The Southern Star | 1
Special Supplement
Part one
September 2026
Molly Nyhan celebrated her 5th birthday with her new clasmates at St. Mary’s Central School, Enniskeane 1
(Photo: Andy Gibson)
2 | The Southern Star
Enjoying her first day at St. Mary’s Central School, Enniskeane was Aódhla O’Brien.
Enjoying their first day at St. Mary’s Central School, Enniskeane were Eilís O’Driscoll and CIara O’Sullivan.
Enjoying their first day at St. Mary’s Central School, Enniskeane were Maeve Fournier; Fíadh Shannon; Dylan Kelleher and Molly Nyhan. (Photos: Andy Gibson)
2
The Southern Star | 3
Drinagh National School Junior Infants - Grace O’Donovan, Holly Kelly, Rhea Carey, Sarah Tobin and Evie French enjoying their breaktime. (Photo: Anne Minihane)
Pictured above left to right are Jakub Aszczepinski, Méabh McSweeney, Páidí Collins and Lauren O’Donoghue on their first day in Drimoleague Junior National School. 3
4 | The Southern Star
Above: Aodhán Kelly, Darragh O’Brien and Ollie Healy on their first day at St. Enda’s National School, Kilnadur, Dunmanway. Below: All the new Junior Infants class received a balloon, sweets and a certificate after their first day at St. Enda’s National School, Kilnadur, Dunmanway. (Photos:: Andy Gibson)
4
The Southern Star | 5
On their first day at Timoleague National School was Caoimhe O’Donovan and below (left to right): Aishling Heaver, Tori O’Donovan, Jaimee Hayes and Isobelle O’Mahony (Photos: Martin Walsh)
5
6 | The Southern Star
The O’Leary cousins Grace (left) and Saoirse having fun and a hug on first day at Barryroe National School.
Hazel O’Regan (left) and Dayna Brickley on their first day at Barryroe National School. Right: Tom O’Donovan (left) and Valentine Waugh trying out different modes of transport (Photos: Martin Walsh) on their first day at Barryroe National School. 6
The Southern Star | 7
Clodagh Hanley and mum Emma at her first day at Scoil an Chroí Ro Naofa, Castletownbere and right: Ben Dixon, Katie-Mae Kelly and Fiona Kelly.
Sandra, Odhran, Cara and John Galvin and right: Ruairí Deane with Setanta who started his frist day at school with Cairbre, Saorlaith and mum Niamh.
Dr. Junaid Khan Niazi, Neelofar Khan Sarmad Khan - started junior infants with mum Neelofar and right: First day at school for Ellie Harrington Sheehan with her dad Daniel Sheehan and mum Emma Harrington (Photos: Anne Marie Cronin) 7
8 | The Southern Star
Carrie O’Leary (left) and Alice Coomey caring and sharing in first day at Clogagh National School.
Dylan Harman liked the John Deere tractor on his first day at Clogagh National School. Right: Davey Murphy sailed through his first day at Clogagh National School.
(Photos: Martin Walsh)
8
The Southern Star | 9
Settling in for his first day at Dunderrow NS is Feidhlim Trevethan
JJ Moore & Darcie Hughes on their first day at Dunderrow NS Right: William Buttimer on his first day
(Photos: Donie Hurley) 9
10 | The Southern Star
Twins Megan and Cillian O’Leary and right: Ayla O’Donovan-Uhl on their first day at Ardfield National School pictured with her mum Clare O’Donovan.
First day pupils at Ardfield National School. Front row (left to right): Tadhg Sutton, Cillian O’Leary, Muireann McCarthy, Rósin Morrisroe, Ayla O’Donovan-Uhl, Joe O’Shea and James O’Brien. Middle row (left to right): Aoife Deasy, Liam Óg O’Sullivan, Ruadh O’Donovan-Deegan, Ethan Williams, Sonny Hegarty, Sean Otreba, Megan O’Leary and Billy McCarthy. Back row (left to right): Flora Zsinko O’Sullivan, Christian Kopsch, Clara McCarthy, Luke White, Sadie Mulcahy and Oisín Lynch. (Photos: Martin Walsh) 10
The Southern Star | 11
Breaktime for the Junior Infants class at Drinagh National School was lots of fun for pupil Evie French. Right: Grace O’Donovan enjoying Junior Infants class at Drinagh National School. (Photos: Anne Minihane)
Back L-R Rían McSweeney, David Dineen, Leah McCarthy, Madelyn Bowles, Íde Coakley Cooper, Adam Fitzgerald, James O’Brien, Rían Daly, Dylan Patterson, Rory Patterson. Front L-R Tommy Duggan, Ellie O’Mahony, Eila Coakley, Caoimhe Desmond, Eva McSweeney, Adam Duggan at Ballinacarriga NS. 11
12 | The Southern Star
Enjoying breaktime at St. Joseph’s Girls National School in Skibbereen were Junior Infants Ailbhe O’Donovan and Cara O’Regan.
