Sports

Here at Athboy Community School, we are thrilled to offer our students the opportunity to take part in girls and boys basketball at junior, minor and senior levels. Basketball has been an integral part of Athboy CS over many years. All teams compete in the North Leinster Regional Competitions which run throughout the year.

Athboy CS has fantastic facilities for basketball. We have a full-size indoor basketball court with drop down baskets and toughened Perspex backboard. There is a full glass surround window on the 2nd floor of the school offering an excellent opportunity for spectators to watch the game! We also have 3 outdoor courts where students can enjoy a quick lunch time game.

In 2023, our senior boys team reached the North Leinster Final after a brilliant season and our Junior Girls reached the North Leinster Semi–Final.

Training is open to all students, irrespective of sporting ability, and is held after school in our sports hall. If you’re interested in basketball, Athboy C.S. has it all to offer!

Athboy Community School has a strong tradition of camogie and are currently fielding three teams at senior, junior and minor levels. All students across the various year groups are encouraged to get involved. Over the last few years, the girls have competed at a high level, reaching minor and junior Leinster finals, as well as winning 1st year blitzes.

Junior Cycle students play chess in the library every once a week at lunchtime. We play on chessboards designed by woodwork teacher Mr. Lowry, Engineering teacher Mr. Ruddy and the TY class. Beginners, improvers and grandmasters all welcome!

Debating is a subject option in Transition Year and ACS takes part in interschool debating competitions throughout the year. The benefits to students of learning the art of debating include the following:

• develops the student’s self-confidence and willingness to stand-up for themselves and their beliefs.
• Working as part of a team, developing arguments and strategies, learning to work together, assigning each other responsibilities, and helping each other in a collaborative environment.
• Every speaker learns the power effective communication. Students learn the techniques of spoken communication and verbal persuasion, and hone and develop their natural skills and talents.
• Students learn how to organise their thoughts systematically and effectively.
• Through practice and execution in the debates, the students build their capacity in argument, learning how to develop strong and clear arguments which convey the right information, and logic, and do so in a persuasive manner.
• The requirement to respond to Points of Information interjections from one’s opponents, and the necessity of responding to their arguments throughout the debate, teaches students the invaluable skills of quick thinking, and the ability to confidently adapt their position and analysis on their feet.
• The two-sided nature of all debates develops in the students the skills of critical thinking, not just analysing their opponents’ arguments but their own as well.
• Through debating students learn that there is always more than one perspective and position on any issue. Debating teaches people to respect diversity of opinion, and to reach balance and consensus through accepting divergent views and disagreement as natural.

Under 15 Boys Football

South Dublin: Winners beating St. Johns De La Salle Ballyfermot 4-0 in the final

Leinster: Semi finalists losing to eventual winners Clara Scoil Naomh Padraig

Dublin Metropolitan: Semi-finalists losing 14-13 on penalties after a great performance and game which ended 4-4 after extra time

Under 17 Football

We did very well in the Junior League where we topped our group with a 100% record with victories at home to Rockbrook Park School, Rathfarnham 6-0 and also away to St. John’s College, Ballyfermot 7-1.

Confidence was high in the camp heading into the league semi-final in mid-December against Marian College, Ballsbridge. We were at home but got off to a shocking start conceding twice in the opening 10 minutes.

We battled well in the second half to draw 4-4 but sadly we lost 4-1 in the penalty shootout. This was a high opportunity missed to take silverware back to Cabinteely as Marian College were 7-0 victors in the final.

Transition Year Cup

There is only one competition for Transition Years, the Leinster Ty cup.

Our 1st round match against St. Michaels College of Ailesbury Road was an all-time classic. There were 4 lead changes and we prevailed 4-3 after extra-time.
In the 2nd round we played St. MacDara’s C.S of Templeogue and this was another 7 goal thriller. Due to injuries we’d only a squad of 13 for the game and all were needed as

we got two injuries in the first half, leaving us with no substitutions for the remainder of the game.

We totally dominated for 80 minutes and were cruising to victory, leading 4-1 with 10 minutes to go. MacDara’s then scored twice in 5minutes to leave us 4-3 ahead. Our lapse in concentration made the final 5 minutes much more nervous than it should have been for those in attendance. Overall this was an incredible performance from everyone involved. We were down numerous starters but it showed the vast talent we had in our squad and that the greatest ability is availability.

In the quarter finals we played Clonkeen College in a very competitive game but were defeated 2-1. It was a solid performance but missed opportunities cost us dear in the end.

Girls Football

We had an U15 and an U20 team in the school this year. Both arefantastic teams with girls who dedicate themselves to sport both inand outside of school. Both teams competed in the South Dublin regiongroup stages .Despite excellent efforts, the U15 team failed to make itout of a very strong group. The U20 team made it to the division 3playoffs but left the competition at this stage.

Cabinteely Cup

The Cabinteely Cup is an inter-year championship within the school, organised by The Student Representative Council (SRC) the Cup’s ultimate aim was to bring students from all years together to have fun!

The matches were held during breaktime from 12:00 onwards, each being 12minutes a side. The teams consisted of 9/10 players per team with each team having two managers.

