Saturday, 2 June 2012

Elliot Davis receives Cecil Day Lewis Literary Award

Congratulations to one of our first year English students, Elliot Davis, who received a Cecil Day Lewis Literary Award for his poem Devotion.  It is not Elliot's first award or publication in this annual competition.  This year he entered his winning poem and also a short story entitled Michael the Starling, both of which you can read below.  


Devotion.

The vixen is hunting,
Searching for food,
She knows she must find some,
Aid for her brood.

She pads through the snow,
Lightly on foot,
Her red fur is glowing,
Her nose is like soot.

Way in the distance,
She can hear calls,
Her children are praying,
She must save them all.

The stars they are shining,
Leading the way,
The fox must keep scouting,
Or else she will pay.

Her eyes are devoted,
Her heart is so proud,
She always keeps going,
For that she has vowed.

By Elliot Davis.



 Michael the Starling

Once upon a time there lived a starling called Michael. He was a very greedy bird. One day in Spring when he was going on his early morning flight he came across two nesting boxes mounted on a wall, one green and one brown. Michael thought they would make a great home for him but he didn’t know which one to pick. Eventually he went inside the green one first. He thought it was beautiful. Then he went inside the brown one. He thought it was equally as nice. Michael went to find his mate and brought her back to the nesting box. That day he went to find some grass and small twigs to build a nest for his mate. On his way he met a robin. “I have this great new house !” said Michael boastfully to the robin. “I’m still looking for one,” said the robin with a sigh and he flew off. Michael found enough grass and twigs to build the nest for his mate in one go. For a whole week Michael hopped between the two nesting boxes, scaring away all other birds while his mate sat in the new nest. But on the eighth day Michael began to get hungry. He flew away in search of food. This time he met a blue tit. “I have such a brilliant house !” said Michael to the blue tit pompously. “I know,” said the blue tit, “you’ve been telling everyone !” and he flew off. When Michael got back to the two nesting boxes he found someone in the brown one. It was the robin from last week ! “I thought I’d come and investigate your ‘brilliant’ home,” said the robin. “Get out of my house !” bellowed Michael angrily. “It’s not your house,” said the robin, “’that’s’ your house,” and he pointed to the green nesting box. Michael went back to the green nesting box in a huff. He decided that he and his mate would complain to the mayor of that area which was George the Eagle. Michael and his mate flew and flew and flew telling everyone they met along the way about their superb home. Finally they reached George’s house at the very top of a big, old oak tree. “Mister George, hello? Are you up there?” Michael called out. “Is that Michael the Starling?” boomed George. “Yes and I was just…” said Michael but George cut in. “If this is another complaint about wanting more things or wanting someone else’s stuff then I’m not listening Michael,” said George. “But…” started Michael. “Go home Michael,” said George and he closed the door on his huge nesting box. Michael flew home with his mate, livid that George wouldn’t listen to him. To his surprise when he got back to his lovely, green nesting box he found someone else in it. It was the blue tit from earlier that day. “I came to check out what all the fuss was about,” said the blue tit. “But this is my house, get out of my house,” roared Michael. “It’s mine now,” said the blue tit and she moved to reveal a brood of six young chicks. Michael and his mate flew off searching desperately for somewhere to live but all the nesting boxes and good trees were full. Every time he went to a nest the birds inside just said, “you were the one bragging to all of us so we came to have a look,” Michael was very sad, but he learned his lesson !

By Elliot Davis.

Friday, 25 May 2012

Resource Pack: The Great Gatsby



Leonardo DiCaprio will be playing the role of the iconic Gatsby
 in an up-coming Baz Luhrman movie adaptation. (Trailer)


1. The entire text of the novel by ebooks@adelaide.
2. Analysis of the novel through a series of ShowMes by SCC English.
3. Resources on The Great Gatsby from TES English.
4. Sparknotes video summary of the novel.
5. Collection of lesson plans for The Great Gatsby.
6. Compilation of resources from Classic Literature.
7. Cornell University New Student Reading Project.

8.

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

2B Screenr presentaion on Of Mice and Men

This is a Screenr presentation on Of Mice and Men by a second year English class from Newbridge College. The class studied Steinbeck’s classic tale of human friendship and fragility for their J.C. course. The class summarise the novel to a series of different images that represent various important themes and moments from the novel.

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

Sylvia Plath Revision Booklet

Please find below a revision booklet on Sylvia Plath. The booklet was compiled by fifth year pupils of Newbridge College. The pupils studied the poetry of Plath as part of their L.C. course for 2013.



Monday, 21 May 2012

Culture Factory

Culture Factory are a local community activity group based in Newbridge. They are hoping to make a poetry publication to sell in the Newbridge area. It will contain poems from all the schools in the Newbridge area. As such, any pupil here from the College is able to send an entry to culture.factory@yahoo.ie. Posted below are two entries from pupils here in the college.

The Christening Robe

Once the box is opened,
The smell presents,
That misty smell of old.
This simple white dress, blanket and shoes,
Makes me realise Why it can never be sold.

As clean as the newest snowflake,
Its beauty undeniable,
The essence of time stands still in its presence,
Only worn for one day,
Every once in a while.

My Grandmother sits smiling beside me,
Lost in her own precious memories.
 Not much is left,
Only her mother’s creation,
Passed on from generation to generation.

by Niamh Jordan

13th Apostle (Caught in a web)
On the verge of the supper below the last step,
Stands one of equal significance,
As sacred as any whom attend the session above,
Perceived, although, in a drastic light.

Few acknowledge this interloper might
Without story, or ceremony
To give it light.

The consecrated texts within miracles occur,
Obscure the power of the nameless other,
The 13th Apostle.

 by Bryan Hayden

Tuesday, 15 May 2012

Resource Pack: Othello

*Othello makes a return to the Leaving Certificate Single Text and Comparative Sections for 2015*

Othello is regarded as one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy plays. Othello is a respected and honorable Moor. But Othello's dignity is sharply contrasted against the play's antagonist Iago. The play explores many themes including love, jealously, isolation, racism and the role of the military. Below is a selection of resources intended to help in the study of the play. The resources begin with a comedic cartoon overview of the play from CliffsNotes.
 



1. eNotes Video: Top Ten questions to ask in Othello.
2. Detailed overview and analysis of the play from Shakespeare-Online.
3. Collection of lesson plans on Othello from WebEnglishTeacher.
4. TES English Resources on Othello (Teacher login required)
5. Citizens Theatre:Teacher notes with class activities on Othello.
6. The entire text of Othello Online.