Le Chéile Secondary School, Ballincollig

03/09/2026

We are delighted to invite prospective students and their families to Le Chéile Secondary School Ballincollig’s Open Evening 2026! 🏫

📅 Tuesday, 29th September 2026
🕡 6.30pm - 9.00pm
🎤 Principal’s Address at 6.45pm

We warmly welcome 4th, 5th and 6th class students and their parents/guardians to come along and experience all that Le Chéile has to offer!

Our Open Evening is a wonderful opportunity to explore our school, meet our exceptional students and staff, visit our classrooms and specialist facilities, and discover the wide range of subjects, programmes and opportunities available to our students.

Now entering an exciting new chapter as a school with a full complement of year groups from First Year through to Sixth Year, we are incredibly proud of the vibrant, inclusive and welcoming community that has grown here at Le Chéile Ballincollig. 🌟

Come and see our school in action, meet the people who make Le Chéile what it is, and discover how we strive every day to bring out the best in all students!

We look forward to welcoming you all! 💫

02/09/2026

After a well-deserved summer break, we were delighted to welcome all of our wonderful staff back to Le Chéile Secondary School as we begin another exciting school year! 🏫✨

Our staff community continues to grow alongside our school, and this year we are incredibly proud to be a bustling team of 50+ staff members! 🙌

A particularly warm welcome to all of the new teachers joining the Le Chéile crew, as well as the student teachers who will be working and learning alongside us throughout the year. We hope you quickly feel right at home as part of our school community.

It’s not as easy to fit us all in the annual staff selfie any more!! 🤳🏼 Wishing all of our staff the very best for 2026/27.

28/08/2026

Another very special milestone in the story of Le Chéile Secondary School, Ballincollig, as today we welcomed our First Year cohort of 2026/27! 🎒📚

Their arrival marks a truly momentous occasion for our school as, for the very first time, we now have a full complement of year groups from First Year right through to Sixth Year, with all of our programmes represented.

Our newest students enjoyed a fantastic first day, getting to know their classmates and their new school before heading out into the sunshine for a fun-filled scavenger hunt. The school grounds were full of laughter, excitement and plenty of new friendships beginning to form! Our First Years left with their very own Secondary School ‘survival kit’ too! 🧰

We are delighted to welcome each and every one of our new First Years to the Le Chéile community and wish them every happiness and success as they begin this exciting new chapter. 🏫

27/08/2026

Today was a truly momentous day at Le Chéile Secondary School, Ballincollig, as we welcomed back our very first 6th Year and LCA 2 students for the 2026/27 academic year. 🫱🏼‍🫲🏾

Five years ago, these students walked through our doors as our first ever students, beginning their secondary school journey at the very same time as Le Chéile began its own. Since then, they have grown alongside our school, sharing in so many of the milestones, memories and ‘firsts’ that have shaped who we are today. 🏫

To mark this very special occasion, Principal Ms Nicola Barrett presented each student with their 6th Year tie, proudly featuring the Le Chéile crest - a symbol very close to our hearts and one which they will now wear throughout this milestone year with pride. 👔

Ms Barrett also presented our Head Student, Jayden Doyle, and Deputy Head Student, Connor Knapp, with their blazers as they officially begin their leadership roles for this historic year and we wish them both well!

This year will bring an extraordinary series of milestones: our first 6th Year and LCA 2 classes, our first Leaving Certificate examinations and, in what will surely feel like the blink of an eye, our very first graduation.

There is something incredibly special about seeing the students who began this journey with us now entering their final year. They have been part of the Le Chéile story from its very beginning. Class of 2027 - your final year begins! 🎓✨

29/05/2026

We are delighted to share the Summer 2026 edition of the Le Chéile Chronicle - Volume 5: Issue 2! 🌞

As another incredibly successful academic year comes to a close, this edition celebrates the many achievements, experiences, events, trips, performances, sporting successes, and memorable moments that made 2025/26 such a special year for our school community 🏫

From national achievements in debating, climbing, frisbee, choir, and Mathematics Olympiad competitions, to the culmination of the Creative Schools Programme (24-26), TY adventures, wellbeing initiatives, drama, music, and student leadership - there is so much to celebrate at Le Chéile Secondary School, Ballincollig 👏

A huge thank you to all students, staff, parents, and contributors who helped make this year such a success. We hope our wider community enjoys reading and reflecting on another fantastic year at Le Chéile 🙏

Explore the Summer 2026 edition of the Le Chéile Chronicle , celebrating student achievements, national successes, school events, trips, sport, music, drama, and community life at Le Chéile Secondary School, Ballincollig!

27/05/2026

Yesterday, we proudly celebrated the graduation of our wonderful Third Year students at Le Chéile Secondary School as they marked the end of their Junior Cycle journey 🎓✨

The occasion was a special opportunity to reflect on the friendships, memories, achievements, and growth that have shaped this year group over the past three years. We are incredibly proud of all they have accomplished and the resilience, kindness, and spirit they have shown throughout their time in Le Chéile.

A sincere thank you to all of their teachers whose dedication, encouragement, and hard work have supported the students every step of the way and helped guide them to this important milestone.

