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ath N.S. Cultural Exchange  Gathering.
  
Rath N.S recently held a very special “Gathering Event”. The power of the pen was reinforced once again.

What started out as a  simple pen pal writing project in fifth and sixth class culminated into a visit from twenty nine German children,
to Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Eoin, Rath. They  were accompanied by five teachers.

 It all began a few years  ago when teachers Ms Mary Walsh (Rath) and Mr Philip Oprong Spenner (Hamburg) set up a writing  project between the two schools. Pupils wrote letters regularly, exchanging  information about hobbies, schools, sports, music, languages, news etc.

As a result the students  and teachers in Stadtteilschule Am Heidberg hamburg became very interested and decided to visit Ireland. They “fund raised” to cover some of the costs of the trip to Ireland by creating and selling cakes, postcards, bracelets.etc they received some sponsorship from local businesses in Germany too.

Principal,  Mrs Maria Davis gave a “cead míle fáilte” to the visiting pupils and teachers. Her class entertained the guests with a
repertoire of Irish and German tin  whistle tunes. One child actually sang a song in  German!

Ms Ryan and her Junior  and Senior Infants class sang songs and action rhymes, and did the “wiggle  dance”. The German visitors joined in the
“wiggling” and fun too! Ms Howell’s  first and second class proudly displayed Irish poetry and songs. The school hall  was a magnificent display of German and Irish colours.

Ms Walsh said that Ireland may be experiencing a lack of “monetary” wealth at present but it is certainly very “rich” in culture ie.  Music, dance, literature, folklore etc. her Fifth and Sixth class performed the  Legend of Diarmuid and Gráinne through drama, music and dance. In return the  German children did a modern dance for the whole school and released balloons  into the air.

The gathering  was a great success for all. Local storyteller and historian, Mr Paddy Heaney  related stories from the Slieve BloomMountains. Mrs Nora Carroll  introduced the visitors to “Set Dancing”. Both Irish and German students  performed an Irish dance together in the school  yard.

 Sport  featured very significantly in the gathering event too. It was a sight to  behold. German and Irish children hurling in the school pitch. Mr. John Leahy  taught the German visitors basic hurling skills. Indeed some of the  Drumcullen/Eglish pupils remarked that the Germans were
fairly nifty at striking  and catching the sliotar, not to mention “jab lifting or rising the ball” !!!. The pupils also played games of soccer and basketball  together.

At lunch time  some past pupils attending local secondary schools returned to Rath N.S. to meet up with their penpals. Cards and friendship bracelets were exchanged.

All in all “The Rath N.S.  Cultural Exchange Gathering” was a huge success. It was most interesting to  observe how pupils from a huge city school in Hamburg interacted and integrated with those from a small  rural school in the heart of Ireland. Common interest in friendship, sport, music, dance and the children’ enthusiasm overcame the language barriers. As a result many long lasting memories and acquaintances will  continue well into the future years.

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