THE CELTS
‘NUALA & HER SECRET WOLF’

Imagine......!
Imagine that Nuala found herself in your house. What would she find strange about it? Write down what she would say.
Imagine that you were watching a tribe or kin-group building a fort. Write a description of what they did.

Fact File
Iron Age forts are normally oval, or circular, and are about between 25 and 50 metres across the diameter or widest part of the circle. They had a deep ditch or fosse dug all the way around the outside bank of the enclosure and this was usually filled with water. The entrance was usually on the east, or the south-eastern side. The houses were built inside the enclosure and were usually round in shape.

Read & Write
(Chapter 1)
1 What is the name of the ditch dug around the outside of the fort?
2 What was the souterrain (underground room) used for?
3 Where were the houses and how many were there?
4 What shape were the houses?
5 Where was the entrance to the fort? North, south, east or west?

Explore...!
Try to visit an Iron Age Fort (with a parent, or go on a class visit with your teacher). Measure it to see how wide it is.
Make a model of a fort out of clay or plasticine. Put three or four houses inside and make an entrance on one side.

Iron Age Era in
Ireland

Forts

Worksheet 1

Draw a fort here.

Century
1BC

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a fort with three round houses in it.

THE CELTS
‘NUALA & HER SECRET WOLF’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are having new clothes for a Celtic festival. Write a description of what they look like and how they were made.
Imagine that you are taken back in time into the first century BC and you become friends with Nuala. Write a story about it and say what she would find strange about your clothes?

Fact File
An Iron Age fort was excavated on the Burren in County Clare and many spindles were found which showed that the Celts spun wool even in cattle country.
Over their tunic Celtic men wore a short woollen cloak ( sometimes a short leather coat) and woollen trousers which fitted their legs closely and which were usually woven in different colours rather like a Scottish plaid with checks and stripes. Women wore a longer tunic with a cloak over it, as well.

Read & Write
1 What was Nuala wearing? (Chapter 1)
2 How was wool coloured ? (Chapter 1)
3 Name two ways of colouring wool. (Chapter 7).
4 How was the wool woven? (Chapter 7)
5 How were cloaks fastened? (Chapter 2)

Explore...!
Try making a little loom for yourself as is described on page 61 of ‘Nuala and her Secret Wolf’.
You will need four sticks tied firmly at the corners and two different colours of wool.

Iron Age
Era in
Ireland

Iron Age Clothes

Worksheet 2

TIMELINE

Century
1BC

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a loom.

THE CELTS
‘NUALA & HER SECRET WOLF’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you met Nuala. Ask her how she got such a beautiful gold necklace. Write down her story.
Imagine that you found yourself in a Celtic tribe and that you were helping the metal-makers. Write a description of what you made and how you did it.
Imagine that you found a gold necklace hidden in an ancient Iron Age fort.Write what happened.

Fact File
Iron Age Celts were famous for their metal working.
They worked with gold, bronze, silver and iron.
Gold, iron and silver were found in rocks and melted out of the stone and hammered into shape, or poured into a mould. Bronze was made from copper and tin combined.
The Celts were much more skilled than the Romans at making things out of metal.
The Celts made very beautiful jewellery and decorated it with spiral shapes.

Read & Write
1 How was iron made? (Chapter 2)
2 Which weapons were made from iron? (Chapters 2 & 14)
3 How was iron used in the house and on the farm? (Chapters 2 & 4)
4 Two pieces of jewellery are mentioned in chapter twelve. What are they? What metal are they made from?
5 Describe how Nuala’s necklace was made. (Chapter 12)

Explore...!
Try to visit a museum and see some Celtic jewellery.
Find out if any jewellery was found in a place near to your school.
Make some Celtic jewellery yourself - a brooch is the easiest.

Iron Age in
Ireland

Metals

Worksheet 3

TIMELINE

Century
1BC

Draw...!
Draw a picture of Celtic necklace.

THE CELTS
‘NUALA & HER SECRET WOLF’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are trying to explain to Nuala how you have a bath. Make it a dialogue: Nuala asks questions and you try to explain.
Imagine that you went back into time and lived in Nuala’s house. Write a letter to your mother describing how you had your first bath.

Fact File
According to the Romans the Celts were a very clean people and took frequent baths and washed their hair very often.
We are not sure how the Celts washed themselves. One idea is that they bathed in wooden tubs, but in different parts of Ireland archaeologists have discovered scooped-out places in fields with large heaps of partially burnt stone nearby. These places are usually near a spring or a stream and may have been used for bathing.

Read & Write
(Chapter Eight)
1 What was Nuala’s bath made from?
2 How was the water heated for the bath?
3 What was the soap made from?
4 What did Nuala use to make her hair shine?

Explore...!
Make a picture of an out-of-doors bathing place - perhaps the woman is heating the stones in the fire and the children are all splashing around in the little pool.
Make a model of a tub with plasticine and stick lollipop sticks around it.

Iron Age in
Ireland

Baths & Washing

Worksheet 4

Century
1BC

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Celtic bath.

THE CELTS
‘NUALA & HER SECRET WOLF’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are captured by an Iron Age tribe and you are set to work making pots. Write about what your life would be like and what you would do.
Imagine that you are digging in your garden and you find a strange pot made from coarse gritty pottery. Is there anything in the pot? What happens next? Write down the story.

Fact File
Iron Age pots that were made in Ireland are mostly of a grey-black colour and fairly coarse, with a gritty feel.
Other pots have been found dating from the same period which were not made in Ireland, - but in England or France and very good pottery has been found from the Romans called Samian Ware. This pottery was bright red, very smooth, and highly decorated. This shows that the Iron Age Celts traded with other countries.

Read & Write
(Chapter 13)
1 What did the woman from Lough Gurr make her pots from?
2 What did she do with the clay in the spring?
3 What did she mix with the clay?
4 What did she use the smooth pebble for?
5 How did she harden the pots?

Explore...!
Try making a pot out of clay. There are two ways:
1 Make a ‘snake’ out of the clay and wind it around to make a coil pot.
2 Take a lump of clay and put your thumb in the middle and widen the hole.
Decorate the pot with a pattern.

