Once again the sixth class students ventured across the Irish Sea to Manchester. 73 pupils and 9 teachers took in the sites of Dublin, Manchester and Liverpool over the course of four days. On Wednesday we headed to Croke Park in Dublin where we were guided through the stadium, taking in the GAA museum and the dressing rooms and we walked the famous steps of the Hogan Stand where captains receive the Sam Maguire and Liam McCarthy trophies every September. No doubt some of our Scoil Barra GAA stars will walk those steps in the future. After our stop in Croke Park we set sail for Manchester. On Thursday we had fascinating trip to Knowsley Safari Park where a bus tour of the park brought us amidst lions, elephants, baboons, giraffes and many other exotic creatures. We also met two super intelligent sea lions, Biffo and Reggie, who performed very cool tricks. After Knowsley we headed for Chester where we were greeted by two Roman soldiers and were shown the ruins of the largest Roman amphitheatre in the UK. Our day was completed with a trip to the magnificent Trafford shopping Centre.
Early rise on Friday for the famous Alton Towers, where the pupils plucked up the courage and enjoyed the fast, the high and the turbulent rides of Air, Smiler, Nemesis and Rita. The beautiful weather ensured the children really enjoyed their day.
Our journey home included a visit to Llechwedd Slate Mines in the valleys of Wales. There we ventured underground and enjoyed a tour of these historically renowned mines.
Congratulations to our pupils who were impeccably behaved and received the plaudits of all who encountered them. Well done also to the travelling teachers who enjoyed a well deserved rest on their return to Ballincollig on Saturday night.
