‣ I can get through this
‣ One day at a time
‣ I am strong
‣ I am determined
‣ I am calm and relaxed
‣ My life’s purpose can be
whatever I choose it to be
‣ I am in control
‣ I am confident
‣ My life has meaning and
purpose
Self-soothing
‣ Have an early night
‣ Eat something you haven’t tried
‣ Listen to music
‣ Have a bath or shower
‣ Write out goals and
achievements for the future
‣ Mediate, relax, yoga
‣ Make a list of things your
thankful for
‣ Write a letter to yourself to look
back on when you feel down or
overwhelmed

Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake
Ingredients
110g self-raising flour
110g butter/hard margarine
110g sugar
2 eggs
1 lemon
55g sugar (for the glaze)
Method
Melt the butter. Pour over the sugar.
Then alternately mix in the (beaten) eggs and (sifted) flour.
Add some lemon zest. Pour mixture into the loaf tin.
Bake at 325F/160C for about 30 minutes until golden.
Stir together the lemon juice and sugar for the topping.
Once the cake comes out of the oven and is still hot, pour the mixture over the top.

Antoin Magill. Year 12
Shaun O’Hare. Year 13

Hi everyone, my name is Hannah Brennan. My pronouns are she/her and I’m a year 13
student. I want to tell you a bit about gender expression so everyone is more aware!
Many people today express themselves through gender identities. Here are a few of them,
but not all, because gender is a wide spectrum.
Someone who identifies as transgender identifies as the opposite gender that they were
assigned at birth. A cis-gender person is someone who identifies as the original gender they
were given at birth. Someone who is non-binary or gender fluid is someone that sits outside,
within, across or between the labels ‘male’ and ‘female’.
Now, there are several ways a person can express their identity but the main one is
pronouns! Pronouns are the terms you use to refer to someone, for example, she/her,
he/him, they/them etc. Many people are used to using she/her or he/him pronouns but a
lot of people feel more comfortable using pronouns such as she/they and he/them. It is
really important that if someone is using she/they or he/they pronouns, that you respect
that person’s pronouns because they are just as valid as yours or anyone elses!
Sam Smith identifies as they/them
Elliot Page (Formerly Ellen Page)
identifies as he/him, they/them

Eddie Izzard identifies as she/her
A simple and easy example of using they/them pronouns are “They have the coolest hair,
make sure to tell them I said Hi!’ It’s okay to be confused about pronouns, just make sure
you are respectful of someone no matter what they identify as.
How to help and be an Ally!
An ally is a non-member of the LGBTQ+ community who supports members of the
community regardless. You can support them by always listening, you might not know what
words to use but by listening you are reminding them that they are supported and valid. It is
also important to not just educate yourself, but others around you like friends and family, to
increase the awareness about gender identity and pronouns.
The most important thing you can do is treat everyone in the LGBTQ+ community with love
and respect. Treat them no different because they are exactly the same as you and I. We’re
all human!
Never be afraid to be who you are,
be yourself and be loud about it!!
By Hannah Brennan, Year 13

Bolster/Youth Leadership
Bolster Community (previously known as Space-NI) is a practical hands-on charity & award
winning Social enterprise registered as a charity in NI number 107382.
Founded in 2004 by CEO Jacinta Linden, we now employ 16 staff and have 3 facilities, 2 in
Newry 1 in Kilkeel. We rely heavily on the goodwill of funders supporting us to create
programmes & services; funders like The National Lottery Community Fund, Newry Mourne
& Down Council, Newry & Mourne Policing & Community Safety Partnership, The Southern
Health & Social Care Trust, The PHA, Department for Communities, Northern Ireland
Housing Executive all help us help you!
In partnership with our fab candle makers, we also run a social business, where we make
Acorn soy wax candles & vegan friendly soap. This helps us pay the bills and provide more
services. We would love more of you to know about our candles, and include them in your
gifting.
So, how can you support us?
· Tell people in need to ask us for help, tell others who we are and what we do
· Share our posts on FB, Twitter, Instagram
· Buy our candles, soaps, hampers
· Help us get our stock into new retail outlets
Help us fundraise?
· £100 provides practical support to a family for a week
· £50.00 provides food & electric to a young adult living independently for a week
· £250.00 provides a 10-week training course to support a child impacted by anxiety
· A little donation from you can make a huge difference to a child or family in need!
Here are some of our areas of service:
Families
· We help parents deal with difficult issues
· We help children cope better with issues that trouble them
· We provide practical help to families struggling with poverty, cancer, mental health issues,
loss of income, worry and stress and other issues
· We provide guidance, 1-1coaching and mentoring support to teens in need of a listening
ear
· We do our best to help people get through & get ahead!
Seniors
· We provide Home-2-hospital transport for older people to
attend out of area hospital treatment & Vaccine
appointments in the Mourne’s & Slieve Gullion area
· We provide social opportunities through the Comfort Zone
in Warrenpoint, Social Soup & Diamond day activities across
Newry Mourne & Down.
· We provide practical help & check in calls to isolated elderly and vulnerable people
Ability
· We provide opportunities for young people & adults to connect & grow at our Acorn
Candle & soap making Social Enterprise