Ali O’Donoghue and Ellie O’Neill who started Junior Infants class at St. Joseph’s Girls National School in Skibbereen with their big sisters Lottie and Gracie who are in Senior Infants (Photos: Anne MInihane) class at the school. 12
The Southern Star | 13
Left: Junior infants from Ahiohill National School. From left to right: Sophie, Tim, Cecília, Theo, Laoise, James and Caragh. Kealkill NS: Oran Foley, Leah O’Connell, Ruslan Golovchak, Leo Walters. 2nd Row: Senan O’Mahony, Teddy McCarthy, Aodha Lucey, Éanna O’Shea, Caoimhe O’Halloran, Tírna Stephenson. 3rd Row: Riley O’Mahony, Molly Murphy, Jessica Kotlarova, Matthew O’Shea, Jasper Hanrahan, May O’Neill, Paddy McCarthy Kearney. Front Row: Jasper Noonan, Nicole Zemtsova, Robbie Downey, Kayla O’Mahony, Danny Murphy.
13
14 | The Southern Star
Joran O’Donovan and Cian Collins enjoyiing breaktime in Junior Infants class at St. Patrick’s Boys National School in Skibbereen. Below: Starting in Junior Infants class at St. Patrick’s Boys National School in Skibbereen were Noah McCarthy, Rían Hodnett and Theo O’Sullivan. (Photos: Anne Minihane)
14
The Southern Star | 15
Enjoying their first day at Knockskeagh NS, Lyre were twins Karl & Coco Herriott. Below: Enjoying their first day at Knockskeagh NS, Lyre were Anna May O’Donovan; Jackson O’Connell and Rían Owens. (Photos: Andy Gibson)
15
16 | The Southern Star
Everyone at wishes all the pupils who started school this year a happy and successful time at primary school! See next week’s paper for more great First Day at School photos
Enjoying their first day at Knockskeagh NS, Lyre were Maggie Hourihane and Cara Kingston.
(Photo: Andy Gibson)
Your West Cork, Your Community, Your Southern Star 16
The Southern Star | 1
Special Supplement
Part two
September 2026
First day pupils at Barryroe National School.
(Photo: Martin Walsh) 1
2 | The Southern Star
Clockwise from top: Junior Infants at Castletownshend National School doing a bit of reading on their first day at school included are, Caoimhe Sheehy, Anna Jajietska, Indie O’Sullivan, Aoife Moloney, Isabelle Collins and Soairse McCormack; Sean Murphy and Rían Walsh who started in Junior Infants at Castletownshend National School enjoying a bit of playtime; All smiles from the Junior Infants Class at Castletownshend National School on their first day at school; Caoimhe Sheehy and Anna Jagielska checking out the books in their Junior Infants class at Castletownshend National School.
2
The Southern Star | 3
Donagh Crowley, Rafaella Tokarchuk and Liam Collins at their first day at Dromore National School
Rían McNicholl and his sister, Sadhbh, pictured in their new school uniforms and below: twins David and Ieva Todorova, pupils at Scoil Mhuire National School in Schull on their way to school. (Photo by Carlos Benlayo)
Jake Morgan, Ryan Collins and Corey Sweetnam enjoying their morning breaktime in Junior Infants class at Drinagh National School. (Photo: Anne Minihane)
Settling in for their first day at Dunderrow NS is Avery Mackey and right Mark O’Shea.
(Photos: Donie Hurley) 3
4 | The Southern Star
Left: Junior Infants Emyrs O’Donnell and Jack Casey enjoying breaktime and above: Ayla Bignell and Robyn O’Neill who started Junior Infants at Rath National School near Baltimore.
Breaktime for the Junior Infants class at Rath National School, Baltimore.
