The passing down of customs, traditions, lore and legend through generations is one of the reasons for the strong connection we have with our past, but schools play a huge role in ensuring that interest is piqued and fact is delivered alongside some of the more colourful stories that have enriched many a young person’s life.
Established in 2000, the Heritage in Schools (HIS) scheme gives primary school children an insight into the past through a team who visit classrooms and outdoor environments “to provide rich, interactive, hands-on experiences which nurture curiosity, confidence and a sense of place”.
Virginia Teehan, chief executive of the Heritage Council, which supports this initiative, says the training provided to specialists has a “child-centred, experimental and developmentally appropriate approach to teaching and engagement at primary level”.
“Visits encourage children and teachers to investigate local heritage through place-based learning, supporting cross-curricular links while strengthening connections with community, creativity, and cultural identity,” she says. “Outdoor learning is prioritised wherever possible to deepen children’s direct experience of heritage.”
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The programme operates on a co-funded model: schools contribute a portion of the fee, and the Heritage Council covers the remainder, including travel expenses, ensuring the scheme remains accessible and sustainable.
Since its launch 25 years ago, it has grown from 49 specialists to 128. Last year they delivered 3,026 visits across 1,119 schools, reaching about 90,000 children nationwide.
Paddy Madden has been on board from the start of the scheme – which is celebrating its 25th anniversary – and is the longest-serving HIS specialist in the country. He says his love of heritage, both natural and built, and our language was developed in his own primary school in Co Clare by a teacher who had a “passion for the Irish language, local history and nature”.
He encouraged his students to collect natural objects while walking to school and each morning would examine their finds in class, which would include wild flowers, plants, fruit, leaves “or anything else interesting” and discuss the habitats they could be found in.
This in turn nurtured an interest among the children, who were “agents of their own learning”.
“It was ‘show and tell’ at its best,” he says. “Our teacher, Mr Haran, managed to make us notice nature every day and I haven’t stopped since. It has given me hours of happiness and has transformed me into a committed environmentalist. I wouldn’t have become a lecturer in SESE (Social and Environmental Studies) in Marino Institute of Education – or a Heritage in School specialist – if I hadn’t encountered Mr Haran in primary school, so thank you, sir.”
The heritage specialist, who went on to do a doctorate in TCD focusing on “the state and status of nature awareness, appreciation and education in the Irish primary school system”, visits schools in eight different counties and says themes can be different depending on the time of year and the location of the school. He has seen a “marked decline in children’s knowledge of their local flora and fauna” over the years, and says heritage should be an integral part of our children’s learning.
“All forms of heritage connect children to their past and help them make sense of the present,” he says. “They can’t really know where they’re going unless they know where they’re coming from. Knowing their heritage gives them a sense of place too, which enables them to feel a sense of who they are and a sense of belonging. If children do not feel alienated, they will be happier, more amenable to learning, and develop socially and emotionally.
“The more they know about a place, the more pride they will take in it and the more they will strive to protect its heritage.
“A sense of place defines us and helps us feel included and supported as we become part of a story that goes back in time. And the good thing is, we don’t have to be born or reared there to develop a sense of place – that door is open to everyone – engaging with the heritage of a place is the key to that door.”
Teehan, who has spent her “entire professional life working in heritage”, says the HIS programme has evolved over the years. Recent developments include a Transition Year pilot, which reached more than 4,000 students across 56 schools, and ongoing trail visits at Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate levels.
Personalised learning is very memorable for children and inspires their intrinsic love and appreciation of who they are, where they come from and how they can preserve our natural world for future generations
— Geraldine Tierney
“Building on this strong foundation, the scheme will expand to post-primary schools from September 2026,” she says. “I have been extraordinarily privileged to build a career around history, culture, place and people, and I know that early exposure to these ideas can spark lifelong curiosity.
“That’s why I believe so strongly in the HIS programme. It brings the wonder of heritage directly into classrooms and school grounds, encouraging children to look closely at the places they inhabit every day.
