Come Dine With Me India

Mr. Coldrick has started a new cookery series with the TY pupils - themed 'Come Dine With Me' evenings. Charlotte Cooper reports on the first in the series - India night.

On Wednesday evening, the 17^th of October, Cameron, Jess, Jessye and I went to Mr. Coldrick’s house and cooked an Indian meal for Mr. Coldrick, Ms. Mc. Nelis and twelve other students.

We went down to his house at four after classes and started cooking. Cameron first stir-fried the onions and curry paste, while we prepared the meats and sauces. After a long two and a half hours, all the dishes were ready, the meat cooked, the rice steamed and spiced and the naan bread toasted. We had made a Chicken Tikka Masala, a Chicken Korma, a Lamb cinnamon and apricot curry, and a Beef curry. The students had all just arrived at this stage, so we were ready to go. We decided to have the meal in a buffet style and allow every one to serve themselves.

Everyone helped themselves, and started to eat. Surprisingly, the food actually tasted really good and no one seemed to feel sick afterwards! After the meal we all just relaxed in the sitting room and garden until it was time to go back to school. 

TY Musical Night - Pat Coldrick

The first TY musical night took place last week with classical guitarist Pat Coldrick giving a wonderful and varied set. Cameron Wood reports.

Our first TY monthly music night started with a recital and talk by Pat Coldrick a well known classical guitarist who has appeared on National television and written music for world renowned musicians. On the night Pat played a variety of music from classical to contemporary, including a version of Stairway to Heaven by Led Zepplin. My favourite piece of the evening was one of Pats own compositions called Antarctica.  This piece was very moving and different. Pat used a strange technique of sliding up the strings making a very eerie noise like the sound whales make under water. Overall it was a great evening and very inspirational for new guitar players like myself.

Alexandra Panayotou

On Thursday last, ultra endurance runner and Old Columban Alexandra Panayotou visited the school and gave a presentation to our TY pupils. Jessica Beresford reports!

On Thursday last we were visited by Alexandra Panayotou, an Old Columban and ultra endurance runner. Alex hasn’t done sports her whole life, though she does it intensively now. She began running properly, when she was 30 - her first time since doing running at the college. 

She started running marathons, and quite by chance one day happened to do an ultra endurance run, up mount Olympus. She loved it. Much to her surprise she was able to do it, finishing in an unbelievable 2nd place. From here developed her ultra endurance running career. 

In 2008 Alex decided that she really wanted to challenge herself, by doing a solo ultra endurance run. She was going to run from Barcelona to Santiago de Compostela. This run was 1208 km and would be from April 26th to May 16th. 

This would be her first time running constantly day after day. 

Her next challenge was to run against a horse. With a 5 hour headstart the statistics were that the horse would come in 15 minutes before her. She managed to arrive 15 minutes before the horse. 

In 2010 she ran 2010 km in 31 days to promote the European Athletics Championships. She ran 70 km a day allowing herself a “rest day” on a Sunday- 30 km . 

Her most recent challenge was in aid of Foodbank, a charity that helps send food if a natural disaster occurs. In this she ran 315 km non-stop. To really publicize what Foodbank does she ended her run, in the half time of a football match, in front of 40 000 people. 

I thought Alex was very interesting, an amazing inspiration. She maintains a belief that with mental preparation, determination, resilience, discipline and courage you can do anything. Her story just shows that it’s never too late to aspire to fulfil your dreams. 

“Find your own motivation to keep you moving forwards for when the road ahead seems tough” –Alex.

TY Film Society - O

The TY Film Society is organised by Mr. Coldrick, who chooses some hard hitting classic films for our TY pupils once a month. Ally Boyd Crotty reveals how the first film of the year, O, was received.

On Tuesday evenings, once every month, Mr. Coldrick comes into our prep to treat us to a film society evening. This being our first film evening, we were all very excited. The chosen film was called O, and is basically an modern adaptation of the tragedy Othello, the play written by William Shakespeare, which we are just beginning to study in English class. 

The film was set with a young cast, in a US high school, set around the a basketball player, Odin (depicting Othello). The film concentrates on the basketball team in this high school, and the harsh coach of this team, who wants to lead them to victory. But the coaches son, called Hugo, does not think his hard work is getting the recognition he deserves, especially when the coach gives the best player award to Odin, and says he loves him like he is his own son. Odin also then only give recognition to another basketball player Michael Cassio. Hugo then decides to get back at the boys who stole his glory, and sets them up. He slowly schemes against them, turning them against each other, and his jealously leads him to hurting more people than expected. 

I think that all of us in TY enjoyed the film very much, and it was fresh in our minds and still being talked about for days afterwards. After starting the play in class, we can now see the similarities between it and the film and it makes it even more interesting. I would say I can speak for everyone in TY when I say that I cannot wait until our next film and am very eager to find out what film will be next!

Transition Year Information Evening

All Form III and Form IV parents and pupls are invited to the Transition Year Information Evening which will take place in the Big Schoolroom on Thursday 4th October at 8:00pm.

This is a chance to hear more about the nature of our Transition Year Programme. The presentation, involving staff and former and current TYers will last about 45 minutes and there will be an opportunity to chat to various members of staff over coffee in the Drawing Room afterwards.

We do hope that many parents will attend.