If you would like to book a school tour in Lough Gur please email gemma@loughgur.com. We offer everything from workshops, activities and trails along with kayaking in association with Kilfinane Outdoor Education. School tours are tailor made to suit your needs and requirements.
Lough Gur School Tours 2021:
Choose from one of the following school tour options:
Standard Guided Lough Gur Tour lasts 2/2.5 hours, a guide will take you to a number of sites located here at Lough Gur providing historical information on each site, the guide will also have folklore associated with the lake. The sites which they may visit (weather depending ) are The Great Grange Stone Circle, Tempall Nua (15 century church), Giants Grave (megalith wedge tomb), Carraig Aillse (5th century ring forts) and the lake front – taking in information on Bouchiers Castle, Bolin island (Cranóg), Hangmans rock and entrance to the Heritage Centre
Cost:€8 per student OR €6 between January and April
Exhibition Experience only is €2 per student
Add Education / Art workshop for an extra €2 – these workshops vary from Tree based workshop, identifying leaves from different trees, rubbings of bark, measuring the height of different tree’s etc, Clay pendants with the students name in Ogham, Neolithic Art, Pond Dipping and more.
DPSM TOUR, Lough Gur is an accredited Discover Primary Science and Math site through Science Foundation Ireland. Tour price per student is €10 and includes a full outdoor tour, visit to the exhibition and discovery workshops. (these are science based eg. Foam Rockets. or measuring the Stone Circle. Professionally trained tour guides will accompany your group at all times to ensure that your students have a safe and memorable visit to Lough Gur.
COMBINATION TOURS
Lough Gur and Hunt Museum is €6 – visit both sites – guided tour at LG and choose from a range of workshops available for primary schools at The Hunt Museum
Lough Gur and Kayaking Tour – Visit to Visitor Centre & Kayaking €24 – Guided tour & kayaking €28
Educational Tours:
Lough Gur is delighted to present a new range of educational programmes on offer for both Secondary and Primary Schools.
The workshops include WILDLIFE AT LOUGH GUR, GENERATE CREATIVE MAP OF LOUGH GUR, HOUSING IN THE LAST SIX THOUSAND YEARS , ART & SOCIETY IN NEOLITHIC & BRONZE AGE PERIODS and TREE HEALTH SURVEY & WORKSHOP. Each workshop has been specifically tailored according to age and learning potential and includes a tour of Lough Gur. The tours are fun, interactive and full of learning. These workshops are also available as an outreach program whereby Gemma, Lough Gur’s Education Co-ordinator and qualified teacher is available to travel to your school and deliver a workshop onsite.
To book a tour or request additional information on each lesson plan you can contact Lough’s Gur Education Co-ordinator Gemma O’ Mahony on 061 385 386 or alternatively email gemma@loughgur.com.
Discover Primary Science & Maths Tour:
Lough Gur is an accredited Discover Primary Science and Math site through Science Foundation Ireland. Experience the area through the lens of Science in a fun and exciting way. Tour price per student is €10 and includes a full outdoor tour, visit to the exhibition and discovery workshops. Email loughgur@gmail.com for a full brochure.
Outreach Option:
This option would include a historical talk with the students touching on all the timelines that can be seen at Lough Gur, there is a lot of interaction and encouraging students to engage and ask questions, we try to bring to life all the following periods. Neolithic, Bronze age, Iron Age, Early Christianity, Medieval and 19th / 20th Century. We also discuss the biodiversity at Lough Gur and touch on the topic of sustainability in our lives now. We bring clothing from the medieval period and some of the artefacts (mostly stone tools) into the classroom for handing and discussion. The cost for this option would be €2 per student. All of our Art workshops can be adapted for ourtreach pupose .The cost for this option would be €4.
Lough Gur & The Hunt Museum Package:
Lough Gur and the Hunt Museum have teamed up to offer primary and secondary schools a full day tour package for just €6 per student:
9.30am – arrive at Grange Stone Circle to commence the outdoor tour of Lough Gur. Continue to Teampall Nua, the Giants Grave, Lough Gur Lakefront, hangman’s rock, the spectacles site ending with a tour of Lough Gur Visitor Centre.
12.30pm – lunch at the lakefront or during inclement weather there are facilities available in the Hunt Museum for students to enjoy their pre packed lunches.
1.30pm – Tour at Hunt Museum – These are the options for Secondary and Primary School tours in the Hunt Museum. Please choose one:
Secondary Schools
800 Years of Fashion (90 mins): Learn about the clothing of the past and the societies that wore it. Some class members will have the opportunity to dress up as Elizabethan nobility or medieval serfs. Covers eight periods between 1200 and 1920.
History of Ireland in 10 Objects (60 mins): Explore Ireland’s heritage and history from the Neolithic to the 20th century through 10 key pieces in the Hunt’s eclectic collection!
20th Century Irish Art (60 mins): Students will be introduced to modern Irish art through work by artists such as Jack Yeats, Sean Keating, Roderic O’ Conor and William Leech. A resource pack, “Reading Twentieth-Century Irish Art”, is provided to support the workshop itself and follow-up work in the classroom; copies an be posted in advance to teachers on request.
