The exam season’s here, what a fright!

Put away the hurl, the ball, the gear,

Time to hit the books and give a cheer.

No more craic till the exams are through, It’s study time for all of you.

Your GAA matches must wait a bit,

Time to show your brainy grit.

History’s calling with tales of old,

Of Celtic myths and heroes bold.

Maths and Science, English too,

So many subjects, what to do?

Remember last week, “I’ll start tonight,” But TikTok videos stole your sight.

Just one more scroll, one more dance, Now look, you’ve missed your chance!

Your mam’s been nagging, “Get to bed!” But you’ve been Googling instead.

“How to cram all night and day, And still be fresh for the long winded - essay.”

Coffee brewing, the biscuits stacked, Trying to keep your focus intact.

With highlighters, notes, and coloured pens,

Turning your books into rainbow dens.

Saints and scholars, lend me your brain, Help me through this examination pain.

Students wish to pass with flying colours bright,

To finally sleep through the night!

So here’s a laugh and a hearty cheer,

You’ll do just grand, have no fear.

Best of luck in this exam quest,

You’re Ireland’s finest, you’ll be blessed. With wit and wisdom, you’ll surely pass, Then it’s back to fun, at long last!

This is a review of the trip we took to Venice. This review is all based off my opinion, my thoughts, and feelings about the day.  

• Summary of the events of the day: We arrived on the outskirts of Venice. From there we took a small boat trip to reach a more popular area. From there we set off to get food by ourselves. We met up again to begin our walking tour of Venice. We met Andrea, our guide, who swiftly took us around the city. After the tour, we went to the glass factory. We ventured the city separately before making the journey back to the dreaded hotel. 

The boat ride to and from the city was very relaxing. I enjoyed listening to the waves as we sailed by. 9/10 

I visited a local restaurant with 6 friends. The food was delicious, and the service was extremely fast. The waiters were very pleasant, we had only 1 issue. The place was open, and birds flew in and pestered us for food. 8/10 

I enjoyed the walking tour of Venice. Andrea was factual and funny. He made what seemed to be a boring history tour very entertaining. The only problem is that we would get too far away from him and couldn't hear what he was saying anymore. I learned plenty. 9/10 

The glass factory was very interesting. I always see the videos of glass making on social media, it was such a cool experience seeing it take place in real time. 10/10 

I am not the most adventurous being so walking around Venice by ourselves was not the most pleasant experience. We got lost in the big city and I got scammed by a scam artist for a rose.  6/10 

• All in all, I recommend visiting Venice. The scenery is beautiful, and it is full of years and years of interesting history. The food, in most places, is cheap and delicious. I really enjoyed my visit to Venice and that says quite a lot for a shy person going to such a busy city. Definitely a place to visit in your lifetime. 

By Chloe Mannion