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Creative Schools IrelandCreative Schools is led by the Arts Council in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
The Creative Schools initiative supports schools/centers to put the arts and creativity at the heart of children’s and young people’s lives. This initiative provides opportunities for children and young people to build their artistic and creative skills; to communicate, collaborate, stimulate their imaginations, be inventive, and to harness their curiosity. It will empower children and young people to develop, implement and evaluate arts and creative activity throughout their schools/centres and stimulate additional ways of working that reinforce the impact of creativity on children and young people’s learning, development and well-being. The Arts Council |
Our Place, Smithborough
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Creative Schools 2021 - 2022
Scoil Mhuire Machaire Áirne
Scoil Mhuire, Machaire Áirne was very fortunate to be selected as a school to engage with The Arts Council's 'Creative Schools' Programme' in the academic year 2021-2022.
The school wishes to acknowledge and sincerely thank our Creative Associate, Ms Joanne Behan for her ever enthusiastic support, guidance and sharing of artistic skill and talent.
Our thanks also goes to Mr John D Ruddy writer, actor, teacher, illustrator and historian and Ms Alice Lynch, dramatist, who worked with us on our creative project and who both opened so many creative doors for us to tell our story.
Míle buíochas chomh maith, to the local community of Magherarney and Smithborough, in particular Ms Anne Corley,
Mr Gussie McGorman. and Mr Joe Leonard for their generous sharing of local knowledge, photographs, articles and recordings without which the project would not have been possible. Of particular note was a recording of Mr Jimmy Leonard RIP, sharing his memories of the Great Northern Railway station in Smithborough.
And finally thank you to our pupils and teachers who took the project on with such interest and enthusiasm. It truly was a learning experience for all and made our school year 2021-2022 a memorable one.
Scoil Mhuire Machaire Áirne Abú!
The school wishes to acknowledge and sincerely thank our Creative Associate, Ms Joanne Behan for her ever enthusiastic support, guidance and sharing of artistic skill and talent.
Our thanks also goes to Mr John D Ruddy writer, actor, teacher, illustrator and historian and Ms Alice Lynch, dramatist, who worked with us on our creative project and who both opened so many creative doors for us to tell our story.
Míle buíochas chomh maith, to the local community of Magherarney and Smithborough, in particular Ms Anne Corley,
Mr Gussie McGorman. and Mr Joe Leonard for their generous sharing of local knowledge, photographs, articles and recordings without which the project would not have been possible. Of particular note was a recording of Mr Jimmy Leonard RIP, sharing his memories of the Great Northern Railway station in Smithborough.
And finally thank you to our pupils and teachers who took the project on with such interest and enthusiasm. It truly was a learning experience for all and made our school year 2021-2022 a memorable one.
Scoil Mhuire Machaire Áirne Abú!
The Kernal of an Idea
Scoil Mhuire Machaire Áirne is located on the edge of the village of Smithborough in the county of Monaghan. Smithborough village sits on the N54, a busy route that connects the town of Monaghan with Clones.
Today, a constant stream of traffic passes through this small village with little understanding of the significant history that hangs like an invisible shawl around the settlement. From strategically placed crannógs, ancient monastic settlements, to transport from an era where canal and rail ruled, much of the evidence of our past has all but disappeared for today's passer-by. A hub for social and economic activity, serving its agricultural hinterland with an efficient and productive creamery and schools for all children of every religious denomination, the main street through Smithborough has rarely been a quiet place.
Mindful of the importance of cultivating in our pupils a 'sense of space and place' [SESE Geography Curriculum] in addition to their understanding of the impact of continuity and change in forming their present reality while being firmly anchored in a historical past [SESE History Curriculum] our Creative schools' project sought to enhance the pupils' sense of 'belonging' in addition to developing a sense of pride in their 'place'. [SPHE Curriculum & Wellbeing] It enabled the pupils "to explore, clarify and express ideas, feelings and experiences" through more creative means [Visual Arts Curriculum] and it awakened for them their curiosity while facilitating collaborative work and the use of their creativity to communicate the story of their place in their words, accessible to all in both its production and final interaction.
What follows is a sense of some of our work, using our creativity across subjects including English, Geography, History, Science and the Arts while developing our Digital Technology skills as a means to communicate our work. The project remains, however, a work in progress with endless possibilities for further exploration.
