443 
Secondly, many had Bowie flashes on their foreheads. And Temple
Is that kid’s head detachable…?
ven as you approached St Laurence’s National School today, it 
was clear that something magical was in the air.
ven as you approached St Laurence’s National School today, it 
was clear that something magical was in the air.The kids were that little bit more giddy than usual, for a start.
Secondly, many had Bowie flashes on their foreheads. And Temple 
Carrig ties. And cloaks. And brooms. And even – yikes! – magic wands.
Carrig ties. And cloaks. And brooms. And even – yikes! – magic wands.Yep, the grooviest little school in Greystones decided that World Book Day was just about the most perfect day to transmogrify into Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
The inspired idea came from St Laurence’s new English teacher, Sinead Foley, and it’s an idea that spread like wildfire through the schoolkids’ imaginations. With Principal Carol Mooney dividing the school into the four Hogwarts houses – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin – the pupils got to work decorating and elaborating on each theme.
As you take a walk around the school today, the results are nothing short of astounding, with flags and drapes – and owl-delivered letters – hanging from the ceiling, and the walls covered in every kind of artistic creation, from paintings to installations, from Wanted posters to Quidditch match reports.
As you take a walk around the school today, the results are nothing short of astounding, with flags and drapes – and owl-delivered letters – hanging from the ceiling, and the walls covered in every kind of artistic creation, from paintings to installations, from Wanted posters to Quidditch match reports. And in the classes themselves, being taught magic potions and mysterious motions, the pupils were all dressed in their Harry Potter finest, from wizard and witches to Hagrid, Mad Eye Moody, Lord Voldermort, and the rest of the Potter gang.
And the sheer joy of it all spilled out into the schoolyard afterwards, as the swirling, swooning kids departed with magic still spinning in their heads and, more importantly, a free sweet gripped firmly in their hands.
And the sheer joy of it all spilled out into the schoolyard afterwards, as the swirling, swooning kids departed with magic still spinning in their heads and, more importantly, a free sweet gripped firmly in their hands.
We managed to grab Ms Mooney for a quick tour of the school’s many wondrous Hogwarts-inspired creations just as the bell rang on a day the kids – and quite a few of the adults – are unlikely to forget for a very, very long time. At least until, of course, World Book Day 2020…
