Orienteering is a great way to have fun. It is a combination of both physical and mental skill to find your way using a map in a park or forest. The Inter-schools Competition is organised by Mary Dennehy Healy from the Orienteering Association and run in Castleknock Community College by a teacher-parent partnership led by Ms Fiona Clancy. A very large group of students took an interest in taking part in the events run this year. 55 students from CCC participated in each event with a staggering total of 78 students to date being involved.

The challenge is to find ‘controls’ that are placed around a park using the map in the fastest time. The controls (flags like kites) are brightly coloured so if in the darkest point they are still visible. It’s best to run from control to control but not so fast that you forget to read the map. You are provided with a map showing the controls and a SI device (‘dibber’) which records your data, meaning it shows that you found the control and when you found it. At the finish line there is a computer where you can find your time and placing. It is a challenging but enjoyable experience.

In the first outing in October we were in Santry Demesne. It was a nice course about 2km long and well set up. It was made even harder when it started lashing rain, but it also made it better in ways! The second outing was in Corkagh Demesne in Clondalkin. The third outing was in Cabinteely Park and was a great course. It was a very spread out course with quite a few hills which made it more challenging. The course was set at around 2.4km and the controls were well placed.

The last event of the year will take place in a forest which should be fun! Overall I think orienteering is an enjoyable event that anyone can take part in.

Séan O’Malley. Second Year: Rang Tola.