SMJS Ski Trip 2-9 March 2024

29 pupils and three teachers on the trip of a lifetime……..Flight Cork to Munich, coach Munich in Germany to Ehrwald in Austria, 6 days, 4 hours skiing lessons per day, evenings full of fun, snow, mountains, sunshine, back to Cork fully fledged skiers!

Every second year, our school organises a week’s ski trip for pupils in 5th and 6th Class. The skiing is always great and the children learn so quickly it would take your breath away. The big adventure however, is travelling with friends and teachers rather than with your family. It is a big challenge for both sides to face, families and pupils, but the experience and sense of achievement is rewarding and in terms of personal development for the children, it is worth its weight in gold.

Crack of dawn at the airport - Saturday 2 March - first group checked in

Leaving Munich airport for the two hour journey to Ehrwald

Pit stop at McDonald’s for early lunch

Reaching the small village of Ehrwald, Austria

Arrived at the Sonnenburg Hotel and got a little R&R before doing our Ski Fit: everyone got ski boots, skis, a helmet and poles which were theirs for the week.

Then dinner and a couple of photos before urgently needed bed. It was a long, exciting and happy day.

The next day, after breakfast at 7.15am it was time for ski gear, boots etc and ready outside the hotel for 8.15am.

En route to our local bus stop which brought us to the gondola station for the slopes

First ski lessons on the slopes

First morning’s lessons were quite wobbly and difficult but nice and gentle

Lunch break left plenty of time for refuelling, relaxing, posing and playing in the snow

Waiting for the local bus and on the local bus

We celebrated three birthdays and had all kinds of other fun during the week - something different every evening….

Then more, longer, harder skiing…….was no problem!

Friday was the last day booting up, up to the slopes, gathering around our ski coaches and getting kitted up for the timed descent, followed by presentation of certificates to the young skiers. Our head girls and deputy head girls presented thank you gifts to their wonderful ski coaches: Petra, Linde and Lisa.

PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES

LINDE’S GROUP

LISA’S GROUP

PETRA’S GROUP

The Photographers: Ms Webster, Ms O’Leary, Ms Riordan

The End - apart from a rapturous welcome home at Cork Airport for all of us.