Year end activities at Wilson’s Hospital School
There is always a always a flurry of activities at the end of a school year, and in Wilson’s this year, the first of them was to mark the graduation of the Class of 2022. The event with the students, staff and families, started with a lovely service in the school chapel led by the chaplain, Luke Hawkins.
Some members of the class led the singing and there were readings and prayers to inspire the students as they move on in their lives. Head girl Lucy Charles and head boy Eoin Cawley made emotional speeches before everyone went to the school dining room for a gorgeous meal prepared by Brook Foods. It was such a nice evening for everyone.
The current Form 6 students missed so many trips away (due to Covid restrictions in the previous two years) so their year head Miss Coleman organised a day out at Baysports near Athlone to start their final week in school. They had great fun as a group participating in the water sports.
The annual sports day is much anticipated by all the students at Wilson’s. It actually starts on the previous evening with the running of the Weafer Mile race (called after Joe Weafer, who was such a sports enthusiast and inspiration for everyone he met). Then a swimming gala in the outdoor pool is always a popular event.
This year, the junior students all took part in a soccer tournament while the seniors played a tag rugby tournament. The winners of the tag competition played a staff team (and won for the first time in many years!). The evening ended with a huge limbo competition in the concert hall.
Sports day say all of the students taking part in activities in rotation with their year groups. There were a few passing showers but we were really lucky with the weather holding mostly dry. Activities ranged from dodgeball and tug-o-war to rounders, novelty races, tag rugby and soccer. There was ice cream for everyone at break time and then the annual sports presentations took place in the Weafer Hall. The most anticipated awards are the Athletes of the Year. This year they went to Isobel Clerk and Nathan Pratt. Many congratulations to them for their enthusiasm, skill and participation.
The transition year finale was the next event. All students in WHS do TY and this event is a show case of the work they have carried out all year. It gives their parents and other students in the school a chance to see some of the work they have done and to hear about some of the various activities and workshops they have taken part in.
Nico Pohl and Sarah Cawley, MCs for the afternoon, introduced the speakers from their class who addressed the assembled students and parents.
School principal Mrs McShane congratulated them all and thanked their parents for the support shown through a difficult enough year for TY activities, due to Covid restrictions especially early in the year).
The year ended with the school exams for years 1, 2, 4 and 5. The school magazine, The Wilsonian, was published last week too. Many congratulations to Mr and Mrs Mahony and the editorial team of students involved in this year’s production.
The biggest news of all came at the end of our school year, when board announced the departure later this summer of Mrs McShane. She is moving to be principal in Bandon Grammar School in mid-August. Over the past six years Mrs McShane has given diligent service to Wilson’s Hospital School. Her keen interest in student wellbeing is evident in many of the developments pursued in WHS. We are extremely sorry to be saying goodbye to her and her family and we wish her every success and happiness in her new school.