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30th September 2025: Letters of Solidarity 🏃🏼‍♀️‍➡️🫶🏼📃

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30th September 2025: Letters of Solidarity 🏃🏼‍♀️‍➡️🫶🏼📃

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Transition Year students recently took part in the Letters of Solidarity campaign, organised by Sanctuary Runners Ireland. This campaign invites students to explore empathy, community and solidarity, by writing a letter in support of someone taking part in the Dublin Marathon on 26th October, whilst living in International Protection Accomodation Services. Sanctuary Runners Ireland is a solidarity-through-sport initiative, which uses running, jogging and walking to bring together international protection seekers, refugees, migrants and Irish residents. It is a group that focuses on positive action and operates under the principles of solidarity, friendship and respect. As a Champion School of Sanctuary, we are proud to partner with Sanctuary Runners Ireland.

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Ms. Corcoran is running a weekly homework club for international students.

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Pink Orange Colorful Book Club Presentation 2

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Our Sanctuary Committee has worked very diligently on their podcast series entitled ‘Sanctuary Stories’. Joseph presents the first episode, in which he outlines what our podcast is about and our school’s sanctuary journey. In the second episode, Joseph speaks to Senan about his interests in philosophy, mythology and linguistics. In the third episode, Adam interviews Edy about his Brazilian heritage. In the fourth episode, Badr and Omar tell their stories of life in Syria, Lebanon and their journey to Ireland. Thank you to Alan and Zuzanna for composing and performing the music and thank you to Wiktoria for creating the artwork. We hope you enjoy our podcast.

Episode 1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZHW-g2tXAcoOpy-DlJhCL7Jq4imn2fmx/view?usp=sharing

Episode 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gPkkBbBwsLqW3f5u9d_AQ3d8SV2bGXmx/view?usp=sharing

Episode 3:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cIG9L-ySIn2wqSHV50_H2oyBMUYt5m-v/view?usp=sharing

Episode 4: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uma7MeRoNtY6Gq-8SAsyV0Y1Ecx2S7Ji/view?usp=sharing

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We participated in ‘Wear Red Day’ again this year. Students and staff wore red to support the message of anti-racism. We collected €810 and this money was donated to the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

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Dylan, Seán. Nara, Edam João and Fernanda 

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On Tuesday, 18th March, we held our annual multicultural day. Students from Brazil, Poland, Syria, Palestine, Ukraine, India, Moldova, Czechia, France, Nigeria, The Netherlands, Ghana and South Africa represented their countries. Thank you to all involved.

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On Friday, 24th May, we went on our annual bowling trip. We had lots of fun. It was great to welcome past pupils Jef and Erick along with us.

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On Friday we celebrated Eid, by learning some facts about the Ramada and Eid and enjoying some food and drink. Thank you to Feras, who explained a lot about Eid, such as suhoor and iftar. We learned a lot and enjoyed our celebration. Eid Mubarak! 🌙

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17th April 2024: CEIST Student Leadership Conference

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17th April 2024: CEIST Student Leadership Conference

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We were delighted to be asked to speak at the CEIST Student Leadership Conference in DCU. Wiktoria, Weronika, Joseph and Pierce represented our committee and spoke about our journey to becoming a Champion School of Sanctuary and the connection between the Sanctuary and CEIST ethos. We also participated in workshops, discussing how we can make our schools better places. It was a great experience.

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Some of our students took part in Open Book Day, which is a day of celebration of refugees in Education. João, Alan, Damian and Feras represented our school at the meeting and spoke about how we celebrate our sanctuary students. It was lovely to hear stories from other schools and educational bodies also.

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We have been deeply saddened by the events happening in Palestine and we organised a bake sale to raise funds for UNICEF. Thank you to all the committee members who worked hard to promote the bake sale, brought in baked good and worked during break and lunch time to sell the goods, We raised €183.

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Thank you to Joe Murphy, local volunteer with Trócaire, who provided a workshop on the work that Trócaire do worldwide and how we as a school community can help. It was very informative and inspiring.

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We were delighted to be chosen to host this beautiful and meaningful tapestry, created by twelve Trócaire volunteers. It is comprised of twelve small tapestries, woven onto one large tapestry. Each tapestry depicts the main drivers of poverty around the world, such as land evictions, fast fashion, pollution of rivers and the impact of tobacco farming. Joe Murphy, who works with Trócaire presented us with the tapestry, which we will display in our school library until February.

