5th and 6th Year History and Politics Trip to Glasnevin Cemetery and the Dáil

On the 19th of December our 5th and 6th year history and politics students visited Glasnevin Cemetery and Leinster House.

The students gathered in the dining hall at 8am and got onto a bus into Dublin City. They arrived at Glasnevin at around 9:15 and went on a tour of the cemetery. In their tour they got the chance to go into Daniel O’Connell's tomb where he and ten other members of the O’Connell family are buried.

Next they went to the grave of Irish revolutionary, Taoiseach and President Éamon de Valera. The tour guide told them about the life of de Valera and then they visited the republican plot. The republican plot of Glasnevin is where historical figures such as Maud Gonne, Countess Markievicz, Cathal Brugha, John Devoy and Jeremiah O’Donovon Rossa are buried. Next they went to Glasnevin's most popular grave where Michael Collins lies. The students were told about the great life lived by Collins and how his unfortunate death came to be. The students then left Glasnevin Cemetery and got back on the bus where they headed further into the city. 

The students were give two hours of free time to shop and get food on Grafton Street and in Stephen's Green Shopping Centre. After their free time the students gathered back up at the gates of Leinster house at 2:10pm.

The students went through security and entered Leinster House. They were given a tour and got to sit in the viewing gallery of Dáil Éireann where they learned how the Dáil works and the history behind it. Next they went out of the gallery and walked by the ceremonial staircase and stopped on the Taoiseach’s landing where paintings of past Taoisigh hang on the wall. They next walked toward the Seanad but first stopped outside the offices of the Ceann Comhairle and Cathaoirleach where they learned about the history of the house. Once they entered the Seanad the students sat in the viewing gallery and learned more of the history. 

The students then went downstairs to the Dáil Visitor Bar where they waited for past St David's student Minister Simon Harris. When Minister Harris arrived in the Dáil Visitor bar the students got to have a one on one conversation with him. The students and Minister Harris then went out to the front of the Dáil to take a group photo with Minister Harris before heading home.

Photographs by: John O'Neil

Report by: John O'Neil