Wednesday Newsletter October 30th 2026
APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION FOR JUNIOR INFANTS
SCHOOL YEAR 2027–2028
Application Form – Junior Infants 2027-2028
Application Form – AS Class 2027-2028
| The school will commence accepting applications for admission on | 28th September 2026
|
| The school shall cease accepting applications for admission on | 23rd October 2026 @ 3:00 pm
|
| The date by which applicants will be notified of the decision on their application is | 13th November 2026 |
| The period within which applicants must confirm acceptance of an offer of admission is* | 27th November 2026 @ 3:00 pm |
Applications must include:
1. Completed application form
2. A copy of the birth certificate
3. **A current utility bill** (only for applicants living within the parish)
Click the link to view the Parish Map
https://hollyparkbns.ie/sites/default/files/image-uploads/Foxrock.pdf
**A current utility bill includes ESB, Gas bill, refuse collection bill, home phone bill, etc. Please do not send personal bills. ie, Bank statements, Mobile phone bills or insurance forms, etc**.
https://hollyparkbns.ie/our-school/policies/admissions-policy
Parents and Guardians seeking placement for their child in a new special class or special school for the school year 2027/2028, should now notify NCSE.
Please complete the online form. https://www.ncse.ie/parents/current-application-processes/parents-notif…
If you do not have the required documentation yet, please submit the form anyway. Supporting documentation can be provided until the 15th of September or as soon as possible after that date. Your local SENO will contact you directly if you have completed the form without the required documentation attached.
You can complete the form on our Parents Notify webpage.
FINAL CALL On-Site Nasal Flu Vaccine 2026
TOMORROW, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1ST
Dear Parent and/or Legal Guardian,
Laurence Gavin here from Sandycove Pharmacy. I am delighted to work with Mr O’Donovan and all of the team at Hollypark Boys National School to provide the free nasal flu vaccine for pupils again this year. For those who wish to have their children vaccinated, I will be on-site at the school on Thursday, October 1st.
The booking link is provided below. Please complete the form carefully, paying particular attention to PPSN. As some letters can resemble numbers, we kindly ask that you double-check this section https://vaccinesandycovepharmacy.as.me/hollyparkbns2026
If you have any further questions after completing the form, please email me at sandycovepharmacy1@gmail.com , and I will respond as soon as possible.
Please note the school does not have access to the booking information, so all queries should be directed to me rather than the school office.
If your child becomes unwell in the days leading up to the date of vaccination, and you decide not to proceed with the vaccine, please use the link in your confirmation email to cancel the appointment at least 24 hours in advance.
Kind Regards
Laurence Gavin
Pharmacist
A MESSAGE FROM KILMACUD CROKES SUPPORTERS CLUB (DARRAGH FALLON & GEORGE DUFF, 6TH CLASS!)
This week is a big week for Kilmacud Crokes supporters! The club needs your support. The Senior Ladies Football Final is in Parnell Park, 7:30 pm on Friday, October 2nd. The team is going for 5 in a row County Final wins. They will play Clontarf.
Mr. O'Donovan, the school principal in Hollypark BNS, is coaching the Senior Ladies Team again this year. Come to Parnell Park on Friday to cheer on his great team!
Click the link to purchase tickets https://bit.ly/4AD6xX8. General admission €10; Under 16s FOC & do not require a ticket.We hope to see a BIG turnout from club members and the Hollypark community to support the team. Come on out, bring the kids, make lots of noise, proudly wearing your Purple and Gold.
Purple and Gold Friday
To raise awareness of the match and to show your support to the team, the boys are permitted and encouraged to wear purple and gold to school on Friday, October 2nd. (This is not a fundraising event!)
Kilmacud Crokes Abu!!!
Signed Darragh Fallon and George Duff, 6th class!
PEACE PROMS 26-27
Our 3rd class students are taking part in the music education programme ‘Peace Proms’. This involves participating in a choir workshop in November/December and performing in Peace Proms with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland at the RDS, Dublin, on Saturday, 6th February 2026.
(Tickets will be released on November 1st from www.tickettailor.com/events/peaceproms
Peace Proms gives children the opportunity to perform with a full symphony orchestra in premier venues and work with internationally acclaimed conductors and soloists. Peace Proms is recognised as one of Ireland’s most valuable, dynamic, engaging, and fun Music Education initiatives. Peace Proms engages children in music and singing, enriching their lives by providing outstanding performance opportunities that promote peace, unity, and tolerance.
This is our 4th year taking part in the Peace Proms, and it really is a night and an experience to remember forever.
The Realities of Children’s Digital Lives
*Booking is now open!*
Join us on Monday, 12th October at 7:30 pm in Hollypark GNS School Hall for Mick Moran’s talk, The Realities of Children’s Digital Lives.
The talk will explore the opportunities and harms of the online world, with practical guidance on what we as parents can do to navigate this ever-changing landscape and support, protect and empower our children.
Mick Moran is one of the high-profile experts featured in Gráinne Seoige’s upcoming documentary, Deepfake Ireland: The Naked Truth, airing on 5 October, ahead of his appearance at Holly Park GNS.
☕ Teas & coffees from 7pm
🎟️ To book our event, follow the link here:
https://tinyurl.com/HPonlineTalk
Please note: this is strictly an adults-only event due to the talk's content.
