The NCP
OCTOBER 2021 "ISSUE 1 - VOLUME 19"
Editors of The NCP Sophia Deasy, Sophie Byrne, Aoibhín Dunleavy
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T H E N C P EDITORS NOTE FIRST YEAR INTERVIEWS - JIA YAN LIN SIXTH YEAR INTERVIEWS - THE NCP TEAM THE BLAIR WITCH MTHOLOGY - ALYSON MORBAN AND AMELIE PRONE HALLOWEEN SWEET TREATS- ANONYMOUS HALLOWEEN GAMES- SOPHIA DEASY FRESNO NIGHTCRAWLERS- SARAH MACKAY TOP 5 THINGS TO DO FOR HALLOWEEN - EMILY NASON THE CURSE ON MAYO GAA: MYTH OR MAGIC? - JANE BLAKE 2 PGAP: I N C R EQUAL E S T S IRELAND’S T CLOSING 9 THE8GENDER FAI E ANNOUNCE PAY FOR SENIOR WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM- AMY TYRELL ...... AND MUCH MORE
Special Thank you to Ms. McCluskey
A NOTE FROM THE EDITORS
Dear readers,
We hope you are adjusting well to the return back to school. For a lot of us it’s a welcome back to some normality and we hope that this months issue can provide some much needed joy. It has been a joy to receive so many entries from students and we thank everyone who has contributed to this edition. This October issue has been a pleasure to create and wouldn’t be possible without all the talented people involved. We hope to continue to receive such incredible work and want to make sure that everyone who wishes to contribute to the NCP will get the opportunity to exhibit the skills. We welcome all forms of media including essays, letters, articles, photographs, and anything else you can think of. We can only hope that you will enjoy reading this issue as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.
Halloween Games Mummy Sack Race
A sack race with a twist! Wrap up everyone's legs with tissue paper. The first one to the finish line with no rips in the paper wins.
Eyeball Hunt for the kids
Think along the lines of an Easter egg hunt and have little ones collect as many googly eyes hidden around the backyard as they can. Turn it into a timed relay and see who can snatch the most for even more fun. Apple bobbing
Grab your buckets of water and throw in some apples, a race to see who can take out the most amount apples by only using your mouth.
Guess The Gross Food Game Who can figure out what the real food is their eating first, pick a volunteer to choose what disgusting food they are going to give you. A race to be the first to eat and name the food.
Best of luck to the JCT team in the final against Blackrock college. Could they follow in the footsteps of the 1950 and 2020 teams?
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First Year Interviews
Halloween sweet treats-
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Halloween sweet treatsHalloween Recipes: Ghostly Chocolate Covered Strawberries Ingredients • Strawberries • White chocolate, • Chocolate chips • Tray covered in parchment paper Method: Put white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt in microwave. Check and stir chocolate every 30 seconds until fully melted. Dip strawberry into chocolate until fully covered, then place on parchment paper. Before the chocolate dries add two chocolate chips to each strawberry, these will be the ghost’s eyes. The Allow chocolate to dry and store in fridge until serving. NCP By Eva Lyons Doyle.
Real stories behind the horror movies
by Leah Duane
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Scream (1996) Few people realize it, because 1996’s “Scream” is a slasher film that also satirizes the slasher genre, but the Wes Craven classic was actually inspired by true events. In 1990, Danny Rolling (aka The Gainesville Ripper) terrorized Florida college students with a string of five grisly murders over the course of just four days, and he was later linked to a previous triple homicide.
When “Scream” screenwriter Kevin Williamson first heard a news story about the killings, he noticed an open window in his house, became concerned, and subsequently penned an 18-page script that later became the now-iconic film.
The Conjuring- 2013 In 2013, film audiences were formally introduced to Ed and Lorraine Warren, real paranormal investigators portrayed in “The Conjuring” series by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
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The first movie in a five-film franchise, “The Conjuring” focuses on the supposed real-life haunting of the Perron family’s Rhode Island farmhouse back in the 1970s. The $20 million film slew at the box office to the tune of $319.5 million, and it led to an equally successful sequel.
