Laois secondary school has students from 17 countries

The multicultural communities in a Laois secondary school were celebrated with a special Diversity Day recently.

Mountrath Community School at the foot of the Slieve Bloom mountains, has 17 different nationalities in its 760 student community.

They celebrated that variety on April 8 before the Easter break.

Classes took part in a quiz before the Easter Holidays on the flags of those seventeen countries.

All correct entries were placed in a draw for an Easter Egg, won by Daniel Podmisanins from 5th Year.

The students also prepared a collage of their countries’ flags which will is now on display in the school.

Kamil Kempski is one of the many students originally from Poland.

"I am aware of many fellow Polish students, but it was great to acknowledge countries like Lithuania, Latvia, Greece, Italy, Spain, South Africa, the Cameroon, Australia, Nigeria, the UK and especially the Ukraine. We are all students in Mountrath Community school," he said.

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Karlijm is from The Cameroon.

"I adore living in Mountrath. And the international students in the school is actually like a global village . It's a wonderful atmosphere of inclusion and friendship," Karlijm said.

Kathryn O'Brien is Principal.

"It's so important to celebrate our international community in the school. We love to see the students sharing their culture, language, cuisine and friendship," she said.

The chaplain is Anne Moore.

"It was such an exciting and meaningful way to come together and deepen our awareness of the many nationalities in the school. At least 17 countries were represented in a wonderful celebration of diversity in Mountrath Community school," she said.