Teachers' Resources

Before people in Ireland starting writing in manuscripts made of vellum they wrote on other materials, primarily stone, in a writing system called ogham. Our earliest ogham inscriptions on stone are dated on linguistic grounds to between the 4th and the 7th century AD. Over 400 known examples of ogham stones and fragments of various shapes and sizes have survived, each with their own unique biography or story.

Specially devised animations to introduce children to The Book of Kells and The Long Room in a simple and fun way.

Unearth the world of Irish Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, concoct your own Arctic snowstorm and uncover the Irishwoman who became Britain’s first female commercial pilot. Includes puzzles, quizzes and games for children 8+.

Discover the conditions and circumstances that led to The Great Famine of 1845 – 1852, and caused the death of 1 million people and another 1.5 million to leave Ireland. Includes puzzles, quizzes and games for children 8+.

A self-guided walking tour of Viking Dublin aimed at 8-12 year olds with activities, riddles and games.

An introduction to the ancient world of weaving and basket making including step-by-step instruction from Beth on how to weave a fish from willow or materials you might have at home.

This tutorial links a common wild plant, Charlock or Praiseach Bhuí to the Great Famine.

Suited to children from 4th to 6th class.

Listen to Ruth’s Riddle poem about a heritage site in Co. Clare. Ruth will guide you to explore a place in your own area and write your own riddle.

Suited to children from 3rd to 6th classes.

Children are encouraged to examine the heritage significance of their immediate environment through familiar local landscape features.

Suited to children from 2nd to 4th class.

Ruth will show how you can make your own knitting pins - using sticks, a pencil sharpener and a little bit of sandpaper.

Suited to children of all ages.

An introduction to the history of the traditional Irish farm well.

Suited to children and adults of all ages.

There are old school houses in most communities so this is a very accessible monument type and this exercise aims to get the children thinking about what was different and what was similar long ago.

Suitable for children from 3rd to 6th class.

By finding everyday items we can learn the heritage of our locality, the tools and items which we can find within our own house holds and the history and use that is attached to them to enhance our learning and future lifestyle.

Suited to children and adults of all ages.

Legend has it that two different types of beetle once fought over a juicy slug, but all may not have been as it seemed. Learn about the ecology and anatomy of ground beetles and the devil's coach horse beetle.

Suited to children from 1st to 4th classes.

The Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN) was formed by the Heritage Council in 2005 to help the walled towns of Ireland become better places in which to live, work and visit. The island of Ireland has 56 known walled towns, 29 of which have joined the IWTN.

This site has abundant resources for primary pupils. Teachers can download a 12-module resource pack and pupils can find interesting facts, games and activities.

This booklet for older age groups provides lots of interesting information about Co. Wicklow during the late Middle Ages. By the middle of the 12th Century many of the Viking towns, such as Dublin and Wexford, as well as the Irish ruling families had forged strong trade and political links with England and mainland Europe. This booklet provides information about Co. Wicklow during this period.

By the year AD 800 Ireland had become a favourite target of the Scandinavian warriors known as 'Vikings'. They arrived by sea in their sturdy ships in search of loot. This booklet provides information about Co. Wicklow during this period.

This site contains interesting information on the history and culture of the travelling community, including old photographs, sound recordings and personal accounts from individual travellers. 

Acclaimed comedian Neil Delamere takes on Ireland’s favourite saint, meeting experts, historians and Paddy’s Day revellers to separate the truth from the myth. The reality turns out to be a little different – he was probably Welsh, there were no snakes, the shamrock is a pagan symbol and Christianity got here before before he did. Oh, and St Patrick isn’t even a saint! This film won the Celtic Media Award Best Factual Entertainment in 2014.

Neil Delamere goes back to his half-Viking, half-Norman roots to uncover the fact and fiction behind his hairy ancestors, while trying to see if he has any Viking left in him as he learns to eat, dress, sail and fight like one. Neil also takes to the stand-up stage in Waterford to share his newfound insights. This film won the IFTA Best Factual Entertainment award in 2012.

The Royal Irish Academy has created 14 great lesson plans for primary school children with worksheets, quizzes and stories on some of the objects contained in ‘The History of Ireland in 100 Objects’ exhibition. They’re all free to use and include images, video, and audio.

The Frog Blog contains short and snappy science articles on a rich array of topics, from astronomy to zoology. It's created for science enthusiasts of all ages, so enjoy!