Today, a constant stream of traffic passes through this small village with little understanding of the significant history that hangs like an invisible shawl around the settlement. From strategically placed crannógs, ancient monastic settlements, to transport from an era where canal and rail ruled, much of the evidence of our past has all but disappeared for today's passer-by. A hub for social and economic activity, serving its agricultural hinterland with an efficient and productive creamery and schools for all children of every religious denomination, the main street through Smithborough has rarely been a quiet place.
Mindful of the importance of cultivating in our pupils a 'sense of space and place' [SESE Geography Curriculum] in addition to their understanding of the impact of continuity and change in forming their present reality while being firmly anchored in a historical past [SESE History Curriculum] our Creative schools' project sought to enhance the pupils' sense of 'belonging' in addition to developing a sense of pride in their 'place'. [SPHE Curriculum & Wellbeing] It enabled the pupils "to explore, clarify and express ideas, feelings and experiences" through more creative means [Visual Arts Curriculum] and it awakened for them their curiosity while facilitating collaborative work and the use of their creativity to communicate the story of their place in their words, accessible to all in both its production and final interaction.
What follows is a sense of some of our work, using our creativity across subjects including English, Geography, History, Science and the Arts while developing our Digital Technology skills as a means to communicate our work. The project remains, however, a work in progress with endless possibilities for further exploration.
Exploring Creativity
At the start of our Creative School's journey, we participated in a workshop with our Creative Associate, Joanne, where we explored our understanding of the Arts and creativity. Creativity means so many different things and life holds so many possibilities for us to use our creativity.
History & Animation
In our workshop with Joanne we had an 'ideas sheet' where we recorded all our ideas of possible creative activities. Lots of people had mentioned animation so we invited John D Ruddy to visit us in school.
On his first day John told us the entire history of Ireland! He had us hooked as he told us everything like it was the most exciting story! After this we went outside to explore our local area to see was there any evidence in our immediate environment of some of the things John had told us about in Ireland's history. There was loads!
On his first day John told us the entire history of Ireland! He had us hooked as he told us everything like it was the most exciting story! After this we went outside to explore our local area to see was there any evidence in our immediate environment of some of the things John had told us about in Ireland's history. There was loads!
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When we were back in the classroom John used the visualizer to give us a lesson on how to draw a steam engine, like the ones that once passed through Smithborough Railway Station as part of The Great Northern Railway.
On his next visit John taught us about the history of animation. We had no idea just how much drawing is needed for one minute of animation.
Then we tried our first ever simple animations, you can hear our excitement!
Now that we knew we would try and learn more about animation, we had to plan what our animation would be about. We talked through the creative process and what steps we may need to take and what things we would have to consider. The teachers and John discussed what topics might suit the different classes. Rang 5 & 6 would focus on the Ulster Canal, Rang 3 & 4 would focus on the Creamery and Rang 1 & 2 would focus on the Railway Station. Pupils in the infant classes would explore sound and record the sound effects for the animation using their voices alone.
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Drawing, Drawing & Drawing!
Joanne, our Creative Associate came to visit us and gave us a workshop on drawing. She used the visualiser and we also used photographs to help with our observational drawing of things no longer in the area.
We did lots of classes in history, geography and science to help us learn about our specific topics.
John visited us again to explain Stop-Go animation and we experimented with an app on our tablets.
Now we knew how the app worked we needed to draw and draw and draw to create the images we would need for our animation.
John visited us again to explain Stop-Go animation and we experimented with an app on our tablets.
Now we knew how the app worked we needed to draw and draw and draw to create the images we would need for our animation.
Drawing People & Animals
Trains
Railway Station
From a carriage window
Backgrounds
Working together to animate!
The Big Reveal
We were so excited to gather together to view our whole school project on our local place. Every class worked on the project with drawings, animation, narration and the most impressive sound effects through out the animation by our junior classes. We will always remember the sound of sheep, horse hooves and cows coming from Ms Fahy's room and the sounds of the railway from Mr Mc Cague's room.
We thanked John with some treats! It was even more special because this was the first time in two years that we had all gathered together in our school hall. What a great way to celebrate.
We thanked John with some treats! It was even more special because this was the first time in two years that we had all gathered together in our school hall. What a great way to celebrate.
Education in the Past
Our Infant classes completed a Drama workshop with Alice Lynch. These classes have been researching what school was like long ago by talking to their parents and grandparents.
They will be using drama to explore what life in school was like long ago.
They will be using drama to explore what life in school was like long ago.