"A Nightmare on Elm Street" The character of Freddy Krueger was entirely an invention of writer and director Wes Craven, as was the teen-centric aspect of the film. But the fear and possibility of dying in one’s sleep due to terrifying nightmares? That’s unfortunately a very real thing. In the 1970s, a group of Southeast Asian genocide refugees in the U.S. suffered from such vivid night terrors that some refused to sleep. A few who eventually fell asleep died during their slumber despite being otherwise healthy. The condition was first dubbed Asian Death Syndrome but was later called sudden unexplained death syndrome, or Bragada syndrome, and it was Craven’s inspiration for his now-famous, uber-popular horror franchise.
The blair witch mythology- alyson morban and amelie prone Any horror fan would recognise the cult classic 1999 film “The Blair Witch Project,”. It follows the story of three student filmmakers who hike into a wood where the notorious Blair Witch legend is said to have originated. The three students disappear, and the viewers watch the “found footage” of what they captured. What made this film so notable was their promotional marketing campaign. When the film was released, the actors were listed as either missing or deceased. The filmmakers advertised the film as factual. She was an outcast, and people would whisper about her dark and troublesome past. Her mother had died during childbirth and her father was tortured, disemboweled, and killed in front of her. She herself was also beaten and tortured afterwards and would have died alone if she were not taken in by a hermit. She later became involved in witchcraft. In 1785, she was accused of witchcraft and devil worshipping by several young children. She tried to explain that she only collected their blood to save them from an illness, but fear of witches was so engrained into people’s minds that they banished Elly from the town into the cold winter’s night, where she died in the woods.
Terror struck again the following year when all the children who had accused Elly, along wither numerous other children, mysteriously vanished without trace or explanation. The town decided that the witch had cursed them, and every single resident fled, vowing to never return or speak about the incident again. A full century passed before the town was inhabited again, but alas it was not long before these people learned the harsh ways of the Blair Witch. Tragedy struck when a young girl named Eileen died in a river in the woods, with eleven witnesses claiming that a “pale hand” had pulled her under. Her body was never found. A few days later, the river became clogged with oily bunches of sticks, fashioned into ominous symbols that were later brought to life in the 1999 film.
The years progress and the people of the town avoid the woods like the plague. Those who do not either vanish without a trace or are found horrifically murdered by an unknown assailant. Many more stories like these can be told, but this summarizes the history of the legend well. All that is left now is for you to decide whether any of this is true. We will never know.
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FRESNO NIGHTCRAWLERS by Sarah MacKay Arguably one of the cutest cryptids of all time, Fresno Nightcrawlers are reminiscent of pairs of white trousers which have begun to walk by themselves. These mysterious creatures have been sighted and caught on video several times around the city of Fresno in California, USA. The first sighting of the Fresno Nightcrawler was caught on video in 2007 by a man named Jose. The creature is seen walking across Jose’s front lawn in an odd, gliding manner. Jose claims to have caught this footage from a surveillance camera on his front lawn and took it to television network Univision. As is always the case with all cryptid videos, the quality is very poor, and it is difficult to see the creature clearly.
A still from Jose's video footage
2010, the television show “Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files” included them in one of their episodes. The show involved a team, led by a former FBI agent, who investigated the nightcrawlers and analysed the video for any signs of fakery. The poor quality of the video made it difficult to see any strings that would have held the creature up if it were a puppet. The group even attempted to recreate the footage using puppets and a child dressed in a sheet, but were not able to get a similar effect to the original footage, and so deemed the Fresno Nightcrawler case as “unexplainable.” Many artists’ interpretations of the Fresno Nightcrawlers have been created, and the creatures have been accepted as a seemingly peaceful, endearing urban legend, but the authenticity of their existence remains uncertain. Could it be a puppet? Fake computer-generated images? An extra-terrestrial being? With the general lack of information and evidence, the answer of the Fresno Nightcrawlers is up to you
An artist's interpretation of the creatures The NCP
Top 5 things to do over halloween in Kildare Farmaphobia- This is an event that happens every Halloween in Co. Meath. It has many scary attractions such as zombies, killer clowns and even a special purge night. It's a activity to do with your friends during Halloween if you're looking for some good scares.
