As part of our senior cycle History experience, 5th and 6th year History students take an annual trip to a historical place relevant to our studies. 

This year, we ventured to the Michael Collins House Museum in Clonakilty. We were greeted by our guide who was enthusiastic and possessed a wealth of knowledge regarding Michael Collins, his early life and later historical impact. The tour took us through the home of Collins’ sister where he stayed for a number of months while finishing primary school. The museum contained many historical artefacts including Collins’ death mask as well as several documents and letters to and from Collins. Within the museum, there was a model of old Clonakilty town, which highlighted areas that would have been commonly used at the time, such as the docks and the church. These artefacts as well as the house itself provided us with a vivid insight into the life of Micael Collins as well as the society he lived in at the time. 

To round off an already fantastic and informative day out, we were also treated to a screening of the new historical biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer, aptly named ‘Oppenheimer’ at the Clonakilty Park Cinema. The 3-hour long epic took us through the end of WW2, the invention of the atomic bomb, the beginning of Cold War tensions and the impact of the Red Scare. The film was highly interesting and engaging, especially for us 6th year students currently studying the Cold War portion of our senior cycle History course.  

Trips like this are hugely important to students as it provides historical context and aids in making the times we are studying more tangible, in an alternate way to classroom teaching. As J. Robert Oppenheimer said, “Theory can only take you so far.” :) 

All in all, it was a fantastic day out and all students who attended had a blast! 

Written by 6th Year Students Isobel Bergin and Jessica Moloney