Inniskeen Road July Evening
The bicycles go by in twos and threes -
There's a dance in Billy Brennan's barn to-night,
And there's the half-talk code of mysteries
And the wink-and-elbow language of delight.
Half-past eight and there is not a spot
Upon a mile of road, no shadow thrown
That might turn out a man or woman, not
A footfall tapping secrecies of stone.
I have what every poet hates in spite
Of all the solemn talk of contemplation.
Oh, Alexander Selkirk knew the plight
Of being king and government and nation.
A road, a mile of kingdom, I am king
Of banks and stones and every blooming thing.
Inniskeen Road July Evening by Patrick Kavanagh
English
English is a core subject in Irish primary schools. The teaching of English is focused on developing the key skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening, as well as fostering a love of language.
In St. Mary’s we are committed to providing a rich and engaging experience for our pupils in English lessons.
Our teachers use a range of strategies and approaches to support pupils in developing their literacy skills, including guided reading, phonics instruction, and writing workshops with a focus on drafting and redrafting.
We also offer pupils the opportunity to develop their oral language skills through Show and Tell and project presentations.
Our pupils also have access to a wide range of resources, including books, digital tools, and online resources, to support their learning and engage their interest in the subject.
Mid-Term Break
I sat all morning in the college sick bayCounting bells knelling classes to a close.At two o'clock our neighbours drove me home.In the porch I met my father crying—He had always taken funerals in his stride—And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pramWhen I came in, and I was embarrassedBy old men standing up to shake my handAnd tell me they were 'sorry for my trouble'.Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,Away at school, as my mother held my handIn hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.At ten o'clock the ambulance arrivedWith the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.Next morning I went up into the room. SnowdropsAnd candles soothed the bedside; I saw himFor the first time in six weeks. Paler now,Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple,He lay in the four-foot box as in his cot.No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.A four-foot box, a foot for every year.
Mid-Term Break by Séamus Heaney
We strive to create a positive and inclusive learning environment where all pupils feel supported and challenged in their learning of English.
We also cater for many children who may arrive in Ireland with only their native tongue.
Our approach to teaching English is focused on promoting a love of reading and writing, as well as developing critical thinking and communication skills that will serve our pupils well throughout their academic and personal lives.
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
I wandered lonely as a cloudThat floats on high o'er vales and hills,When all at once I saw a crowd,A host, of golden daffodils;Beside the lake, beneath the trees,Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.Continuous as the stars that shineAnd twinkle on the milky way,They stretched in never-ending lineAlong the margin of a bay:Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.The waves beside them danced; but theyOut-did the sparkling waves in glee:A poet could not but be gay,In such a jocund company:I gazed—and gazed—but little thoughtWhat wealth the show to me had brought:For oft, when on my couch I lieIn vacant or in pensive mood,They flash upon that inward eyeWhich is the bliss of solitude;And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth