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Where did you go on your school tours?

13

Comments

  • #62
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,498 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Athlone.

    Really. That's how bad things were in the 70s. We did have Abba, however.


  • #63
    CFlat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,099 ✭✭✭CFlat


    spurious wrote: »
    Athlone.

    Really. That's how bad things were in the 70s. We did have Abba, however.

    Boat trip? Tour of the Castle? Clonmacnoise?


  • #64
    flossy1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 67 ✭✭flossy1


    HB ice cream factory in the 60s .Everyone got sick


  • #65
    branie2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,372 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    In secondary, I went on a school exchange trip to Sweden where we visited an emigration museum, the town hall of the place we visited, and a glass-blowing factory among other things. When the Swedish students came over, we took them to Galway and Tralee. before that, we saw a production of Philadelphia, Here I come on stage in Limerick, as we were studying it for the Leaving Certificate.


  • #66
    Arghus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 16,412 ✭✭✭✭Arghus


    I remember a few from Primary School.

    We went to an open farm somewhere that had exotic animals. Slipped in Llama shit.

    Bunratty Castle. It was pretty impressive, to be fair.

    We went to Dublin. Which was like going to New York. Went skating at some ice-rink. Which wasn't as awesome as I had thought it was going to be, it was mainly really difficult and sore. Also visited the National Wax Museum. Which, even to my 12 year old brain was obviously a bit care-worn and kind of low rent.

    Seriously, whats is the craic with Wax Museums? Let's make some vaguely lifelike inert effigies of random figures from history or contemporary life and charge people money to gawp at them. We've got to have Hitler, Eamonn DeValera and, sure, throw in the lads from the Sunday Game as well. And it's the - ahem - National Wax Museum, thank you very much - all them other wax museums can go fck themselves.


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  • #67
    foxy farmer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,194 ✭✭✭foxy farmer


    Mid 80s in primary we had day trip to Gougane Barra stopped in Ballingeary because the principal was a Gaeilge fanatic.
    Day trip to Fota Island. First time on a train. Jesus when I think of it.
    Sixth class had 2 or 3 days in Clare. Bunratty Cliffs of Moher Aillwee Caves Lahinch for grub amusement arcade. Shannon Airport for grub. Stayed in some hotel in Lisdoonvarna.
    We got a tour of the County Coucil sewage treatment plant as well. Remember seeing the incoming effluent was red with blood from a pig factory in the town at the time. Our guide told us later that huge amounts of brown froth seen in massive tank was as result of the pigs blood.

    Secondary First yr was another day trip to Clare Bunratty Cregganoun crannog Tim Severins replica of St Brendans boat. Fulacht fia and souterrain underground tunnel. Remember coming home back through some right rough spot in Limerick probably Southill. Was like another world. Bus driver got lost I think.
    Second yr was a day trip to Trabolgan. Didn't bother going.
    After the Inter Cert there was a week in France. Didn't bother with that as I wasn't doing French and more to the point it was summer holidays. I had no desire to spend another week being supervised by the principal and a handful of teachers.
    In Fifth yr we did a religious retreat in Myross Woods near Rosscarbery for 2 days. A few yrs before a group from our school went on a rampage while there and did some fierce wreck. There was about 6 parents from the parents council in the school supervising us at night. Some clown still thought it was great crack to let off a few bangers. Didn't go too well as there was some elderly priest or brother on his death bed at the time.
    The honours Irsh class got to go on a trip to the Kerry Gaeltacht. I remember going on a bus to a school GAA match in Fermoy at some stage.
    We went by train to Dublin to see Hamlet i think in a theatre somewhere along the south bank of the Liffey. I think Alan Stanford who played George in Glenroe was directing it.


  • #68
    Samsgirl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,217 ✭✭✭Samsgirl


    GinSoaked wrote: »
    Wow that dates you to an very specific period. Wasn't Viking World one of those total flops that only lasted a year?

    Probably Celtworld in Tramore. Was around for a few years I think


  • #69
    Purple Mountain
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,984 ✭✭✭✭Purple Mountain


    spurious wrote: »
    Athlone.

    Really. That's how bad things were in the 70s. We did have Abba, however.

    I know our primary school went there when I was in maybe 4th class.
    I remember water activities on the Shannon and am I right in thinking a trip to the barracks?
    Can't think of what else we did.