Halloween SpooktacularThe Halloween Spooktacular is an annual event that takes place on the Great Lawn/Dublin where you can do spooky crafts, trick, or treat magic shows, scary storytelling and so much more. This event is especially suited for younger children but is open to people of any age.
Clonfert Pet FarmThis is a wonderful event to go to at any age and there is something there for everybody. There's a pumpkin patch for the smaller children and some arts and crafts for them to enjoy. There is also a haunted house if you are brave enough to go inside.
Lully more Halloween Happenings: From ghastly ghost and terrifying treats Lully more Halloween happenings has it all. Take a ride on the terror train and get ready to take part in the treasure hunts in the devilish den of the funky forest. Join in with a fancydress costume.
Madness & Mystery at the K Club: This 5-star hotel and resort welcomes you to stay and experience all the Halloween treats and a never-ending list of activities planned for you. Madness & Mystery offers you a two to three night’s accommodation in a deluxe room and a full Irish breakfast each morning.
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The Curse on Mayo GAA I hate to be the person to tell you this, but if you are unaware of the curse on the Mayo football team, you have been, as they say, ‘living under a rock’. This story is dug up annually around mid-September, adults explaining to little kids why Mayo has been beaten yet again, an excuse die-hard fans have been giving themselves the past seventy years, or simply as a mockery from other counties looking down upon the once triumphant team. Co. Mayo has not lifted the Sam Maguire Cup since 1951 when there was believed to have been a mysterious curse put upon the team, is this story true, or has the Mayo Gaelic Football Team lost their nerve? As the story goes on September 23, 1951, Mayo raised the Sam Maguire Cup after a troubling battle against the Co. Meath team, winning the match 2-8 to 0-9. As you can imagine celebrations went wild, Mayo supporters from all over Ireland were ecstatic, out drinking with friends, “on the lash” as they call it or in the instance of the Mayo football team, partying on the bus home at a boisterous level. However, on their victorious journey back to Heather County, they passed by a funeral in Foxford, Co. Mayo, amid all of their celebrations, they had failed to pay their respects properly. Enraged, a local priest vowed that Mayo shall not win another All-Ireland Final as long as each member of the 51’ team were still alive, this so-called “curse”.
This “curse” is the holy grail of Mayo football in the past years, an excuse for their failure in previous All-Irelands. Since that 1951 final, Mayo has lost ten All-Ireland Finals, their most recent one being on September 11, 2021, losing against Tyrone. Since the deaths of Pádraig Carney in 2019, and Paddy Prendergast in 2021, there is only one man from the 1951 team remaining. This man is Mick Loftus who was a sub and did not play on the day. Will this be enough to make Mayo victorious once again? This has become relevant in the media in recent times with the death of Paddy Prendergast; has his death broken the curse or is Mick Loftus the last man standing. Personally, I believe that this curse does not exist, it is nothing but fiction first made up to downplay the impact of a loss to Mayo supporters or players. Now these players are starting to believe in this curse, maybe not fully accepting it, but there being a small voice in the backs of their heads telling them that they cannot win. That it is impossible. In my opinion, the players are never lacking the skill but are lacking the belief; their own mindsets are destroying their chances of winning. Hereditary talent and skill being passed down through generations of inter-county Mayo players cannot be killed by a made-up tale. So, myth or magic? Well, I cannot honestly say that I know because who does? Nevertheless, I can say that the curse we think is there does not come from the story, but from how the story has impacted us, the belief in the game.