· We provide practical family support to families who have a child with a disability in the
Armagh & Dungannon area
· We provide 1-1 and group support to young adults with disability across the NM&D area
· We create awareness of autism and the need for diversity in society, education, health
settings
Other stuff ........
· We provide quality evidence based training for children to help them cope better with
worry (Friends resilience programme )
· We work in partnership with local agencies and the Local Health Trust to coordinate the
family support hub
· We provide English language classes for newcomer families
· We provide really fun & exciting youth leadership opportunities for teenagers (Youth
Upfront, GoGirl, Spacewalk)
· We deliver homeless prevention support to a wide range of vulnerable people in
partnership with a range of agencies & orgs.
So that’s us; a small team with big hearts ....Bolster Community is not afraid of hard work
and our staff & volunteers do our best so that ordinary people facing extraordinary
challenge, get through tough times & get ahead!
Youth Upfront
Youth Upfront is a Peace IV-funded project involving over 120 children aged 13-15 across
the entire area of Newry, Mourne & Down in an innovative, cross-community programme
between February and July.
The programme involves diverse, young people from different traditions, cultural
backgrounds and opinions actively engaging and building personal and collective strengths.
The project consists of 4 workshops and interactive seminars with guest facilitators and
experts and will culminate with a community-based event led by the participants
themselves, with a focus on helping understand developmental leadership.
We’ll also go on awesome free residential weekend in Fermanagh (Covid willing) where we
will meet people from other districts, learn essential leadership skills and be challenged with
plenty of team-building exercises.
So far, the guest speakers have involved local Entrepreneur and Business lady Grainne
McCoy, the inspirational Ryan Cinnamond and also Oisin McConville and the themes have
included
. Exploring Leadership - Understanding Traits and Types of Leadership
. Exploring Differences & Finding Common Ground
. Physical & Mental Wellness
. Exploring Relationships
. Resilience & Mental Toughness
. Building Confidence and Self Esteem.
St Paul’s have been instrumental in Youth Upfront through the support
and promotion of the scheme and encouraging pupils to get involved, in
what is a fantastic opportunity to develop personal skills and work
alongside peers from various areas.

February
half-term
camp
During the half term, Mrs Lee, Miss Casey and some
students were busy cooking, painting and dancing- just to
name a few of the skills that took place in the online half
term camp. Students that signed up were given a pack
with all the resources they needed to take part. While it
may have been slightly different taking part online, lots
of fun was still had!

Some of the fun sessions that happened during the camp
Pancake Tuesday- The students were given all the ingredients needed to make pancakes
and lots of colourful, tasty creations were made. Check them out!
Making beautiful pots and coasters- everyone was given air dry clay to mould into a pot of
their own creation as well as a coaster imprinted with leaves. Lots of keepsakes were made!
The brilliant dance teacher Cailina Parr had everyone up learning a dance to The Greatest
Showman. Some parents even got involved too

The Hughes Murphy Quiz
There is nothing quite like healthy competition to get spirited students motivated. As
our Year 13 and Year 14 students prepare to embrace the challenges of university life
and later the highly charged workplace environment, the need to embrace healthy
competition is crucial.
The Hughes/Murphy challenge quiz provides a taste
of such healthy rivalry. Whilst the quiz has always
been light hearted and fun the winning team
undoubtedly delivers a sting to their opponents upon
lifting the trophy. How embarrassing or even
excruciating it is for the Year 14s to yield their
position as the super seniors to their juniors! Year 13
pretenders relish the opportunity to expose the
weaknesses of their challengers and glow in the admiration of their followers. And as
for the Year heads… well there have been a few unfounded accusations thrown between
Mrs Hollywood and Mrs Hughes in the past. But those jibes have always been expressed
in the best possible taste!
The quiz was conceived as a way to encourage students in senior school to showcase
their wide range of general knowledge. It provides an opportunity for our students to
experience competitive interaction and teamwork and it provides a platform for some
of our quieter students to shine. All of the participants who have taken part have really
enjoyed the experience.
When the quiz first began it was named the Year 13 vs. Year 14
Senior Challenge Quiz. On the Year 13 panel, an amazing young
student, and former head boy, Peter Hughes, faced an equally
talented opponent on the Year 14 team, Miceal Murphy. Tragically
neither of those incredible young men lived to fulfil their dreams.
The two boys are remembered with deep fondness by all the staff
that knew them. Out of respect for their memory the name of the
quiz was renamed after them. It is now the Hughes/Murphy Quiz.
The quiz has always followed the same format. It is loosely based on University
Challenge. Team members ‘Buzz in’ to answer a starter question for ten points, 3 follow
up questions are each worth 5 points. A final rapid fire round creates excitement and
often delivers a nail-biting finish. Mr Burns has always hosted the quiz; his energetic