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On Friday, 22nd March, we held ‘Wear Red Day’. We could not take part on Thursday as it was the day of the official opening of our new school. Students wore red to show support of the anti-racism message ‘Show racism the red card.’ We collected €780, which is being donated to the Immigrant Council of Ireland. Thank you to all of the students from our committee, who promoted the day and collected the money.

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On 12th December we celebrated the various languages and cultures of our school community. Students from Poland, Brazil, Syria, Palestine, Sudan, Egypt, France, Ukraine, Nigeria, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, India and France presented their cultures to our school community. Thank you to all students involved for sharing your cultures with us.

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Wiktoria, Weronika, Kasia, Milosz & Wiktoria 🇵🇱 

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14th December 2023: Immigrant Council of Ireland 

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14th December 2023: Immigrant Council of Ireland 

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As part of Multicultural Week, Kensika Monshengwo from the Immigrant Council of Ireland delivered an anti-racism workshop. Our 3rd Year students took part in the workshop and we learned a lot. Thanks again to Kensika.

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Thank you to TUS Athlone for hosting us at an inspiring Awards Ceremony. We are so proud to be part of this wonderful initiative.

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Three Local Secondary Schools Awarded Champion School of Sanctuary Designation at TUS Ceremony - TUS

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Three local secondary schools have been granted official status as Champion Schools of Sanctuary at a ceremony held at the Technological University of the Shannon's (TUS) Athlone Campus on Friday last.

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27th September 2023: Offaly Independent 

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27th September 2023: Offaly Independent 

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We are featured in the Offaly Independent this week!

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Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan has been granted official status as a Champion School of Sanctuary, making it the first secondary school in Co. Westmeath to hold the designation.

The Champion School of Sanctuary award is an official recognition from Places of Sanctuary Ireland and attests to how schools work to symbolise and realise an inclusive, welcoming and safe space for all pupils and their families, especially newcomers who come from refugee and migrant communities and other ethnic minorities, including the Traveller community.

As well as celebrating diversity and inclusion, through activities and events in the school and the local community, these schools consistently build knowledge and understanding among the students and the staff about tackling racism and prejudice and about the nature of forced migration.

Students and staff representatives from the school collected their award at a ceremony held at the Technological University of the Shannon's (TUS) Athlone campus on Friday last.

St Nathy's College in Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon, and Naas CBS, Co. Kildare, also received Champion School of Sanctuary awards at the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, TUS's VP for Student Education and Experience and chair of the TUS University of Sanctuary committee Frances O'Connell said: "The ideals set forth by the Sanctuary initiative of welcoming, supporting, including, and celebrating asylum seekers and refugees are writ large into the fabric of our young, inclusive, and diverse technological university, and we are delighted to see Mercy Kilbeggan, Naas CBS and St Nathy's College, who share our commitment to welcome and inclusion, receive this well-deserved recognition."

An ideal place for the ceremony, TUS is, itself, a University of Sanctuary, a designation it was awarded last year; it is the first technological university in Ireland to hold this designation.

Under this University of Sanctuary designation, TUS has rolled out a three-year plan to help improve access to higher education for those seeking sanctuary in Ireland, as well as to promote intercultural awareness among staff, students and the wider community.

TUS provides 20 sanctuary scholarships per year, ten to students pursuing a full-time CAO course and ten to students embarking on the TUS Access programme.

Programme manager of Schools of Sanctuary Ireland ,Karen Dervan, congratulated the three schools: "These schools were champions of inclusion and welcome before they ever became a Champion School of Sanctuary. But it gives us as an organisation the greatest joy to officially welcome them into our network and family of sanctuary and to celebrate their incredible dedication. They will undoubtedly inspire others to follow in their footsteps."

Schools of Sanctuary Ireland is supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Community Foundation of Ireland and other generous philanthropic donors.

Its mission is to work with schools all throughout Ireland, at primary and post-primary level, to support them to embrace their role in equipping students with the education and ethos to build an inclusive and equitable future for all.