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CLOSING THE GENDER GAP: FAI ANNOUNCE EQUAL PAY FOR IRELAND’S SENIOR WOMEN’S Soccer TEAM As an athlete, I believe it is unfair that men are paid a much higher salary than women in international soccer. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) recently announced a deal to pay members of the Irish senior men and women’s teams equally. The senior men have agreed reduced fees and the FAI have agreed to match their contribution to increase the fees paid to women. Katie McCabe, the Irish international player said “It was not about the money, it was about parity”. This is being seen as a move in the right direction. Previously, match fees, which are now equal, were €2500 for the Irish men and €500 for the Irish women. This surprised me, as women were being paid a fifth of their male counterparts. I didn’t realise that the difference in pay was this high, even though all players were representing their country and doing the same job. We are trying to encourage girls to play sport and to continue playing it into their teenage years. What message are we sending to all girls if we continue to allow this pay gap to continue? -Amy Tyrell
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‘The Raven Cycle’ “Blue sargent had forgot how many times
she’d been told she would kill her true
love” The first line of “the raven cycle” series by Maggie Stiefvater really draws you in with its mystery and has you wondering why the character seems so ok with the knowledge that she was going to end someone’s life. The raven cycle is a story of psychics, legends, enchanted forests and a cursed romance. It starts with Blue Sargent, the eccentric non-seer in a house of clairvoyants, meeting four private school boys in the diner she works at. She immediately hates them because of the private schools abundance of snobby, privileged halfwits, but fate ties them together and she finds herself on a scavenger hunt for a Welsh king who’s supposedly been dead for 500 years. The thing I loved most about these books was the characters and how they interacted. I adored the witty, dry humour in the dialogue. The characters felt real and I found myself almost thinking I was a part of this odd friend group. I also enjoyed the magic in the raven cycle, the tarot card readings, the trees speaking Latin, it all felt so different to anything I had ever read. The chapters are written in the perspective of each character. They show the characters true thoughts and feelings. I like how there is no “main character” they are all equally important to the story. The
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The books speak a lot about economic classes and the struggles of poverty. They do this through the character Adam Parrish, who is a scholarship student at the same school as his wealthy friends. He knows how to work hard because that’s all he’s ever known. He constantly turns down his friend’s requests to pay for the things he can’t afford. These interactions are a key part of Gansey and Adams dynamic. Adam told gansey once that “Rags to riches isn’t a story anyone wants to hear until after its done.” Which I believe is very true and is one of the reasons I love his character. Overall, I think these books were bewitching, moving and clever. The characters were well written and unique. The storyline felt confusing at times but was still incredible. The parallels between the first and last book were great to read. I was heartsick after finishing this series not because the ending was upsetting, but because I had to leave this little world I had grown to love.
-Ali Crosbie
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s e s l e z l z z u z P Pu
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7. a place all teachers go to chat and eat lunch 1. a book that comes out every year 4. the corridor you would go to if you wanted to look at all the graduation pictures 5. Blonde French teacher 11. a PE teacher 3. Irish and German teacher in Armstrongs 12. Well known sport when you think of the college 10. The year you do nothing 6. The best English teacher you could get 8. Maths teacher in Freynes 9. Somewhere your sent for free classes or to study 2. Something the college would usually perform every year
By Etienne and Emily TYD
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My mum: The Superhero by Clodagh Lannon My mam is a superhero in my life. She is very strong and works hard. She cares for my siblings and me and always does her best. She helps us feel like we are perfect just the way we are and we deserve a place on the earth.
My mam has loads of superpowers. She is kind and generous and is always willing to help. She cooks nice meals and drives me all around the place for football matches. She does my laundry for me and never complains. When I am sick, she takes great care of me. She helps me with my homework and lets me have friends over. In conclusion, my mam helps and inspires me everyday. I do not know where I would be without her.
My Nanny: My Superhero by Isabel Connolly
Superhero Mum by James Sheehy My superhero in life is my mum. I do not know what I would do without her. My mum has many superpowers. Her superpowers are kindness, helpfulness and cleverness. She is the kindest mum anyone could ask for. She is always making sure that I am ok and if I am sad, she puts a smile on my face. She is helpful as well. If you are going to do something you will realise she has already done it for you. She is a good superhero.
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