School tours

Dial Hard

Had my niece in the car earlier and she was telling me about her school tour earlier this summer, which was to a farm. She goes to the same primary school I went to and practically every single year except for sixth class, our tour was to a farm. Which was a great novelty (the first few times anyway) for a bunch of kids from Terenure. It got me thinking, though, what did schools in rural areas do for their tours? And did anyone ever get to go anywhere that was just plain fun, as opposed to having some kind of token edumacayshunal aspect?

Stone Deaf 4evr

Dial Hard wrote: »

Had my niece in the car earlier and she was telling me about her school tour earlier this summer, which was to a farm. She goes to the same primary school I went to and practically every single year except for sixth class, our tour was to a farm. Which was a great novelty (the first few times anyway) for a bunch of kids from Terenure. It got me thinking, though, what did schools in rural areas do for their tours? And did anyone ever get to go anywhere that was just plain fun, as opposed to having some kind of token edumacayshunal aspect?

dublin zoo, fota wildlife park, craggaunowen, were all hit throughout my school going days.

messrs

Dial Hard wrote: »

Had my niece in the car earlier and she was telling me about her school tour earlier this summer, which was to a farm. She goes to the same primary school I went to and practically every single year except for sixth class, our tour was to a farm. Which was a great novelty (the first few times anyway) for a bunch of kids from Terenure. It got me thinking, though, what did schools in rural areas do for their tours? And did anyone ever get to go anywhere that was just plain fun, as opposed to having some kind of token edumacayshunal aspect?

I went to school in the country and our school tours were mainly to Dublin!! did a lot of the educational stuff, Kilmainham Gaol, Dublina/Christchurch ect. Fun tours were the Zoo or ice skating.

Sheep Lover

They took us around the council estates and told us to stay in school or this is your future.

The Backwards Man

We alternated between Belfast Zoo, the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, and The Transport Museum in Bangor.

I got left behind twice, teachers were very forgetful in those days.

Squidgy Black

Clara Lara was deadly, went there in 5th class.

Menas

In Primary school we went to the zoo and the ailwee caves...they are the only ones I remember.
But in secondary school we went to holland and belgium by bus/ferry. I really enjoyed that trip.

Banjo String

Was always a farm for us.


Followed by what sounds did you hear etc the following day.

King George VI

I went on the Viking Splash tour in 6th year. It was ridiculous. Then a few weeks later we went to Belfast for 2 hours. Also ridiculous.

Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson wrote: »

I went on the Viking Splash tour in 6th year. It was ridiculous. Then a few weeks later we went to Belfast for 2 hours. Also ridiculous.

The viking splash tour is CLASS

Banjo String

Deleted User wrote: »

The viking splash tour is CLASS

This.


Went on it lastr year with relatives from Oz, and it was a right good laugh.

Dublin.

But usually for the Spring Show in the RDS.

aperocot

We got to go to Shannon airport once. on a 747! Dashed around Bunratty park and castle and took the train home (Dublin)

It cost £27, made in dribs and drabs in 1990 and I remember almost every single second of it!

Bummer1234

Glenroe pet farm and then stopping off at blanchardstown shopping center on the way home.

Then a year or two after we went on a boat to scotland to some theme park, We spent most of the time travelling than in the place tho, Found been on a boat for the first time an exciting experience when i was that young.

freshpopcorn

Ours were generally to UL/activity centre.
Where their was swimming,rafting, archery, canoeing, etc. these tours were generally in May.
Before Christmas we went ice skating and to the cinema.

whiskeyman

I have a vague recollection that Aer Lingus did a tour where they'd take some schoolkids up on a 737 and just circle Dublin and land.
Would have been late 80s or early 90s. Anyone go on this / hear of it?
Think I was out sick that week.

Ruu

Armagh Planetarium, Dublin a few times as well.

Boom_Bap

Cant remember if it was Clara Lara or Camp 2000, but one of them.
Went to some place in Cavan as well with Orienteering.
Some place in Donegal for a couple of days where I can remember walking around fields and in muck.
Went to an Orchard.
A good few farms alright.

We did go to the Wax Museum one year.

Even as highly impressionable 10 year olds, we giggled at how awful the waxworks were.

Then out to Kilmainham Jail.

And the National History Museum.

And the Ilac Shopping Centre.

custard gannet

I could swear someone once told me that they visited Mountjoy just to see how shiite it was and got to meet a few of the more repentant inmates who were tasked with scaring them straight. Maybe it did happen back then but a trip to a prison really sounds like the place a school's insurance wouldn't cover.

Menas

I would love to go on an old fashioned school tour. On a bus with my friends.
Now, fck that with the sandwiches and flask of tea.

No, we would have beer and dorritos to eat and proper music on the bus radio. None of that Val Doonican crap.

Lia_lia

Coca cola factory anyone?!

Dial Hard

Lia_lia wrote: »

Coca cola factory anyone?!

I doubt there's a school within a 50-mile radius of Dublin that didn't do that at some stage! It was never our proper end-of-year tour, though, just a day trip thing.

Bogger77

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

dublin zoo, fota wildlife park, craggaunowen, were all hit throughout my school going days.

did you go to my school?

When the Sun Hits

Achill was shite.

NOS3

Ross castle, crag cave and the aqua dome in primary school.

I went to the Netherlands earlier this year. That was probably the best one. :pac:

Chemical Byrne

Going to a farm would be a total WTF tour for us being in a small country school!