“At a time when global perspectives are rightly gaining attention, this programme reminds us of the unique value of local. It asks children to notice what is special about their own neighbourhood – whether urban or rural – and to think critically about how place shapes identity, community and belonging.
“I also see this programme as planting seeds for the future. Heritage is a rapidly expanding field with opportunities that many may not yet be aware of. From traditional building crafts to archaeology, archival work to biodiversity management, ecology to architecture and conservation engineering, there is a wealth of meaningful, impactful careers available to those with a passion for heritage. I am living proof that following such interests can lead to deeply rewarding work.”
A member of Kilkenny Archaeological Society, Geraldine Tierney has always been interested in heritage and history, and working as a teacher for 15 years, she’s an “advocate for opening the classroom doors to the wider world and bringing in experts to share their knowledge in an engaging, active and fun hands-on format”.
“The HIS experts are fantastic advocates for their specialist fields and come laden with wonderful resources and well-thought-out top-quality lessons,” she says.
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“Much of the learning takes place outdoors and can be tailored to the local area – be it school habitats or local historic features. Personalised learning is very memorable for children and inspires their intrinsic love and appreciation of who they are, where they come from and how they can preserve our natural world for future generations.
“As teachers we are always trying to nurture the next generation of historians, scientists, archaeologists and biologists, and this programme is a wonderful tool for igniting curiosity and a lifetime love of our local natural and historic world.”
The programme is suitable for primary school children of all ages and Tierney, who is teaching 3rd class in Clara NS in Kilkenny, says her students are all very enthused by it.
“The children love this programme – it’s the opportunity to hear another voice, get outdoors when appropriate and be active in their learning,” she says. “All the experts are experienced in engaging with young children and it’s great for teachers to get another very knowledgeable perspective.
“Recent visits to my classroom include historian Sarah Myers – who regaled the children with stories of medieval Kilkenny, using masks the children got to wear – and Catherine Twomey, who took us out into our school habitat to identify local birds and fauna. The children got to make sustainable peanut butter bird feeders and had great fun afterwards identifying birds that came to feed.
“Another very memorable visit was from historian Dave Swift, who recreated a museum (dedicated to 1916) in the classroom for our 6th class – the children got to wear uniforms and handle artefacts from the period. It was definitely more exciting and memorable than your normal history class.”
Importantly, the programme can also spark an interest in heritage practice as a future career path – as early exposure helps children recognise that their interests in nature, culture, and place can grow into meaningful, rewarding careers
— Virginia Teehan
The primary school teacher says that when children meet heritage specialists, “they see real people working in these roles and discover that heritage is not abstract or distant – it’s alive, practical, and something they can be part of”.
“Encouraging that sense of possibility is one of the programme’s greatest strengths,” she says. “What stays with me, and what I hope with the children, is the sense that heritage is not simply about the past. It’s about understanding who we are, the places that shape us, and the value of caring for them. If we can instil that awareness in young people, then we are not only enriching their creativity and critical thinking – we are also helping to build future generations who will cherish and protect the heritage which belongs to us all.”
Teehan says the scheme helps children to “connect deeply with the places they live, learn, and play”.
“The programme encourages children to explore their local environment, history, and culture through hands-on, creative experiences,” she says. “This nurtures curiosity, imagination, and problem-solving, allowing children to see familiar places in new ways and express their learning through art, storytelling, investigation, and outdoor discovery.
“Engaging with local heritage also strengthens children’s sense of identity and belonging. When they learn from the stories, landscapes, traditions, and natural features of their own communities, they build a lasting appreciation for where they come from. This helps shape lifelong respect for the environment, cultural diversity, and the importance of protecting local identity.
“Importantly, the programme can also spark an interest in heritage practice as a future career path – as early exposure helps children recognise that their interests in nature, culture, and place can grow into meaningful, rewarding careers. Overall, it enriches creativity, deepens understanding of local place, and opens children’s eyes to the heritage careers shaping the future – leaving an impact that stays with them throughout their lives.”
