At Kinsale Community School, we are proud to offer our students a wide range of extra-curricular sporting opportunities. Students are encouraged to get involved, whether competing at school, regional or national level, developing their skills, or simply enjoying being active with friends. Our extensive sporting programme provides opportunities for students of all abilities and interests to participate, promoting teamwork, commitment, wellbeing and a strong sense of school community. A variety of additional clubs and activities are also available throughout the school year, giving every student the opportunity to become involved in school life beyond the classroom.
For further information regarding sport and extra-curricular sporting activities at Kinsale Community School, please contact Mr Jason Abbott.
1st Year Sport at Kinsale Community School
We encourage all of our 1st Year students to get involved in sport at Kinsale Community School. With a wide range of teams available, there are plenty of opportunities to participate, meet new people, develop new skills and become part of school life.
All 1st Year sporting information will be communicated through the relevant Microsoft Teams. Students should join the Teams for any sports they are interested in, where coaches will post training times, match schedules, squad lists and important updates.
The attached 1st Year Sports Codes Handout contains the Microsoft Teams codes for each sport, together with simple instructions on how to join.
We strongly encourage all 1st Years to get involved, try something new and enjoy the many sporting opportunities available at KCS.
Music
The Music Department at Kinsale Community School promotes Extra-Curricular Activities which include:
The School Choir
The Traditional Irish Music Group
The School Show
The Choir and the Trad Group rehearse regularly. Rehearsals for our annual school musical takes place every week for a number of months leading up to the show.
The school facilitates a variety of different music related events throughout the academic year which are very popular with the students. These include performances at the school mass, mass for the aged, opening evening and awards night. Students also enjoy performing for many celebrities who visit our school. These regular activities have proven to be of huge benefit to students both academically and culturally.
School Musical
School musicals are a long-standing and much-loved tradition at Kinsale Community School, bringing together students, staff, parents, and members of the wider community in a celebration of creativity, talent, and teamwork.
A key part of every production is the creation of the sets, backdrops, and props that help bring the story to life on stage. Much of this work is carried out outside of regular school hours, with dedicated students generously volunteering their time to design, build, and paint the various elements required for each show. Their enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment play a vital role in the success of every production and contribute to memorable experiences for performers and audiences alike.
Junk Kouture
Junk Kouture is a national contest which encourages young designers in second level education to create striking couture designs and impressive works of wearable art from everyday junk that would normally find its way into the bin. This is a timetabled module with Transition Year students and taught by Ms Rosie Roccaforte and Ms Deirdre Kelly. The school has had great success in the last few years with groups annually qualifying for Regional Finals, and in 2026 for the All Ireland Finals in Dublin.
Gaelbhratach
Kinsale Community School is proud to participate in the Gaelbhratach initiative, a national recognition scheme that celebrates schools that actively promote the Irish language and culture throughout school life. Managed by Gael Linn in partnership with Conradh na Gaeilge, the programme supports schools in creating a vibrant and welcoming environment where Irish is used and enjoyed by the whole school community.
Aims of Gaelbhratach
The Gaelbhratach programme encourages schools to promote Irish in a planned, engaging, and sustainable way. Through a variety of activities and initiatives, students are given opportunities to use Irish confidently in everyday school life while celebrating Ireland’s rich language and cultural heritage.
The programme aims to:
Encourage the regular use of Irish throughout the school community.
Promote collaboration and active participation among students, staff, and school leadership.
Strengthen awareness and appreciation of the Irish language and culture.
Highlight the school's commitment to the promotion of Irish within the wider community.
Create a positive and enjoyable environment where Irish can flourish beyond the classroom.
Through our involvement in Gaelbhratach, Kinsale Community School continues to nurture a strong appreciation of the Irish language and provide meaningful opportunities for students to engage with it in an authentic and enjoyable way.
Green Schools
Kinsale Community School is proud to participate in the Green-Schools programme, Ireland’s leading environmental management and education initiative for schools, coordinated by An Taisce. The programme empowers students to take meaningful action on environmental issues while developing leadership, teamwork, and citizenship skills.
Over the years, KCS has achieved significant success in the Green-Schools programme, earning a number of Green Flags in recognition of our commitment to sustainability. Most recently, the school was awarded the Green-Schools Travel Flag following two years of work promoting sustainable travel choices and reducing our environmental impact.
Our Green-Schools Committee is made up of dedicated students from a range of year groups who work together to plan campaigns, organise events, and raise awareness of environmental issues throughout the school community. Students take on leadership roles based on their interests and strengths and meet regularly to develop new initiatives and evaluate their impact.
In recent years, students have led a wide variety of sustainability projects, including sustainable travel campaigns, biodiversity initiatives, climate action projects, tree planting events, beach clean-ups, environmental awareness workshops, and participation in national competitions such as the Young Environmentalist Awards. Students have also collaborated with local, national, and international partners to promote environmental awareness and share ideas for positive climate action.
Sustainability is an important part of life at KCS. Through Green-Schools, students are encouraged to become active environmental leaders, helping to create a more sustainable school and community while developing the skills and confidence to make a positive difference in the world around them.
Erasmus+
Kinsale Community School is proud to be an active participant in the Erasmus+ Programme, which provides students and staff with opportunities to engage in international collaboration, cultural exchange, and shared learning experiences across Europe. Through Erasmus+, our school has developed strong partnerships with schools in a number of European countries, enabling participants to broaden their horizons, develop new skills, and gain a deeper understanding of European citizenship.
Our Erasmus journey began with the environmental project“Challenges, Choices, Change – Our Mutual Footprint”, which brought together schools from Ireland, Germany, Sweden, and Poland to explore major sustainability challenges, including nature conservation, waste reduction, water conservation, sustainable food systems, and renewable energy. Through student exchanges and collaborative projects, participants investigated practical solutions to environmental issues while building lasting friendships across Europe.
Since then, Erasmus+ at KCS has continued to grow and evolve. More recent projects have focused on promoting European identity, intercultural understanding, language learning, sustainability, and active citizenship. Students have participated in mobility exchanges with partner schools in countries including the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, and beyond.
Our European initiatives also complement programmes such as the European Parliament Ambassador School (EPAS) programme and the FÉILTE: Fostering European Identity Through Learning and Teaching about Europe project, helping students to develop an appreciation of Europe's shared values, cultural diversity, and democratic traditions. Through assemblies, projects, cultural events, and international collaborations, students are encouraged to become informed, engaged, and responsible European citizens.
Participation in Erasmus+ continues to enrich life at Kinsale Community School by providing meaningful opportunities for students and staff to learn, travel, collaborate, and develop a global perspective. These experiences foster confidence, independence, intercultural awareness, and a greater understanding of our place within an increasingly connected world.