In November we were asked if we were interested in including our school in a radio project for Shannonside FM which will involve twelve National Schools in the Shannonside area.The proposed series was inspired by the 1937-38 schools manuscript collection and would be presented entirely by the children.

 

In 1937-38 The Folklore Commission invited children in primary schools all over Ireland to gather local stories, customs and beliefs from their families and neighbours and to write these down just as they heard them. These essays are now archived in UCD and provide a valuable insight into ways of life that have all but disappeared.

 

The format for The Shannonside Schools Project would be to invite children at 12 different schools to read from some selected essays written by their forerunners in their school in the 1930s (or from another school in the locality in those schools established after 1938). The children would then be encouraged to comment on the essays and to make comparisons with their lives today in any way that seemed relevant to them. The programmes were recorded in the Spring term with Ms Baxters class participating from our school.We have just been informed that Programmes will be aired  on Monday 17th June and will air daily thereafter going out shortly after the 2pm news on Mary Claire`s show. 

The order of broadcasts is as follows: 

17th June Cloone NS 

18th Ballinamore Girls 

19th Cloonyquin 

20th St Johns Longford 

21st Ballinamore Boys 

24th Mohill NS 

25th Lenamore NS 

26th Ballymahon 

27th Abbeylara 

28th Drumlish 

1st July Rooskey NS 

2nd July Gorthaganny