With all the splendor of a European Christmas Market(Me, with first hand experience of them ), it kicked off in front of the Town Hall, in Hay Market square. Really was a good day, free pizza, some lovely choral and festive singing,  and ,most of all, the tree lighting up for Christmas!

Anyway….. I made a little video. Not the greatest. Was meant to make another video, and wasn’t prepared for doing this one. Have a little look anyway^^

Click here to view the embedded video.

P.S. apologies for the length in updating, busy few months for us admins! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Crazy Kanza

In 2010 they attempted to charge for their online content. In 2011, their content, online and paper, is free. The Carlow People is now a ‘free sheet’. Once a week you can collect your free Carlow People from various stores around the county.  Yes, that’s right, free Carlow People!

The parent company of the Carlow People are also responsible for Metro Herald, a free sheet frantically distributed on the streets of Dublin every morning. So they have form to make this a success.  Social media is being used to generate interest and drive up circulation. I quite like the Twitter and Facebook pages. News in a small county is limited but it is still nice to have daily updates to read as opposed to waiting for the once a week publication.

I am unsure if the switch to free sheet is an effort to reduce costs or if it is a considered changed in strategy. Time will tell if it is a success, what do you think?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Well Mr. Leslie was a Carlovian to the bone, and in the Christmas last, we at MonteCarlow were contacted by a close friend of his, to find the grave of his mother as he is to be buried there. We found the grave, and sent pictures of it him to him. We also, as a mark of respect left flowers on the grave. In return he sent my self letters and information as to his history.

I only recieved word a few days ago that he had died, and it saddened me greatly. Mr. Leslie had no direct family, and any connections in Carlow are long gone. I would ask that any people available in Carlow today, that they would be available to attend the mans burial. The details are: St. Mary’s Cemetery, @2.30pm Unfortunately I am not around, and I cannot attend myself, but I am sending my family, who are available to attend. Mr. Leslie, a great Carlovian, sadly missed.

Operation Super Transformation is a novel way to help improve the health and diet of locals but also raise needed funds for a local cause.  20 people will be chosen to take part in the even over 12 weeks.  Their bodies will be put to the test and their success measured each week.

However, you do not have to be one of the 20 to join in.  Everyone is encouraged to mimic the exercise and diets of the selected 20 and compare their success.

Bootcamps begin this week as follows:

Leighlinbridge GFC, Ballinaboley

Tuesday 31^st May @ 7pm

Old Leighlin GFC

Friday 3^rd June @ 7pm

For Information on Events or Donations

Contact

087 648472 / 087 2553943

Of course the other aspect to this event is the collection of funds for The Superbowl development project.  Vale Wanderers are undergoing a major re-development of their pitch and funds are needed.  Be sure to give generously.

Operation Super Transformation can be found on Facebook here.

Richie Kavanagh needs no introduction. Well maybe he does, for the younger generation that is. Richie Kavanagh is a singer song writer and all round entertainer from Carlow. His style of songs is what sets him apart. Slapstick humour and innuendo are key components to his music.

The Midnight Phil Eoin Callers is a cheesy 80′s style band from Dublin.  I haven’t been able to find too much about them online.  They have launched a new album, available to download free from their website.  I’m guessing its an album of piss takes.  They have put together a cheesy love song with the direction of their affection being Richie Kavanagh, specifically sex with Richie Kavanagh being desired.  Lets hope they never make that video.  Below is the video to their Richie Kavanagh song.  I’m still undecided how funny it actually is, I have laughed, I have cringed, I have turned off.  Have your say in the poll!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Destination Truth is  a television show all the way from the US of A. The show investigates stories of the unexplained from around the world. Their most recent show is based on one of Carlow’s most recognised sights, Duckett’s Grove.  This episode is a live search for the presence of a Banshee.

The video below is the first of 12 from the episode available on You Tube here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I always say I became a teacher through a series of fortunate events.  Back in 2001, I never dreamed that when I left my Computer Science degree in the midst of the dot com bubble bursting, that I would be a principal of a primary school. I began my teaching career as an unqualified teacher in Killinarden, Tallaght and instantly fell in love with the job.  Two years later I had gained my teaching qualification and Irish exams.  I ended up randomly living in Carlow and started teaching in Athy where I spent three years.

However, the urge to teach in an Educate Together school brought me to Gorey, where I commuted from Carlow each day for two years.  When the opportunity came to apply for the principalship in Carlow Town, I jumped at the chance and thankfully, the rest is history.

I love teaching in an Educate Together school.  The ethos sums up everything I believe in.  As a colleague of mine said, “I am ‘Educate Together’”.  So what does being Educate Together mean and what does it mean to me, personally?

Most people understand that Educate Together schools run on four basic principles: They are multi-denominational; they are co-educational; they are democratic; they are child-centred.  These four principles guide everything we do from the children calling teachers by their first names to making sure that no child is ever an outsider.

Every ET school has its own personality including Carlow Educate Together.  Our vision is that everyone in the school has a right to be happy, safe and be able to learn.  This vision is not only for the children but includes staff, parents and the wider community.  Everybody in the school should feel they are an equal part of the place.

Another aspect that we are well known for already is our technology involvement.  Every classroom in our school is equipped with good technology and, as a staff, we communicate very effectively using a fantastic internal Internet.  Children have access to some great projects including video conferencing with schools around the world, learning how to program and make their own animations.  Our school web site has been shortlisted in the Eircom Junior Spider Awards, the Irish Blog Awards and it won the Scoilnet Star Site.

Some of the challenges of being an ET school lie in dispelling some of the misconceptions that exist around what we do.  Many people believe we are a private school or a special needs school.  Some people believe that we don’t teach subjects like Irish or religion.  We try our best to educate people.  To lay it out in simple terms, Educate Together schools are fully funded Department of Education National Schools.  We teach the full curriculum including Irish.  Some Educate Together schools have special needs classes within but all are mainstream primary schools.  We teach children about different religions as part of our ethics programme and we offer religious instruction after school time.

Once you walk through the doors of our school, you’ll be amazed at how bright and colourful our building is as you are greeted with a warm welcome. Carlow Educate Together is a very special place to visit and a wonderful place to work.

Simon Lewis is the principal of Carlow Educate Together National School. He is also editor of Anseo.net, a monthly webzine dedicated to primary school education in Ireland.

This is a video that i sh0t, edited at the weekend, just thought I’d let our readers see what I have been up to since I havent posted in so long. If your a nerd,  you’ll know what frogger is. if your not, Frogger is 30 years old this year, and is about a frog trying to get home.

for more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frogger