'3rd & 4th Ms Fitzpatrick 2011-12'

- Having fun on Sports day
Everyone had lots of fun in our Fun for all. There were lots of acivities around the school campus,in the school hall, the school playground,St Mary’s sports complex, the local playground and our sports field. Activities ranged from giant darts competitions, totennis, basketbal, eggand spoon races, three legged races, and of course some running races. We were lucky that the day held up and we were abletohold our outdoor activities.
June 29th, 2012
Mike O’ Shea visited our school on Friday 22nd June because Max Wycjynske won a colouring competition in the Irish North Pole Art Competition. His prize was that Mike would come to the school and tell us about his trip to the North Pole. Max also got a lovely tee shirt and scarf with the logo of the North Pole Expedition logo on it.

Max is presented with his prize by Mike O'Shea the North Pole explorer
Mike O’Shea told us about his trip illustrated with a powerpoint presentation with photos and video clips . On the 5th of February 2012 the Irish North Pole 2012 team of Mike O Shea & Dr. Clare O Leary flew from Ireland to Iquluit in Northern Canada which was their base for three weeks. Here they trained in the frigid -40 degree centigrade temperatures and ensured that all the equipment was working correctly. Here they packed all their food that they would require for the 50 day expedition to the North Pole. The team spend a great deal of time training in Iquluit with the famed Arctic explorer Matty McNair , who is also acting as Canadian Base Camp for Mike & Clare when they are on the ice.
On the 25th of February the Irish North Pole team flew from Iquluit to Resolute in Northern Canada where they began waiting for the weather window to allow them on to the ice.

Mike O'Shea on his trip to the North Pole
On Friday the 2nd of March the team got their flight from Resolute to Cape Discovery to start their expedition.They made consistent, if slow, progress hampered by temperatures down to -55 degrees centigrade. Mike told us about the importance of being covered at all times, as exposure in these temperatures would mean frost bite. He show some fascinating photos with ice on his eyelashes.

Mike O'Shea walking on the ice
They had to drag their sleight with their luggage which weighted ninety kg. They lightened their luggage by getting rid of all the wrappings- which lightened their load by sixteen kg.Their meals were prepacked in bite sizes so that they were readily accessible and easy to eat as everything was frozen.

Preparing the food for the journey
The Irish North Pole Team had to return to their start point following a difficult decision to abandon their attempt. The team’s plan to share charter logistics with other teams fell apart – leaving them to potentially face a bill of between 120k &180k euros to fund their resupplies and pickup should they continue.

Mike O'Shea walking on the ice
The team were safe and after 10 days on the Arctic ocean. The first two weeks of a North Pole trip is regarded as extremely challenging because of the unrelenting cold and difficult pack ice terrain.

- The landscape of the North
They were disappointed that they did not reach their goal but they hope to try again next year. They were lucky that they both survived the trip with no injuries. We look forward to hearing more about these trips on the blog http://irishnorthpole2012.com/

Enjoying Mike O'Shea's talk on his trip to the North PoleMike O'Shea with pupils in St Joseph's Primary School
June 22nd, 2012
Our Intercultural day was on the 15th June. Everyone wore clothes that represented their countries. You could wear colours that represented your country. So we had a very colourful day !!
Every class visited the exhibits from Poland, China, Hungary, United States , Wales, France, Sri Lanka and Ireland. They were able to find out more about all these countries when they visited the exhibits.
We are very grateful to the parents who set up these exhibits providing food, vegetables and fruits , pictures and powerpoint presentations belonging to their country. The real experience of a different culture is to taste their food! Pupils enjoyed the taste of cheese and chocolate from Ireland, rice cakes from the Si Lanka, sausage and cheese from Poland, chocolate cookies from the U.S. and broiche bread from France. Thanks to Mrs Creedon and Mrs O’Callaghan and Mrs Cronin for your help in organising this event.
Our Lady of Mercy Primary Sligo have some lovely songs about different countries of the world
June 17th, 2012
What was on display at the Irish table

Look at what we found on the Irish table !
Food
Whole fresh Salmon (of Knowledge)
Carrots and potatoes
Colcannon
Boxy
Irish cheddar cheese (mild!)
Brown soda bread
Strawberries
Chocolate coins from crock of gold
Duck eggs
Kerrymaid butter
Non Food
Dancing uniform
Flags
Pine cones
Badger and red squirrel toys
Books
Irish legends and folklore books -selection Macroom book ” Macroom through the mists of time”
Cork’s St Patrick’s Street
A little book of Trees
A rainy day guide to Ireland
The complete guide to Irish Wildlife
June 17th, 2012

