Kinsale Community School held its annual awards ceremony, Éacht na Scolaírí, on Friday 18th October 2019 to an audience of over 600 students, parents and staff to honour the achievements of the Kinsale students in a variety of areas.  The evening commenced with a piece played by Eva Crowley on piano and was followed with a set of musical arrangements performed by the traditional Irish group and prepared by Ms Brid Kearney. 
Guest of Honour for the night was RTÉ Sports Presenter Marty Morrissey.  Marty spoke about his own journey through school, his studies in college and his career and how the path in life can fork along the way - ‘you never really know what life has in store for you’.  Mr Morrissey captured the attention of the audience with his sense of wit and humour while also emphasising the importance of community both in and outside of school.  He expressed his admiration of the evident bond between teaching staff and students and the ‘phenomenal respect that exists’ between them. In his closing words he congratulated the students on their successes which was a culmination of the ‘dedication of staff, raw talents of students and support of parents’.
On the night, which was MCed by acting Deputy Principal Ms Jean Gaffney, students received awards for a multitude of achievements and activities, ranging from Year Awards to Sporting Awards to Academic Awards. Pupils from the Leaving Certificate class of 2019 were honoured for their exceptional results with the Senior Academic Award being presented jointly to Niamh Murphy and Lucy Kelleher and the top Leaving Certificate Applied Award going to Nur Adlina Binti Mohamed.  The Don O’Shea Memorial Award went to Cian Murphy and the Junior Certificate Academic Award was presented to Eva Crowley who was recognised for her outstanding Junior Certificate results. 
Other notable awards on the night were the O’Brien Biotech Award which was presented to current fifth year student Jamie Cadogan and the Catherine O’ Byrne Memorial Award for German which was presented to Paul Wills.  The Civic Virtue Award was presented to Victoria Bollard and the Kilian Ryan Memorial Award for the Arts was presented to Adam O’Leary.
Achievements in sports were also celebrated on the night with the Joe McGrath Memorial Award being presented to Saoirse McCarthy. The Special Achievement in Sport Award was presented to Conor O’Callaghan (Table Tennis), Darragh Crowley (Soccer), Jenny Murphy (Ladies Football), Saoirse McCarthy (Camogie) and Seán Twomey (Hurling).    
Success in Science was also celebrated.  The Science and Technology Award was presented to Éanna McCarthy and the BT Young Scientist and Sci-Fest Winners Award was presented to Eve Corkery, Jennifer McCarthy, Katie Reynolds, Mary Clare Murphy, Niamh Crowley, Orla Madden and Ryan McCarthy.
Other Awards on the night included the Bank of Ireland Community Awards which went to Ceara Dhingra and Chloe Murphy and the Kinsale Historical Society Award which was presented to Seán Hayes.  A new award for 2019, the Contribution to Music Award went to Brian Desmond, Ellen Nyhan and Selena McCarthy.  
In his opening address Mr McCarthy welcomed guest of honour Marty Morrissey, former and present students, parents, staff and guests to the annual awards evening.  Mr McCarthy expressed his delighted in welcoming the leaving certificate class of 2019 whom he described as having ‘a kind heart and good citizenship’.  He also acknowledged and thanked the parents who assisted and collaborated with the school in shaping their children.  Mr McCarthy commended students and staff on raising €18,000 on the annual school walk last year for charities including Arc House, Marymount and the Mercy Hospital.  Thanks were expressed to Sr Rita Twomey (Chairperson of the Board) and all the Board members; Deputy Principals Jean Gaffney, Claire Sheehan and Gerard Hogan and all of the teaching staff.  The principal also thanked the co-ordinator of the Awards evening Ms Máire Fleming and her assistants.  Mr McCarthy concluded his address stating ‘the future of our country and globe will be shaped by the type of individuals that are here tonight’.
Sr Rita Twomey (Chairperson Board of Management) congratulated the students and applauded them for their hard work and dedication to their studies, perseverance in the development of their skills, spirit of generosity and friendship and sharing of their gifts and talents.  Sr Rita highlighted how collaboration and involvement of parents, staff, the community, local clubs and industries have enriched the learning environment for students. She concluded by asking students to ‘appreciate your roots because from them comes the courage and strength that will help you to grow and flourish’.
The Awards Ceremony concluded with a musical finale directed by Ms Brid Kearney which included Lucy Plant on piano, Cathal Flynn on guitar and Georgina McCarthy on vocals.
The full list of nominees and awards winners is as follows:
First Year: Anna O’Mahony, Daniel Janse Van Rensburg, Darragh Collins, Dylan Collins, Ellen Crowley, Gerard Gillen, Grace Coyle, Isobel Bergin, Jack Barrett, Jenny Foley, Kate Farley, Laura Whitehead, Lucy McCarthy, Nicole Buckley, Páidí O’Farrell, Sophie Peare, Zach Allen and Zoe McLaughlin.
The Overall Winner was Sophie Peare.
Second Year: Aaron Ganly, Ali McGinn, Ben Lovell, Caoilfhionn O’Donovan, Caoimhe Barrett, Damien O’Brien, Jack Weitzman, Kaitlynn Campagno, Katie Reynolds and Naoise McCarthy.