Iron Age in
Ireland

Pottery

Worksheet 5

Century
1BC

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Celtic pot.

THE CELTS
‘NUALA & HER SECRET WOLF’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are listening to a story-teller. Re-tell his story of one Ireland’s ancient legends.
Imagine that you are taking part in the horse-racing at the festival of Samhain. Write what happened - who won and how.

Fact File
There were 4 main Celtic festivals
Imbolc, the spring festival, replaced by St Bridget’s day when Christianity came.
Bealtaine the May festival, replaced by May Day.
Lughnasa, the summer or August festival, replaced by Lammas Day or by Harvest Festivals
Samhain,
the autumn or end of October festival, replaced by
Hallowe’en.
Gods:
Bel
Lugh
Brigit

Read & Write
1 When was the Celtic festival of Imbolc and who was it dedicated to? (Chapter 14)
2 What is the name of the festival in August?
3 What gifts were bought there? (Chapter 12)
4 Name three of the stall-holders at the Samhain festival. (Chapter 13)
5 (Chapter 13) What did Nuala’s father buy at the festival of Samhain.

Explore...!
Join with some friends to make a picture of collage of the fair at Samhain- each of you do a different stall and put them together to make one big picture.

Iron Age in
Ireland

Celtic Festivals & Gods

Worksheet 6

Century
1BC

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Celtic God

THE VIKINGS
‘A VIKING AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Write a description of a battle between the Vikings and the Irish. Who is going to win - and how?
Describe the training of a boy in a Viking settlement. He has to learn to fight. How will he practise? Write down some exercises for him to do everyday.

Fact File
Vikings had shields, swords, battle-axes.
On their heads they wore helmets - with an iron nose-piece to protect the front of the face. For ceremonies they wore great horns on top of the helmets.
Some Vikings wore ‘coats of mail’ - rather like a coat knitted from metal string. These were very heavy and awkward to wear, but they could save a life.

Read & Write
(chapter 1)
1 What did the Vikings wear on their heads in battle?
2 What did they wear to protect their bodies in battle?
3 What was the name of the Vikings’ favourite weapon?
4 Name three other weapons mentioned in chapter 1
5 What do you think a throwing spear was like?

Explore...!
Go with a parent or your class to The Viking Experience in Christchurch in Dublin.
Try to draw some pieces of Viking armour.
Make a cardboard model of a helmet.

Dark Ages
in
Europe/Golden Age in Ireland

Weapons & Armour

Worksheet 1

Century
10 AD

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Viking helmet

THE VIKINGS
‘A VIKING AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine the scene where Brian Boru - an old man now - is kneeling in his tent praying and Viking with a battle axe rushes in. Write what happened.
Brian Boru sends a letter to a friend describing his time at Drumshee. Write the letter . Don’t forget the raid on the Abbey of Kilfenora and raid on Limerick Longport.

Fact File
Brian Boru was born in what is now Killaloe, County Clare, in around the year 940 AD. His father, who was king of Thomand, was killed by the Vikings.
When Brian’s eldest brother died, Brian became King of Thomand, and then of all Munster. In 1002 Brian became High King of all Ireland. He fought against the Vikings all of his life and finally defeated them at the battle of Clontarf in 1014. Brian was then aged 73 and he stayed in his tent praying. When the battle was over a Viking entered his tent and killed him.

Read & Write
1 What was the name of Brian Boru’s brother?
2 Why did Brian Boru leave his brother?
3 When was Brian Boru crowned High King of Munster?
4 When was he crowned King of Ireland?
5 When did he die, and how?

Explore...!
If you live in Dublin try to find the site of the battle of Clontarf.
If you live in western or central Ireland you could go to Killaloe and see the place where Brian Boru was born, and where he may have built his palace of Kincora.

Century
10 AD

Dark Ages in Europe/Golden Age in Ireland

Brian Boru

Worksheet 2

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Brian Boru

THE VIKINGS
‘A VIKING AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are building a Viking boat. Write a description of what you would do.
Imagine that you look out to sea and see about twenty Viking ships arriving. Write a description of how you would feel and what would happen.

Fact File
The Vikings were the first people to use a keel on their boats.
The boats were built of narrow planks or strakes fastened together at the bows (the front) and the stern of the boat. The gaps between the planks were stuffed with a mixture of moss and pitch. the boat was held in shape by cross pieces which had seats for the rowers.
The boat was steered by a rudder which was a piece of wood fastened on to the side or back of the boat.

Read & Write
1 What is the name of the sharp pointed ridge on the underneath of the Vikings’ boat?
2 (Chapter 9) What tree was used to make the keel of the boat?
3 (chapter 10) What was the name of the planks at the sides of the boat?
4 What was usually carved on the prow of the boat?
5 What was the sail made from?

Explore...!
Make a model of a Viking boat from balsa wood.
Make a class picture of Viking boats coming in to Dublin bay. Each person paint their own boat and stick them on to a blue background.

Century
10 AD

BOATS

Worksheet 3

Dark Ages in Europe/Golden Age in Ireland

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Viking boat.

THE VIKINGS
‘A VIKING AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you were captured by the Vikings and taken to their longport at Limerick. Write a description of what happened and how you managed to escape.
Imagine that you are digging by the River Shannon and suddenly you see a gleam of gold. Could it be Viking treasure? Write a description of what happens next.

Fact File
The Viking settlements in Ireland were mostly by the sea or by a river that led in from the sea.
Dublin, Waterford, Limerick and Cork were all Viking settlements originally. They called them longports Viking houses were made by putting a framework of posts into the ground and weaving soft rods of hazel wood in and out just like basket- work. The walls were then plastered with mud. The roof was thatched with reeds or straw or made from wooden shingles (tiles).

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 7) What were the Viking houses made from?
2 (Chapter 7) How did they make the roofs of the houses?
3 (Chapter 12) What was the pathway along the bank of the River Shannon made from?
4 (Chapter 12) How were the biggest houses in Limerick made? What was the shape of the roof?
5 (Chapter 12) What was a sauna?