performance creates a thrilling spectacle. Mr
Burns’ lack of bias is respected and appreciated
(most especially by Year 14). His able assistants
Mrs Morgan and Mrs McKenna remain vigilant,
continuously working to ensure fair play and
accurate scorekeeping. Thanks also go to our
school technicians who provide all the technical
knowhow needed to run the event successfully.
It is great that even during this pandemic we have found a way to keep this event
running safely. Even though social distancing will be maintained during the event, it is
hoped that the quiz will help to draw our school community a little closer together.
G. McMahon

Caitlin Ward. Year 13
Phoebe Tyreman. Year 14

What have the Year 8s and their Mentors been up to?
The Lunchtime Hub
In September last year, we welcomed a new bunch of Year 8 pupils into St Paul’s for a new
beginning in a new school. Year 13 students were assigned as mentors to these latest
members of our school family. However, with this year being different than all the rest, it
has been harder to do our job but we still made it work through the Lunchtime Hub set up
by Mrs McArdle and Mr Quinn. Each week we did something fun with the Year 8s and had a
general chitchat about everything. So, here is what we got up to…
Week 1: Bring a furry friend to the call.
On Week 1 our Year 8s brought their furry friends to the hub, and we
got to catch up with everyone and meet their family pets. Our Winner
in Week 1 was…
Aaron Reavey 8-09
Week 2: Let us see your Lunch.
On Week 2 our Year 8s put their home economic skills to
the test and we got to see your fabulous lunches. Our
Winner in Week 2 was…
Molly Muckian 8-68
On Week 3 we just had a general catch up with all of our Year 8s to see how everyone was
keeping and had they done anything at home they wanted to share with us.
Week 4: Kahoot Quiz!
On Week 4, all of our Year 8s came together on one big live
and took part in a Quiz on Kahoot. The Quiz was 4 rounds,
General Knowledge, Movies, Geography and Disney which
really tested their brains.
Our Winner in Week 4 was…
Jamie McAleavey 8-97
Katherine Babe, Year 13
“Sometimes
you win, and
sometimes
you learn.”

CELEBRATING WORLD BOOK DAY 2021!
Aidan Sands (1025): Our Twist on a Tale Winner!
At the beginning of the first lockdown our English Department offered
all Year 10 pupils the opportunity to enter a national writing
competition Twist on a Tale. The topic for 2020 was ‘Everyday
Heroes’, clearly influenced by an extraordinary year of disruption due
to the pandemic. This offered the opportunity to write about those
people who had made a difference to you during this strange and
unfamiliar time.
Over 1200 children and young people entered the competition with winning stories being picked
across 15 categories including Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 5 and all regions in the UK. From
medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic to supermarket delivery staff, parents, grandparents,
pets, community members and guide dogs, the everyday heroes came in all shapes and sizes!
Aidan Sands was awarded first prize in the Northern Ireland category after being selected from 1000+
entries! This was an absolutely amazing achievement! Aidan’s winning story champions the work of a
Tesco delivery driver and has been published in a brand new book, My Twist on a Tale: Everyday
Heroes Winning Stories. The book was released to celebrate World Book Day and is available to
download on Pearson’s website. In addition to his own hard copy, Aidan was awarded a certificate
and £250 book tokens.
Aidan’s wonderful story focuses on the work of his local Tesco delivery driver named Paul, who, while
seeming like an ordinary man on the outside, has in fact ‘done as much as anyone at a time when
everyone was suffering.’ Aidan describes how Paul not only saves he and his family by delivering food
to their house, but brings food to their vulnerable 93-year-old neighbour.
In an uplifting finish, Aidan explains why he sees Paul as a local superhero. He is a man ‘who rescued
countless members of my community when we were trapped in our homes… His warm heart lights up
people’s days, just like the headlights of his van.’
Katy Lewis, Head of English, Drama and Languages at Pearson said: “Aidan should be extremely proud
of the story he has written. His writing skills are outstanding. It was an incredibly difficult decision
choosing from the 1000+ stories we received, as they were all fascinating to read, but Aidan’s piece
really stood out and deserves its place alongside the other 13 winners who have built a collection of
short stories that celebrate a diverse and modern-day Britain.”
“Following an extraordinary year of disruption, we wanted to give children the opportunity to write
their own tales of people who have made a difference to them. It is so important that children and
young people feel represented in the literature they read and the stories they write and so in writing
their entries, whether that be a story about a hero in their local community, a key worker making a
difference during the COVID-19 pandemic, a campaigner, a family member or friend that inspires them
or even a hero from their imagination, we wanted children and young people to get creative and
reflect their own personality, location and experiences as they bought their local crusader to life. The
results were fascinating. Everyone who entered should be extremely proud of their hard work and
creative flair.”

