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P6 & 7 travelled to the Ulster American Folk Park today to take part in the ‘Hawthorn Days & Wildflower Ways’ programme. As part of their World Around Us topic, the class have been finding out all about the Great Irish Famine which happened in Ireland from 1845-1850. They have also been enjoying the novel 'Under the Hawthorn Tree' by Marita Conlon-McKenna which ties in very well with the theme.
The children fully entered into the spirit of the trip by going to incredible efforts to dress up in period costume (there were certainly some very busy parents arranging all this over the May bank-holiday weekend).
The pupils thoroughly enjoyed participating in all the activities on offer today in the Folk Park. They had the opportunity to see what houses and schools were like in Ireland during those years and indeed meet some of the ‘characters’ who would have been common around that time.
They learned about how the many Irish emigrants travelled to America on very poor ships and the challenges faced for those who survived the journey. They got to see what life was like on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in terms of people, houses, food, jobs etc.
The pupils had a great day out and have indeed learned a lot about what life was like in Ireland during what was indeed a very difficult time in our history.
