An introduction to Irish dancing and Irish games encourages a sense of participation in a common project as well as introducing children to the distinctiveness of Irish culture.
Visiting troupes of Irish dancers inspire the children who then learn the rudiments of Irish dancing from visiting experts, including parents.
Some schools are lucky enough to have a teacher with knowledge and experience of such Irish games as hurling, Gaelic football and camogie.
Others make do with books* but still manage to make Irish games relevant to the curriculum - developing skills such as ball control and looking at the impact of such sports.
* All about Hurling & All about Gaelic Football, both published by the O'Brien Press.
No specific resources have yet been developed for PE although in the Literacy Hour a popular introduction to Gaelic football and hurling is a poem ‘A Giant Never Dies’ by Gabriel Fitzmaurice.
However, a exciting schemes for Dance in Year 6 have been developed based upon a historical novels about the Famine (Under the Hawthorn Tree, which is used extensively in the Literacy Hour) and evacuees in the Second World War (Safe Harbour).
Resources
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