CELEBRATING WORLD BOOK DAY 2021!
Author Jemma Wallace, who judged the North Ireland category, said: ‘I thought this story really
highlighted an everyday hero in the current circumstances, and showed that the writer was thinking
of the bigger picture and of other people in the community. I loved the sentiment of caring for
our neighbours, and thought the writing style was punchy and had real moments of building emotion
in the reader. Overall the story left me thinking about the characters and the situation; it left a big
impression on me and that's why I had to choose it as my winner!’
Aidan’s teacher, Mr McMahon, said: “Aidan is a very deserving winner. He is an excellent,
industrious student who is always willing to help others. I think that is the secret to his success.
Through helping others and being actively involved during class, Aidan is honing better skills. Well
done Aidan.”
We are all so proud of Aidan and his achievement! His story takes the time to appreciate the hard
work of others; it is a very thought provoking and inspirational story. Well done Aidan!
If you would like to read Aidan’s story or any of the other entries, please go to:
https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/one-dot-com/one-dotcom/uk/documents/subjects/English/my-twist-on-a-tale-2020-winners-book.pdf
Celebrating World Book Day 4 th March 2021
March 2021 saw our World Book Day celebrated remotely for the first time! But this didn’t prevent us
from having lots of imagination and fun!
From the 1 st to 5 th March, the English Department, together with our school librarian, Mrs Morgan,
organised an array of exciting events to celebrate this wonderful annual event.
For our Year 8’s, Mrs Morgan had organised the World Book Day Story Competition based on Chris
Riddell’s illustrations where we saw some fabulous entries showcasing the creative talents of our
pupils. Special congratulations to Paul Standfield (8/62) who was awarded first place with his story
The Boy and the Nose and to our second place winner Niamh Noade with The Wizard’s Curse (8/20).
As the week progressed, our KS3 pupils had the opportunity to tune into an array of live and wonderful
events! These included a virtual Amaaaaazing Assembly with the fabulous and fantastic David
Walliams; presentations, tips and advice virtually with Books that make you LOL with Humza Arshad,
Alex Bellos, Ben Lyttleton and Bringing Reading to Life with Sita Brahmachari and Katherine Rundell.
We had a host of events which included our much loved DEAR time, competitions ranging from
creating our own reading dens and book marks with inspirational quotes; the Bottle Moments
competition, offering the opportunity to win a drawing by legendary cartoonist Rob Murray and we
finished off a fun filled celebratory week with our Guess the Book Title emoji quiz.

CELEBRATING WORLD BOOK DAY 2021!
A massive thank-you to all our English teachers for facilitating and to our KS3 pupils for getting so
actively involved in these activities. Clearly you all had a wonderful time creating your masterpieces!!
Lockdown certainly wasn’t going to stop St. Paul’s from celebrating a very ‘different’ but very ‘special’
World Book Day 2021!
Congratulations once again to our Twist on a Tale winner Aidan Sands and to all Year 10 pupils who
entered and received a certificate from Pearson’s,
Special congratulations to our KS3 winning entries for World Book Day:
Year 8
Rory McCaffery (8/62)
Ronan Treanor (8/23)
Lochlainn Mornley (8/48)
Rebecca Truesdale (8/03)
Grace McShane(8/62)
Megan Carragher (8/38)
Year 9
Ava Lundy (9/99)
Noah Walsh (9/30)
Grace Reavey (9/99)
Carolina Gueye (9/19)
Sienna in McCoy (9/61)
Skye Hanratty (9/64)
Year 10
Fearghal McGuigan (10/60)
Maeve Quinn (10/60)
Katie Haughey (10/72)
Shane O’Brien (10/72)

CELEBRATING WORLD BOOK DAY 2021!
Highly Commended Library World Book Day Story Competition:
Tia Louise McKee 08/45
Luke Keenan 08/62
Katie Rice 08/62
Kyle McMahon 08/62
James McGivern 08/03
Jamie Kelly 08/68
Annabelle Hope 08/20
Tomas Kirwan 08/94
Grace McShane 08/62
Luke Sloan 08/94
Hannah Boyle 08/73
Rory McCaffery 08/62
Daniel McGivern 08/23
Christopher Coffey 08/73
Grainne Coyle 08/62
Ciana Fay 08/68
Aidan Caldwell 08/20
Graham Johnston 08/94
“Accept no one’s
definition of
your life; define
yourself.”

