Our inaugural rugby lunch was an outstanding event that brought our community together in such a meaningful way. The sense of connection and camaraderie that it fostered made it a truly special day. The panel brought the spirit of rugby to life with such humour, wisdom, and passion. It was a privilege to listen to them and be reminded of the deep values that both rugby and our community share. 

CBC Transition Year students attended the recent PPAI (Press Photographers Association of Ireland) Exhibition at Temperance Hall, Kinsale, an event curated by its president, David Branigan, and Newsbrand Ireland’s Lisa Buckley. David delivered an insightful talk into the world of professional photography, involving students in a discussion of the photo-exhibition which David described as “a record of our island’s history but also as a testament of the incredible skill of our press photographers”.

Students then attended a talk with Irish Examiner Managing News Editor, John O’Mahony, who spoke about the modern-day newsroom, the challenges facing editors in a world of disinformation, and how the Examiner manages the demands of delivering both a print and digital/online daily newspaper to its audience.

The morning was completed by a photographic history of Cork at Kinsale Library, curated by Irish Examiner Chief Photographer, Dan Linehan. Dan’s selection captured  - amongst many others - Patrick Street and its environs in the 1940s, the old Cork Opera House, Michael Jackson’s visit to Cork in 1988 to a snap of Christians attending Cup finals in Musgrave Park all of which proved engaging and a worthwhile experience for the CBC group.

A massive congratulations to 11 students from the Leaving Cert Class of 2024, George Beardsworth, Luca Bonnet, Donnacha Collins, Ben Cullinane, Eoghan Dunne, Jagat Gogineni, James Harrington, Tadgh O’Brien, Peter O’Shea, Lucas Kennedy and Fionn Kimbre O’Shea, who achieved an incredible 100% in the Higher Level Leaving Certificate Mathematics exam this year. We are immensely proud of their success and grateful for the community of teachers, mentors and peers who helped them achieve their full potential.

Commissioner Michael McGrath took time out of his busy schedule to visit CBC today and delivered an engaging presentation to all Sixth Year students. Commissioner Michael McGrath is a Fianna Fáil politician and EU Commissioner-designate for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law. He grew up in the harbour town of Passage West in Cork. Before entering national politics Commissioner McGrath served in local government as a member of Passage West Town Council and Cork County Council. He was elected to Dáil Éireann in 2007 and was re-elected in every election since. He served as Minister for Finance from 2022 to 2024 and as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform from 2020 to 2022. During this time as Finance Minister Commissioner McGrath represented Ireland at the Eurogroup and ECOFIN meetings. He met regularly with EU Commissioners and the ECB President. He also acted as a governor on a range of international bodies on behalf of Ireland including the IMF, the World Bank and the European Investment Bank. Commissioner McGrath was central in establishing two new long-term funds, the Future Ireland Fund, and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund. 

CBC was delighted to welcome Professor Adrian Murphy to the College today to speak with all Fifth Year students. Professor Adrian Murphy graduated in Medicine from University College Cork (UCC), in 2003. Prof. Murphy initially completed the Royal College of Surgeons basic surgical training scheme and subsequently undertook higher specialist training in emergency medicine, at various teaching hospitals throughout Ireland. He was conferred with a PhD from University College Dublin in 2015 for research focused on pre-hospital acute pain management in children. Professor Murphy has completed sub-specialist training in pre-hospital care through a Fellowship in Prehospital Emergency Medicine with London’s Air Ambulance, at the Royal London Hospital, England. Professor Murphy received a Defence Forces commission in 2003 and currently serves as the Senior Medical Officer to the Army Ranger Wing, the special operations unit within the Irish Defence Forces. Prof. Murphy is a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Cork University Hospital, Clinical Lead for Organ Donation in the South/South-West Hospital Group, and Regional Medical Advisor (South) to the National Ambulance Service. He is also a Clinical Professor in Emergency Medicine at UCC. He is the Program Director for Paramedical Studies in UCC, as the academic partner to our National Ambulance Service. Professor Murphy is also the Program Director for Security and Defence Medicine in UCC.

Congratulations to Alec O'Brien, 1A27, First Place in the Cork Schools Orienteering Final held in Fota yesterday. 

Richie Power was Born in Carrickshock, County Kilkenny. Richie Power first played competitive hurling during his schooling at St Kieran's College with whom he won two All-Ireland Colleges’ Senior Hurling Championships.

He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of fifteen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team, winning two All-Ireland Minor Championships, one as captain, and later joining the Under-21 side with whom he won two All-Ireland Championships.

While still playing for the Under-21 team, Richie made his senior debut during the 2005 league and immediately became a regular member of the starting fifteen.

Between the years of 2005 and his retirement from inter-county hurling in 2016, Richie won eight All-Ireland medals, five Leinster medals, three National League medals and two All-Stars awards. He has been an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

While enjoying such success on the field of play, Richie was struggling with his addiction to gambling and has spoken candidly about this enormous challenge in his life. It was only when he reached a particularly low time in his life that he was able to seek help from his family, friends and addiction-counselling services.

His biography ‘Power: A Family Memoir’ recounts in great detail, the success and struggles he encountered in his life.

All Sixth Year students in CBC, had the privilege to attend Richie's powerful presentation today, where he spoke candidly about his life story.

Former pupil of CBC, Conor O’Keeffe, returned to the College today to speak with Second Year students.

Conor is an Ultra-Marathon runner and Mental Health Advocate. He struggled with mental health challenges throughout his teens and twenties, forever feeling like he was on a “roller coaster of ups and downs”. 

From climbing Kilimanjaro as a teen, to flying to Thailand to chase a dream of becoming a Muay Thai champion, he constantly sought contentment within himself and his mind. 

Conor stumbled upon ultra-running by chance. In 2019, while training for a 200 mile ultra-marathon, he began to unearth a sense of self and inner stability. Throughout his journey in ultra-endurance, from winning the Enduroman 200 mile Ultra-Marathon or running a loop of his patio for 24 hours straight, he always sought to understand more about himself as a person.

Conor has been spreading this mental health message both nationally and internationally and was recently part of RTE’s documentary called ‘I’m Fine’ which focused on destigmatising issues around a range of mental health issues across Ireland.

He has used setbacks as an opportunity to explore other areas of life and spread a message about adapting to the ever-changing environment, simplifying our thought patterns and controlling what we can control.