Youth Initiatives

CREIDEAMH CHILDREN’s ART COMPETITION 2021

The 2021 results are as follows:

Category A
1st:  Isobel Dermody, Cooloo NS, Moylough.
2nd:  Kate O’Sullivan, Killimor NS, Killimor.
3rd:  Conor O’Cleirigh, Scoil Ui Cheithearnaigh, Ballinasloe.

Ciara O’Sullivan (Kate’s mother), Sean Kelly (St. Grellan’s (Ballinasloe & District) Council of the Knights of St. Columbanus), Kate O’Sullivan (2nd Prize Winner, CREIDEAMH Children’s Art Competition 2021, sponsored by Veritas & St. Grellan’s Council) Aisling Thornton (Principal, Killimor NS), Fr. Ciaran Kitching PP and Justin Harkin (St. Grellan’s Council & CREIDEAMH Network) celebrating Kate’s success at Killimor NS.
Padraic Kilduff (St. Grellan’s (Ballinasloe & District) Council of the Knights of St. Columbanus & CREIDEAMH Network), Conor O’Cleirigh (3rd Prize Winner, CREIDEAMH Children’s Art Competition 2021, sponsored by Veritas & St. Grellan’s Council) Ruairi O’hAnnluain, Príomhoide, Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh, Ballinasloe and John Coughaln (St. Grellan’s Council & CREIDEAMH Network) celebrating Conor’s success at Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh.

Category B
Joint 1st:  Patrick Stokes & Brian Óg McGarvey, Tisrara NS, Ballyforan-Dysart-Tisrara.

Congratulations to the winners, their teachers, school communities, parents and families.

Condolences to all who are experiencing disappointment.

CREIDEAMH TY HUMANITARIAN AWARD RECIPIENTS May 2021

Justin Harkin (Knights of St. Columbanus & CREIDEAMH Network), Fr. Tensin Perera (Caltra), Ms Suzanne Devine (RE Dept. St. Cuan’s College, St. Cuan’s College TY Students who received their CREIDEAMH Humanitarian Awards, John Coughlan (Knights of St. Columbanus & CREIDEAMH Network) and Rosemary McDonnell (CREIDEAMH Network) 18th May 2021.

John Coughlan (Knights of St. Columbanus & CREIDEAMH Network), Holy Rosary College Students with their chaplain, Sr. Assumpta and TY Co-ordinator, Ms Sandra Connolly and Justin Harkin (Knights of St. Columbanus & CREIDEAMH Network) following TY students receipt of their award 18th May 2021

The above students undertook three projects for their awards:

  • raise awareness regarding the plight of Syrian Refugees living in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon
  • organise an online conference for TY students in their own and other schools regarding our need to respect the earth and respond to the great environmental challenge of our time
  • assist organise the CREIDEAMH Children’s Art Competition 2021.

Clonfert Diocesan Senior Cycle Post-Primary Essay Competition May 2021

Bishop Michael Duignan, Paul Casserly (Knights of St. Columbanus), Ms Rachel Hastings (RE Teacher),
winning student, Gavin McManus, St. Joseph’s College, Garbally, Paul Walsh (principal), Ms Sindy Deady-Henry (Deputy Principal) and Michéal Cregg (Knights of St. Columbanus), April 30th 2021.

St. Joseph’s College Garbally First Year Essay Competition May 2021

Bishop Michael Duignan, Paul Casserly (Knights of St. Columbanus), Ms Rachel Hastings (RE Teacher), winning students, Justin Nkazi (1st), Ciaran O’Hara (2nd) and Hugh Dolan (3rd), Paul Walsh (principal), Ms Sindy Deady-Henry (Deputy Principal) and Michéal Cregg (Knights of St. Columbanus), April 30th 2021.

Pope John Paul II Award Recipients May 2021

St. Cuan’s College principal, Ms Collette Walsh, & School Chaplain, Mr. Kevin McGeeney with John Paul II Award Recipients,   Ciaran, Melissa,  Molly, Anna and Thomas following the College’s related prayer service and graduation, 20th May 2021.
St. Cuan’s College TY Students Rachel Diskin, Ciara Jordan, Maeve Murray, Emma Gormally and Rachel Melody on receipt of their JP11 Awards in St. Cuan’s College.
St. Cuan’s College Fifth Year student, Emily Cunningham, receiving her John Paul 11 Silven Award from Fr. Tensin Perera (Caltra) and Mr. Kevin McGeeney, School Chaplain on May 20th 2021.

St Cuan’s Second Year Students celebrating receipt of their John Paul II Awards with class friends outside St. Cuan’s new prayer room after a prayer and award’s ceremony to celebrate the John Paul P11 awards in St Cuan’s College, Castleblakeney, Co. Galway, 20th May 2021.

Clonfert Diocese’s Schools’ Public Speaking Competition 2020

The Clonfert Diocese’s Schools (Post-Primary) Public Speaking Competition took place on Tuesday February 4th from 7.30 to 10 pm in St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea.

Open to all, it proved to be a very engaging and entertaining event.

The competition also served as a heat for the prestigious Knights of St. Columbanus’ All Ireland Schools Public Speaking Competition.

The Joint Winners were St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea and Portumna Community School.


Thanks to St. Grellan’s Council of the Knights of St. Columbanus for sponsoring. Schools Public Speaking Competition 2020

John Coughlan, Ballinasloe Credit Union (Co-sponsor of this competition), St. Raphael’s Team Members and Bishop Michael Duignan.
Portumna Community College Team and Bishop Michael Duignan

For more information please contact Marie Burke, Clonfert Pastoral Ministry Co-ordinator, @ marieburkeclonfert@gmail.com or 087 2048683.

Pope John Paul Awards Night 2020

The Clonfert Diocese’s Awards ceremony took place on Tuesday 21st January in The Meadowcourt Hotel, Loughrea.

Thirty-six second level students received awards, and were celebrated by over a hundred and fifty family members, friends and parish and school representatives.

Interested students can still register for this Awards scheme (see details below). For more information please contact Marie Burke, Clonfert Pastoral Ministry Co-ordinator, @ marieburkeclonfert@gmail.com or 087 2048683.

John Paul II Awards
Pope John Paul II

The awards are designed for 16 to 18 year old’s living or going to school in participating dioceses. They seek to enable teenagers and young adults to become more actively involved in the life of their parish and community.

They aim to support them appreciate that Religion is not just for learning or reducible to a list of rules designed to limit a young adult’s freedom.
It is hoped that through being active in church and community they will experience the contentment and fulfilment that comes from serving others, especially those in great need.

More information available here.

Unfortunately a number of youth related initiatives have been postponed owing to the Covid 19 pandemic. We look forward to sharing details of these and other initiatives when they are re-activated / brought to our attention.

Updated: 22nd May 2021.