Sixth-year CBS Thurles student shares his memories of the school

Written by Sean Gleeson

CBS Thurles is a place that holds a special place in my heart. I have spent the past six years here and have many fond memories of my time.

Now as my time here draws towards an end, I’ll reflect on my experiences, including the academic program, the extracurricular activities, and the friendships I made along the way.

When I first started at CBS Thurles, I was nervous about making friends. I didn’t know everyone at the school, and I was worried that I wouldn’t fit in. However, I quickly discovered that there were many other students who were in the same boat as me.

I made a lot of new friends during the first few weeks of school, and I was pleasantly surprised by how welcoming and friendly everyone was.

We bonded over shared interests, like sports, music, and video games, and we spent a lot of time hanging out and getting to know each other. Some of my closest friendships were formed during that first year, and I’m grateful for the experiences we shared together.

The first year hurling tournaments and the school trip to Paris played a huge role in helping me to settle in.

Speaking of that trip in first year, it was one of my most memorable times in the school. We woke up very early one February morning and set off for Dublin Airport.

On arriving in France, we got to visit the famous Louvre Museum, climb the Eiffel Tower and spend a memorable day in Disneyland. It was a weekend I will not forget. Ms Deegan and Ms Kennedy were under a huge amount of stress trying to control a bunch of hungry 13 year olds each evening, but they managed us well.

CBS Thurles has a reputation for being one of the best schools in the country and for good reason.

The teachers are knowledgeable, dedicated, and passionate about their subjects. They challenge their students to think critically, ask questions, and engage with the material in a meaningful way. I appreciated the high standards that were set in the classroom, and I always felt like I was being pushed to do my best.

One subject that I particularly enjoyed at CBS Thurles was Business. I was fascinated by the world of Business, Accounting and Economics during my Junior Cert, and I decided to study Business studies for my Leaving Cert. I loved learning about the principles of supply and demand, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

I appreciated how the business curriculum was designed to be practical and relevant to the real world, and I felt like I was gaining valuable skills that would be useful in my future career. The business teachers were engaging and knowledgeable, and they helped me to develop my critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

I’m grateful for the education I received at CBS Thurles, and I believe it will help me to succeed in college, and then my professional life. Playing sports with the school was one of the highlights of my time at CBS Thurles.

I was able to participate in a variety of sports, including football and soccer.
I made a lot of friends through my involvement in the athletic community, and I learned how to work together with my teammates to achieve a common goal. I played soccer throughout my time with the school, and it was extremely easy when you have Tim ‘Jurgen Klopp’ Shanahan on your side line!

If I could give one piece of advice to younger students in the school, it would be to take advantage of Transition Year.

Although the coronavirus drastically affected our year, it was still a great experience where you can enter the working world while improving your friendships without the pressure of exams on your back. The friendships I made here will hopefully mean friends for life.

It’s easy to meet new friends when you are placed in a year with a good group of lads. I found it extremely easy to make friends, and more importantly to maintain these friendships. I am lucky to have had such a great experience here in the school, and I will cherish these memories for the rest of my life.

Uniquely, I have brothers currently studying in first-year, third-year and fifth-year - so no doubt they will be able to keep me up to date with the goings on.