Brioche
What was on display at the French table
- Home made crépes made the traditional Breton way
- Home-made brioche and liquid caramel (both made by Marie Roche)
- Sauisson (dry sausage)
- Crépes
- Rasberry and lemon’tisane’ (tea)
- Soap from Marseilles
- Dior perfume
- Sirop de goenadine (Syrup/squash)
- Pastis
- Biscottes
- Créme de cassis (blakcurrant liquer)
- Poulain Hot Chocolate
- Facial ream from Loréal
- Map of France with 14 points of interest
- Eiffel Tower
- Versailles
- Tunnel?Eorostar France/UK
- Chardlain Bull
- Mont Blanc
- Ski/Alpes
- St. Tropez
- Provene/ Lavander
- Lourdes
- Plage des Landes
- Wines of Bordeux
- Chteaux de la Loire
- Ponte du Raz- Brittany
- Camembert from Normandy
Photos of Eiffel Tower, Versailles, Fete de la Musique 9yearly nation-wide music festival)
Recipe for Brioche
500mg flour
125g sugar
2 full eggs and 1 yoke
2 soup spoons of cream fraiche
1 tea spoon salt
25g yeast
75g butter
130 ml warm milk
1 spoon orangr blossom
1 spoon rum
30 mins kneading (can be done in bread machine)
Leave it rise over nightunder a wer tea towel.
Next day knead again to get the air out of the dough. Divide in 3 pieces and amke a plait. leave it rise for 1 0r 2 hours in a warm place.
Oven 180 degrees.
Mix another yoke with a little milk to spread over the loaf before baking.Protect the loaf with baking paper to avoid burning. Bake for 25 minutes. Leave it completely cool down before cutting.
Thanks to Marie Roche for providing the French table and givng us all this information
June 16th, 2012

Enjoying chocolate brownies
Items on display on the American table
AMERICAN FOOD – Chocolate brownies
- American money
- Sports items that reflected favourite USA teams in basketball, football, ice hockey.
- Posters/ photos of famous landmarks in the US: Statue of Liberty, Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore and the Golden Gate Bridge
- The American flag
- Magazines on Barack Obama and his family.
- Information on the 44 Presidents and 50 states and map of the States
- American girl doll
- Eileen’s project on Chicago sport teams
June 16th, 2012

The Polish Table
The items on display at the Polish table were
POLISH FOOD
Sausages, cheese, ham, bread, sour cucumbers, salted sticks, ball stuffed with hazelnut cream.
- The Polish flag and emblem
- A poster of Polish kings
- A poster of Regional ostumes
- Krakow regional costume
- Polish map
- Postcards from Krakow, Posnan, Warsaw, Gdansk, Tatry mountains
- Cook Books
- Leaflet about the Salt mines in Wieliska
- Family Bible
- Polish money (100 PLN, 50PLN, 20 PLN, 10PLN, 5PLN, 2PLN, 1 PLN
- Tourist guides
- School Books from lass 1to 3
- Animals protected in Poland
- Old cartoons for children’s posters.
June 16th, 2012

The Sri Lankan Table
Items on the Sri Lankan Table
- Sri Lankan flag
- Spices: Cardamin, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Fenugreek, Chilli, Tumeri
- Vegetables: Long beans, Rich gourd, Capsicum, Drumstick, Aubergine
- Fruit: Rambutan
- Coonut scraper
- A coconut
- Spoons made from coconut shell
- A rope made from coconut fibre
- Batic tapestry
- Wooden mortar and ppestle
- Sri Lankan food; Milk rice (traditional breakfast)
- Sesame and jaggery balla, String hoppers.
June 16th, 2012

The Chinese Table
Items on display on the Chinese Table
- Latern
- Birthday envelopes
- Hand painted writing script
- Chopsticks
- Folder with photos of scenery, temples and modern buildings.
- Chinese tea
- Cake
- Gbbe
- Toys- Paint set
- Poetry Books
- CDs
- Chinese checkers game
- Fan
- Decorations and stickers
June 16th, 2012
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