FOXROCK LOCAL HISTORY CLUB
BOOK FAIR 2026
We are delighted to announce that our annual Scholastic Book Fair is back this November.
The Book Fair will be open from:
Monday, November 9th-Friday, November 13th
Times: Open daily from 8:30-9:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ( Finishes on Friday morning)
Thursday evening from 6:30 -8:00 pm.
The commission we receive from the fair will go back into books for your son’s class library and our school library. For every euro spent, we will receive 60c back in books for our school. We will also purchase new sets of class novels.
This event is always popular with pupils and families. Our 5th & 6th class buddies will enjoy sharing a reading session with their Junior and Senior Infant buddies in the hall. All classes will have an opportunity to visit the fair during the week. It is an opportunity to welcome families into our school hall.
A huge thank you to our Library Team of parents and our PA, who will be working at the book fair all week. Payment can be made by cash or card.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Annette Lynch (Deputy Principal)
HALLOWEEN DRESS UP
Halloween will soon be upon us once again, and we are looking forward to seeing the boys dressed up for our annual Halloween dress-up day, which will take place on Friday, October 30th.
Some boys have already begun their costume planning, and we are excited to see the variety of costumes they will be wearing, from spooky to silly and everything in between. Please find below the guidelines and requirements to follow for the smooth and safe running of the day:
- No accessories, e.g., nothing they need to hold in their hand or things that can be put down for others to pick up and handle.
- No long capes, dangly material, or anything that may be a tripping hazard.
- Costumes should be comfortable and practical for sitting in the classroom for the day, e.g., no inflatable costumes.
- Be mindful that the costume won’t scare a younger student. If you think a Junior Infant will be frightened, then tone it down or reconsider.
Less is more when it comes to costumes, and keeping it simple can often be the most effective. It is a very exciting day for the boys and with your continued support and understanding, we hope to make it another success.
Parents' Association - Notice of AGM
The Parents' Association will hold an Open Evening on Tuesday 20th October at 7:00 pm in the school. As part of the evening, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Parents' Association will take place.
This is a great opportunity to tour the school, meet other parents, learn more about the work of the PA, and see how you can get involved with supporting our school community. This invite is open to all parents in the school. We look forward to seeing many of you there!
Sports Blitz - Friday 9th October
We are gearing up for our fundraising Sports Blitz, which will take place on 9th October. The Sports Blitz is the Parents' Association's main annual fundraiser for our school. The PA has organised a huge variety of sports and activities which will take place throughout the day - soccer, rugby, cricket, tennis, volleyball, basketball, yoga, and dancing. Thank you to all the clubs, coaches and parents who are generously giving their time to make this special event possible. Sponsorship cards were sent home with the boys this week. Your continued generosity allows the PA to provide valuable resources, events, and improvements that benefit all the boys throughout the year. A QR code is included on the cards, making it easy for families to submit sponsorship payments online. If you are paying online, the boys must still return their sponsorship cards to their teachers. Your support is greatly appreciated!
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Professional Learning Days: School Closure Dates
*2 new dates added
Below are the full-day school closure dates assigned to our school by Oide for the academic year.
The full-day school closures assigned to your school for 2026/27 are shown below:
| Date | Subject / Purpose | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 18/09/2026 | Child Protection Procedures | Full School Closure |
| 05/11/2026 | *Assigned Curriculum Area: STEM | Full School Closure |
| 04/03/2027 | Language Awareness | Full School Closure |
| May 2027: Date to be confirmed | *Assigned Curriculum Area: STEM | Full School Closure |
| Junior Infant HSE Hearing and Vision | September 29th-2nd October | Junior Infants |
|---|---|---|
| Nasal Flu Vaccine | Thursday, October 1st | Whole School *Please register below |
Staff Child Protection In-service Day- School Closure
Sports Blitz | Friday, 18th September
Friday, 9th October | Whole School
Whole School |
| Halloween Dress Up Day | Friday, October 23rd | Whole School |
| Midterm Break | 26th Oct - 30th Oct | Whole School |
| 6th Class Christmas Show | Tuesday, 8th December | 6th class |
OPENING OF THE YEAR MASS
On Thursday, October 8th at 10 am, 3rd-6th classes from Hollypark BNS and GNS will attend Foxrock Church for the opening-of-the-year Mass.
All parents, grandparents, and family members are welcome to attend
Heritage Committee of the Deansgrange Tidy Towns Group
Dear School Community,
I write on behalf of the Heritage Committee of the Deansgrange Tidy Towns Group to tell you about our new Heritage Trail. The trail is about 2.5- 3 km in length, and takes in all the major heritage sites in our area, including Deansgrange Cemetery and the Early Medieval church of St Fintan's/Kill Abbey.
We've included tales of rebels, villains, plague and dastardly deeds, specifically with children and young people in mind, and we've steered clear of facts and figures in favour of descriptions of life in the area over the last thousand years. We aimed to tell the story of the people behind the historical events.
We've attached the trail map and leaflet, and we invite you and your classes to explore and enjoy our new community trail. If you have any feedback, we'd be delighted to hear it, and if you need a guide, we may be able to provide one.
All the best,
Máire O'Dwyer
This week is a special week for these great boys: George Madigan, Tom Wickham, Joe Sheahan, Cody Murphy, Arjun Arora, Luke Merriman & Sam Coghlan. Have a wonderful celebration, boys!
Beir bua agus beannacht,
Principal
30.9.2026