This year marks a significant milestone in Irish education as the Heritage in Schools (HIS) scheme celebrates its 25th anniversary.
The pioneering Heritage Council programme was founded in 2000 and over the past quarter of a century, HIS has enriched the educational experience of Irish primary schoolchildren through school visits from heritage specialists that inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation of local heritage.
The programme sees specialists introduce children to topics like culture, genealogy, folklore, oral heritage and local history, using local monuments, archaeological objects, art, documents, architectural heritage, flora, fauna, geology, parks and inland waterways and much more!
From talks about bats and whales to Vikings and the history of bread, these specialists have lit up classrooms throughout the country, inspiring a new generation to take more interest in their surroundings.
HIS has expanded hugely since its inception 25 years ago – from 49 specialists making 187 school visits in 2000, to 128 specialists making over 3,000 visits in 2024.
Since Heritage Council records began, more than 28,000 specialist visits in total have been made to over 3,200 schools nationwide, engaging an estimated 1.7 million schoolchildren.
Primary Schools in Clare have especially embraced the programme, with 1429 visits to 147 schools since 2012*.
Virginia Teehan, Chief Executive of The Heritage Council, underlined the programme’s unique role in Irish education: “It has been so amazing to see the impact that the Heritage in School Scheme has had here. Our country has such rich heritage, and it is so important that all children get the opportunity to experience this. The impact of Heritage in Schools at the primary level curriculum has been vital.
“This programme allows the children to have the opportunity to engage with heritage specialists, sometimes in the field, to explore their place and get a better understanding of where they live and an appreciation of the place in which they are based. Heritage in Schools is an important programme because it is one of the few opportunities that children get to understand their place and their own sense of identity, and it gives them that unique chance in their early years to shape themselves and understand where they’re from.”
Maria Walsh, HIS co-ordinator loves reading teachers’ evaluations following school visits: “My personal interest in heritage began whilst I was in school and it is amazing that I now get to watch new generations of children continue to connect with the place. We hear about children going home and telling their parents about the exciting visit they had that day and what they learned, and they’re still talking about their visit when they’re going to bed.
“One really positive visit we had last year was when one of our heritage specialists, who’s an archaeologist, was working with a group of children from an autism spectrum disorder unit. One of the little boys was non-verbal and hadn’t spoken for 12 months, and by the end of the week that child was asking questions about Vikings and about the work of the archaeologist. The teachers and the special needs assistants were absolutely amazed. I love just seeing how an enthusiastic heritage specialist can have such a lasting impact on a child.
“It’s great to see that the specialists have made over 1400 visits to over 140 schools in Co Clare. Watching the programme expand across the country has been wonderful to see, and shows how heritage is something that every child, in every county, deserves to learn more about.”
Paddy Madden, Heritage Specialist said “I’ve had the honour of working with the Heritage in Schools scheme since the beginning of the pilot. As a nature educator, I believe giving the children the chance to learn outdoors is incredibly important for both their physical and mental health. Children have an amazing sense of wonder and awe at the natural world and it is great to encourage this. It is so important for them to learn to love nature from a young age to enable them to want to look after the planet and respect the environment in the future. It has been my pleasure to be able to visit schools in Co Clare and share my love of nature with the next generation.”
For more information on the Heritage in Schools scheme, schools are encouraged to visit www.heritageinschools.ie where they can find a local Heritage specialist and book a school visit. The Scheme is open to all primary schools nationwide.