Ceiliúradh CEIST at Sacred Heart: Celebrating Faith, Culture and Community

Friday marked a truly special and joyful conclusion to Catholic Schools Week at Sacred Heart, as we celebrated Ceiliúradh CEIST, beautifully aligned with our annual Multicultural Day. It was a day that reflected the very heart of our school community — faith-filled, inclusive, and rich in diversity.

We began the day with a moving prayer service, bringing together all students who participated in Multicultural Day. The service was a wonderful example of collaboration and shared leadership, with Student Council members and 6th Year students leading readings, our traditional Irish music group providing music, and Emily Williamson offering a beautiful vocal performance. We were also delighted to welcome Ms. Karcz, a current teacher and a past pupil of Sacred Heart, who spoke thoughtfully at the service as part of Multicultural Day, adding a meaningful sense of connection between past and present members of our school community.

Multicultural Day itself was a thriving success. Over 40 students, representing 17 different countries — including Afghanistan, the Philippines, Syria, Nigeria and many more — proudly shared their cultures with the wider school community. Each student hosted a stand showcasing their heritage through language, traditional dress, food, music and dance. The displays were vibrant, informative and full of pride, offering a powerful reminder of the richness of diversity within Sacred Heart. As part of the celebrations, Ms Barry created special badges for all participants, proudly displaying our school theme, “Be You, Belong, Become,” as a lasting reminder of inclusion and identity within our school community.

Throughout the day, each year group had the opportunity to visit the stands, take time to engage, ask questions, and reflect on how much our diverse student body adds to the life of our school. As Mr. Walsh beautifully expressed in his address during the service, we are a T.E.A.M — Together Everyone Achieves More. This message resonated strongly as students and staff came together to celebrate unity, respect and belonging.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to every student who took part so proudly and generously, sharing their culture and stories with such confidence. A huge thank you to Ms Barry for leading an incredible Multicultural Day and for her inspiring words during the service, to Ms Brydziak for her support in the lead-up to the event, Mr Walsh for his address in the service and to the RE Department for their organisation and preparation of the Ceiliúradh CEIST prayer service.

Friday’s celebrations were a powerful reminder that at Sacred Heart, we live out our faith not only through prayer, but through welcome, respect and celebration of one another. It was a fitting and joyful conclusion to Catholic Schools Week — a true celebration of who we are as a school community.