Explore...!
Make a little model of a Viking longport. Use match sticks and plasticine to make the houses and straw or balsa wood to make the roofs.
Visit The Viking Experience in Dublin.

century
10 AD

Houses & Settlements

Worksheet 5

Dark Ages in Europe/Golden Age in Ireland

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Viking house.

THE VIKINGS
‘A VIKING AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you a Viking child and you are going to have new clothes. Write a description of them.
Write a description of a beautiful brooch. What would it be made from?

Fact File
Men:
Hose like leggings, often held tightly to the leg with leather strips.
Tunic like a long shirt, made from linen - often dyed red. sometimes an over-tunic was worn and that was of leather.
Cloak This was made from wool and fastened at the shoulder with a brooch.
Women
Tunic or dress was full length.
Apron worn over the tunic and fastened with two brooches at the shoulders.
Cloak made from wool.

Read & Write
1 What are hose?
2 What held a woman’s apron in place?
3 What was the cloak made from?
4 What was the tunic made from?
5 Did men wear brooches?

Explore...!
Try making a Viking class picture with each pupil contributing either a Viking man or woman.Find a picture in a book from the library and copy the clothes from this.

Century
10 AD

DRESS

Worksheet 4

Draw a Viking woman here.

Dark Ages in Europe/Golden Age in Ireland

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a woman’s dress and apron. Don’t forget the brooches.

THE VIKINGS
‘A VIKING AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
1 Imagine that you were an Irish monk and the news comes that the Vikings are on their way to raid your abbey. Write a description of your feelings and tell what you would do.
An Irish monk wrote: The wind is rough to-night.....I need not fear the fierce Vikings racing across the sea. Imagine what had happened to him a few weeks before he wrote this poem. Write a description of it in his words.

Fact File
The Vikings first came to Ireland because they were attracted by the wealth of their monasteries.
In 795 AD they attacked the monastery at Lambay Island near Dublin.
From then on, until the eleventh century, the Vikings attacked monasteries and abbeys all over Ireland. The monks built round towers, but raids went on, even on an island called Inishmurray off Mayo.

Read & Write
1 Why did the Vikings attack the monasteries and the abbeys?
2 (Chapter 8) What did the Vikings steal from Kilfenora abbey?
3 (Chapter 8) Where was Abbot Finguirt standing?
4 What were the Vikings threatening to do to him?
5 Which was the first monastery in Ireland to be attacked by the Vikings?

Explore...!
Is there a round tower near you?
If so, see if you can be taken to see it.
Find out how high it is.
How did the monks get into it?

century
10 AD

Attacks on Monasteries

Worksheet 6

Dark Ages in Europe/Golden Age in Ireland

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a a round tower.

CELTIC MONKS
‘‘THE SECRET OF THE SEVEN CROSSES’

Imagine......!
Imagine the day in the life of a Celtic monk. Write a description of what he did from the moment he got up to the time that he went to bed. He might be a gardener, or a copyist or a maker of vellum.
Imagine that you want to tell another monk how to build a Celtic monastery. Write a letter telling how to do it.

Fact File
In Celtic monasteries the monks did not live in big buildings, but were usually housed in small cells, houses or cabins - either one or two monks to a cell. The kitchen would have been a separate building and so would the church, the abbot’s house, the school, the hospital and the guest house.
There would also have been workshops for preparing vellum and inks, a forge to make metal objects, and a garden for herbs.

Read & Write
1 How big was Rory’s and Malachy’s house?
2. (Chapter 2) What was the name of the place where the monks copied the books?
3 (Chapter 2) What building was next to the Scriptorium?
4 (Chapter 2) What did the guest house look like?
5 (Chapter 4) Why did the monks grow herbs?

Explore...!
Try to visit a Celtic monastery. These are just a few:
Clonmacnoise near Athlone,
Kells in Meath,
Gougane Barra in Cork
Glendalough in Country Wicklow
Skellig’s Rock in Co. Kerry.

Century
13 AD

Celtic Monasteries

Worksheet 1

Medieval

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Celtic monastery.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are looking through some old boxes in the loft and you come across a piece of vellum. There is a secret written on it and although the inks are old and faded you can just read it...Write what happens next.
Imagine that you go back in time and a monk explains to you about vellum and you explain to him about paper. Write down what both of you say.

Fact File
There was no
paper in medieval times so manuscripts were written on:
(a) Vellum - calf’s skin
(b) Parchment - sheep’s skin.
Both skins were prepared in the same way. The hair was cleaned from the skin by putting it into a bath of lime. When the skin was soft and the hair was burnt off, then the skin was scraped with a sharp knife and rinsed in clean water until all the lime was taken out of the skin.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) What is the first thing to do to the calf’s skin?
2 (Chapter 2) What happens next?
3 (Chapter 2) After rinsing, what is done to it?
4 (Chapter 2) What is the vellum used for?
5 What is the difference between vellum and parchment?

Explore...!
A piece of vellum was about the size of a large sheet of newspaper. For small books it was folded into eight and the leaves were then cut. Try doing that and writing your own story on your little book.

Worksheet 2

CELTIC MONKS
‘THE SECRET OF THE SEVEN CROSSES’

Medieval

Illuminated Manuscripts (1)

Century
13 AD

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of an illuminated manuscript.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a monk seven hundred years ago. Write a story and draw little pictures at the side of the page.
With a big marker try making a large capital O and then decorate the letter. Imagine you are a monk and write a prayer beginning with the letter O.

Fact File
Pens:
Made from feathers or quills.
Large letters were written with a swan’s feather and very tiny letters with a feather from a sparrow or even a wren. Most letters were written with a goose feather.
Inks:
Very colourful inks were made from berries and plants or by grinding or precious stones: lapis lazuli(blue), malachite (green) into powder and mixing it with beaten white of egg or honey.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 4) What was the name of the room where the monks copied the books?
2 ( Chapter 4) What was the name of the book that Malachy was going to copy to teach him about herbs?
3 (Chapter 4) What was Malachy’s paintbrush made from?
4 ( Chapter 4) What plant did he paint around the capital A?
5 (Chapter 5) How did Malachy plan his page for the plant Lady’s Mantle?

