Last Updated:12-Mar-2002
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Rocket Science R.D.S.Wednesday, 6th FebruaryOn Wednesday 6th of Febuary our class went to the R.D.S. It was the second time that week that we were there, this time it was for a Rocket Science lecture. The lecturer's name was Dr. Paul van Kampen. He obtained his first degree in Engineering Physics from Eindhoven University of Technology in 1994. He then got a Ph.D. in Atomic Physics in the Department of Experimental Physics at U.C.D, graduating in 1998. He then moved to D.C.U where he worked as a postdoctoral researcher and now as a lecturer in th School of Physical Sciences. The lecture was about the basics of Rocket Science. Dr. van Kampen took us through how Rocket Science affects us every day. He asked us how many of us have mobile phones (in a hall of teenagers nearly everyone would have a mobile) but Alan Burke was the only one who put his hand up! He then told us how the mobile calls other phones, by a sattelite. He then went on to the more confusing aspect of the topic and told us how rockets work. I don't have the energy right now to go through it again. He also did a bit about Newtons 1st and 3rd laws of motion. At the end he got a water rocket and set it off using a bicycle pump. In conclusion I thought the lecture was better than I expected; I expected a old bald guy on the stage in a white jacket, talking slowly! We got out of the R.D.S at about 2 o clock.The amount of girls was unreal (just as well Whelo wasn't there) but unfortunately about three of them were nice looking and weren't going our way. We had a laugh on the way home when Alan Burke robbed Keith Alfords shoe in Tara Street station. It took us about 4 hours to get home. Some Class Reaction"I thought it was all right,
although nobody else sems to think so. "
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Opportunities 2002Monday, 4th FebruaryOur class went to the RDS, Opportunities 2002, sponsored by FAS, early in February. Most of the class arrived outside the RDS at 9.30 am. We were waiting outside and just having a laugh with some girls from Colaiste Bride when Ben Clarke was sent to the ground. Everybody just erupted laughing. That really set the tone for the day! We went inside and what caught our attention was the excellent army display. The new Piranha, which is an all terrain vehicle with wheels bigger than Mick Bergin, really caught our eye. It was a really worthwhile day with colleges and companies from all over Ireland. Everyone took advantage of the free pens, rulers and key rings. We left at about 2.00 p.m. and had a laugh with some girls on the bus home. It was one of the best days out our class enjoyed this year. Definitely! Thanks to Ms Harris for organising the day. Some Class Reaction"FAS had a skills area
where people could try out such things as brick laying, tiling and hair
dressing. "
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INLAND WATERWAY CENTREWednesday, 23rd JanuaryOur class went to the Inland Waterway Centre recently. We left the school at 11.15 and had to be there by 1.00 p.m. When we arrived we were given a tour of the place and some history from the tour guide. Some of this was very interesting. We had to fill in a questionaire which took a while. We had a good laugh on the day and enjoyed it. We left the centre at 2.30 and arrived home at 4.30. This trip was definitely worth a half day from school. |
CINEMA: THE LAST CASTLEWednesday January 16thOur class went to see The Last Castle where Robert Redford starred as a famous General sent to an army prison for disobeying a direct order which cost lives. At first all he wants to do is serve his ten year sentence and leave. But the treatment of prisoners by the guards and the prison governer, played by James Godolfino, appals him and influences him to start a revolution. The film is, in my view and in the view of most of the class (see below) greatly underrated as the revolution of the prisoners brings hope where there was none. The class and I really enjoyed the film. Some Class Reaction"It showed us just how
vulnerable the school is."
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Seal ReleaseWednesday, 28th NovemberOur class was invited to a seal release by the Irish Seal Sanctuary out in Bull Island on the cold afternoon of 28 November. We left school at 11.00 a.m. and headed out there for 1.30. Even though many of us did not have a clue where we were going we somehow made it out there with an hour to spare. The wind made the weather very cold. When a reporter from TV3 arrived we were excited, not only at the the fact that we were going to be on television but also because she looked so well! She interviewed Michael Ormonde and Robert Keane about the event. We all helped to carry the seals and watched them go back into the sea. Later we found out that one of them refused to go back and had to be taken back to the seal sanctuary. That trip was an expewrience to remember as it is not something you witness everyday. Some Class Reaction"It was wet! It was wet!
It was cold! Apart from that it was a laugh messing in the sand dunes
and it was wierd seeing the seals returning to the wild."
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LEISUREPLEXTuesday, 27th NovemberOur class went bowling with Colaiste Brid in the Tallaght Lesiureplex. Our lanes were booked for 12.00 p.m. and we were split up into different teams mixing with the girls' school. Our bowling trip was a reward for receiving excellent reports on our work experience. We all had a deadly laugh and got on very well with the other school. The bowling lasted an hour and some of the girls could not bowl at all. This added to the laugh we had. After the bowling , most of the lads stuck around for a game of Quasar. None of the girls stayed as they had to be back in time for classes. We had a deadly time that extra half hour. Some Class Reaction"It was a good laugh. The
bus was great craic."
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EnfoThursday, 22nd NovemberWe finished school at 10.30 a.m. and took the bus from Clondalkin to the Enfo Centre in St. Andrews Street. When our Environmental studies teacher, Mrs Lowry arrived, we went inside and were greeted by a lady called Clara who gave us a talk about the Greenhouse effect, Global Warmimg and what we could do individually to help the environment. We learned about the Kyoto Protocol and the way the U.S.A. has pulled out, saying they do not agree. On display there were photographs of the environment which were on tour. They had previously been shown in Germany and in Greece. When we finished the tour we were allowed use the library and the internet there. Outside the centre we took a group photo and were invited to return when we commence our environmental project. In all we had good crack and it was worth a half day. Some Class Reaction"It was a very educational
trip. I learned much about the environment in a wide range of topics."
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CINEMA: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCEThursday, 27st SeptemberOur class went to see A.I(Artifical Inteligence) a Stanley Kubrick film directed by Steven Spielberg. We went to the UGC cinema in Parnell street on the 27th September. The Film is set sometime in the distant future when the Earth's ice-caps have melted and half of New York is under water including the Twin Towers. Robots with the ability to learn co-exist with humans but David is the first artifical child who can love. His love is so strong it sends him on a crusade to try and find his mother after she abandoned him. His journey lasts years and has an unexpected twist at the end. It is one of those films where you either like it or lump it. Some Class Reaction"Speilberg
has really lost the plot on this one. Francis O'Connor tries to show
emotion but I've seen dogs cry better."
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LEISUREPLEXTuesday, 28th AugustOur class was invited to the Leisureplex in Tallaght on our induction day. It was part of a programme to help us to get to know one another as we were all previously in different form classes. We went bowling there and had a great time. It made us all pleased to be doing transition year. Most of us stayed behind and had a game of Quaser which was also enjoyable.
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This page has been arranged and typed by the class reporter on trips and tours, David Whelan.
Information on our site includes:
Click on the poster for A.I. above for more information on the film and for more reaction to it.
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