3rd April 2024
Last week sixty Year 10 pupils travelled to Dublin to visit Croke Park and Kilmainham Gaol. This proved to be a very worthwhile and enjoyable trip given that the pupils have just completed a study of Irish History 1800-1923.
First stop on their busy schedule was GAA headquarters, Croke Park where they were given a very informative an enjoyable tour of the magnificent stadium which included insights into its very significant place in Irish history, both sporting and political. To round off this memorable visit the St Kevin’s pupils and staff were privileged to have had an audience with recently inaugurated GAA President Mr Jarlath Burns. St Kevin’s pupils had the opportunity to share stories and questions with Mr Burns who proved to be very popular with the boys and girls.
Next stop was Kilmainham Gaol which proved equally popular with all of the pupils. Students were all given a detailed history of the prison by the OPW guides as well the opportunity to visit the cells which held so many important figures from Irish history like 1916 Rising leaders Patrick Pearse, Tom Clarke, Joseph Plunkett and Eamon de Valera.
These cells contrasted greatly with Parnell’s place of confinement in the early 1880s. The tour also included visits to the prison chapel, the exercise yard and poignantly the Stonebreakers’ Yard where fourteen leaders of the 1916 Rising were executed by firing squad. A memorable trip for all of the Students, many of whom intend continuing their studies in GCSE History.
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