ONE hundred and seventy-six schools and colleges representing 31 counties set out last November on the road to All-Ireland glory.

Over the following five months they contested one hundred and sixty four quiz sessions until the grand final which was fought out last Wednesday 5th of May in Boole 3, UCC between St Joseph’s College, Nun’s Island, Galway and CBS Roscommon, Roscommon. The grand final was broadcast on RTE Radio 1 at 7.02pm on Friday, 7th May.

On the night, the questions suited St Joseph’s better as they won the final with a score of 104 to CBS Roscommon’s 82. Both teams must be congratulated on the great achievement of surviving seven gruelling rounds to earn their place in the grand final.

St Joseph’s will receive a top of the range Apple iCart mobile classroom while runners up, CBS Roscommon will receive an Apple eMac and all students who took part in the final received an Apple iPod digital music player.

The TCH All Ireland Schools Quiz, the only national project of its kind, was undertaken in 2002 and promoted through the group newspapers around the country. Patrician High School, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan was the first to have their name on the perpetual trophy last year when one hundred and thirty six schools entered.

The success of the quiz is a tribute to the dedication of the 300 teachers and over 1200 students who participated this year as well as the effort put in by volunteers from the TCH newspapers who generously give of their time to run the quiz.