(Photos: Anne Minihane) 4
The Southern Star | 5
Clockwise from left: enjoying their first day at Knockskeagh NS, Lyre were Sonny Kelly and Eve Coughlan; Cohen Coyle; Beauden Roycroft and Ciarán Walsh. (Photos: Andy Gibson)
5
6 | The Southern Star
New Junior Infants at Union Hall NS are Daíre Whelton and Artúr Von Ammon and right: Rowan & Arther Fraser-Cheatle.
Sadie White; Freya Barry and Farrah Mae Whelton on their first day at Union Hall NS.
(Photos: Andy Gibson) 6
The Southern Star | 7
Above: Patrick Connolly, Cillian Barry and Odhran Power on their first day at Scoil na mBuachaillí, Clonakilty.
Ted Coffey had his hands full on his first day at Scoil na mBuachaillí, Clonakilty. Left: Adam Szymial (left) and Dorian Stryjak on their first day at Scoil na mBuachaillí, Clonakilty. (Photos: Martin Walsh)
Freddie Quinlan pictured with his mum Linda and above twin brothers Tom and Finn O’Donovan on their first day at Scoil na mBuachaillí, Clonakilty. 7
8 | The Southern Star
Peter Hanley on his first day at Scoil Croí Ro Naofa with his brother Tadhg Hanley.
Aaron Sullivan’s first day at Scoil an Croí Ro Naofa, Castletownbere with his aunty Laoise Orpen.
Tom Óg Dickinson on his first day at Scoil an Croí Ro Naofa, Castletownbere.
Katie May Kelly, Joseph O’Sullivan with twin cousins Caden and Ciana Regan on their first day at school. 8
Hailey and Finn O’Connor starting back at Scoil Croí Ro Naofa, Castletownbere . (Photos: Anne Marie Cronin)
The Southern Star | 9
Tessie Lyons and Freddie Flynn enjoying the playground during their first day at Darrara National School.
Six new students at Darrara National School Theo Holland, Ava Dean, Tessie Lyons, Ellie Mae Anglin, Freddie Flynn and Rayler Da Costa Santos are pictured together in the school playground. Right: playing hide and seek in (Photos: Andy Gibson) the Darrara National School playground are Theo Holland and Ellie Mae Anglin.
The Junior Infants class on their first day in Carrigboy N.S. with their teacher, Miss Kate McCarthy (from left): Donnacha Taylor-Murray, Seán Óg Johnston, Dzhamil Settarov, Jake Stout, Abbie Thurman and Fionn Evans. 9
Páidí, Abbie and Ruaidh at their first day of school at Lisheen National School.
10 | The Southern Star
Above: Zara Denny and Elaine Dergham pencilling in plans on their first day at St. Joseph’s Girls National School, Clonakilty. Left: Caoimhe Lowery and Leah Moynihan on their first day at St. Joseph’s Girls National School, Clonakilty.
Above: Some stories for Kara O’Regan and Alice Slowo on their first day at St. Joseph’s Girls National School, Clonakilty. Left: Amelia Hickey and Victoria Aminu on their first day at St. Joseph’s Girls National School, Clonakilty.
Nika Calic, Elaine Dergham and Thanhara Sarath on their first day at St. Joseph’s Girls National School, Clonakilty. 10
(Photos: Martin Walsh)
The Southern Star | 11
Enjoying their first day at St. Mary’s Central School, Enniskeane were Jessica Gleeson and Caoimhe Horgan. (Photos: Andy Gibson)
Enjoying their first day at St. Mary’s Central School, Enniskeane were Darragh Crowley and Mia Fedak and below: Cuan McCarthy and Jake Murphy.
Junior Infants at St. Patrick’s Boys National School in Skibbereen - Mason Salter, Tadhg Leonard and Eoin McCarthy enjoying their breaktime. (Photos: Anne Minihane) 11
12 | The Southern Star
The new Junior Infants Class at Coomhola National School.
Junior Infants at Caheragh NS. Names include: Archie Mortimer, Alice Harnedy, Alex Daly, Áva Leigh Casey, Daithí O’Connor, Ellen Harnedy, Hugh O’Sullivan, Indie O’Driscoll, James Murphy, Libby Harnedy, Oisín Barry, Pearl O’Driscoll, Poppy Casey, Saoirse O’Farrell, Sarah Harrington, Shauna Ryan, Siún O’Sullivan.
Everyone at wishes all the pupils who started school this year a happy and successful time at primary school!
Your West Cork, Your Community, Your Southern Star 12