Fifth and sixth class had a very exciting few weeks before Christmas, taking part in @Kidcast Podcast School Tour. It was a super learning experience, looking at literacy in a completely different way. We experienced working as script writers, editors, producers, researchers, directors, graphic designers, music directors, and of course presenter and guests!

We worked on the topic of PE, naming our podcast ‘Phizz Ed’! Gaelic football is very close to hearts here in Garrymore and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to interview Mayo football manager, Kevin McStay! Kevin joined us via zoom and we had a very insightful interview about his job! You’ll have to follow the link to hear all the hints and tips for becoming a county player!

We are very thankful to Céire O’Donoghue for sharing her wealth of knowledge and visiting our class to prepare for recording our podcast.

We also want to thank @RTEjr. for the opportunity to take part in such wonderful experience.

We had a podcast party on launch day, where we celebrated our work with some chocolate cake!

Well done 5th and 6th class! Enjoy everybody!

Have a listen here:

Here are some promotional videos created by Céire of our work:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGDOq4Psb90/?igsh=eTBwMWJoZHBmb2d3

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGDgW5cC9Q-/?igsh=ZmNvd3JwcHF5bXpz

@Claremorris946 @jojo_hynes @creativeirl @artscouncil_ie

“For the next hour, we advise the whole country move to level Gortskehy”

As part of our Creative Schools initiative 3rd and 4th class were presented with the opportunity of creating a radio show. We worked very hard with Jojo Hynes, our creative associate and Claremorris Community Radio. We started by brainstorming ideas and began the creative process of putting radio pieces together. We learned how to make radio reports, how to present items for radio and how to structure an hour of radio. We covered everything from the news and weather to farming to the sports desk and everything else in between. We also included some seasonal pieces as it was being aired on Christmas Day 2020.

We would like to thank Jojo Hynes and Claremorris Community Radio for giving us the opportunity of a lifetime. We had great fun putting this together and we hope you enjoy ‘Gortskehy Radio’ as created by 3rd and 4th Class. We definitely have a few budding radio stars in our midst here in Gortskehy National School.

Link

Gortskehy on Claremorris Community Radio 94.6 FM.

I am happy to be back to school because I can see my friends and play soccer and Gaelic on the astro-turf pitch. That’s because we’re in Garrymore hall while the new classroom is being built in Gortskehy. When it is raining we can have a game of basketball inside. I like doing art with my friends – sunset art, mask art or the skeletons.

I really like working on the chromebooks. It’s good how we only use half of the hall for school so we can play basketball on the other half. I would rather be in the hall than being in the school but unfortunately we have to go back to school when the building is finished but that is in a few months so we are ok for now.

The best thing about being back at school is that we are not stuck at home with nothing to do. We can see our friends and talk to them after a long time off school. We are in Garrymore hall because they are building a new classroom in Gortskehy.

We create lots of art. We make Halloween art, sugar skulls and art to do with autumn. We also wrote Halloween poems.

We learned about different countries and did some artwork on them. We also learned about famous landmarks around the world. We play basketball in the morning and we play on the astroturf for lunch and P.E.

These are the things that are good about being back to school.

So, first, we are in Garrymore which is really good.  We have an AstroTurf pitch to play football and inside we have a basketball hoop to play a basketball match.

The next thing which is great about being back is if we stayed off school for much longer I would be brain dead! It’s good to see the lads again.

We start five minutes earlier in the morning so that we can finish a bit early at home time. This is because the bus picks 5th and 6th up at Garrymore Hall and then picks up everyone else at the school over the road.

Last, but not least, is that I’m in 6th class now so I’m closer to finishing primary school. It will be soon be time to start secondary and I’m looking forward to the next chapter!