Student Academic Awards 2023

No Buzz Aldrins, here! Everyone likes to win but sometimes, especially in Ireland, we have a difficulty in recognising and applauding excellence. We prefer the hard-luck story, the near-misses, the lovable-lad-who-is-about-to-be-lapped… the Buzz Aldrin over the Neil Armstrong. Faced with greatness, we feel as awkward as that NASA official when he had to pick a winner in the astronaut competition in the famous ‘Homer in Space’ episode:

Gentlemen, you’ve both worked very hard. And in a way, you’re both winners. But in another more accurate way, Barney is the winner. Mmm. Congratulations, Barney.

Never mind how that turned out, but we at St. Conleth’s have proudly shed that postcolonial reticence for saluting success and present to you now the winners of our Academic Awards 2023!

First up, our Senior/Sixth Year/LC Awards, presented at the Graduation Ceremony: keenly competed for and accompanied by a hefty piece of metal, glass, wood or plaster. We also have an explanation of the awards. Notice that a few Fifth Years sneaked in and (deservedly) snatched some of the glory and that we have a new ‘Seamus Heaney Award for Creative Writing’.

Now, our ‘Students of the Year’, the single most prestigious award for ‘underclassmen’ based on a student’s overall contibution to the class and the school, including spirit and camaraderie.

And our other academic awards. Numbers refer to year, not place, so they all deserve equal applause!

by Charles Latvis