We did a tour to Dublin to Aras An Uachtarain, the National Museum etc one time. It showed me anyway that Dublin is not wall to wall mayhem as my mother would still have me beleive to this day at the ripe age of 29. She still insists on me minding myself in Cork or Dublin as the place is full of drugs, murders and rapes!

Lia_lia

Dial Hard wrote: »

I doubt there's a school within a 50-mile radius of Dublin that didn't do that at some stage! It was never our proper end-of-year tour, though, just a day trip thing.

I went to school in Kerry so that was our big 5th/6th class school tour! We also went to the museum. Fun times.

We went to Cappanalea a good few times.

Most of our "school tours" just involved walking around the Killarney National Park/climbing mountains etc...which was just down the road anyway.

In secondary school we went to France. I'm sure other people here has memories of Flunch!

The_Valeyard

Lia_lia wrote: »

Coca cola factory anyone?!

"Give that man a can of coke"

custard gannet

custard gannet wrote: »

I could swear someone once told me that they visited Mountjoy just to see how shiite it was and got to meet a few of the more repentant inmates who were tasked with scaring them straight. Maybe it did happen back then but a trip to a prison really sounds like the place a school's insurance wouldn't cover.

I went to mountjoy in transition year. In the women's prison one of the prisoners asked me if I was x's daughter I am. I was absolutely mortified.

OneArt

We went to Mountjoy Prison as part of a school tour, though it was in secondary school. Got to go inside a prison cell and everything (the prisoner had to stand outside whilst a bunch of school kids snooped around). One of my classmates asked the teacher if we could "experience the showers".

Dial Hard

Lia_lia wrote: »

I went to school in Kerry so that was our big 5th/6th class school tour!

We went to Kerry on our 6th class tour!

cocaliquid

Went on a bog tour. Was terrible for a bunch of culchies not like we were never in a bog before

_Brian

My daughter has been to Tannagh Outdoor adventure centre in Cootehill a few times on school tours.

They do kayaking, orienteering, team building games, water slides. It's a great place, she did a week long summer camp there this year and wants to go back again next summer.

We live on a farm so it would hold little interest for her !!

Menas

Deleted User wrote: »

I went to mountjoy in transition year. In the women's prison one of the prisoners asked me if I was x's daughter I am. I was absolutely mortified.

Sorry to be insensitive, but that is the funniest thing!

Super-Rush

We went to places like Newgrange, Kilmainham Gaol, Rock of Cashel, National History Museum for the educational side and Mosey, Clara Lara, Tramore and Trabolgan for the fun part.

mud

Lia_lia wrote: »

In secondary school we went to France. I'm sure other people here has memories of Flunch!

Ha! Flunch was a 4king hoot! Back then trying to translate £s to Francs and trying to work out the voucher value.

Too funny.

Galwayguy35

In Primary school we went to the Zoo, the Dail (monkeys there as well), Birr Castle, Aillwee Caves and Cliffs of Mohar over the years.

It was a great day out.

MilesMorales1

We went to Wales many a time. Tom O'shanters farm as well. And london once or twice.

The_Valeyard

Primary school

Zoo, Coke Cola factory, Concert hall

Secondary school

Carlingford, Manchester & Liverpool, cinema, bowling

rainbowtrout

mud wrote: »

Ha! Flunch was a 4king hoot! Back then trying to translate £s to Francs and trying to work out the voucher value.

Too funny.

Flunch. Jesus the food still gives me nightmares. Possibly the worst food in France.

In primary school went to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park twice. Stone animal park outside Mitchelstown in Junior or Senior Infants.

Went to the Dail in 6th class and a shopping centre in Stillorgan. The glamour of it all.

DanielODonnell

We went to Scotland and France in primary school, I recall going to Glasgow Celtics ground, in the 90s they would go to Old Trafford in Manchester.
We were treated like royalty in Glasgow Celtic due to being Derry natives like the boss Martin at the time.

byhookorbycrook

Off the top of my head, the more recent ones:
Dáil and Kilmainham, Croke Park
Causey Farm
Gaeltacht in Mayo (6th class) This is over 4 nights
Kilkenny Castle and Dunmore Caves
Castlecomer Discovery Park
Tayto Park

We took a team of girls to play Gaelic football to Glasgow (3 nights)and every year we take a mixed team to Rathcairn to play Gaelic (overnight)

Canard

I went to school in Dublin and never went to the coca cola factory I feel like the year my sister's school did, we had something crap, which made it worse. But we did go to the aquatic centre in sixth class!

TheNobleKipper

I feel bad posting this...but then, at the same time, I am not.
My best school trips were to Florence and the Netherlands, may the memories be with me until dementia hits me

One eyed Jack

Went to rural school in the midlands, early 80's, and one of my most memorable tours was the trip to the HB ice cream factory in Dublin, where we all got choc ices and super splits on a boiling hot day in a 52 seater bus. The ice creams were melting faster than everyone else could eat them and they were all giving them to me! Good times

The way it worked was we'd usually go to some historical landmark or event, place of interest, then we'd go to a McDonalds or some place, and then we'd be allowed go to a shopping centre if there was one. Galway and Dublin were the usual spots.

Aglomerado

Knock.


...And one of the boys in my class on said tour getting into trouble for asking the bus driver to put on a tape ... it was of some really sweary metal band, 3 songs in, one of the teachers (a nun) stopped it!

Trabolgan / Fota was another one. And Athlone.

None of these forrin' trips in our school...

Hollister11

Carlingford, Clara lara, Dublin Zoo, Aquatic Center. They were all good throughout school

aperocot

our class never got to go on the Coca Cola tour. It was usually fourth class, and they skipped our year. Can't imagine kids get anything half as educational these days.