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Local school becomes first secondary school in Westmeath to receive Champion School of Sanctuary Designation | Offaly Independent

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Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan has been granted official status as a Champion School of Sanctuary, making it the first secondary school in Co. Westmeath to hold the designation.

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We are featured on Midlands 103 this week!

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It was one of three schools to receive the nod at the awards ceremony.

A Westmeath secondary school has been designated a Champion School of Sanctuary.

Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan was granted the official status, which recognises how schools work to symbolise an inclusive, welcoming and safe space for all pupils and their families.

It focuses especially on schools which welcome newcomers who come from refugee and migrant communities and other ethnic minorities, including the Traveller community.

Students and staff representatives from the school collected their award at a ceremony held at the Technological University of the Shannon's Athlone campus last Friday.

St Nathy's College in Ballaghadereen, Roscommon, and Naas CBS, Kildare, also received Champion School of Sanctuary awards at the ceremony.

Karen Dervan, programme manager of Schools of Sanctuary Ireland says:
"These schools were champions of inclusion and welcome before they ever became a Champion School of Sanctuary. But it gives us as an organisation the greatest joy to officially welcome them into our network and family of sanctuary and to celebrate their incredible dedication. They will undoubtedly inspire others to follow in their footsteps."

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Westmeath School Granted "Champion School of Sanctuary" Status For First Time

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It was one of three schools to receive the nod at the awards ceremony.

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26th September 2023: Westmeath Independent

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26th September 2023: Westmeath Independent

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We are featured in the Westmeath Independent this week!

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Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan has been granted official status as a Champion School of Sanctuary, making it the first secondary school in Co. Westmeath to hold the designation.

The Champion School of Sanctuary award is an official recognition from Places of Sanctuary Ireland and attests to how schools work to symbolise and realise an inclusive, welcoming and safe space for all pupils and their families, especially newcomers who come from refugee and migrant communities and other ethnic minorities, including the Traveller community.

As well as celebrating diversity and inclusion, through activities and events in the school and the local community, these schools consistently build knowledge and understanding among the students and the staff about tackling racism and prejudice and about the nature of forced migration.

Students and staff representatives from the school collected their award at a ceremony held at the Technological University of the Shannon's (TUS) Athlone campus on Friday last.

St Nathy's College in Ballaghadereen, Co. Roscommon, and Naas CBS, Co. Kildare, also received Champion School of Sanctuary awards at the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, TUS's VP for Student Education and Experience and chair of the TUS University of Sanctuary committee Frances O'Connell said: "The ideals set forth by the Sanctuary initiative of welcoming, supporting, including, and celebrating asylum seekers and refugees are writ large into the fabric of our young, inclusive, and diverse technological university, and we are delighted to see Mercy Kilbeggan, Naas CBS and St Nathy's College, who share our commitment to welcome and inclusion, receive this well-deserved recognition."

An ideal place for the ceremony, TUS is, itself, a University of Sanctuary, a designation it was awarded last year; it is the first technological university in Ireland to hold this designation.

Under this University of Sanctuary designation, TUS has rolled out a three-year plan to help improve access to higher education for those seeking sanctuary in Ireland, as well as to promote intercultural awareness among staff, students and the wider community.

TUS provides 20 sanctuary scholarships per year, ten to students pursuing a full-time CAO course and ten to students embarking on the TUS Access programme.

Programme manager of Schools of Sanctuary Ireland ,Karen Dervan, congratulated the three schools: "These schools were champions of inclusion and welcome before they ever became a Champion School of Sanctuary. But it gives us as an organisation the greatest joy to officially welcome them into our network and family of sanctuary and to celebrate their incredible dedication. They will undoubtedly inspire others to follow in their footsteps."

Schools of Sanctuary Ireland is supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the Community Foundation of Ireland and other generous philanthropic donors.

Its mission is to work with schools all throughout Ireland, at primary and post-primary level, to support them to embrace their role in equipping students with the education and ethos to build an inclusive and equitable future for all.

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Local school becomes first secondary school in Westmeath to receive Champion School of Sanctuary Designation | Westmeath Independent

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Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan has been granted official status as a Champion School of Sanctuary, making it the first secondary school in Co. Westmeath to hold the designation.

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Please watch our video, created last year by current 5th Year student Shane King. We are very proud of this video and very grateful to Shane for all of his work in creating it.

