Instonians Rugby Triumph

Our 6th form rugby squad set off at short notice to the IRFU Ulster Branch tournament at Instonians, and came back in triumph having won all their matches on this their very first competitive outing. So they laughed at your funny looking shorts! You keep bringing in the results and we'll sort the kit out somehow. Now the bus queue all know what you were up to on those training sessions, and that it was all worthwhile.

Fantastic Delamont Results

At the Integrated Colleges Cross Country Championships our junior and intermediate girls carried off the trophies, with Joanne Mills in first place. In the boys' competition, the minor and the junior boys won the tropies, with Daniel Allen the top performer. Oustanding results, and very well done to all our runners.

Shimna Hosts

On Tuesday, Shimna hosts the Integrated Colleges Cross Country Championships at Delamont Country Park. The event provides an opportunity for athletes from the Integrated Colleges to compete and challenge themselves ahead of the County, Ulster and All Ireland Championships next term. We look forward to welcoming teams from across the country.

European Athletics

Run away to Spain laughing - Rory Friel and five of our athletes headed off for competition in Spain, guests of Jorge's school. Many of you will remember Jorge, our student for a term last year. The link with his school has proved a very productive one, and a valuable European link across the curriculum.

Fantastic Netball Too

Both our netball teams ran up terrific scores against Down Academy, 19:7 and 8:3. very well done to a hardworking squad.

Fantastic Rugby Result

A fantastic result today for our year 10 rugby squad, beating Grosvenor Grammar School, fellow Specialist Languages School, 34:0 - details when I get them.

Rugby Squad Revs Up

Our 6th form rugby squad has been training hard, and today had a special extra session with their coach in advance of their first fixture against Armagh on Wednesday. Best of luck all!

NewBridge Revenge

Sad to saw, NewBridge revenge came quickly, as our junior team lost 4:3 at their away fixture.

Football Success

Success against Newbridge Integrated College today as our U15 team won 4:0. Brilliant stuff.

Rugby Squad

It's great to see a new senior rugby squad out training nearly every day of the week. The old rhino is about to make an appearance out of the chair store to support the scrum.

My Sporting Career

This is the most surprising entry this blog will ever have. I am allergic to sport, but trapped in Minnesota with over-active nephews and a neice, I have been forced to swim lengths of pools, cycle twenty five miles to get to the pool, be tortured with tennis, be tied to a tree and forced to watch soccer, and they are threatening golf next. Aaaaaagh!

Savour the race

Inter Provincials
Joanne Mills 2nd

"The field of 8 got off to a very steady start with Joanne positioned in the middle of the pack. This situation remained the same until the final 300m when the eventual winner Eimear Black made a break, Joanne immediately followed her and they pulled clear of the field with Eimear winning by point 4 of a second from Joanne. Joanne now goes on to represent Ireland against England, Scotland and Wales on 23rd July. Joanne is achieving at this level two years young for the race. It's a fantastic achievement."

Shimna Cup 2007

Shimna made it through, undefeated, to the final of the 2007 Shimna Cup, only to lose on penalties to Hazelwood Integrated College, whom Shimna had beaten earlier in the competition. Some consolation, however, was Adam Rea's triumph as top goal scorer in the competition, with seven goals, including a hat-trick. The best thing about the Shimna Cup, even when you lose on penalties, is that it brings together all the Integrated Colleges, and the whole competition was played in great spirit.

Representing Ireland

Joanne Mills, at only fifteen, came second in the under seventeen 1500m at the Interprovincials, and will represent Ireland next month. Better and better.

Northern Ireland Championships

Some terrific results at the Northern Ireland Athletics Championships on Saturday at Antrim Forum: a 1st for Chris Hanna in the u/17 400m; 2nd for Joanne Mills in u/14 1500m; 2nd for Calum Halsey in u/18 high jump; 3rd for Thomas Drummond in the u/14 high jump; 6th for John Benton in the u/13 1500m, and a Shimna record. An excellent showing. Really well done.

Irish Champions

Joanne Mills achieved the highest this weekend as she became Irish 1500m champion in a fantastic run. Calum Halsey continued his personal tradition of all Ireland achievement winning the bronze medal in the high jump. We are very, very proud of both of them.

Year 8 Girls Gaelic Football Blitz

Our Year 8 girls' Gaelic football team had a very enjoyable day at the Cherryvale playing grounds in Belfast. This was the first time that the majority of the girls had played Gaelic and they showed a lot of determination and team spirit during the day. There was also a clear improvement in their skills after each match. They played three matches against girls from St. Columbans, Kilkeel, St. Mark’s, Warrenpoint and St. Louis, Ballymena.


Team Picture Click here for more pics
The Year 8 girls who attended a Gaelic football blitz on Friday 1st June in Belfast.

Sports Day

The sun shone gloriously on our Sports Day and event followed event as some among us piled up the medals. The form classes took over in the afternoon for tournaments in soccer and netball. Sunbathing was popular too, and the ice cream went down extremely well, sold by the 6th form to raise money for their 6th form council funds. Through it all, a quiet chess tournament carried on regardless. For a bit of sporting integration, have a look at the photo on the website homepage of an An Dun supported sitting alongside two from Ballynahinch Rugby Club, all of them watching a soccer match - the three codes in one photo at our very own sports day. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the day.

Pentathletes Day Out

Our girls and boys pentathletes had a great day's competition at Hazelwood Integrated College, defending the titles won at the event last year. The boys came through in second place and the girls in third. We'll win them back next year.

Cricket Season Underway

Our cricket season started up with a great match against an experienced side from Bangor Grammar School. They won, and we learnt a lot from the fixture, and were inspired for the next one.