We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Acting Year Head Ms. Daly and Year Head Ms. Barry-Murphy for their unwavering pastoral care, guidance, and continued support of the students throughout their Junior Cycle years ❤️

As the Class of 2026 now prepares to begin their State Examinations next Wednesday, we wish each and every student the very best of luck. We have every confidence that their hard work and preparation will stand to them in the weeks ahead 📚🍀

Best wishes to all of our Third Year students as they begin this next chapter! 📚 


26/05/2026

🎓✨ Transition Year Graduation 2026 ✨🎓

We were proud to host our Transition Year Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday 19th May, celebrating another fantastic year of achievement, growth, and unforgettable experiences for our TY students. 🌟

Throughout the year, students embraced every opportunity the programme had to offer - from volunteering for Darkness into Light, participating in the Apple Experience, Poetry Workshops, Feis Maitiu, our TY Drama performance, Creative Schools initiatives, student leadership, and a wide variety of sporting activities. 👏

A huge congratulations to all of our individual award recipients:
🏆 Andrei Edkov – TY Student of the Year
🏆 Eneko Senor Casado – International Student of the Year
🏆 Nina Kershaw – TY Hidden Hero Award
🏆 Natalia Prysiazhniuk – TY Academic Excellence Award
🏆 Yaz Bouketta – Spirit of TY Award
🏆 Charlie Gould – Rising Star Award
🏆 Umar Iqbal – TY Principal’s Award
🏆 Jewel E Amayanevbo – TY Sportsperson of the Year
🏆 Oliwia Krason – Overall Senior Sportsperson of the Year

Each student also received their Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement and Certificate of completion from the TY Programme from Principal Ms Barrett in recognition of their hard work and dedication throughout the year.

Well done to all of our TY students - we are incredibly proud of everything you have achieved and look forward to seeing what comes next! 👏

25/05/2026

🌟 Le Chéile Annual Awards Ceremony 2026 🌟

Last Thursday, we proudly celebrated the incredible achievements, leadership, talent and spirit of our students at our Annual Awards Ceremony.

Among the many awards presented were Academic Achievement Awards for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Year students, while Maeve Hennessy was recognised for achieving the Highest Junior Certificate Results 2025 👏 Congratulations also to our Student of the Year recipients: Isabella Pereppadan Jijo (1st Year), Leia Dineen (2nd Year), Grace & Keira Delaney (3rd Year), Gabi Nawrocka (5th Year), and Kaci O’Connor (LCA).

Sporting excellence was also celebrated, with Emma Buckley, Cathal Barrett and Darragh Fenton recognised as Junior Cycle Sportspersons of the Year, Clara Riveria receiving the Overall Junior Cycle Sportsperson Award, Derrick March named Senior Cycle Sportsperson of the Year, and Oliwia Krason awarded Overall Senior Cycle Sportsperson of the Year 🏆

Principal’s Awards were presented to Erin Herbert & Nazar Shevchenko (1st Year), Emma Buckley & Abel Varghese (2nd Year), Lucas Okonkwo & Pavitra Bimali (3rd Year), and Muhammad Abbass & Fernanda Inga Medina (5th Year) in recognition of their outstanding contribution to school life. Congratulations also to House Fox on winning this year’s House Cup, to Seoda Welch on receiving the Le Chéile Spirit Award - epitomising our school motto of Welcome-Wisdom-Witness 🤝📚🕊️, and to our newly announced Head Student Jayden Doyle and Deputy Head Student Connor Knapp - congratulations 🙌🏼

Our Awards ceremony was a wonderful celebration of the talent, dedication, kindness and community spirit that exists throughout Le Chéile Secondary School. Congratulations to all students recognised - we are incredibly proud of each and every one of you and it is always a pleasure to celebrate your achievements 👏 🏅

24/05/2026

As we reflect on an unforgettable Darkness into Light Ballincollig 2026, we are so proud of the incredible community spirit shown at the first ever walk hosted by Chéile Secondary School, Ballincollig 💛

Celebrating the 10th Darkness Into Light event in Ballincollig 3 weeks ago, the morning was filled with hope, support, and solidarity as our community came together in aid of Pieta House and the essential work they do.

The event created so many powerful moments - and thankfully many of them were captured so brilliantly by TY student Vika Kasatkina. Their photography perfectly showcased the atmosphere of the morning, from the quiet sunrise moments to the warmth and connection shared throughout the walk 📸 💛

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who played a part in making the event such a meaningful success.

23/05/2026

What a truly special morning for our community following the first ever Darkness into Light Ballincollig walk hosted at Le Chéile Secondary School, Ballincollig 3 weeks ago today 💛 It was incredible to see so many people come together to mark the 10th Darkness Into Light event in Ballincollig while raising vital funds and awareness for Pieta House.

From the sea of yellow to the quiet moments of reflection as darkness turned to dawn, the spirit of community was evident throughout the morning. Thank you to every person who walked, volunteered, supported, donated, and helped make the event such a success.

A special word of thanks and recognition to TY student Nina Kershaw, whose outstanding photography beautifully captured the emotion, atmosphere, and togetherness of the event. Through the lens, Nina documented moments that will stay with our community long after the morning itself 💛📸