Ireland in Schools
Encouraging creativity zzz
 
A. Sefton     B. Manchester     C. Leeds
A. Sefton

‘Encouraging creative learning’ through Ireland was the aim of the Sefton Pilot Scheme, with the (now retired) Senior Inspector for RE and Music, Jacqui Emery, leading a team of creative arts teachers, some of them ASTs.

William Gladstone CE Primary School
At William Gladstone CE Primary School, thanks to Joanne Veevers, the early years enjoyed a cross-curricular scheme based on the colour green and a touching painting Ruth with Teddy by the Irish artist Estalla Solomons. 

Birkdale Primary School - Foundation Stage
At Birkdale Primary School, a cross-curricular scheme for the Foundation Stage used a narrative poem, written and illustrated by the teacher concerned, Paula Hibbert.  The poem re-told ‘The Bodach of the Grey Coat’, a story about Finn MacCool, and used the thirty-five words specified for the Foundation Stage (pp 1-20; pp 21-40).

Waterloo Primary School
In Years 5 and 6 Irish texts formed the basis for extended topic work over a number of weeks. At Waterloo Primary School, Yvonne Diaz relied mainly on Marita Conlon-McKenna's Under the Hawthorn Tree (O'Brien Press,0-86278-206-6, a story about the Irish Famine, and the basis for a dramatic dance programme.

Birkdale Primary School: Unlocking the curriculum for Years 5 & 6
At Birkdale Primary School David Jessop 'unlocked the curriculum' by using a range of Irish texts (myths and legends, historical and contemporary fiction and poetry*) in the Literacy Hour as the hub of a ten-week unit for Years 5 and 6 to encourage creative learning.

The spokes - the Foundation Subjects - drew upon the texts to inspire, with the assistance of visiting artists, an impressive range of creative work in Art, Dance and Drama. The culmination was a presentation in which the performers stayed in place as the audience took a journey through Irish history and culture in song, dance and prose.

Yvonne's and David's children also rehearsed and performed ‘Finn & the Fawn’, a narrative poem about Finn MacCool, written by another AST,Neil Williams, to show how Physical Drama enriches the National Literacy Strategy and other curriculum areas in the Creative arts - and is great fun.

* Texts used with Year 5, Birkdale Primary School
Myths & Legends
‘The Quest for Aideen’, Celtic Magic Tales by Liam Mac Uistin, O’Brien Press, 0-86278-341-0
‘The Giant’s Causeway’, Irish Fairy Tales & Legends by Una Leavy, O’Brien Press, 0-86278-482-4
Finn & The Fawn:Narrative Poem by Neil Williams, IiS
Historical novels
Under the Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlan-McKenna, O’Brien Press,
0-86278-206-6
Contemporary novels
The Battle Below Giltspur by Cormac MacRaois, Wolfhound Press, 0-86327-356-4
The Moon King by Siobhán Parkinson, O’Brien Press, 0-86278-573-1
Cherokee by Creina Mansfield, O’Brien Press, 0-86278-368-5
Poetry
Wishes & Dreams, based on W B Yeats ‘Had I the ...’
B. Manchester

On 12 July 2005 a number of primary schools in Manchester celebrated the success of the city’s Ireland in Schools project and in doing so challenged an appreciative but apprehensive audience to perform the Hokey Cokey in Irish.

The project is based mainly on two IiS resource CD-ROMs, 'Enriching the primary curriculum' and 'Enjoying History in primary schools' (links to accompanying booklets in pdf formats)

The use of Irish texts and visiting Irish authors, courtesy of the O'Brien Press, in the Literacy Hour provides the springboard for work across the curriculum.

The original twist is ‘creativity’, encouraged not only by the imaginative participation of a freelance artist, Cath Clements, who concentrated on Celtic lettering, but also by the enthusiastic involvement of the city’s Music Service.  

The Service produced a CD of Irish music and, on 10 March 2005, organised a celebration of Irish music and dance in the Manchester Town Hall for over 300 children, who were enthralled by the dramatic performance of a former Manchester schoolboy - a Riverdance star and world champion Irish dancer. So successful was the celebration that next year, in March 2006, it will be repeated for 500 children.

‘Irish weeks’ were popular, but, encouraged by the DfES document on Excellence and Enjoyment, the Holy Name RC Primary School in Moss Side undertook a wide variety of studies and activities relating to Ireland  throughout the school year 2004-5, involving the whole school, from Nursery (Art, Literacy and Design Technology) to Year 6 (Art, Literacy,
Numeracy, Geography, History, ICT, Design Technology, Food Technology and Music).

Catherine Gordon, Holy Name's headteacher,was delighted to report: 'The project aroused and excited the curiosity of the school when they were told that they were going to study Ireland.  The Irish literature created an excellent learning environment for the children.  The range and qualitiy of the activities allowed all children to participate in the Ireland
project and produce work of fantastic quality.'

Guided by Joe Flynn and Ann Carney of the Manchester Education Partnership, the project is using 'Ireland in Schools' resources to help implement the Primary National Strategy in the city.

C. Leeds

On the other hand, a new Irish initiative in Leeds is very much linked with issues of equality and respect. There the leader, Eddie Mulligan, Community Development Officer at Leeds Irish Health & Home, successfullypresented  the case for‘Ireland in Schools’ (‘It’s all about mutual understanding’) at the city’s conference on ‘Power to Change’, promoting race equality in schools  and celebrating cultural and religious diversity.