Netball successes

Our B team made it into third place against the Co. Down schools, and our A team had only one goal scored against them, giving them joint second place. All the teams had a great day.

Ulster Champions

Joanne Mills is Ulster Schools champion. Well done Joanne. Great performances as well from Jessica Crumley in the shot. Orla and Emily put up their best effort on the day. We are really proud of you all.

Girls' Soccer Blitz

Our girls' soccer squad had a great day out at the Billy Neill Sports Centre, drawing three of their matches and losing one.

Year 9 Athletes

Year 9 athletes returned today with Bronze Medals. Well done all. Good luck to the tennis girls tomorrow.

Girls' Success at Down Schools

Great success for the girls at the Down Schools Track and Field Championships: Orla O'Connor, Emily Drummond and Jessica Crumley all came second in their respective age groups in the shot; Joanne Mills came first in the 1500m.

Golf Triumph

Our golf squad triumphed in their match against St Mark's, winning each of our seven matches. An excellent result.

MarathonJoanne

Our Joanne Mills came in second in the London Mini Marathon, which was a fantastic result. Think of all those crowds and the numbers of outstanding athletes she has beaten. I'm off to check the statistics with Rory. Catch up with the next post.

Girls' Gaelic Football Underway

Great to see a huge horde of gaelic football girls out for the training session this afternoon with Joanne Poland. There was a fatastic turnout.

Netball Successes

Both our junior and intermediate netball teams had great success this year, both reaching the finals of the East Down League played at Down High School.

Integrated Rugby

Our year 8 rugby squad came third in the Integrated Colleges rugby blitz. The winners were the huge Drumragh Integrated College and second, Slemish Integrated College. It's a sore feeling to hand over the trophy we held last year, but it's great to see rugby so strong among the Integrated Colleges.

Great Golf News

Our golf squad won their heat against St Louis Grammar School by 5 games: 2. A great result. Good luck in the next match. Take some photos next time.

Year 8 Rugby Triumph

Year 8 played terrifically in their rugby blitz on Wednesday, playing four matches, winning four matches and conceding no tries at all. Very well done on qualifying for the finals next week.

Celebrating the New Posts

Today we celebrated the new rugby posts in the first full match on our pitch. We played Down High and lost 26:12, but scored two tries and a great conversion and are very pleased with our game. Upwards and onwards. Luc Bonnargent ran in the tries and Eamonn McAnulty converted, a real integrated effort.

Rain almost stopped play

Rain almost stopped play, our staff must be a daft as the students, and both matches went ahead in pouring rain. The men beat the boys 4-3, but even hijacking Orla and Amy couldn't save the women from the girls....perhaps happily, this blog didn't quite catch the result. A return match is threatened when summer comes. Well done all, and thanks to all the sponsors.

Netball draw

Year 9 netball girls drew against St Colmcille's, Crossgar. St Colmcilles is an excellent squad, and it was a match we will really learn from.

Sahara hero returns

Davy Ross of our technology department has returned in one piece after his run on the Sahara marathon. He has in the process raised a great deal of money for "Aware Defeat Depression", a very important charity, which provides mental health support for young people. He looks amazingly functional. You'll see him in the pictures when he delivers the big cheque.

Cross Country Silver

A fantastic result for Joanne Mills, who came away from the Irish Schools Cross Country Championships with the Silver medal. A draw for our rugby team who played an excellent game against Ballynahinch.

Rugby Tournament

Our successful year 10 rugby squad, who have already beated Down High School and Ballynahinch, met a stronger challenge when they played in this week's tournament with experienced rugby schools Lurgan and Banbridge Academy. We lost to Lurgan, but were very pleased to hold Banbridge Academy to a draw.

Integrated Netball Success

Our year 8 netball squad won through to the final of the Integrated Colleges Netball Tournament, after a very early start to get to Magherafelt. The girls lost narrowly to Hazelwood Integrated College. The girls put up a terrific performance, a just reward for all their practice.

Success against Kilkeel

Congratulations to our year 9 soccer team who defeated Kilkeel High School 3:2. Well done, great match. Welcome back to school to all those who caught a very bad 'flu' like bug on the ski trip. Banbridge Academy students, who were with our students on the trip suffered too. We hope the few students who are still not back all get well soon.

Ski Trip Returns

A fantastic trip was had by all. Two twisted knees and a few sniffles were the sum total of injuries. Not the full range of slopes, but plenty of snow to keep everyone skiing all day everyday. Good reports of the quiz, bingo and disco too. Good company in the shape of an Italian school from near Rome and Banbridge Academy. Just not long enough was the verdict from most as they piled off the bus....

Ulster Champion

We have another Ulster Champion. On St Valentine's Day, she became Ulster Champion at the Ulster Cross Country Championships at Mallusk. This is a fantastic achievement, and she now goes forward to compete in the All Ireland Championships. We wish her the very best of luck.

Ski Trip Sets Off

Our ski trip set off for San Valentino in Italy. Lets hope the dry slope lessons paid off! Let's hope that there's no more news until their safe return, which usually means that they are having a brilliant time.

Netball Successes

The hard work at after-school netball practice was rewarded when both our teams defeated Down High School this week. It's great to see our netball squad performing well following last year's promotion to the higher division.

Great pitch

Great work has been done in the last week on our main pitch. The winter has been exceptionally wet and the surface has suffered, but the work to the playing surface will mean that the pitch will withstand the rest of the season. Great work too from Newcastle Football Club in installing a proper, exchangeable posts system so that all codes of football are well catered for.