The Medal Essay competition each year opens a window on the creative writing talent of our students. Some are soaring at great heights, brave in their expression, offering perspectives and insight with a maturity of thought and sensitivity of mind. Others have gathered the courage to begin their flight, have just taken off and hopefully will continue to persist in spreading their creative wings through practice and determination.
The adjudicators walked from prisons, travelled to space, entered the mind of dementia, journeyed the emotions of a lost dream, walked towards hell, took respite in the Vatican, witnessed a call for “greatness” amid COVID and covertly visited ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (the male version) in lockdown!
Finally, they had to make a decision in relation to each category’s Medal allocation. It was not an easy task, some debate ensued, especially in relation to the overall Medal winner, which was considered, well researched, structured and “polished”.
The adjudicators chose three winners, one from each Line, please click on the title to download the winning essays.
Higher Line: Jack Hilliard (Rhetoric) “The greatness of a nation can be judged by how it treats its weakest citizens”
Lower Line: James Keenan (Grammar) “Is there something wrong with me?”
Third Line: Matthew Kelly (Rudiments) “Free At Last”
Our thanks to all the boys who entered and well done to all the winners and runners up:
Higher Line
Silver: Christopher Martin (Rhetoric) “Self-Isolation and Covid-19”
Special Award: Julian Jiminez Ospina (Rhetoric) “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness”
Lower Line
Special Award: Charles Kedde (Syntax) “The Fall”
Special Award: Fiachra Lambe (Syntax) “What I have learned about myself of late”
Third Line
Special Award: Philip McCarton (Elements) “An Unfair Judgement”
Our thanks to the adjudicators, Mr Adam Conry, Mr Martin Wallace, and of course to Ms. Jane O’Loughlin our Librarian who organised the competition.