    To thine own self be true



  • #70
    Samsgirl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,217 ✭✭✭Samsgirl


    deise08 wrote: »
    The heritage park in Wexford.
    Kilkenny castle
    Muckross House.. That was a long one, from waterford.
    Our school must have been on a budget,. I remember one year being brought to a trout farm =)

    Can't think of many more to be honest.

    We went to a trout farm too!! In Kilkenny. Jerpoint Abbey too and Kilkenny Castle.


  • #71
    Purple Mountain
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,984 ✭✭✭✭Purple Mountain


    Purple Mountain wrote: »
    I know our primary school went there when I was in maybe 4th class.
    I remember water activities on the Shannon and am I right in thinking a trip to the barracks?
    Can't think of what else we did.

    And I just remembered another one.
    The Titanic museum in Cobh. That was back in the 80s so I'm sure it was basic enough.
    I wonder what else we did when we were in Cork because I don't remember anything else from the day. Must have been Fota.

    To thine own self be true



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  • #72
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,498 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    CFlat wrote:
    Boat trip? Tour of the Castle? Clonmacnoise?

    Bus trip and we looked at a lake. We were taken to some hotel for soup and a roll and it was the first time many of us saw those little individual butter packets, so we took some home.

    Unfortunately they melted in our sweaty little 10 year old hands and pockets and the floor and seats of the bus were covered in them. The driver went mad.

    I think we went to Clonmacnoise in the afternoon. We all had to bring in money to get the butter cleaned out of the bus.

    I bought my mother a present of this pottery cat with gonk style hair. I realise now it was hideous cheap tat, but my poor mother kept it on display on her 'cabinet' for years.


  • #73
    Seamai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭Seamai


    JeffreyEpspeen wrote: »
    I remember going to France and girls from a different school sneaking into our room and shifting everyone apart from me. In fairness, one girl wanted to shift me but I didn't want any part of it.

    It goes without saying they were girls from another Irish school. As if French girls would shift a bunch of pale, gawky Irish lads.

    Them French ones are dirty bítches.


  • #74
    Widdershins
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,633 ✭✭✭✭Widdershins


    Bunratty (many times) ailwee caves, the Dáil and the zoo (which at the time I didnt notice was depressing but having visited recently, never again, they might be impkrtant for conservation but there's more space given over to fancy playgrounds and shops/cafès than to the animals)(potential politician joke in there) ...we went by plane from Shannon to Dublin for this, and took the train back. Craggaunowen. Historic houses.
    In secondary there were trips abroad.


  • #75
    jester77
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,264 ✭✭✭✭jester77


    Some bullsh*t religious retreat in the middle of nowhere (somewhere west, Roscommon/Mayo/Sligo), still the worst thing I've ever experienced.


  • #76
    boars
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28 ✭boars


    some cave in leitrim.


  • #77
    Solli
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 116 ✭✭Solli


    To see Saint Oliver Plunkett’s head in Drogheda.
    Two and half hours each way on a bus with the nuns.


  • #78
    sliabh 1956
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 594 ✭✭✭sliabh 1956


    in 1972 I went to Lisdoonvarna no not in September it must have been around Easter time to see the Burren from what I remember we had a blast . It more like a mini holiday than an eductional tour. Our teachers were pretty chilled I dont think we would be left to our own devices as we were back then if we went today. Little did I know back then I would end up living in the Banner County,its a funy old world . ,


  • #79
    addaword
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 671 ✭✭✭addaword


    Dublin Zoo.


  • #80
    Seamai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭Seamai


    Tucker Faint Luck wrote: »
    Primary school was one tour per year and only for 3rd to 6th. I remember Dun na Ri forest park in Cavan, Coca Cola factory, and Newgrange. Lyons Estate was crap and only a couple of miles away. And Maynooth Castle was the absolute worst I think. There were 43 of us and 40+ in the other parallel class too. 85 kids with 2 teachers is ridiculous- no wonder we rarely did anything.

    Secondary there were very few apart from one main trip abroad and language exchanges. I couldn't do the exchanges because my family are nuts. I did go to Paris and Switzerland (flight, bus, bus, flight) though and paid for it myself. Other than that we went to Kilkenny for the day, some place in Wicklow for kayaking and zip lining, the Bridewell and Four Courts, and to Collins' Barracks.

    During my time as a teacher Causey Farm was my favourite.

    The Bridewell? Did someone get assaulted or something?


  • #81
    DEFTLEFTHAND
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,499 ✭✭✭✭DEFTLEFTHAND


    Bord na Mona station in Ferbane.