Explore...!
Try making your own inks.
Red Ink: Ask your parent to cook raspberries in the microwave oven. When powdery mix with honey or white of egg.
Black Ink:
Mix soot with honey.
Purple Ink:
Blackberries(as raspberries)

Illuminated Manuscripts (2)

Worksheet 3

CELTIC MONKS
‘THE SECRET OF THE SEVEN CROSSES’

Medieval

Century
13 AD

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a quill.

Imagine......!
Imagine finding an old stone cross in a field near you. It has a hand on it and the hand seems to be pointing at a flagstone on the ground. What might be under that flagstone? Write a description of what happens next.
Imagine that you are carving a stone cross. Write a description of the patterns or picture that you would put on it.

Fact File
Celtic stone crosses were always made with a rounded circle at the top.
They were often used as boundary marks - almost like fence for the land around the Abbey or Monastery.
The Celtic stone crosses were also used to teach
people bible
stories as very few could read and write. Many stone crosses have the storiy of ‘Daniel in the Lion’s Den’ on them.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) What was Rory’s job at the Abbey?
2 (Chapter 2) How many crosses were going to be made?
3 (Chapter 6) Where was the High Cross?
4 (Chapter 6 )What picture was planned for the east side of the High Cross?
5 (Chapter 8) What is the name of the pattern on the bottom of the cross pictured on page 68?

Explore...!
Get a piece of coloured card and a long piece of string. Copy the pattern on page 68. When you are happy with your pattern, stick the string to the card. This pattern is called interlacing.

Celtic Stone Crosses

Worksheet 4

CELTIC MONKS
‘THE SECRET OF THE SEVEN CROSSES’

Medieval

Century
13 AD

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a stone cross.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are an Irish monk going to found a monastery in Wales. You sail across the Irish sea in a small boat. Write a description of your adventures.
Imagine building a boat for St Brendan - frame made of wood - frame covered with ‘oxhides, tanned with the bark of the oak tree’. Write a description of how you would make the sail and test the boat.

Fact File
Irish monks travelled all over Europe and some people even believe that St Brendan, who lived in the 6th century, actually travelled as far as America.
Irish monks are still famous for the many monasteries that they founded in Europe.
St Columbanus - France and Italy.
St Gall - France and Switzerland.
St Killian and St Fergal - Germany.
St Ronan - France.
St Colmcille - Scotland.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) Where did Brother Fiacre go and what did he take with him?
2 (Chapter 5) Where had Brother Mark come from?
3 Which Irish monk went to Switzerland?
4 Which Irish monk founded a monastery in Italy?
5 Which Irish monk may have gone to America?

Explore...!
If you visit Craggaunowen in County Clare you will see a model of a boat made in the same way that the early monks and St Brendan would have made it.

Journeys of the Monks

Worksheet 5

CELTIC MONKS
‘THE SECRET OF THE SEVEN CROSSES’

Medieval

Century
13 AD

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a St Brendan’s boat.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a metal worker at a monastery. You have to make a chalice....Write a description of how you do it.
Imagine digging in your garden one day and you find what you think is a battered old metal cup in the ground. You clean it up and then...Write a description of what happens next.

Fact File
Monasteries in Ireland were very wealthy. Many of them held thousands of acres of land and they got great gifts of money and jewellery and gold.
They also held fairs - as in Kilfenora - and took money from each person who came to sell their cattle or butter or sheep.
The money which the monks got, they used for beautiful chalices (cups) and silk altar cloths and manuscripts.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What did Rory say was the ancient treasure of Kilfenora?
2 (Chapter 5) What did Brother Mark say was the value of the Psalter of King David?
3 (Chapter 12) What did Rory, Malachy and Mary find under the tomb of St Fachtnan?
4 (Chapter 12) What is a chalice and what would it have been used for?

Explore...!
Try to see the Ardagh Chalice at the National Museum in Dublin.
If you can’t see the original, ask the librarian for a book where you can see a picture of it.

Medieval

Wealth of Abbeys

Worksheet 6

CELTIC MONKS
‘THE SECRET OF THE SEVEN CROSSES’

TIMELINE

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a chalice or
communion cup..

ELIZABETHAN ERA
‘THE SECRET OF DRUMSHEE
CASTLE’

Imagine......!
1 Imagine that you discover a ruined castle in the middle of a wood. Describe how you went through it, and what you found there - something which had been hidden for centuries.
2 Imagine a battle of four hundred years ago. You can be inside the castle - or perhaps one of the attackers.Write an exciting story about what happened.

Fact File
Castles in Ireland were first built by the Anglo Normans, but the Irish chieftains soon realised that they provided a safe place to live during troubled times.
Most of the Irish castles were tower houses - usually about four stories high and with a spiral staircase connecting the rooms. They were easily defended as they were usually built on high ground, or within the walls of a fort. They had battlements, machicolations (to drop boiling oil on enemies) and opes (holes for shooting arrows or musket balls).

Read & Write
(Chapter 1)
1 What was around the castle?
2 Grace went up steps to go into the Great Hall. What was the room under the Great Hall?
3 What was the ceiling of the Great Hall made from?
4 What hung on the walls?
5 What is a brazier?

Explore...!
Try making a model of a castle or tower house by getting four or five shoeboxes and sticking them together. Furnish the Great Hall according to the description in chapter 1 of ‘The Secret of Drumshee Castle’.

Century
16 AD

Elizabethan/
The suppression of Gaelic Ireland

Castles

Worksheet 1

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a castle.

TIMELINE

ELIZABETHAN
‘THE SECRET OF DRUMSHEE
CASTLE’

Imagine......!
Imagine someone from Gaelic Ireland said that fosterage was the best way of bringing up children - what would you reply? Write down your answer.
Imagine that you were five years old and you were sent to a foster home. What would you feel? Would you like it? Write a description of what happened.

