Italian Exchange Trip
On February 7th nine 5th year students along with their teachers made a return trip to Collegio Barbarigo, Padua, Italy. The trip was part of an exchange programme initiated
by Fr. Kevin Donohoe and Ms. Angela Flanagan last year and where it is hoped will become an annual event.
The students lived with host families for a week and attended school each day which included daily Italian lessons. The programme also included educational and cultural events as well as the opportunity to visit the cities of Venice, Verona, Vicenza and Padua where they learned to appreciate the cities wonderful art, architecture and Piazza’s.
Most of these cities architecture is in Palladio style which has a connection with Cootehill. The famous Bellmont house in Cootehill is a Palladio style building and by coincidence Palladio the architect was born directly across the road from the school the students were attending. The students also got to visit the civic chambers of the Venetian city council, Bo University where Galileo was a lecturer and also the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua. The students also met the bishop of Padua who asked them many questions about Ireland and its history. Social activities included a visit to the famous Abano Thermal spa at hotel La Residance and a soccer match at the stadium Euganeo as well as sampling Italian cuisine at the local restaurants. On the evening before leaving the students were invited to a Farwell Mass with their host families where they read the readings in Italian.
The exchange was a huge success and thoroughly enjoyed by the participating students who were Taylor McCann, Elaine Clerkin, Blaithin Hughes, Laura Rogers, Stephen Donnery, Liam Keane, Conor Moynagh, Matthew Pepper and Cormac Roche.
Some photos from the trip