The matches were all very tough due to the high level of talent on each team.

The Isla of Man, Saudi Arabia, Australia and South Korea made it to the Semifinals, and after two tough matches Australia and isle of Man ultimately made it to the Finals.

The final game was held on the 15th of May and was a ticketed event for the entire school, each ticket cost 2euro and all proceeds were donated to the Irish Cancer Society. With that being said, the winner of the final was Australia, a big congratulations to everyone on the team! You all played amazing!

Our Gaelic football teams train after school once a week and take part in interschool competition each year. All students are welcome to whether or not they have played before. We have a new school Gaelic kit for 2023-24.

Gymnastics runs after school once a week culminating in a Gymnastics display by students during our annual Culture Night. Students of all ages are welcome to join, have fun and learn new skills.

• Gymnastics fuels the brain and body for learning.
• Students in gymnastics learn social skills. The benefits of gymnastics sprawl into the classroom. Listening to instructions, taking turns, respecting authority, building friendships, and learning to work independently are all benefits of gymnastics.
• Gymnasts learn work ethic. Gymnastics skills take time and repetition to master. Also, gymnasts must condition physically and mentally to prepare for the proper execution of skills.
• Gymnastics improves self esteem.
• There are many physical health benefits of gymnastics.

Providing an introductory approach to both theory based and practical horticulture. Students can engage in practical horticulture skills in several of the school’s gardens. Including the following elements;

• Gardening theory and practical gardening
• Gardening styles
•  Propagation
• Cultivation
•  Pollination and pollinators
• Composting and school wormery

Students get the opportunity grow a range of seasonal vegetables and plants throughout the year. As part of the Horticulture programme students can also learn about and help care for the school hens. Students will also learn about the importance of sustainability within horticulture throughout the school as part of the horticulture programme.

Hurling is a sport steeped in local tradition and passion, and finds its place within the vibrant tapestry of our school’s extracurricular activities. Students are encouraged to participate in school teams to the best of their ability and offered the opportunity over the school year to train with staff members allowing our students to immerse themselves in the intricacies of the game.

Participation in hurling fosters a sense of belonging and pride within our school community. Whether they’re seasoned players or novices eager to learn, students come together, united by their love for the sport and a shared commitment to achieve something good.

Athboy C.S. now has five Leinster titles, most recently our first ever Senior hurling title in 2023 being followed by a second Senior title in 2024 and a Junior title in the same year.

As a school, we participate at three levels of competition – Second Year, Junior and Senior hurling. If numbers continue to build it is hoped we might also be in a position to field a First Year team in the years to come.

We celebrate not only the victories on the scoreboard but also personal growth and camaraderie. In embracing hurling as an extracurricular activity, we aim to cultivate not just skilled athletes, but well-rounded individuals prepared to tackle the challenges of life with determination.

Athboy Community School have a junior and senior Irish debating team that take part in the Comórtas Díospóireachta an Phiarsaigh, a debating competition for Post-Primary schools.

Previous teams have reached the regional final in the national debating competition. Students are given the chance to develop their language skills and learn the invaluable art of debating. Debaters improve their critical thinking skills, as they learn to evaluate and use relevant information, facts and data. They build on their public speaking skills, as they practice speech delivery, poise and confidence. Also, it enhances teamwork skills and collaboration given that they work as a team.

This year Athboy C.S. was chosen as one of the schools to work with STEAM Meath and compete in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge robotics competition.

FIRST LEGO League is an international robotics competition designed to inspire children and teenagers to engage with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects.

The programme helps participants develop critical skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and creative thinking. The experience is guided by core values emphasising discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment where every participant can thrive.

For this year’s competition we entered 2 teams, A Team and Top Gear, and were made up of students from 2nd Year and Transition Year. The teams designed, built, and programmed a LEGO robot to complete specific tasks on a themed competition table. This year’s theme was “Masterpiece” where students shared a hobby with others. Additionally, they completed an innovation project where the identified a real-world issue, developed a solution, and presented their findings to judges.

We were thrilled to be part of the experience this year and cannot wait to see what our new teams produce next year. If you think LEGO league is something that might be for you, please let your Year Head know.

Athboy Community School field strongly in soccer. Currently we have boys and girls teams from U15 to U19. The school offers fantastic facilities for soccer with one of the best pitches in the region. Training sessions are held weekly on the school pitch with good numbers turning out in each age group. Our girls u15 team won the North Leinster title in 2024.

Sports Day was held on Tuesday the 27th of May 2024 for the entire school. From early in the morning all students made their way down to the pitches, the PE Hall and the Basketball Courts to partake in the events of the day, which included races, football and basketball challenges, inflatables. The students cycled through the events and had a shot at each event. There was also an ice cream truck which students could purchase treats from. Overall, it was a very exciting day which everyone really enjoyed!

A fun and social volleyball club after school every Tuesday. It’s a chance to mix with other students in the school and make new friends. Students of all years, ages and abilities ranging from absolute beginners to experienced players are welcome. A couple of different courts are set up so students have the choice between playing competitively or just for fun.