Creative School Cluster Dublin Jan 2024

Last week, Holy Family School for the Deaf had the pleasure of hosting the second mini meet as part of the Creative Schools Cluster project, alongside Bishoptown Community School and Mid-West School for the Deaf. We were excited to welcome students from BCS and MWSD to our school and show them our school.
The day started with a tour of Holy Family School, where our visitors had the opportunity to meet our students and staff. Afterward, we took them to Deaf Village Ireland (DVI), where Sylvia Nolan, Martina Kearns, and Rebecca Nelson gave us a wonderful tour of the Deaf Heritage Center, ISL Restaurant – Mad Brothers, and the DVI. We then enjoyed a delicious lunch at Mad Brothers and headed to Trinity College, where we met with Dr. John Bosco and Dr. Isabelle Heyerick.
At Trinity College, we were given the opportunity to visit the Book of Kells and the astonishing GAIA project by artist Luke Jerram. The GAIA project aims to spark discussions about our responsibility to the environment and how we can make our lifestyles more sustainable. Our students thoroughly enjoyed this experience.
Next, we visited the Centre of Deaf Studies, where Dr. John Bosco provided a comprehensive explanation of their college. He also discussed the possibilities of becoming an ISL Interpreter or ISL Teacher. Our students were inspired and who knows, maybe one day some of them will be studying ISL linguistics in room 101. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. John Bosco and Dr. Isabelle Heyerick for the tour.
Following this insightful talk, we headed next door to the National Gallery of Ireland, where Lianne Quigley, a Deaf Tour Guide, took us on a mesmerising tour featuring amazing artists such as Jack B Yeats, Una Walters, William Leech, and Deaf artist Hendrick Avercamp. Thank you, Lianne, for providing our group with such a brilliant tour.

That evening, we enjoyed a delicious meal at Milano’s restaurant on Dawson Street and stayed at the trendy and centrally located Generator hostel in Smithfield.
The next day, we visited Holy Family School for the Deaf’s primary school. Our group had the opportunity to tour the school and meet the first deaf teachers who recently graduated from the Primary Teachers course at DCU. They also learned about the Deaf Flag with Phillip Grehan and his students, and saw the wall of Deaf Role Models. We are incredibly grateful to Sean Herlihy and the entire staff for hosting us and making us feels so welcome. The children at Holy Family School were absolutely lovely!
Afterward, we visited the Hugh Lane Gallery to see the Andy Warhol exhibition, which showcased over 250 of his artworks. It was a truly fantastic experience for everyone involved.
After lunch and some free time, we headed to Henrietta Street to learn about the Tenements in Dublin in the early 1900s. Special thanks to Alvean Jones deaf tour guide for leading the tour. Our students really enjoyed the experience.
Overall, this Creative Schools Cluster was a tremendous success.This couldn’t have been possible without the funding and support from Creative Schools Cluster and ESD (Educational Sustainable Development), Limerick Education Centre, staff from all three schools and members from the Deaf Community.
It provided an amazing experience for all the students involved, allowing them to meet inspiring Deaf role models. These collaborations have a significant positive impact on the students’ self-confidence, self-awareness, and sense of identity. They are brilliant opportunities for our students to connect and broaden their horizons.