History and Geography

1st Year History Trip 

Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr Finn, Ms Hargan and Ms Hand brought us on a trip to Ferrycarrig National Park in Wexford. Unfortunately it was a miserable day and rained for most of the time. It took us about an hour and a half to get there and we talked among ourselves for the journey. When we got to the park we watched a short movie to start off. Our tour guide was very nice and she dressed up as a Viking.

First we "entered" the Stone Age in the Mesolithic Period. We got to see replicas of their houses from that time built with wattle and daub with thatch on top. 

Next came the Bronze Age. We got to see the difference between the Bronze Age and Stone Age dwellings. 

Then we got to see a Celtic Ringfort (Rath) from the Iron Age.

We got to see a church and a few houses from Early-Christian Ireland. We got to see a cross aswell. 

We got to see a horizontal water wheel and a Fulchta Fiadh (from the Bronze Age).

We went out to a crannóg in the middle of a lake. After the crannóg, we got to see a Viking long-house and longboat.

We also got to see a few types of graves and a stone circle on the way around.

When we are finished looking around the park we had our lunch and went home. We had a great day out.

Geography Field Trip November 2015

On Monday the 9^th of November, the Sixth Year Geography class went to Glendalough to perform the customary Leaving Certificate field study on rivers. Unfortunately, we were not lucky enough to have good weather on the day, and were soaked through before we even got to the river. Once we arrived, our class were more than happy to use the waders provided and joyfully hopped into the river. However, some of the waders had a few holes in them, and in the words of Jack Conroy, “I’ve been compromised”. After measuring different aspects of the LugDuff Brook River, we stopped for a few pictures and made our way back to the Education Centre through the wind, rain, and Gary poking us with a ranging pole. After a spot of lunch, Mr. Murphy thought it was a great idea to go for a walk back out in to the storm and explore the miners’ village and enjoy the breathtaking views.

Eoin, Columbus

Derry and Belfast Trip 2015 

The biennial trip to Northern Ireland was a great success. Our 5^th and 6^th year history classes were brought to Northern Ireland by Mr. Murphy and Mr. Meyler to learn more about the Troubles and sectarianism in the North.

Lasting three days, the trip began outside St. Brendan’s at 8 am, followed by a 4 hour bus journey to (London) Derry City. We arrived around lunchtime with everyone eager to learn and discover. Our first outing consisted of a guided walk around the unique walls of the Maiden City. Adrian, our guide and former civil rights activist, gave a comprehensive history of the city from the Spanish Armada in the 16^th Century right up to the present day.  His vast knowledge along with his personal experiences, including Bloody Sunday, combined to give a rare and exclusive account of life in Derry during the Troubles.

Outside the Guildhall Derry

The remains of the Walker Monument 

Cemetery of brigade 

Looking down at Bogside beside the Roaring Meg cannon on the city walls 

Rubber Bullet 

Plastic Bullet

Model of original Walker monument 

The Orange Lodge Hall Derry 

The Peace Bridge Derry 

Bloody Sunday memorial 

John Hume 

Left to right: Rubber Bullet, Plastic Bullet, Bullet used to kill the innocent victims on Bloody Sunday, Nail bomb- type planted on victims by British Army 

Mural of Bloody Sunday 

Mural of Battle of the Bogside 

Mural of Anne McGavigan killed by a plastic bullet 

Bogside Mural 

Bogside Mural

Bogside Mural - Peace Dove from darkness into light 

Bogside Mural Peace Builders

Bogside Arts Centre 

Irish involved in Spanish Civil War 

Sandy Row Belfast 

Sandy Row Belfast 

Mural on the International Wall on Falls Road, Belfast 

Mural on the International Wall on Falls Road, Belfast 

Mural on the International Wall on Falls Road, Belfast 

Mural on the International Wall on Falls Road, Belfast 

Mural on the International Wall on Falls Road, Belfast 

Mural on the International Wall on Falls Road, Belfast 

Mural on the International Wall on Falls Road, Belfast 

Mural on the International Wall on Falls Road, Belfast 

Our next stop was the Apprentice Boys’ Hall. Unexpectedly, our guide (an Apprentice from the Campsie Club) showed no facets of the self-righteous Apprentice Boys that taunted and oppressed Catholics for decades. His attitude was a reflection of how far ecumenism and the peace process had come in Derry since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. He mentioned how the issue of ‘Londonderry’ or ‘Derry’ only concerns people outside the county and how the annual Apprentice marches pass off peacefully. He guided us through the momentous Siege of Derry 1689. He was unbiased and his modest attitude was something which took many of us by surprise.
That evening we checked-in to the hotel after a more than active day. After dinner, we had a short quiz (a pound to play), in which the victors took the cash. Thankfully, I was one of them! We soon retired to our beds to revitalise ourselves for the next day.
The next morning, we made our way to the Foyle Peace Bridge, which joins the unionist ‘Waterside’ with the largely nationalist ‘City/Bogside’. This piece of architectural beauty is one of the dividends of the peace process and acts as a symbol of ecumenism. Following this, we paid a visit to the Bloody Sunday Museum, an archive of the events leading up to Bloody Sunday 1972 and the infamous day itself. We were also shown the various types of bullets (eg rubber) used by the police forces and British Army against the Civil Rights protestors. From here, our tour guide took us to the ‘Bogside’ of Derry. We visited famous streets and murals and discussed some of the events of “The Troubles”. Our guide, a former IRA prisoner, had a wealth of information. He explained the various murals, including the famous ‘Free Derry Wall’, and told us some personal stories. His first-hand accounts made him a great guide and he was well received by everyone from St. Brendan’s.

After lunch, we made the journey to Belfast. We paid a visit to the Ulster Museum, which included a detailed visual account of “The Troubles” and its effect on the province. The Museum contained a lot of relevant information which will be useful for our Leaving Cert Examination. We then took in the infamous Falls Road (nationalist) and Shankill Road (loyalist). Both working class areas, decorated with political/religious murals, are divided by the ‘peace walls’. These walls, originally designed to stop sectarian violence, are daunting and really highlighted the sectarian tensions that exist in Belfast, particularly for us outsiders. We made a stop at a section of the wall where we could write our very own ‘words of wisdom’ and push for peace. For us, the sight of the wall amplified the tensions in Belfast and gave us a far better understanding of the divisions. In this day and age, most people are waiting for Belfast to have a Berlin moment and tear down the wall.

Rory, Columbus

H Block 

On the final day, we began with a visit to Stormont parliament building. Whilst a wonderful piece of architectural beauty (perfect for photographs), this imperious building acted as a symbol of unionist triumphalism.  From Stormont, we made our way into the city centre to learn more about the Belfast Blitz of 1941. Our tour guide showed us the key sites from the horrific events of 1941, including City Hall, the shipyards and the working class area of New Lodge. We also visited the NI War Memorial Museum which offered plenty of information and facts.  This was particularly beneficial with the Blitz being a case study on our course. Afterwards, we made a quick stop at Queen’s University Belfast. Steeped in history, the building certainly lived up to its billing. With our trip to Northern Ireland drawing to a close, we went into the city centre for lunch and any last minute shopping. With everything done, we got back on the coach and made our way back to Bray.
In full, the trip was a fantastic journey from start to finish and will live long in the minds of those who travelled.