Retreat teams as recommended by Le Chéile teachers and chaplains in 2015
- I highly recommend An Tobar Nua (www.antobarnua.com)
Ciaran Doyle, St. Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway.
- I have used Ovoca Manor – Scripture Union in connection with our Alpha group in Wicklow http://www.scriptureunion.ie/index.php/ovocamanor they are excellent also Tanagh Outdoor Centre links in with Net. Ministries (leadership Retreat) to develop retreats http://www.tanaghoutdooreducation.com/adventure_retreats2. these days are called adventure retreats.
Both have use of outdoor activities if that was something you were looking for. full details can be found online.I have used both of these with secondary school students and found them brilliant.
Anita Allen
- Here in Tallaght Community School we have been very happy with Scripture Union and the Dominican Retreat Centre Tallaght.
Aisling Reigh
- I also have one recommendation for school retreats and that is Esker Retreat Centre with Lizzie Harrison. I have worked with Lizzie in the past & she is a superb retreat facilitator.
Sarah Redmond
Saint Tiernans Community School - There is a good Retreat Team working out of Mount Saint Anne’s Retreat and conference Centre Monasterevin Laois. Schools can attend the centre or the team will come to the school. You will have to contact Mount Saint Anne’s for the precise info.
cheers, Lloyd Bracken
- My name is Marie Maher and I teach at Patrician Presentation Secondary School, Fethard, Co. Tipperary. I am attaching the flyer and dates for the Shekinah course for the coming academic year in Youth Retreat Facilitation, which I received from Sr. Jennifer. At present I am doing this course and it is an excellent course.
It is a really interesting, engaging, practical course which will equip anyone who is either a Religion teacher or interested in working in the area of youth retreats with a wide range of skills to do so. I have never, ever attended a course that has been so useful to me as a Religion teacher. The academic input was excellent and even if Religion wasn’t one of my subjects, as a teacher I gained huge insights and learnings into the world of young people to-day and what’s going on for them, both of which are necessary to be a more effective teacher.
On top of these learnings, we as participants engaged in a wide range of practical but also fun activities – the same activities which we will in turn do with students, e.g making masks, salt jars etc. I absolutely loved doing these activities and there was great connection and fun in the group while doing them. Every week there were talent slots & Icebreakers – whereby everyone in turn had to do an icebreaker with the group and in time a talent slot i.e. play music/sing/make a powerpoint etc. This was hugely enjoyable but also educational as we picked up lots of things and learned from each other.
As part of the training we have to give three retreats to secondary school students. I just finished my second retreat yesterday and I watched students participate in these activities and know they really enjoyed them. I have NO DOUBT that this is because of the Shekinah approach and methodologies. Apart from the fun, creative element, all the activities have another important role to play – they serve to develop student’s reflective skills and in so doing help them understand and appreciate the Gospel message and ultimately develop a relationship with Jesus.
I had not heard of Shekinah before this year, and just found the brochure while looking for information at the back of a church about a picture of The Mother of Good Council. As a Religion teacher, this course has been invaluable to me in the classroom. Maybe there are other people like me who have not heard of it but who might end up being really interested!
- We have retreats for all 3rd year classes. The retreat team is “Foray of Charity” Nazareth House, Dunmore East, Co Waterford. It is a sacramental retreat, done on a class by class basis.
The response from students has been very favorable.
The 5th year retreats are optional. This year they went to Anawim Retreats, Edmund Rice Centre., Waterford.It was based on self -esteem. The response from students was good .However we found it costly at 495 euro for the day.
The TY students went to MIr Retreat House given by Declan Browne.
The students enjoyed it, however it was a distance to get there, in their opinion!Ger McManus, De La Salle Waterford
- We used the Mustard Seed retreat team with 2nd years. Very good and engaging and helped break down barriers.
Also we did our own trip to Glendalough and I led a retreat experience down there with the ty. Anybody looking for the programme of what we did we are happy to oblige.Regards
Gearoid