Fact File
In Gaelic Ireland, that is until the sixteenth century in the west of Ireland, most people had their children foster.
A girl was fostered until she was fourteen.
A boy was fostered until he was eighteen.
A foster parent trained the child in the duties that s/he would have when grown up such as managing a household, sword play, playing chess, doing the work of a smith etc.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) Who was Grace’s foster mother?
2 (Chapter 2) What age was Grace when she went to her foster mother?
3 (Chapter 2) Who was Grace’s foster brother?
4 (Chapter 1) Was Bridget’s cottage like Grace’s own home, Drumshee Castle?
5 Who loved Grace the most, her aunt or her foster mother Bridget?

Explore...!
Make a list of what a foster parent nowadays would have to teach their foster child.
Do you know anyone who is fostered?
Do you think that they are happy?

Century
16 AD

Elizabethan/
The suppression of Gaelic Ireland

Fosterage

Worksheet 2

Draw...!
Draw a picture of an Elizabethan child.

TIMELINE

ELIZABETHAN
‘THE SECRET OF DRUMSHEE
CASTLE’

Imagine......!
Imagine you were invited to choose a new outfit for a feast in the time of Queen Elizabeth 1. What would you choose? Write a description of it.
Imagine that you are asked to write a letter describing an outfit for a man or a woman. Write exactly how you would design it and detail all the colours and the patterns.

Fact File
Elizabethan Men:
The wealthy Irishmen dressed like the English - padded hose, doublet (waistcoat) frilled shirt with very full sleeves, starched ruff around the neck, hair chin length, beard, short and pointed.
The native Irish were dressed in a long woollen cloak or mantle and had baggy linen shirts or leine down to their knees.
Wealthy Irishwomen wore a farthingale and kirtle (underdress) and ruff. Other Irish women wore a leine and a woollen cloak.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1& 2) What is Grace wearing in Drumshee Castle?
2 (Chapter 2) What did she change into when she was going to see Bridget?
3 (Chapter 6) What were Grace’s prettiest clothes?
4 (Chapter 9) Which dress of Judith’s do you like best?
5 (Chapter 11) What did Grace wear to visit Queen Elizabeth?

Explore...!
Trace or draw some Elizabethan dresses and fit them on to a cardboard doll
Draw the scene where Grace meets William Thompson and his son Robert.

Century
16 AD

Elizabethan /
The suppression of Gaelic Ireland

Clothes

Worksheet 3

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a an Elizabethan dress for either a man or a woman.

TIMELINE

ELIZABETHAN
‘THE SECRET OF DRUMSHEE
CASTLE’

Imagine......!
Imagine getting your first pony in Elizabethan times. Describe it.
Write a letter to someone explaining how to use a side-saddle..

Fact File
Roads: Would have been much fewer than nowadays and either very muddy or very dusty.
Carriages: Usually drawn by four horses matched in colour.
Horses: Since the roads were so bad most people rode to where they wanted to go.
Ships: Bad roads made people use ships. Grace O’Malley who lived at the same time as Grace Barry of Drumshee, went to Dublin and to London by ship.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 4) What sort of horse did Brendan Davoren bring for Grace to ride?
2 (Chapter 4) What kind of saddle did a young lady like Grace have to use?
3 (Chapter 5) What did Mary Fitzgerald and her husband use to go into Galway?
4 (Chapter 8) Were the soldiers in tanks?
5 (Chapter 12 ) What was the name of Grace’s new pony?

Explore...!
Make a little book about the different breeds of horse.
or
Find some pictures about Elizabethan carriages and carts and make a booklet illustrating these.

Century
16 AD

Elizabethan/
The suppression of Gaelic Ireland

Transport

Worksheet 4

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a carriage.

TIMELINE

ELIZABETHAN
‘THE SECRET OF DRUMSHEE
CASTLE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that are at the court of Queen Elizabeth and write a description of what happened the evening that Judith and Grace came there.
Write a play of the interview between Queen Elizabeth, Grace, Mary Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald. Start a new line every time that someone new starts to speak.

Fact File
Elizabeth 1, daughter of Henry V111 by his second wife, Anne Boleyn, was born in the year 1533 and became Queen of England in the year 1558. Although she was not a good queen for Ireland - she ‘planted’ English settlers in all the places with good land and drove the native Irish into the poorer lands -
she was a very good queen for England and England became rich and prosperous during her reign.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 11) What was Grace’s first impression of Queen Elizabeth?
2 (Chapter 12) What was the name of Queen Elizabeth’s Master of Horse?
3 (Chapter 11) When Brendan Davoren surrendered his land to Queen Elizabeth, how much land did he get back?
4 (Chapter 11) Why did Queen Elizabeth dislike the Irish?
5 (Chapter 11) What did the court of Queen Elizabeth look like?

Explore...!
Draw or trace a map of England and Ireland. Mark out the route that Brendan Davoren’s ship might have taken to go from County Clare in the west of Ireland to London in the east of England.

Century
16 AD

Elizabethan/
The suppression of Gaelic Ireland

Queen Elizabeth 1

Worksheet 5

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Queen Elizabeth 1.

TIMELINE

ELIZABETHAN
‘THE SECRET OF DRUMSHEE
CASTLE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Don Octavia (Chapter 14) and write a description of the story of what happened on that day in September 1588.
Imagine that you are reporting back to Queen Elizabeth about the battle between the English ships and the Spanish ships. Write a description. Make it an exciting account.

Fact File
The Armada was a fleet of 130 Spanish ships sent by Phillip of Spain to fight the English in the year 1587.
The Armada was first sighted off the west coast of England on July 29 and was attacked by Lord Howard. He finally defeated it by sending burning ships into the middle of the Armada. The remaining ships were not able to sail back through the English channel but had to sail around Scotland & Ireland. Many were shipwrecked. Only 67 returned to Spain.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 13) Where was the fierce battle against the Armada fought?
2 (Chapter 13) What was launched against the Spanish galleons (ships).
3 (Chapter 14) What was the weather like in September 1588?
4 (Chapter 14) Why was the Spanish ship so helpless in the storm.
5 How many Spanish ships returned safely to Spain in the autumn of 1588?

