Gaisce 2026!

On the 6th of May, 29 of our Transition Year students embarked on the final step towards completing their Gaisce bronze award -the Adventure Journey! Every student has been working towards this for over 26 weeks, challenging themselves by completing personal, physical and community challenges.

Directly after tutorial on Wednesday morning, accompanied by Mr. Lynch, Mr. Cahill and Ms. Sinnott, the TYs boarded the bus and travelled all the way to Glenmalure, the starting point of their journey. They started walking at approximately 10:30 with the intention of completing the 15 kilometre hike to Glendalough in record time.

Over the course of the journey, there were plenty of photo opportunities to be had with an endless amount of picturesque views. They stopped to see two waterfalls - Coolalingo and Poulanass, which were both worth the detour. To everyone's surprise, the weather was absolutely perfect for the steady uphill climb over Derrybawn and Lugduff followed by a welcome descent to Glendalough. After they finally arrived at the Glendalough car park, they spent a couple of hours playing football, climbing trees, playing a competitive round of build up, relaxing in the sun and most importantly buying themselves ice cream as a reward for their hard work.

At 6 o’clock they unanimously decided to make their way to Glendalough Youth hostel with dinner in mind. After cooking themselves a delicious meal, they had the evening to relax and play cards before returning to their rooms for a quality night of sleep.

The following morning, everyone had breakfast and readied themselves for the day. The weather held steady, giving everyone hope as they walked the final stretch to Roundwood. The multiple speakers kept the mood strong and the scenery continued to impress. After a long couple of hours they arrived, completing their Gaisce Adventure Journey. They had an hour to relax and refuel before getting picked up by the bus.

Although it was tough at times, the TYs stayed extremely positive throughout and made their Gaisce trip an incredibly enjoyable experience for all. A massive thank you to all of the teachers who accompanied the students, and in particular to Mr. Lynch and Ms. Foynes for guiding the TYs through the entirety of their Gaisce journey. Well done everyone!

Reporter: Abi Breathnach