Teach your pupils how to build a giant nest, create a butterfly garden or make their own family tree!
The resources provided here have been submitted by Heritage Experts, teachers or prepared by other educational organisations. The resources are both fun and educational and are designed to inspire and develop an appreciation and curiosity about Ireland’s wonderful natural and cultural heritage.
Resources can be searched for under the following categories:
A series of instruction guides on how to explore our built, natural and cultural heritage through Lego. These instructions were designed by Heritage in Schools Specialist and Lego brick artist Jessica Farrell.
Read moreRead lessBuilt heritage - buildings, monuments and structures
Cultural heritage - customs, music, traditions, crafts and skills
Natural heritage - wildlife and habitats in water and on land
A 20 minute video filmed in July and August, 2022 highlighting the rich culture and heritage of the travelling community in Co. Wexford.
Traditional singer, researcher, folklore collector and Heritage in Schools Specialist Rachel Uí Fhaoláin (Ceol Mo Chroí) and Digital Storyteller/Filmmaker John Ó Faoláin (Traditional Archive Channel) worked with the travelling community in Co. Wexford in association with Ferns Diocesan Youth Service (FDYS) and the Heritage Council.
Participating children engaged in hands-on learning with the two artists and very open discussions around further opportunities for the travelling community in areas of filming, sound, lighting, traditional song, storytelling, performance, recording/archiving etc.
The learning outcomes included the development of important digital skills while exploring the importance of sharing and archiving the songs, language, customs & traditions which are passed onto the children from the older members of their families down through the generations.
The project was funded by the Heritage Council through the Heritage in Schools Summer Programme for 2022.
Discover the fascinating world of genealogy, its history & how it’s used today. Discover how your budding genealogy detectives can put together your family tree with the help of the family. Includes puzzles, quizzes & games for children 8+.
Read moreRead lessEPIC - the Irish Emigration Museum has developed a series of virtual educational experiences, from downloadable history-at-home packs to online workshops/lectures and informative videos. Look, learn, and create together with fun, engaging programmes for students of all ages.
See more at: https://epicchq.com/education/...
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+.
Read moreRead lessEPIC - the Irish Emigration Museum has developed a series of virtual educational experiences, from downloadable history-at-home packs to online workshops/lectures and informative videos. Look, learn, and create together with fun, engaging programmes for students of all ages.
See more at: https://epicchq.com/education/...
A self-guided walking tour of Viking Dublin aimed at 8-12 year olds with activities, riddles and games.
Read moreRead lessIt is a natural fit with the SESE History curriculum as it covers many of the strands from Early Peoples and Ancient Societies, to Story, to Life, society, work, and culture in the past, and Continuity and Change over time. It engages children with assessing evidence, understanding chronology, and expanding communication skills under the Working as a Historian skills and concept development.
This project is a collaboration between academics from Dublin, Cambridge, Nottingham and London, with the assistance of Dublinia, the National Museum, Dublin City Council and the School of Irish Archaeology.
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.
The example of an old tree is used in this tutorial. The activity encourages children to consider questions about past, present and future through personification and the creation of an unusual pictorial poem at the same time. The activity can be applied to other local features, a road, an old building etc.
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.
Mark explains how finding the perfect hammer and learning to use it for its purpose has endless possibilities.
Suited to children of all ages.
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.
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.
Read moreRead lessA lovely workbook for primary school children introducing them to the the walled towns of Ireland.
Sir Walter Raleigh's Treasure Trail
Highlights of things to see and do in Youghal’s Raleigh Quarter. Download brochure for detail on wonderful sights and unique history.
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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.
The history of Ireland can literally be found in its walled towns. You can find lots of information on them on the Irish Walled Towns Network website listed below and information on European walled towns on the other website listed.
Read moreRead lessThings To do
1. Have a mini-medieval festival!
2. Download the Shield worksheet below and design your own family shield, using icons and symbols to represent your family.
The earliest people that came to Ireland arrived about 9,000 years ago. These people were hunters, fishers and gatherers who used stone to make their tools. This booklet provides information about Co. Wicklow during this period.
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.
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!
The PDFs below provide a history of local government in Kilkenny, encouraging the children to become familiar with important events in the history of the locality and referring to the wider national context where relevant.
Theobald Fitzwalter, an English nobleman, came with the young Prince John, to Ireland in 1185. The prince gave Fitzwalter a large area of land and the important job of Chief Butler of Ireland. This meant that if the king was visiting Ireland, the Chief Butler had to make sure there was plenty of food and drink ready for him and for the group travelling with him. Download the full PDF below for the full story of the Butler family.
Read moreRead lessThis resource encourages the children to become familiar with important events in the history of the locality, referring to the wider national context where relevant.
An introduction into different types of buildings that are in the locality.
Read moreRead lessThings To do
1. Go on a building ramble. Ask the children to look at the different types of houses that are in their neighbourhood. Do a mini survey of where they live and what kind of house/ apartment they live in.
2. Download the Front Doors worksheet below and draw a picture of four different doors they see on their way to school.
3. Tell the three Little Pigs Story and get the children to draw the three different types of houses.
Published by Kilkenny Education Centre with support from the Heritage Council, this beautifully illustrated publication provides in-depth knowledge about the medieval city of Kilkenny with its narrow streets, its distinctive townscape and rich historic fabric.
