Christmas Service

Athboy Community school held its annual Christmas Service in the school’s General Purpose Area on Thursday December 18th. 

The event opened with a flag bearing ceremony where students carrying flags representing the nationalities in the school, entered the GPA, paraded their flag and flanked the ceremony on both sides from the corridor above. 

Principal Miss Garrihy opened the service, speaking about how everyone present gathered as one school family – many nations, many cultures, many stories, yet united as one human family. She added that at Christmas we celebrate the coming of Light into our world, a light that welcomes every nation, every culture, every person.  

Next, Patrick, Ada, Evie, Daria, and Ruth began the service with a prayer for peace in English, Polish Romanian and French.  

The music group performed Christmas songs like O Holy Night and also Silent Night, a song that is sung in many nations across the globe and a reminder that hope and harmony belongs to all peoples and all nations. 

Next, Rachel and Cormac recited a poem that was made famous by Nelson Mandela called ‘Our Deepest Fear’ accompanied by a musical instrumental and a presentation on screen of some photos that capture just a brief glimpse of the brilliant, talented students in Athboy C.S. 

After this, the  6th years celebrating their last Christmas as students in Athboy C.S, shared positive advice with the first years beginning their journey in secondary school – simple words of encouragement that can guide, support, and inspire, a way of passing on kindness, one message at a time. Marc and Daniel from 1st year came forward to share the first messages, followed by the rest of the year group whereby each first year received a laminated card with a piece of advice written to them from a 6th year.  

Amy and Louise, Ada and Evie were next on stage to pray a Prayer to the four directions of this Globe, prayers for hope, light, kindness, generosity, courage and peace. 

The final reflection was read by Killian. He spoke about how during this busy season, it’s easy to get caught up in shopping, planning, and the pressure to make everything perfect. All the focus on buying things can distract us from what really matters—kindness, generosity, gratitude, and respect for one another.  

After the Service concluded, there followed a lively Christmas debate from members of the school’s debate club with the motion ‘That Mrs Claus is the real Boss of the North Pole’! 

Thank you to the huge number of staff and students involved in preparing today’s service, but special thanks goes to Miss Cashman who was the organiser in chief, Miss McGowan and Miss Coghlan for the music and sound and Miss Leddy for organising the debaters.