GONZAGA COLLEGE SJ

Thanks to everyone who took part in Christmas Dress Up Day today for Jesuit Refugee Services. Due to ongoing restrictions we could not hold our traditional Christmas Concert, Carol Service, or Midnight Mass this year, so instead we recorded two musical videos for you to enjoy at home. See Carols from the Chapel here, and the virtual Festive Fling concert here. Thanks to the students and staff for delivering and recording these performance again this year. Especially to Ms Ro

Raising awareness of the Copper Beech Trust, the Past Pupils' Union benevolent fund, the inaugural Past v Present Christmas Fixture took place under floodlights yesterday evening in Gonzaga College SJ. Due to the restrictions we limited refreshments to the outdoors and although cold, it was thankfully crisp and dry. It was wonderful to see so many alumni and their parents join current students and their parents where the current Senior Cup Team took on a team of very enthusia

The 2022 Gonzaga College Calendar has arrived! It is on sale today and tomorrow at break time with the TY students in the Dining Hall and from Elise, the school secretary, at reception. The price is only €10. We have a limited supply so make sure to get your orders in quickly. All proceeds from the sales will go towards the brilliant charity Multiple Sclerosis Ireland.

Transition Year are holding a mini Christmas Fair tomorrow (Saturday 18 December) on the front steps of the school from 11am to 1pm. They will sell: Walled Garden Apple Juice in aid of Focus Ireland Greeting Cards made by Fr Ciary Quirke SJ in aid of Lifestart Gonzaga Rugby Bobble Hats This will be a socially-distanced, cash-only event. Walled Garden Apple Juice is also for sale in the school Dining Hall at €5 per bottle.

Yesterday all First Years took part in an Access Classics event with staff from the UCD Classics department. Thanks very much to Ms Penn, Ms Wyer, and Ms Carretero for organising, and to the Sixth Year Latin and Greek students for helping out. See more photos here. .

Many congratulations to our Senior team on winning the Senior League Final yesterday 18-17 against a very strong Kilkenny College team. See match report here. Photos by Mr Earley.

Our annual Christmas Dress Up day will take place on the last day of term, Wednesday 22 December. First Year Santa's Elves Second Year Christmas Decorations Third Years Snowmen Fourth Years Reindeer Fifth Years Angels Sixth Years Santa Claus Suggested donation €5 in aid of Jesuit Refugee Service Ireland. Please bring money in to Form Tutors on Monday in order to get the monies out before Christmas.

Last night 13 students and four members of staff were commissioned as Ministers of the Eucharist at Mass in Donnybrook Church. This was joint initiative between the Parish, Gonzaga and Teresians, and follows four weeks of training. It was wonderful to see so many ready to be of service to the Church and school. Mr Conor McCrossan, Tom Wyley, Ross 0'Donovan, Cillian McCabe, Liam Ó Laoide, Hugh Moran, Stan O'Beirne, Ms Eilís Regan. Ms Philippa Morris Peeters, Daniel O'Carroll,

Last week 3A and 3C visited Belfast as part of their study of Northern Ireland for Junior Cycle History. Students visited the Falls and Shankill Roads, the Peace Wall, Stormont, and other key locations in Belfast City. Thanks to Ms McKay and to Ben Carroll for the photos. See more photos here.

Well done to our table tennis players in their league matches against High School yesterday. In the Junior A team, Bill Shelley and Simon Donohoe won their singles matches, and Bill and Conall Mooney won their doubles matches. The other matches were very well played and were very tight to the end. In the Minor B team, Charlie Maloney, Michael Tolan, Gerry Gu and Lorcan Cooney all won their singles matches, and the two doubles matches were won by Charlie and Michael, and Lorca

Best of luck to the Juniors in their league quarterfinal in Kilkenny today. The SCT Division 1A League Final that was called off yesterday due to Storm Barra has been rescheduled for next Wednesday (15 December) at the later KO time of 4:30 pm in Energia Park. Tickets purchased for yesterday will be good for the refixed game next week. The draws for the 2022 Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Schools Cup competitions took place yesterday. Full details can be found here. Our Junio

Today saw the first Table Tennis matches in the school for almost two years. Senior and Minor teams played Castleknock. No victory this time, sadly, but everyone played very well. Thanks to Ms Wyer for the photos.

Enormous congratulations to our Senior Cup Rugby Team competing in the Leinster Senior League yesterday afternoon in Energia Park, Donnybrook. A last minute converted try delivered a 36 to 34 victory for Gonzaga College SJ. Next week we take on Kilkenny College in an effort to retain our Senior League title! #AMDG **Match & ticketing details to be announced.** Pictured are Hugh Goddard scoring our side's first try, Hugo McLaughlin making a break on the way to setting up the f