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:
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!
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.
Content of the study
Children should learn about:
1. The cause and effect of the flood.
2. The River Nore and how it has changed from the time of the flood.
3. The story of the flood as told in the Kilkenny People.
4. Memories of people about the 1947 flood.
Skills and concepts development
Children should be able to:
1. Time and Chronology:
2. Change and continuity:
3. Cause and effect:
4. Using evidence:
5. Synthesis and Communication:
5. Empathy:
Methodologies
Assessment
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.
St. Kieran’s Street in Kilkenny is named after St. Kieran's Well and the site of an ancient church at its northern end. In times past it was named Low Lane, Back Lane and King Street. The presentation, walking trail and worksheets below allow the children to discover the rich heritage of the street first hand.
Read moreRead lessThis resource ties in to the strand unit, ‘my locality throughout the ages’, which requires the children to become familiar with important events in the history of the locality, referring to the wider national context where relevant.
Roscommon Castle is a dramatic and imposing 13th Century Norman Castle. It was built in 1269 by Robert de Ufford, on lands he had seized from the Augustinian Priory. The castle has a tumultuous past which can be explored with junior level children in the presentation below.
Read moreRead lessToday, the Castle's past can be visited while enjoying adjacent Loughnaneane Park and Playground, a 14 acre recreational area. The natural features of the park include a turlough and a wildlife conservation area which is a habitat of unique flora and fauna.
Image by Mike Searle and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
This sheet contains some lovely ideas for creating an adventure with your class when out on a walk. Suggestions include questions you might ask the group, activities you can try out or simply some things to highlight to the children as you go along.
Developed to compliment the National Curriculum in England, this site is aimed at 7-11 year olds. It includes some great resources, including an interactive Anglo-Saxon virtual village.
In the twentieth century, concrete walls gradually replaced traditional stone walls. In the past, the building material for walls was stone, usually from local quarries. Download the Old Stone Walls information sheet below for more information.
Let the children explore continuity and change over time by discussing these old ads and the difference in prices between now and then.
The Book of Kells is the most famous hand-coloured book in the world. This great publication gives you the chance to colour some of the drawings as the monks did over a thousand years ago. Choose from over 60 drawings of heavenly figures, Biblicial characters, fantastic creatures, animal and bird designs and Celtic lettering - to create your own little masterpieces.
There are several medieval churches still to be seen in Kilkenny City. St. Canice’s Cathedral is the most complete. It is called a cathedral because it was built as the principal church of the diocese. It was the special church of the Bishop of Ossory and he had his seat there. This was an actual chair which was called cathedra in Latin. St. Mary’s Church was the Parish Church of Kilkenny in the middle ages
Read moreRead lessThere were three churches which belonged to religious orders: The Black Abbey was part of the Dominican Priory. Besides the church which you can see today, there were lots of other buildings where the priests and lay brothers lived and worked. It also owned some land and had a mill on the river Bregagh. It lay outside the walls of Kilkenny, but was connected to the rest of Kilkenny by a gate. St. Francis Abbey was a Franciscan Friary. Part of its church can be seen from the main gate of Smithwick’s Brewery. This is only part of the original church and there were other buildings, now gone.
Franciscans and Dominicans were known as Mendicant Orders. A mendicant is someone who begs. The mendicant orders were founded to preach the gospel and to serve the poor. Instead of living off the produce of land which they owned, the Mendicant Orders got much of their income from the ordinary people. St. John’s Priory was an Augustinian priory. It was also the Parish Church of St. John’s Parish on the east bank of the River Nore.
Download the information sheets below to find out more about Kilkenny’s Medieval churches.
Irish history has a cast of millions of characters, but every now and then one lad or lady sticks out as truly heroic. It’s time for Neil Delamere to take on Ireland’s Heroes. From the legendary warrior, Cúchulainn to the pirate queen, Gráinne Mhaol, Neil wants to get inside their skin and see if he has what it takes to be a modern day Irish Hero. Spoiler alert: He doesn’t.
A high cross is a free-standing Christian cross made of stone and often richly decorated. They were raised primarily in Ireland and Britain during the Early Middle Ages and sometimes later. They often, though not always, feature a stone ring around the intersection, forming a Celtic Christian cross.
Read moreRead lessThings To do
1. Download the High Cross worksheet below and ask the children to design their own high cross, maybe using symbols that are in use today.
A great genealogy website with games, ideas and resources, suitable for a range of age groups. Activities include a family history scavenger hunt and creating a time capsule.
A quick activity that can offer delightful characters to use in building stories, having adventures or unfolding the life of an old building.
