What excitement! The day had finally arrived, we were boarding the 7:15am train from Westport to Dublin to see first hand what 1916 was all about. First time on a train for some of us, first time on Dublin bus for others, and a first for all of us taking the 1916 Freedom Tour of Dublin. The tour guide was so relaxed & friendly we were unsure if this tour was going to teach us anything about 1916 at all.
But Shay had that easy way about him, pointing out important buildings, explaining how panic, destruction & death tore through the city over the week of 1916, giving us hands on experiences of re-enacting scenes and touching replica from the era, without frightening us or boring us.
It was both exciting & scary at the same time. We were reminded of the seriousness of the Easter Week, but also got to compare with modern day living in Dublin, making the whole history come alive for us. No books could give you that…..
If you ever have a spare hour whilst in Dublin we would highly recommend taking the tour. There are hidden histories & stories only waiting to be told by 1916 Freedom Tour. https://www.visitdublin.com/see-do/details/1916-freedom-tour
We also had time to walk through St. Stephens Green & the grounds of Trinity College. There was a very interesting hour spent at the National Museum of Decorative Arts & History at Collins Barracks, even though the display for 1916 was not yet unveiled to the public it proved an enjoyable experience.
The students of 5th & 6th Class Killeen NS were the most polite, respectful & interested pupils to take on a tour of Dublin city. For their young ages they acted in a most mature & engaging way. They got compliments from staff in all of the places we visited, (even in McDonalds) & are a credit to their Teacher Mrs Grady, their Parents & themselves. We had the most fun on the train journey, playing cards, reliving the day, having serious discussions about 1916 & general good laughs.
Sincere thanks to the Parents, Students & Principal Mrs Grady for allowing us the privilege of touring back in to 1916 with Killeen NS.
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