BBC Soloist of the Year Competitors
Our school is lucky to have the talents of Niamh Noade (Year 8) and Maria Meagher (Year
14) representing us in ‘BBC Soloist of the Year’. We wish the very best of luck to them both.
Niamh Noade
Hi, my name is Niamh Noade and I have been singing since I was 7 years of age. I
mainly started singing traditional Irish songs, but more recently have moved on to
sing more contemporary tunes. I have played a number of instruments in the past
including the tin whistle, bodhrán and violin, but my main instrument of choice is
the Irish Harp. I have entered lots of singing competitions over the years at local
feiseanna and fleadhs. Over the past year I have really developed my interest in
singing whilst playing the Harp which can be quite difficult to do, but I really love
it!
I have recently taken part in a UK Teenstar Competition and was the only Irish entrant to reach the
finals and the only ever entrant to play the harp whilst singing. I enjoyed the challenge of this
competition and was delighted that I came 4th and was awarded the Showcase Winner. I am
looking forward to going to London to record a song I have recently written in a music studio with
one of the competition judges, as this was my prize. Covid has put a hold on that for now.
I wanted to enter the BBC School Soloist Competition because it will be a great experience for me
and it is good for me to have a goal to focus toward. I also just really love any opportunity to sing!
The songs I chose for the first round included 'Meeting of the Waters' by Thomas Moore and
'Imagine' by John Lennon. I chose these songs because they both showed by different styles in
singing, folk and contemporary. I was also able to sing them both whilst playing the harp which I
hoped would show that I was unique in my performances.
I am nervous but very excited for the next round. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Niamh
Maria Meagher
‘I’ve been involved in music since the age of 8, when I first joined the local church
choir with my granny. Being a part of this and being involved musically with liturgies
has had such a profound impact on me and has provided me with joy and fulfilment
which I will forever be grateful for. Music at St Paul’s has also played such a big role in
augmenting my love for music. I am thrilled to have been allocated the role of ‘Music
Ambassador’; this title allows me to carry out tasks to KS3 pupils and has
consequently enabled me to exert my musicality more professionally. I have made many memories
in our school musicals, playing ‘Sister Margharetta’ in Year 10, and ‘Belle’ in our production of
Beauty and the Beast. I have been involved in the school choirs and orchestra for 7 years and have
been lucky enough to travel to Rome twice with the school, as well as taking part in competitions
such as Feis Ceoil and BBC School Choir of the Year.
I am grateful to have gotten through to the next round of BBC School Soloist of the Year, having
chosen to sing Puccini’s ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’ and ‘My Lagan Love.’ I have chosen these pieces as I
like the contrast between them. Overall I would say I am a classical singer. I am doing my Diploma in
Classical singing, however, being involved in local competitions with my singing teacher has allowed
me to express my singing within different genres such as Folk and Musical Theatre Also.’

Easter Chocolate
Cupcakes
• 100g self-raising flour, sifted
• 20g cocoa powder, sifted
• 140g caster sugar
• 1 1/2tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 40g unsalted butter, at room
temperature
• 120ml whole milk
• 1 egg
• ¼tsp vanilla extract
• 300g icing sugar
• 100g butter, at room
temperature
• 40g cocoa, sifted
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• Mini eggs, to decorate
Pre-heat the oven to 170C, Gas 3
Put the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a mixing bowl and with a
handheld electric whisk beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything
is combined.
Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract together in a bowl, then slowly pour about half into
the flour mixture, beat to combine and turn the mixer up to high speed to get rid of any
lumps.
Turn the mixer to a slower speed and slowly pour in the remaining milk mixture.
When fully mixed, spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in
the preheated oven for 20-25minutes.
Leave the cupcakes to cool.
Beat icing sugar, butter (100g), cocoa with a handheld mixer until the mixture comes
together. Add milk a little at a time. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Ice the cooled cupcakes and decorate with mini eggs.
Enjoy!

