Arts week was established by the school to encourage students to broaden their minds and capture their creative streaks in new and exciting ways.

Fortunately, this year sees a return to some
Covid-friendly, in-person artistic endeavours after last year’s successful virtual event.

The week kicks off with a podcasting workshop with Ruairi McKiernan. The aim is that our 2nd year and TY students will write, record and edit their own podcasts with a view to establishing our very own CBS Podcast to explore the legacy of our school’s past, present and future.

There will be talks by third level institutes streamed across the year groups about careers in the arts. This will include a talk from
The Lir on acting, stage management and technical theatre. Tom Felle, author and former foreign correspondent will talk to the students about careers in journalism.

Our younger students are always eager to tell stories so we are excited to nurture their skills. Re O’Laighleis will do a workshop on storytelling with our second years and local storyteller Aindreas de Staic will demonstrate his unique and quirky blend of music and storytelling with first years. Fifth year students will get an opportunity to hear the words of wisdom from writer Christy O’Connor.

Of course, the arts can be active too and CBS science teacher Ms. Kennedy will put third year students through their paces in a dance workshop!

Wednesday will see the excitement of the ‘Féile CBS’. In their class bubbles, students will partake in some sporting events, play or listen to the music of their classmates and enjoy the food and atmosphere. Musician in residence, Jon O’Connell, will assist in the arrangement of the day’s music and will join in for some tunes himself.

The week will culminate in the ‘Gallery Experience’ that the leaving certs have already started working on. Each leaving cert student was invited to partake in one of two exhibitions: An abstract interpretation of life in lockdown; or a piece inspired by any poetry on their leaving cert English course. Their canvases will be unveiled in one of the outdoor classrooms and they will be rewarded by a feast of platters from across the globe. Each class will then be given an opportunity to explore the gallery.

We are truly excited to facilitate the students in their cultural development and hope that some will be inspired to follow their creativity