Primary Schools
Early Cave Art (60-90 mins): Learn about cave painting – by painting in a replica cave! Pupils learn the story of the discovery of the Altamira caves, and explore how the art of early human societies helps archaeologists and historians to understand Palaeolithic cultures. Children examine images of cave paintings, and explore what is depicted in them and why.
3rd – 6th class
800 Years of Fashion (90 mins): Discover the garb of ages past! Learn all about life and style from the 12th-20th Century and perhaps even try on an outfit!
Life in the Medieval World (60 mins): Explore the museum’s medieval collection to learn about life in the Middle Ages. Children encounter objects such as the magnificent Beaufort tapestry and the O’Dea Mitre and Crozier. Through objects and discussion, the medieval world comes to life.
Discovery Trail (60 mins): Discover treasures from the Hunt’s collection, while exploring art and history. Pupils build their observation skills and descriptive vocabulary. The trail consists of pupil worksheets with opportunities for writing and drawing as well as puzzles. Teacher’s notes are available to help support pupils’ learning during and after the trail.
Animal Hunt (40-60 mins): Hunt for animal imagery in the Museum’s galleries! Pupils will discover how animals have been depicted in art from ancient to modern times. Children explore questions like: What kinds of animals are shown in objects in the collection? Why do artists depict animals? How does the artist represent the animal (e.g. stripes on a zebra)? Do the animals look like animals you have seen in real life?
We recommend booking at least two weeks in advance of your visit.
All workshops cost €2 per person. To book please call 061 385186 or email loughgur@gmail.com
Lough Gur & Kayaking Tour:
Lough Gur and Kilfiane Outdoor Education Centre would like to offer primary and secondary schools a full day package for €28 per student. (There is also a €24 ticket price for the kayaking and exhibition visit only option)
9.30am: Meet at Grange Stone Circle to commence the outdoor tour of Lough Gur. The experience includes a visit to Teampall Nua, the Giants Grave, Lough Gur Lakefront, Hangman’s Rock, the Spectacles Site ending with a fully guided tour of the newly refurbished Lough Gur Visitor Centre.
12.30pm: Lunch at the Lakefront where there is a purposely designated picnic area.
1pm – 2.30pm: Kayaking or Canoeing on the beautiful lake in Lough Gur.
Two weeks booking in advance is required. Please phone 061 385186 for further details.
Further information on school tours:
Each year Lough Gur Development run school tours in association with associated partners. School tours can be tailored to suit the needs of the individual school. We work closely with Kilfinane outdoor education centre and with the Order of the Sword to have a fun filled, educational and action packed day for the school.
Some comments from School Tour participants
“The children had an enjoyable and active visit to lough Gur. It provides the children with an opportunity to engage with history and nature in a fun way. We would highly recommend a trip to this historic site.”
Olivia Lisadell, Anacarty NS, Tipperary
“Just wanted to send you a quick e-mail to thank you for the wonderful trip and workshop in Lough Gur. The girls had a fabulous time. They have since completed a project about the trip. It is displayed along with their clay pendants in the foyer of our school. I will definitely be recommending the Heritage Centre to my principal and teacher friends!” Ealga Cussen, St. Anne’s Primary School, Charleville.
“The school tours to Lough Gur are a wonderful success and are worth taking by any school. Booking the tour is so easy and the whole day is planned for you-at a very reasonable price.
The activities are extremely well organised, facilities are excellent and the group leaders are great with the children-very professional and well informed on how to deal with groups of excited children!
The tours incorporate so many areas of the curriculum there’s something to interest everyone-Drama,Art and craft,Science,P.E. and History-All this in the beautiful surrounds of such a wonderful ancient site as Lough Gur who could ask for more as a school tour-highly recommended and great value for money, the children love it and so do the teachers!”
Carmel Gleeson, Principal Lough Gur N.S.
Scoil Baile an Droichid brought 3rd & 4th classes on their school tour to Lough Gur, Co. Limerick. The children had a fantastic time canoeing in the lake, exploring the archaeological finds, playing skittles and meeting exotic animals.
The tour guides were fantastic-extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The sun shone down as we explored the lake environs, the interpretive centre and the amazing stone circle.
I would highly recommend Lough Gur as a school tour destination. The children are still talking about it- as it was ‘the best school tour ever!’
Orlaith Foster,Principal,Scoil Baile an Droichid,Bridgetown,Co. Clare.
“Many thanks for a well organised visit to Lough Gur.The art pack sent to school prior to the tour was very comprehensive and the students had a wonderful time engaging in re-enactment battles by the lakeside.
From the lively and informative presentation at the visitor centre the children were introduced to the magic and beauty of the lakeshore and surrounding area.
Archaeology, history, wildlife, water activities ,treasure hunts and games were all part of our memorable school trip to Lough Gur. The children are eagerly looking forward to their return visit”
Knocklong N.S