    Sugarbeat factory in Carlow

    Clonmacnoise,

    Bunratty castle

    Only decent one we had was a tour of Croke Park and the GAA Museum. We went to Fort Lucan afterwards.


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  • #82
    The Tetrarch
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,085 ✭✭✭The Tetrarch


    Seamai wrote: »
    When we had to write the obligatory composition on our trip I doubt too many of us finished with the customary "And we all agreed that it was the best school trip ever"
    That brings back terrible memories.
    In those days you had to write a composition about everything:- holidays, milk, animals, the school tour, the seaside.


  • #83
    r93kaey5p2izun
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,962 ✭✭✭r93kaey5p2izun


    Seamai wrote: »
    The Bridewell? Did someone get assaulted or something?

    No, we were brought in to see the cells and spoken to by a Garda about staying out of trouble.


  • #84
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 7,344 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    mistersifter wrote: »
    Coca cola factory - "give that man a can of coke" was the catchphrase of the aul fella tour guide.

    You beat me to it. I was going to post about that very guy.


  • #85
    Badly Drunk Boy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,424 ✭✭✭Badly Drunk Boy


    I think I went to the Lambert Puppet Theatre twice in early primary school but I can't remember if there were other stops.

    I remember going to Turlough Hill, Glendalough, and Clara Laragh, although I don't think I took part in any of the Clara Laragh activities, probably because I was a bit of an oddball back then.

    One year we did Newgrange, Hill of Tara, and Drogheda to see (Oliver Plunkett's head).

    We went to the Guinness Storehouse and some art exhibition but that might have been part of a different tour. I remember as we went along the quays, the lad sitting beside me puked up the banana he had just eaten. :(

    In sixth class, we went to Sligo City and on to Easkey where we camped. My teacher's husband was high up in the army so she was able to acquire a load of army issue tents. On the way home, we dropped in to Knock.

    I didn't go anywhere in secondary school except the local cinema to watch Othello, played by Laurence Olivier in black-face. There were trips abroad when I was in secondary school but my parents couldn't afford it and I wasn't too bothered anyway.


  • #86
    Badly Drunk Boy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,424 ✭✭✭Badly Drunk Boy


    Oh yeah, the 'Sligo City' comment was because even after 35 years, I distinctly remember seeing a blue door that said 'City Of Sligo Pipe Band', and as a 12 year old thinking "Sligo's not a city!". :D


  • #87
    angel eyes 2012
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 1,022 ✭✭✭angel eyes 2012


    This is it wrote: »
    Went to Mosney for one in 5th or 6th class. They had everything there, some craic and great memories.

    We went to mosney too in 6th class, it was probably the best craic of all trips.

    Some others I remember from primary school included Kilkenny and Newgrange, then Marsh's Library and Morton Stadium, even though we all lived in Dublin. The bus was usually the best part.

    In Secondary later on, UCD and Trinity College for Higher Options I think?

    Secondary school also included the Gaeltacht - Carraroe or (An Cheathrú Rua) - and Rome. We definitely had more fun and freedom in Carraroe than in Rome as I recall :D


  • #88
    Seamai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭Seamai


    Tucker Faint Luck wrote: »
    No, we were brought in to see the cells and spoken to by a Garda about staying out of trouble.

    Pretty grim, did everyone quieten down after that?


  • #89
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,498 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Solli wrote: »
    To see Saint Oliver Plunkett’s head in Drogheda.
    Two and half hours each way on a bus with the nuns.

    Oh that reminds me :) we did that too. Such a disappointment. We were expecting an obvious 'chopped off head' (with associated gore and hopefully bulging eyes) and all we got was what looked like a rolled up pair of socks. What a swizz.


  • #90
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,059 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    Just remembered Portlaw Tannery (Portlaw being an example of a village that was basically built for a factory) Kilkenny Castle and Rock of Cashel


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  • #91
    radia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 360 ✭✭radia


    Only had tours in national school, not secondary. I think they were run by CIE and our school pretty much had the same pattern throughout (same for me and all my siblings as we went through the school one after the other):
    1st class: Dublin zoo
    2nd class: Glendalough
    3rd class: Robertstown/Japanese gardens
    4th class: Boyne valley
    5th class: Sligo/Lissadell
    6th class: Killarney

    In 6th class our teacher suggested that we could either go to Killarney, or go to Dublin zoo and donate the money saved to a charity. We brats said 'sod that - the zoo's for babies' and voted for Killarney.


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