This article is from page 36 of the 2009-10-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
A WEST Clare school has been learning all about life down under while playing host to a contingent from Australia.
A group of 13 students, two teach- ers and three parents enjoyed the hospitality of St Joseph’s School in Spanish Point and the homes of Clare families for the duration of dates Bm YB ES) |
The school visitors from the Clare Valley High School, near Adelaide, were part of a larger contingent of visitors from the area, which is
twinned with Clare.
The youngsters spent two and a half weeks in Clare, sharing class- es with their new Clare friends on some days and going on trips for Oli toace
“It was a great experience for eve- ryone involved,” said school princi- pal, Mary Crawford.
“They all stayed with families in the area and they got to see a lot of the county. They went on trips to the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. Then the host families took them to hurling and football matches and days out as well.”
The visiting students took classes with the St Joseph’s pupils, but it was anything but hard grind.
They had set dancing lessons from an All-Ireland set dancing cham- pion, traditional Irish music lessons and even learned a few words as CF oerxer
And the adults were not left out of the culture or the craic. They enjoyed pub trad sessions in the evening.
The visitors were treated to a Civ- ic Reception in the county council offices as part of the larger group, which included the mayor of Clare Valley.
“They also went to Dublin and Cork, so they packed quite a bit in,” OME Na Ye
This is the second visit which students from the high school have made to Ireland. The last visit was two years ago and it was so suc- cessful that the school arranged last week’s visit.
Now the west Clare school is con- templating making a return trip to Australia.
“It has been on the cards. We haven’t done it as yet but we are cer- tainly considering it now,” said the principal.