6th Class learn to Rap!!

Across the Divide

This week we all wrote a verse about each event in the novel 'Across the Divide'. See if you can work out who wrote each verse!

Across the Divide
(by James, Josh, Cian, Scott R., Leon, Kian, Jonathan, Pierce, Scott H., Lee, Cameron, Barry, John and David.

This is a story about two young lives,

And all the events they must survive,

It all starts with Larkin, a speech and Sackville Street,

And how Liam’s head and a baton meet.

Liam and Nora meet at a féis and Nora lost her music sheet,

Nora was sure competition would end in her defeat,

But Liam said do you want one of mine,

As a friend he said, ‘really it’s fine’.

Next of all Br. Raymond formed a choir,

Liam and Nora joined, music their desire,

They wanted to be the very best,

To be better than all the rest.

Then to Jim Larkin’s speech out in Skerries,

An O’ Meara picnic, with sandwiches and berries,

Larkin’s speech was really just great,

All the men then decided, striking was their fate.

And so all the workers got locked out,

While the Peelers and DMP lurked about,

Soon families started to starve,

Thankfully ‘The Hare’ and other food ships arrived.

These ships had food for the poor,

Liam and Nora carried it from door to door,

It wasn’t needed for the very wealthy,

But instead to keep the poor people healthy.

Next of all Liam hops the train to Ballincargy,

When the conductor caught him, he knew there’d be bargy,

So he jumped to the icy bank,

Now in the middle of nowhere, his heart just sank.

Luckily, he found a nice barge,

And men who gave him a bed without charge,

Soon he was on the road again,

Nora passed by and Liam shouted ‘Amen’.

Then they got to Aunt Molly’s

When their mood became more jolly,

Liam’s aunt gave food and money,

The food was truly yummy.

They travelled back to Dublin, sneaking back on the train,

Would they be caught, every nerve would strain,

Soon they got back and through the station,

Delivering the food to Liam’s family with true elation.

And that’s all of this book about two great friends,

We all think Liam and Nora are real legends,

You really should read this great book,

Or I’ll come swinging, and you better duck!

Studying Mid-Term Break

During the last two weeks, we have studied Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney (Winner of 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature!). It is a very moving poem, highlighted by reading the title initially and contrasting this with the final lines of the poem.
Here are some of Larriers' thoughts on the poem - hope you enjoy our art work too

‘In the porch I met my father crying, he had always taken funerals in his stride’

I like this line because it shows that his father is moved by this funeral and shows that he feels sadder than at other funerals – Cameron

The baby cooed and rocked the pram . . . wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple’

I like these lines because the first lines are playful but then I feel so touched when I read about the poppy bruise – Ade

No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear, a four foot box, a foot for every year’
I like these lines because they make me really understand this poem and how sad it was - Conor

Next morning I went up into the room, Snowdrops and candles soothed the bedside. I saw him for the first time in six weeks, paler now
I like these lines because I think these remind me of my Grandad's funeral and I can picture it. - Scott R.

No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear, A four foot box,, a foot for every year
I like these lines because they are the most sad and they really get to you and help you understand this sadness. - Cian J.

It is a very moving poem and my favourite lines in the poem are 'I sat all morning in the college sick bay' and 'A four foot box, a foot for every year'I like these lines because it gives you an image of how the story starts and ends - Kian McDonagh

No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear, a four foot box, a foot for every year
I like these lines because they are very graphic and it's easy to imagine these lines. - Jonathan