The Overall Winner was Ali McGinn.
Third Year: Aislinn Coleman, Anna Peare, Ava Coyle, David Nolan, Geraldine Tyner, Kellie McCarthy, Lily Fitzgerald, Louis Allman, Megan Fahy, Mia Casey, Niamh Murphy and Paul Graham.
The Overall Winner was Anna Peare.
Transition Year:  Adam Quinn, Aimee Mulcair, Charlie Grainger, Cordelia Foody, Grace Hynes, Hannah Hayes, Harry Dunican, Jordan Dollard, Meabh Aherne, Millie Allman, Oisín Coyle and Rohan Ager.
The Overall Winner was Grace Hynes.
Fifth Year: Amanda Draper, Brendan O’Connor, Cian Murphy, Daniel Keating, Dara Wall, Donna Thorpe, Fiona Keating, Georgina McCarthy, Keith Webb, Lucy Plant and Sam Peare.
The Overall Winner was Cian Murphy.
Sixth Year: Abi Allen, Adam O’Leary, Conor O’Brien, Daniel Graham, Donnacha O’Mahony, Eve Casey, Jennifer McCarthy, Kayleigh Kelleher, Lucy Kelleher, Niamh Murphy, Olivia Keohane, Sarah Kelly, Seán O’Meara, Simon Dorney and Siobhán McCallum. 
The Overall Winners were Adam O’Leary and Lucy Kelleher.
Junior Sport: Anna Fahy, Anne Marie Collins, Arianna Price, Ava Mulhall, Cameron Lovell, Caoimhe Heffernan, Caoimhe Hurley, Conor O’Donovan, Eoghan Cassidy, Fionn Reynolds, Jason Russell, Katalin O’Regan Leder, Kate Redmond, Kian O’Callaghan, Kris O’Callaghan, Lucy Crowley, Mary Clare Murphy, Orlagh O’Mahony, Paul Graham, Sophie Collins, Ted O’Callaghan and Zach Allen.
The overall winner was Eoghan Cassidy.
Senior Sport: Deirdre O’Reilly, Lucy Kelleher, Molly O’Donovan, Noelle Sheehan, Saoirse McCarthy, Úna O’Donovan, Amy Murphy, Charlie Grainger, Conor O’Callaghan, Cormac Kelly, Darragh Crowley, Eoin Redmond, Ethan Coughlan, Faye Ahern, Fiona Keating, Jenny Murphy, Jessica Corkery, Kealan O’Rourke, Lorraine Collins, Luke Desmond, Orlaith Cummins, Seán Twomey, Siobhán O’Donovan and Tom O’Connell.
The overall winner was Darragh Crowley.
Special Achievement in Sport Award:  Conor O’Callaghan (Table Tennis), Darragh Crowley (Soccer), Jenny Murphy (Ladies Football), Saoirse McCarthy (Camogie) and Seán Twomey (Hurling).
Kinsale Historical Society Awards:  Seán Hayes
Joe McGrath Memorial Award:  Saoirse McCarthy
Bank of Ireland Awards: Ceara Dhingra and Chloe Murphy
Civic Virtue Award:  Victoria Bollard
Kilian Ryan Memorial Award:  Adam O’Leary
O’Brien Biotech Award: Jamie Cadogan
Catherine O’Byrne Memorial Award:  Paul Wills
Science & Technology Award:  Éanna McCarthy
BT Young Scientist and Sci-Fest Award: Eve Corkery, Jennifer McCarthy, Katie Reynolds, Mary Clare Murphy, Niamh Crowley, Orla Madden and Ryan McCarthy.
Academic Awards:
Lucy Kelleher – Irish, English, History, French, Biology and Religion
Niamh Murphy – Irish, Maths, Chemistry, Biology and Accounting
Éanna McCarthy – Maths, Geography, Physics, Construction Studies and Business
Paul Wills – Maths, German, Chemistry and DCG
Cathy Hynes – Irish, English and French
Tríona Nyhan – Biology, Accounting and Music
Eve Casey – Irish, English and French
Nia Daly – French and Biology
Selena McCarthy – English, Music and Religion
Grace O’Brien – Biology
Siobhán McCallum – English, French and Biology
Jennifer McCarthy – Irish
Enrica Farmer – English, Art and Home Economics
Robert Delahunty – Chemistry
Conor Mulcahy – Irish
Abi Allen – Biology
Mia Hynes – Art
Aisling Power – Physics
Anna Walsh – Agricultural Science
Alec Schmidt – Geography
Amy Bevan – History
Simon Dorney – Engineering
Conor O’Brien – Geography and Engineering
Daniel Graham – Engineering
Olivia Keohane – Art
Richard Sweetnam – Geography
Seán Twomey – Construction Studies
Jack Etty – Engineering
Aidan Ryan – Engineering
Jacques Chedhomme – French
Gearóid O’Riordan - Engineering
Junior Academic Award:  Eva Crowley
Don O’Shea Memorial Award:  Cian Murphy
Leaving Certificate Applied Award:  Nur Adlina Binti Mohamed
Senior Academic Award:  Lucy Kelleher and Niamh Murphy