Twin-vasion of local schools

STUDENTS at St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley were seeing plenty of doubles this week, as an extraordinary six sets of twins started their first year at the school.

In an unusually high number for one school, Conor and Sean Devlin, Wojciecha and Szymon Burchacki, Amelia and Donnacha Harley, Ava and Mia McAteer, Sophie and Emily Wilson, and Ruairi and Patrick McKenna all joined St Ciaran’s College for the upcoming academic year.

While St Ciaran’s College celebrated its twin influx, St Dympna’s PS in Dromore also welcomed two sets of twins to P1, and St Patrick’s Primary School in Castlederg added two more sets of twins to their P1 roster this morning (Thursday).

Other local schools who welcomed new TWIN starts included St Conor’s PS (one set in P1 and one set in nursery); Omagh Gaelscoil (two sets of twins in P1) and Gortin PS (one set in P1).

Twin students Ruairi and Patrick McKenna, both excited for their new adventure at St Ciaran’s College, shared their thoughts with the UH on Wednesday.

Ruairi expressed his enthusiasm for a few specific subjects.

“I am most excited for technology and design, and science too,” he said.

Patrick looked forward to meeting new classmates and playing football with them. “I am most excited for meeting all the new lads and lassies and for playing football with boys that I haven’t been able to play with before,” he stated.

Twins Wojciecha and Szymon Burchacki also shared their excitement. Wojciecha is eager about PE, saying, “I am most excited for PE at school because I really enjoy playing sports.”

Szymon, who enjoys building, is looking forward to developing his skills in technology and design class.

.St Ciaran’s principal, Paul Lavery expressed his delight at the rare occurrence of having so many twins enroll at once.

“Staff and students alike are fascinated by this rare occurrence of having so many twins enrolled at once,” Mr Lavery said.

St Ciaran’s College has welcomed 160 pupils into Year 8, a record number for the school.

“We are delighted that so many students are choosing St Ciaran’s College and look forward to seeing them flourish on this next step of their educational journey,” he added.

In Dromore, twin girls Eireann and Caoimhe, and twin boys Conlon and Donnacha started their first week of school.

Expressing what he enjoyed most on his first week of school, Donnacha said, “I really liked playing with the Lego and I was also playing with a John Deere which is my favourite tractor.

Interjecting, brother Conlon said he also, “Really, really liked playing with Lego.”

For the girls, Caoimhe enjoyed playing with the iPads and the fun games available, while Eireann was pleased to have met “a new friend called Jessica.”