PHOTOS: Successful sporting year at Hollybush Primary School

The wide and varied programme of sports improves the abilities of its pupils, but that is not the core reason for its prominence at the school. At the heart of this culture of sporting engagement and achievement is a strongly-held belief that children must be given the opportunity, through the P.E. curriculum and through representative school teams, to develop into the best possible people they can be.

Delighted at this year’s continued successful sporting achievements and the great benefits of involvement in sporting activities within the school, Acting Principal, Mr. Feargal Friel said: “The physical benefits of sport are obvious. What isn’t so obvious, but much more important are the other benefits; the social, emotional and self-esteem benefits.

"Being part of a team, relying on others and being responsible for your teammates; having a sense of ownership in your school, becoming disciplined, independent, mature; learning how to lose and how to win, both gracefully. Learning about how sport has helped shape the people we are, and how important it is to keep up our home-grown sporting heritage is also hugely important.”

Mr. Friel stressed these are the real reasons why Hollybush Primary School is steeped in a rich and vibrant culture of sporting engagement and achievement.

“Part of this development centres around making meaningful connections within and beyond our own school community,” added Mr Friel, “Children learn from one another, from parents, teachers, their sporting clubs.

“At Hollybush, our grandparents bring another dimension to this development. Our netball and swimming teams benefit from the vast experience of grandparents who assist with the coaching.”

The Principal also noted how the financial support of parents is invaluable to the school family.

"This year, each of the new rigs has been sponsored by parents who have local businesses and we are delighted for their continued support.”

Speaking highly of the sports programme within the school he added: "Our staff give freely of their time to make the sporting life of the school as broad and deep as it is today. We value greatly our connections with our past pupils, many of whom go on to pursue sporting careers locally and nationally. We like to think that their journey started here where they absorbed from the culture of the school the things that are important.”