Post Lockdown Plans
We spoke to students about what they were looking forward to most coming out of
lockdown.
Shane Malone
I think we can agree that every single pupil in St. Paul’s
has missed out on so much this year! It really makes you
realise how much you take normal life for granted. Over
the summer I hope to enjoy the weather, meet my
friends, and just relax after a stressful year of lockdowns
and chaos! I, sadly, have not any holidays booked but I
intend to make the most of it here in Ireland!
Sophia Sloan
Hi, my name is Sophia Sloan and the thing I am looking
forward to most out of lockdown is being able to visit
my family who live down south as I have not seen them
in over a year! Also, not having to wear masks anymore
and being able to go shopping.

Aoife Greene
Hi, my name is Aoife Greene and the thing I am looking
forward to most out of lockdown is going to concerts
(as I was meant to go to Belsonic) and being able to
see my friends up close rather that 2 meters away!
Caitlin Ward
Hi, my name is Caitlin Ward and the thing I am
looking forward to out of lockdown is driving lessons.
After I pass my test I can travel around Ireland. I also
can’t wait to go shopping with my friends, as I can’t
remember the last time I was in Penny’s!
Niall O’Malley
Hi, my name is Niall O’Malley and the thing I am
looking forward to most out of lockdown is
socialising with people, going away on holiday
with my family and cousins and having a night
out.
Ava Pache
By Orlaith Mc Verry, Year 13
Hi, my name is Ava Pache and the thing I am
looking forward to most out of lockdown is going
out with my friends (we missed some birthday
celebrations), as well as meeting people and going
on holidays.

This year our school took part in Pearson’s My Twist on a Tale: Everyday Heroes writing competition.
The pupils worked really hard on their entries during the first lockdown and produced some fantastic
short stories on the everyday heroes who have inspired them.
We are delighted to announce that Aidan Sands was selected as the Northern Ireland category
winner and his story has been published in a book alongside 14 other winning stories!
The book, ‘My Twist on a Tale: Everyday Heroes Winning Stories’, is available to download for free
here: go.pearson.com/mytwistonatale
Well done Aidan, we are all super proud of you!
#MyTwistOnATale #literacy #writing
Answers to Guess the Teacher!
A. Mr B. Shannon
B. Mr N. McArdle
C. Mr T. Murney
D. Mrs O. McArdle
E. E. Mrs A. Mallie
F. Mrs K. McCormick

Isolation
Pen-Pal
Project!
Living in lockdown and isolating from our family and friends
is tough and lonely for us all at times. But let’s take a minute
to think about the elderly people in our community who
have been shielding since March 2020! It is now over a year
since they began to shield, with many elderly people not
leaving their house for fear of catching the coronavirus.
They all miss going to the shops, attending mass, or meeting
their friends. Elderly people rely on visits from their family
and friends in order to keep them content and happy. Can
you imagine how lonely it must be for some of the elderly
members of our community? St Paul’s teamed up with
Mpower which is sponsored by the Southern Area Trust.
Mpower facilitated a Pen Pal project which allowed pupils in
years 13&14 to write letters to vulnerable members of our
local area. Our year 13 and 14s grabbed the opportunity and
we posted over 40 pen pal letter and cards! This brought
immense joy to the recipients of these letters, as well as the
students, in the run up to Christmas and brought a smile to
their faces during these tough times.
By Shane Malone 13/34

Throughout the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted what is truly
important to us and how much, as a society, we depend upon our essential workers.
Like most teenagers, as I approached my 16 th birthday, I began searching for a part
time job. Luckily, I had success and I began working as an essential key worker last
October. I had no prior working experience before COVID 19 so to do so during a
pandemic with the challenges that come with it, was a baptism of fire, to say the
least!
However, I was not alone with these challenges and changes. Many students in Year
13 face the difficulties of working as an essential key worker. I spoke with some of
them and asked how they felt about working during the pandemic.
Shauna Gibney
I have been working in Clark’s Pharmacy in Newtownhamilton
since February 2020. Masks have to be worn for my whole shift
except for my lunch hour when I go home. We do our best to
social distance. Due to wearing a mask for a long time I have
found that my skin has been more prone to breakouts. To keep
everyone safe there is a Perspex screen between us and the
customers. Some of the challenges COVID has brought include
the difficulty to understand what customers are asking for due
to the Perspex screen and wearing masks. We also have to
constantly sanitise as well as doing our job.
Grace Ward
I work at Nisa Local Supermarket in MarketHill. I have worked
there for the past 8 months. All staff and customers are
required to wear masks, use hand sanitiser and adhere to social
distance guidelines. Only a limited number of customers are
allowed in the store at one time to reduce the spread of COVID.
It isn’t easy wearing a face mask but it’s what we have to do to
try and fight the virus. All staff have allocated breaks that no
two people are in the break room at the same time. All surfaces
and equipment must be sanitised after individual use to prevent
the spread of the virus.

