Pictured is Corey Duffy, 11A who recently won the prestigious all-Ireland Poetry Aloud competition organised by the National Library of Ireland. 
Corey had to learn, interpret and perform four very complex poems in order to win his place in the final. Hundreds of students from all over Ireland vied to win this very illustrious prize and it was Corey who won through it- the first ever Northern competitor to win in the competition’s long history. He was a very worthy winner. The judges at the final were Theo Dorgan, poet and author; Kate O’Toole, actor (seen recently in The Tudors) and Joseph Woods, poet and director of Poetry Ireland.  All of the judges complimented Corey on his excellent interpretative skills, his powerful voice and his naturalistic delivery. 
Corey won a very generous cash prize for himself and for the school, as well as a beautiful trophy.
As overall winner of the Poetry Aloud competition, Corey was invited back to the National Library of Ireland on 21st December to perform Seamus Heaney’s poem “The Conway Stewart” as a tribute to the poet as he presented an archive of his work to the library. 
This was a great honour for Corey as many famous Irish writers were present at this historic occasion including Seamus Heaney himself, Joseph O’Connor and other dignitaries including the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, musicians and writers Paul Brady, Phil Coulter and Brian Keenan.
Corey was enthusiastically praised by all present for his extraordinary confidence and his thoughtful and moving presentation of the poem.  His performance was broadcast on the evening news on both the BBC and RTÉ.  Corey has brought great honour not just to himself, but to the whole CBS school community, which was thrilled by his success.
 

 Also pictured are Faolan Friel 9D and Ronan McManus 8C who won through to the semi-finals of the Poetry Aloud competition and who also performed their poems brilliantly on the day.
The competition was organised in school by Mrs.A. Gallagher and Mrs. E. Pearson who are delighted at Corey’s success in this our first year of entering the competition.  Both teachers will be on the lookout for new young talent, as well as more seasoned performers for next year’s competition and hope that Corey can be prevailed upon to give competitors some tips for success.