Explore...!
The whole class could make a big picture of the Spanish galleons and the English ships and the fireboats among Spanish ships.
Look in an atlas to see the way the Spanish ships came over to England.

Century
16 AD

Elizabethan/
The suppression of Gaelic Ireland

The Armada

Worksheet 6

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Spanish galleon.

TIMELINE

REVOLUTION
‘THE SECRET OF
1798’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you were watching the mob storming the palace at Versailles and carrying away the king and the queen. Write a description of what happened. Use your history book to get all the details.
Imagine that you are Serge. Write a description of how you became a soldier and how you came to Ireland.

Fact File
The ordinary people in France were very poor and the nobles were very, very rich. In 1789 the ordinary people could stand matters no longer. They rioted and set the prisoners of the Bastille free and then attacked the palace of Versailles. Eventually King Louis XV1, and the Queen Marie
Antoinette were guillotined (their heads were chopped off) and Napoleon Bonaparte became the leader of the French people.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 4) How long before 1798 was the French Revolution ?
2 (Chapter 4) What was France like now, according to Serge?
3 (Chapter 4) Fill in the gaps for the slogan of the French Revolution:
L..b........y
E......l...t...y
F......t....r......t... (brotherhood)
4 (Chapter 4) What changes might a revolution make to Ireland, did Serge think?

Explore...!
Organise a debate (discussion) about rich and poor in your class. The
subject could be:
‘Should all people be equal?’

Century
18 AD

Eighteenth Century

The French Revolution

Worksheet 6

Draw...!
Draw a picture of the French flag.

TIMELINE

REVOLUTION
‘THE SECRET OF
1798’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are at Bantry Bay watching the ships coming in. Everyone is excited - help for Ireland at last! - but a storm gets up......Write a description of what happened.
Imagine that you a Frenchman coming into Bantry Bay. Write a description of what happened.

Fact File
Wolfe Tone was born in 1763. He was a Protestant, but he pitied the Irish Catholics and he was interested in the ideas of the French Revolution.
He believed the Irishmen of all religions - Catholic, Protestant, Presbyterian should not disagree, but should become United Irishmen.
He organised troops to come from France to fight the English in Ireland. In December 1796 he arrived at Bantry Bay with 15,000 French men, but it was a failure due to stormy weather.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 4) What had Caitriona heard about Wolfe Tone?
2 (Chapter 4) Why did her stepmother, Ann, think Wolfe Tone was dangerous?
3 (Chapter 4) What did Caitriona’s father think about Wolfe Tone?
4 Was Wolfe Tone a Catholic?
5 What country did he hope to get help from?

Explore...!
Try to visit Bantry Bay and see the exhibition there.
Draw a picture of the French ships coming into Bantry Bay on Christmas Day 1796.

Eighteenth Century

Wolfe Tone

Worksheet 2

Draw...!
Draw a picture of Wolfe Tone.

Century
18 AD

TIMELINE

REVOLUTION
‘THE SECRET OF
1798’

Imagine......!
Imagine the scene in the yard of the castle. Write a description of the country people coming in to get new uniforms and new guns. What would they be saying to each other?
Imagine watching the battle at Castlebar. Write a description of the event and make your account like a football commentary on the TV.

Fact File
In 1798 more French troops, led by General Humbert arrived in Ireland. They landed in Killala Bay in Mayo on August 24 1798.
They were very successful in the beginning and they captured Castlebar and then went on to Tuam.
unfortunately, when they reached County Longford, the French were defeated and taken prisoner and sent back to France. No mercy was shown to the Irish and they were tortured and killed.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 5) Tom told Caitriona that many Irish were joining the French for the sake of 2 things. What were they?
2 (Chapter 4) Did the Irish in Mayo know much about the French?
3 (Chapter 4) The French and the Irish beat the English troops at what town in Mayo?
4 (Chapter 4) Why was it called the ‘Castlebar Races’?
5 (Chapter 4) What happened to the French soldiers?

Explore...!
Try to visit Killala and see where the French came ashore and took possession of the castle.

Eighteenth Century

Mayo 1798

Worksheet 4

Draw...!
Draw a picture of an eighteenth century gun.

Century
18 AD

TIMELINE

REVOLUTION
‘THE SECRET OF
1798’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you have no potatoes left and you see the bailiff coming. You know that he will ask for more rent. What do you do? Write down what happens.
Write a letter to someone in America begging for money for the fare to America. Give your reasons for wanting to leave Ireland..

Fact File
In the eighteenth century the population of Ireland rose from two millions at the beginning of the century to almost five million by 1800.
The wealthy landlords were very well off, but the tenant farmers were very poor. They were forced to divide their land among their sons. The increase in population meant that more people wanted whatever land was available, no matter how poor it was. Farms became smaller and rents increased.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) How do you know that Caitriona’s family is poor?
2 (Chapter 2) Why was July always a difficult month for poor people in Ireland?
3 (Chapter 3) What did the Bailiff say? Why does Ann think that they can’t afford food for the dog?
4 (Chapter 3) What did Tom have to pay as well as his rent?
5 (Chapter 3) What would happen if Tom did not pay the rent?

Explore...!
Make a list of all the food that you would eat during a month. What part of your diet would potatoes be:
the whole?
half?
quarter?
one tenth?
one hundredth?

Eighteenth Century

The Irish Poor

Worksheet 1

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a bailiff.

Century
18 AD

TIMELINE

REVOLUTION
‘THE SECRET OF
1798’

Imagine......!
Imagine what Father Carrigg said in his sermon. Write down his words.
Imagine going secretly to hear Mass at a Mass Rock. Write a description of the danger, the tension....

Fact File
The people of Kilfenora were quite lucky to have their own church, or chapel, in 1798. Most Catholics still had to hear Mass secretly - in a an old shed or at a Mass rock - a big rock out in the fields where some of the Catholics could keep a look out to warn everyone to run away if the English soldiers were coming.
Catholics had to find money to pay their own priest, as well as paying ‘tithes’ every year to the Protestant clergy..