Shane O’Keefe
I have been working in the Corn Dolly since October 2020. I’ve
only experienced working in the Corn Dolly with COVID. There
are many precautions we have to take. The customers have to
sanitise their hands before entering the shop, we all have to
wear masks and there are screens up. It is a big challenge talking
to customers through a screen and masks as you can’t hear
anyone. It is hard to work with COVID-19. For the first couple of
weeks of having to wear a mask, it really hurt my ears. I’m used
to wearing a mask all the time now because we have been so
exposed to it and even during school we were wearing masks. It
is a bit of a hinderance but you have to manage.
Maeve Reel
Since September I have been working in Trufit Filling Station.
It is a small shop so I always try to be conscious of space
between myself and customers when I’m stocking the shelves
or on the floor working. The mask is very annoying because I
work two shifts on a Saturday and Sunday that are 4 and 7
hours long respectively. We have a screen up between staff
and customers at the tills which makes it hard to
communicate sometimes, especially with masks.
Aoife Greene
I work in Greene’s Furnishings in Lurgan, my dad’s shop,
and I have been working there since 2017. COVID has
made it hard to earn money as the shop isn’t currently
opened and won’t be for a while. It also brought a few
challenges as it meant there were fewer people allowed in
the shop at one time. I don’t have a problem wearing a
mask at work. We do provide signs to encourage people to
wear masks. The shop has always had a Facebook page so
we decided to create an Instagram page. I persuaded my
dad to create one for the shop as it would be another
platform. We started it recently and already business is
improving.

Caoimhe Larkin
Since the end of last August, I have been working in T2 in the
Buttercrane. It wasn’t too bad working. It is usually very hot in
T2 so wearing a mask just made it even hotter, but other than
that it was fine. I didn’t really mind bringing in masks to work, it
just seemed like a natural thing to do. Not being able to work
was annoying. Even though I started working seven months ago,
I’ve only worked for about four months.
Orlaith McVerry
I have been working in Snaubs for two and a half years now. One
of the challenges COVID has brought is reduced hours as we are
not as busy. I am not needed as much as I was before COVID.
Also, I’m not getting out to see the regulars as much and talking
to the customers. When customers could sit in and eat we had
to wear masks all the time and social distance as much as
possible from each other. Now we only do takeaways. When we
were open fully we had to laminate the menus so we could wipe
them down after every customer use. We also have to amplify
the cleaning and hygiene in the kitchen.
There is no doubt that we are all experiencing our own individual challenges with COVID-19.
However, it is clear that we are all trying to do our best to adhere to the guidelines so that
we can get through this difficult period. Just remember, “You're braver than you believe,
stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
By: Ava Pache 13/28
“Seek respect,
not attention.
It lasts longer.”

Christmas Dinner 2020

St Paul’s GAA News
There is no bigger name in ladies football right now than that of former St Paul’s pupil
Aimee Mackin!
Last month, the Shane O’Neill’s attacker collected her biggest individual honour to date as she
became only the second Armagh player to lift the Player of the Year award - after Caroline O’Hanlon.
On the same night she picked up the Goal of the Year award and earned a spot on the Senior Team
of the Year, bolstering an already packed trophy cabinet.
Many of those awards came in the maroon and white colours of her school, as Aimee helped the
ladies team to various Ulster titles and All-Ireland finals. She showed herself to be a leader on and
off the field and was always popular among her peers and the wider staff - and always up for a bit of
craic!
Her resilience, after overcoming a cruciate injury in 2019, has been an inspiration to all and she has
been a brilliant ambassador for St Paul’s, Bessbrook, with humility being at the core of her very
being.

What does your Zodiac sign say about you?
Aries 21 st March -19 th April
Image matters to you. How you present yourself and people's first reactions makes a huge
difference to your relationships at every level. In the build-up to both the Sun and Venus'
arrival in your sign by next weekend, thinking about presentation could be all-consuming.
It appears that you have much to offer on the professional stage but need to find a way to
deliver your thoughts and your creativity and to show just how good a team player you
can be.
Taurus 20 th April- 20 th May
You will not be the only sign giving thought to appearance and presentation now. What
might matter to you between Tuesday and next Saturday is making clear that you have
your finger on a financial pulse. You need to show that you can ‘balance the books’ and
work with others, especially after the Moon arrives in your sign on Tuesday and before it
leaves on Friday, as there is potential for you to have tremendous impact at many levels.
From the positioning of a large item, to the way in which accounts are presented, your
input will likely be considered invaluable.
Gemini 21 st May- 20 th June
There is very real danger that you could over-talk. True, you might also overthink. It's the
talking though that could get you into trouble - particularly if you are in negotiations. The
fact is that Mars is now moving through your sign and the temptation to play with words
will likely be considerable. On the positive side, you could find exactly the right wording
for an advert or job application.
Cancer 21 st June- 22 nd July
Like a performer waiting to come on stage, it seems you're full of anticipation looking for
support from a stage manager and wholly aware of audience expectations. Your entrance
should come next weekend, after both the Sun and Venus arrive at the apex of your solar
chart. Of course, the Sun passes here at this time every year. 2021 is different.

