As well as taking part
in sport during the normal school day in PE classes the
senior classes of Mother of Fair Love are involved in The
South Leinster Special Schools League. Mother of Fair Love
first took part in inter-school sports in 1980 when we joined
the League. South Leinster is one of four regions organised
by the Irish Special Schools Sports Council. It stretches
from Newbridge to Wexford and includes Portlaoise, Carlow
and Kilkenny.
At first this League
was restricted to the sport of Senior soccer only, which
we won out in our first year, 1980, and on three occasions
since. In keeping with our policy of inclusion more sports
and activities have been added.
Today Mother of Fair
Love School fields teams in Senior and Junior soccer, Senior
and Junior Basketball, tabletennis, draughts and rings.
Every year we return with many trophies.
Our Senior footballers
and basketballers often qualify to compete with the winners
of other regions for All Ireland honours. To date, Mother
of Fair Love School U18 soccer team has competed in 5 All
Ireland Plate competitions winning 2. We also have 3 All
Ireland Indoor Soccer crowns.
The senior boys and
girls have also taken part in Indoor Soccer and Basketball
Blitzes with other Special Schools Nationally.
Every year for the
past decade or so Kilkenny hosts a Regional Swimming Gala
for 7 special schools, Waterford, Wexford, Portlaoise, Carlow,
Kilkenny, Newbridge and Dungarvan.
We also have a Quiz
team which has taken part in the Regional Finals and this
team has qualified in the last two years to take part in
the All-Ireland Special Schools Quiz. Unfortunately this
years final had to be abandoned because of Foot and Mouth
Disease.