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 11) What did the chapel in Kilfenora look like in 1798?
2 (Chapter 11) What were the four ‘rights’ that Father Carrigg wanted the Catholics to have?
3 (Chapter 11) What happened after the sermon ended?
4 (Chapter 11) What did the soldiers do to the priest?
5 (Chapter 11) Where was the priest going to be taken to?

Explore...!
If you live in the country, see if there are any places around that might have been a Mass rock in the eighteenth century. Ask at your local library or museum.

Eighteenth Century

Catholic Religion

Worksheet 5

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Mass rock.

Century
18 AD

TIMELINE

REVOLUTION
‘THE SECRET OF
1798’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a dress designer in late eighteenth century. Describe a dress that you have designed.
Imagine Caitriona’s first party when she arrives in France. What will she wear and how will she enjoy herself. Will she sing?

Fact File
In the early eighteen century dresses were very stiff and had very wide skirts and were very frilled and flounced. Lots of petticoats stuffed with horse hair were worn underneath in order to hold the skirts out.
Towards the end of the eighteenth century there was a great change and dresses became very simple and soft and hung down straight.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What sort of clothes would Caitriona have worn in the beginning of the book?
2 (Chapter 12) What was the name of the material that Aimee was wearing?
3 (Chapter 11) What were the fine ladies and gentlemen going to the Protestant church dressed like?
4 (Chapter 15) How were her muslin dresses made?
5 (Chapter 15) Describe Caitriona’s morning robe.

Explore...!
Draw a picture of an eighteenth century dress. Find some books in the library (the librarian will help you) and either copy a pattern or do one like the description of Caitriona’s dress.

Eighteenth Century

Dress

Worksheet 6

Draw...!
Draw a picture of an eighteenth century dress for a man or for a woman..

Century
18 AD

TIMELINE

THE FAMINE
‘FAMINE SECRET’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are part of a large poor family one hundred and fifty years ago. You come out one morning to find blight on your potatoes.....Write a description of what happens.
Imagine that you are a scientist. You have to find a cure for blight. How do you do it? Keep a diary of your efforts to find a cure.

Fact File
Potatoes are very nourishing and good for you. Eaten with milk they provide everything that your body needs. At the time of the Famine the poor Irish grew a potato called a ‘Lumper’. It produced a very large crop even on poor soil, but unfortunately it very easily got diseased.
In 1845 a terrible disease called ‘blight’ killed the potatoes. It was a fungus that grew very fast in damp weather and was spread by the wind.

Read & Write
Chapter 1
1 How did Martin know that there was something wrong with the potatoes?
2 What did they smell like?
3 What happened when the potatoes were broken open?
4 What did Mr Arkins say would happen to his family without any potatoes?
5 What is the name of the terrible fungus that killed the potatoes?

Explore...!
Weigh enough potatoes to feed yourself for the day - remember that will be your only food. Try to imagine how many potatoes you would need to feed a family of ten or twelve people for 365 days.

Century
19 AD

Victorian
Era

The Potato

Worksheet 1

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a potato plant.

TIMELINE

THE FAMINE
‘FAMINE SECRET’

Imagine......!
Imagine going into a small, overcrowded, one-roomed cabin in the west of Ireland. Write a description of what you might see there.
There was a doctor in Kilfenora, called Edmond Armstrong, who was Medical Attendant (doctor for the poor people) during the time of the famine. He died in the year 1852 aged 73 years. Write a description of a day in his life during the the cold, snowy winter of 1847.

Fact File
Typhus Fever (The Black Fever) was caused by lice from an infected person. the face swells and he turns a black colour which gave typhus the name of black fever. The patient's temperatures rises, in a severe case the limbs twitch violently, he raves in a delirium, has a spotted rash, acute pains, vomits. There was always an appalling smell from the patients. Typhus almost always killed.
Relapsing Fever (The Yellow Fever) was also transmitted by lice. The patient has a high fever and vomiting and the skin turned yellow. People often had several relapses after they seemed to be cured.
Both of these diseases spread fast because of the over-crowding and filthy conditions in which the people lived.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) What was the first sign that something was wrong with Nora McMahon?
2 (Chapter 2) What colour were the blotches on her legs?
3 (Chapter 3) Did Nora McMahon die of Yellow Fever, or of Black Fever?
4 (Chapter 3) What do you think happened to the children’s father?
5 (Chapter 7) Which fever did Daniel get?

Explore...!
Make a list of diseases that people get nowadays. Talk about which ones might kill you, which ones would kill you and which ones are just a nuisance.

Victorian

The Diseases

Worksheet 2

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Victorian doctor.

Century
19 AD

TIMELINE

THE FAMINE
‘FAMINE SECRET’

Imagine......!
Imagine the feelings of two old people who were separated for the first time in sixty years when they were taken to the workhouse. Would they feel lonely, frightened.....Write a description of what they felt.
A child in Ennistymon died outside the gates of the workhouse. Write the story of that child and how he came to be alone and starving outside the gates of the workhouse.

Fact File
In 1845 so many people were dying of hunger that 123 workhouses were set up. Ennistymon workhouse in County Clare was one of these workhouses.
Workhouses were meant to be unpleasant so that no one would go there unless they absolutely had to. The people there were very badly fed with Indian corn being the main food. .
Workhouses did try to give a children a trade such as sewing or shoemaking so that they could earn their living afterwards.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 3) Why was Fiona frightened to go to the workhouse?
2 (Chapter 4) How were the children separated when they reached the workhouse?
3 (Chapter 4) What happened in the bathhouse?
4 (Chapter 4) Why do you think that their hair was cut and their clothes were burnt? (read the worksheet on diseases.)

Explore...!
Try to make a plan of the downstairs part of the Ennistymon Workhouse. Include the bathhouse, the punishment cell, the sewing room, the dining room and any other rooms mentioned.

Victorian

The Workhouse

Worksheet 3

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a workhouse.