Leo 23 rd July- 22 nd August
Any tendency to overdramatise could surface - and not endear you to some! In fact, you
could experience considerable resistance between Tuesday and Thursday. You may not
like some of the designs or ideas presented and make clear your displeasure. And yet, it's
likely that within these proposals there are seeds of genius. Perhaps they just require a
little of your input? The fabulous aspect between Venus and Mars occurs just ahead of the
Equinox (Friday) and is followed by an equally good aspect between Jupiter and Neptune.
Virgo 23 rd July-22 nd September
For much of this week, there is planetary attention in your opposite sign of Pisces. True, at
one level you could feel that others are unfocused and pulling you this way and that.
Remember, yours is a sign that likes things to run smoothly and perfectly: your risk
management antennae system works well. Yet imperfection can lead to a break-through.
Libra 23rd September- 22nd October
Design and presentation matter. You know that. You also know what it's like to be
overwhelmed by possibilities. Anchoring a theme and focusing is essential and is this
week's big theme. Determining what is practical and realistic will likely require assistance
from someone who has known ability for staying the course. Remember, yours is one of
the Air signs of the Zodiac. You're good at thinking up plans but do require others to put
necessary systems in place.
Scorpio 23rd October-21st November
Don't underestimate your creativity. Your input in meetings concerning design, social
media etc should prove invaluable. The presence of so many planets in another of the
Water signs, Pisces - and coming so soon after this weekend's New Moon, should result in
you being in tune and hypersensitive to prevailing trends. By the Equinox on Saturday you
should be so, so on top of your game. If there is a snag, it's that others may well be
holding on to your coattails and allowing you to do their work.
Sagittarius 22nd November-21st December
This weekend's Piscean New Moon is followed by a grouping of planets in that sign at the
very base of your solar chart. This is the time to think legacy and your footprint on the
Earth. At one level this is about asset management: at another, it is about philanthropy
and generosity. By the time that the Sun arrives in another of the Fire signs and marks the

Equinox on Friday, your ruling planet Jupiter begins the conclusion of its cycle with
Neptune: the planet of giving. There is much then to suggest that you will be thinking
long, long term.
Capricorn 22nd December- 19th January
By Saturday (YOUR day of the week), the Sun will have arrived at the very base of your
solar chart: the Equinox. Prior to that and following on from this weekend's New Moon a
planetary grouping in Pisces accents the communications area of your solar chart. It seems
likely you will be involved in presentations, designs, social media, and Internet presence
generally.
Aquarius 20th January-18th February
Following this weekend's New Moon, the accent moves to financial matters and
'balancing the books'. This may not be easy as cash flow could be fast and furious.
Maintaining control might not be so easy - especially given the need to make essential
repairs or self-invest. You could see all this as a test in prioritisation. For many signs,
presentation, design, style, and content management will require effort and care. And
yes, it may be that you underestimate the time needed to perfect the finished product.
Pisces 19th February-20th March
One of your many gifts is to envision multiple options. You see shades of colour to which
other people are oblivious. Your design skills should come to the fore midweek, be
respected, and appreciated. And yet: Pisceans can get lost, mislay, or appear confused.
Bringing vision to reality, and concluding projects successfully is perhaps not your
strongest suit.
By Shane Malone, Year 13

PRAYER TO ST PAUL
Oh glorious St Paul, by your prayers and example, enable me to become a better person.
More considerate towards others, more honest with myself, more faithful to God.
Give me the courage to accept the pains and problems of this day, always rejoicing in the
Lord.
Through my prayers may I be ‘rooted in love’, always loving God in fidelity to Sunday mass
and daily prayer; always loving my neighbour, especially my family and friends.
Make me patient and kind, never jealous or rude. Give me the strength to trust, to hope and
to endure whatever comes.
May I always know in my heart what you taught so well; that there are only three things
that last – faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love.
Amen