Cancelling Cork school's dinner 'would be like cancelling Christmas'

Scoil Íosagáin BNS in Farranree determined to treat its students like “little Lord Mayors” for the day despite pandemic 

Patrick O'Leary and Conor Bruce, both Junior Infants at Scoil Iosagain Annual Christmas Dinner, at Scoil Iosagain, Farranree, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

Students at a primary school in Cork city decked their classrooms and donned their best festive attire to tuck into a Christmas dinner with all the trimmings served to them by their teachers and SNAs.

Scoil Íosagáin BNS in Farranree set out to treat its students like “little Lord Mayors” for the day as part of its annual Christmas celebrations, which looked a little bit different this year due to Covid restrictions.

Now the school’s third time organising the festive fare for its students, this year saw a slightly more toned-down version of the students’ much-loved celebration.

“There was no way it could be cancelled, it would be like cancelling Christmas,” said Eibhlis Moynihan, the school’s home school community liaison.

Darragh Carolon, 3rd class, at the Scoil Iosagain Annual Christmas Dinner, at Scoil Iosagain, Farranree, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

While the celebrations might have looked a little different, the school was determined to mark the occasion safely as a thank you to its students for how they handled everything 2020 threw at them.

In previous years, the whole school would gather in the school hall together where dinner was served and then all the students joined together for a festive singalong.

This year, the boys dressed up in their best Christmas jumpers, and Santa hats, and enjoyed the festivities in their own class ‘bubbles’.

Cian Walsh, 4th class, at the Scoil Iosagain Annual Christmas Dinner, at Scoil Iosagain, Farranree, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

They also decorated their classrooms with their own festive artwork and ornaments, as well as Christmas trees, lights and crackers.

While the school couldn’t gather all of its classes together for a sing-song, the students have been spreading Christmas cheer where and when they can this year.

Last week, fifth class students went out and about in local communities carolling as part of Music Generation ‘Glow on the Go’.

They visited Heather House Community Nursing Unit in Gurranabraher where they performed outside in the fresh air for residents.

The group also made a surprise stop en route to perform for two unsuspecting nanas in the area.

Students also recorded their performances of Christmas classics like 'Rocking around the Christmas Tree' and 'Rudolf the Rednosed Reindeer' which were then shared on Facebook with parents.