BOOK WEEK 1st - 5th October 2007
Year 8 will be involved in a Readathon to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Fund for Northern Ireland. They will be trying to outdo last year’s total of £1400.00! Year 8 classes will also be involved in a book swap where books galore will be exchanged! Time to clear the shelves and make room for some new titles!
Our Lady’s annual Book week also coincides with National Poetry Week. To celebrate this Year 9 are off to the annual Poetry Workshops, in the Palace Stables Heritage Centre, in Armagh. Students will have the opportunity to work with the resident poet at the Palace Stables – Maura Johnston - who is a writer of both poetry and short stories. Activities will also include interaction with Living History Interpreters who will portray a glimpse of poetry from a bygone era. This year’s theme is ‘Dreams. The Living History characterisation will involve Charles Macklin – the Irish Garrick – a colourful Irish actor whose life spanned the entire 18th century!
A celebration of students’ work from the SELB schools involved in these workshops will be hosted at a Poetry Reading Evening in November. For the last three years a student from Our Lady’s has been the overall Key Stage 3 winner in the poetry competition hosted by the Palace Stables. Can we do it again?
Year 10 students will be entertained by the Black Cat Theatre Company. Their production of Romeo and Juliet is a condensed version of Shakespeare’s work and will be followed by a workshop.
Year 11 students will travel to Belfast for a performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Setting the mood for this bloody tale of ambition and betrayal is the haunting backdrop of the Crumlin Road Gaol.
Year 12 will attend a talk by Mr Freddy Clifford, CCEA’s Principal Moderator for English GCSE coursework.
Year 13 will attend a talk by Dr Matthew Martin from St Mary’s College, Belfast, on A Streetcar Named Desire.
Year 14 will attend a talk by Professor Elmer Kennedy Andrews from the University of Ulster. Professor Kennedy Andrews is CCEA’s Principal Moderator for A Level English Literature. He will chair a workshop on Unseen Poetry.