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Getting ready to make their presentation 

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22nd September 2023: Champion School of Sanctuary Awards Ceremony

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22nd September 2023: Champion School of Sanctuary Awards Ceremony

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On Friday 22nd September, our School of Sanctuary committee attended an Awards Ceremony in TUS Athlone. Mercy Kilbeggan was one of three schools in the country to receive the prestigious 'Champion School of Sanctuary' award. This is in recognition of the work that our committee does, in order to promote linguistic and cultural inclusivity, and create a welcoming, safe space for all pupils in our school. As part of the ceremony, some of our students did a presentation about our School of Sanctuary. The award was presented by TUS Vice President; Frances O'Connell and Places of Sanctuary Ireland Board Member; Mavis Ramanzi. Also present at the ceremony were Programme Manager of Schools of Sanctuary Ireland; Karen Dervane, Board Member of Places of Sanctuary Ireland; Tonye Benson Olatunde, TUS Access Officer; Jenny Burke and Project Coordinator for the Moylish Campus; Mona Khan. We also listened to the stories of University of Sanctuary scholarship recipients, which were very inspiring. We are the first school in the Midlands to receive this award and one of only eighteen schools in Ireland. We look forward to continuing our work this year.

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Gerry O’Callaghan from New Horizon Athlone

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Listening to our committee presentation 

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8th May 2023: Monitoring Visit-Becoming a Champion School of Sanctuary

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8th May 2023: Monitoring Visit-Becoming a Champion School of Sanctuary

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On May 8th, we welcomed a monitoring team to our school. We had an awful start to the day, as there was a burst water pipe in Kilbeggan; therefore School had to close early and many of our students had to go home early as their transport was organised when school closed. This meant that we had to adjust our plans greatly. A massive thank you to our wonderful students and past pupils who were able to stay and make a presentation to the monitoring team. We presented our video and some of our committee members spoke about what School of Sanctuary means to them. Our committee answered questions from the monitoring team and gave them a tour of our school. On the monitoring team were Karen Dervan from Schools of Sanctuary Ireland, Vice President of TUS Athlone Frances O’Connell, TUS Access Officer Jenny Burke, Project Co-Ordinator for the Moylish campus Mona Khan, Gerry Callaghan and Lorna Moloney form New Horizon Athlone. We were also delighted to welcome two Sanctuary Scholarship recipients, who are currently studying at TUS Athlone. As the day came to an end, Karen announced that we are now a Champion School of Sanctuary! What a journey this has been! We look forward to receiving our plaque at a ceremony in October.

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On Thursday 18th May, we went on our annual end of year bowling trip to Cosmic Bowl in Tullamore. The winners were: Lane 1: Kate, Lane 2: Josh, Lane 3: Wiktor, Lane 4: Adam C, Lane 5: Jane, Lane 6: Rania, Lane 7: Jeferson

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Rosemary Kunene from Dignity Partnership Ireland came to our school today. She provided a 90 minute workshop on the topics of refugee intergration, asylum seekers, direct provision etc. She also talked very candidly and openly about her home country Swaziland and the difficulties that people face there. Thank you to Rosemary for an enlightening and interesting discussion. We look forward to seeing you again, hopefully.

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The Swimmers: What a beautiful, inspiring film!

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We celebrated the Eid al Fitr today. Badr talked to us about how he celebrates Eid with his family. We enjoyed Shawarma and Knafeh Nabulsia, made by Badr and Omar. (We think they had some help from their Mums though!)

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Adam M., Adam C., Cormac and Sara organised our annual Easter Egg hunt. We all had lots of fun and ate lots of chocolate! 🍫 🐣

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31st March 2023: Foreign Language Writing Competition winners

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31st March 2023: Foreign Language Writing Competition winners

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Congratulations to all of the winners of our foreign language writing competition:
Feras Abdo, who wrote the story of his journey from Syria to Lebanon and eventually to Ireland in Arabic.
Omar Mnizel, who wrote about his life in Syria in Arabic.
Keith Gavigan and Conor Wrafter, who wrote a poem about their friendship in German.
Marie-Claire Maxwell, who wrote a wonderful fictional letter in German.
Joshua Kane, who wrote a funny poem in German.
Jasmine Rusman, who wrote a beautiful story in Latvian.