Century
19 AD

TIMELINE

THE FAMINE
‘FAMINE SECRET’

Imagine......!
Imagine Mr O’Brien arrives in America and tells a friend all about what is happening in Ireland and the sad story of the McMahon family. Write down what he says.
Imagine that you are a good landlord, write down a list of things that you could do to help the poor people on your farms.

Fact File
Landlords in Ireland in the nineteenth century owned huge amounts of land. One landlord in County Clare owned 27,000 acres of land. These landlords were very wealthy and most of them cared nothing for the poor people who lived on the land. Rents in Ireland were higher than anywhere else in Europe. However, some landlords were good and helped the starving people as much as they could. Many of these landlords beggared themselves and had to leave their land.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What did Fiona get as a present from the landlord, Mr O’Brien?
2 (Chapter 3) Why did Mr O’Brien send the four children to the workhouse?
3 (Chapter 8) What happened to Mr O’Brien and where did he have to go?
4 (Chapter 13) Who bought the farm after it had been abandoned by Mr O’Brien?
5 (Chapter 13) How much was the rent asked for by the new landlord?

Explore...!
Look at a map of the world. Try to decide what part of America Mr O’Brien might have gone to.
He lived in County Clare - where would his ship have set out from?

Victorian

The Landlords

Worksheet 5

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a map of America.

Century
19 AD

TIMELINE

THE FAMINE
‘FAMINE SECRET’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you meet Deirdre at the fair in Ennis. Ask her how she learnt to make lace and write down her story.
Imagine what Martin thinks about Deirdre being able to earn so much money. Write down his thoughts. Would he think it fair that he gets so little for doing the hard work of farming?

Fact File
. In various parts of Ireland charitable people set up lace-making schools and, especially near Carrickmacross in Co. Monaghan, whole families were being kept from starving by the skill of one girl in the family.
Carrickmacross lace was made by embroidering the pattern straight on to the net, whereas Limerick lace was made by stitching the pieces of fine cotton on to the net and cutting away what did not form part of the pattern.
Both types of lace were very fashionable and high prices were paid. Queen Victoria, herself, ordered several outfits with Irish lace on them.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 5) Why did Deirdre want to learn to make lace?
2 (Chapter 8) How much money did Miss O’Connell get for the lace skirt?
3 (Chapter 8) What is a lacemaker’s lamp?
4 (Chapter 8) What pattern did Deirdre invent for Lady Rosalind’ skirt?
5 (Chapter 8) How much money was this skirt sold for?

Explore...!
See if you can get hold of some pieces of lace (from an old lace curtain, perhaps) and glue patterns on to card just the way Limerick lace was made.
Look at the picture on page 95.

Victorian

Lacemaking

Worksheet 4

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a lace pattern.

Century
19 AD

TIMELINE

THE FAMINE
‘FAMINE SECRET’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Fiona. Write a story to send to Charles Dickens.
Charles Dickens writes a letter to Fiona. Imagine what he would say. Write his letter.

Fact File
Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth in 1812, and spent most of his childhood in London and Kent, both of which appear frequently in his novels. He started school at the age of nine, but his education was interrupted when his father was imprisoned for debt in 1824. He grew up to be a very famous novelist, but was always concerned for the poor. He died in 1870 when he was fifty eight years old. Among his most famous books are David Copperfield, Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend, Hard Times & Oliver Twist.

Read & Write
1 What was the name of the book by Charles Dickens which Fiona received as a prize?
2 Why did that book make Fiona so scared to go to the workhouse? (chapter 3)
3 Where did Charles Dickens live?
4 Name another of Charles Dickens’ books. (chapter 8)
5 How old would Charles Dickens be in 1847?

Explore...!
Ask your parents or teacher’s permission to look on the Internet and find out more about Charles Dickens. If you don’t have access to the Internet, try your local library.

Victorian

Charles Dickens

Worksheet 6

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Charles Dickens.

Century
19 AD

TIMELINE

TITANIC
‘A VOYAGE FROM DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you have come from a poor family and have paid your nine pounds for a third class ticket to New York. What would strike you about the Titanic?
Imagine going to a toy shop to choose a doll like Tabitha’s doll (about five hundred pounds, remember). Write a description of the doll.
Imagine that you go back in time and you meet Robert. Tell him what your favourite toys are now in the year 2001.

Fact File
Prices:
Tabitha’s doll would have cost about ten pounds. In today’s money that would be equivalent to about £500.
(Money is worth about fifty times more now.)
In chapter 6 the steward tells Kitty that some of the passengers are paying as much as £850 for a suite of rooms on the Titanic. The third class passengers are paying only £9 for their ticket to New York.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1 ) Why did old Annie say that they would have sold anything in the chest if they had known about it.
2 (Chapter 2) Why didn’t Kitty’s mother apprentice her to a dressmaker?
3 (Chapter 2) Why do you think twenty pounds didn’t mean much to Lady Victoria?
4 What would be the price of the third class ticket to New York in today’s money?
5 What would be the price of a suite of rooms on the Titanic in today’s money?

Explore...!
Ask your grandparents or any elderly person that you know about the price of sweets or toys when they were young. Make a list and see the differences.

Edwardian

Rich & Poor

Worksheet 1

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a doll from around 1912.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

TITANIC
‘A VOYAGE FROM DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are the dressmaker and write a description of the visit of Lady Victoria and the arrival of Kitty and Maggie and Mike. Make sure that you describe their appearance; a dressmaker would have been very interested in that.
Imagine that you are a modern boy and your mother buys you a sailor suit. Write a description of what you would feel.

Fact File
An Edwardian gentleman wore a three piece suit, a white shirt with a shin stiff collar which could be taken off the shirt and laundered separately. Out of doors, he wore a button-up overcoat, reaching to the knees and top hat, or a bowler hat.
An Edwardian lady wore a long, fairly narrow skirt reaching to her ankles, a jacket tucked in at the waist, often with a fur collar. She always wore a hat, usually rather large with a feather in it.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What was Lady Victoria wearing on her visit to the dressmaker?
2 (Chapter 4) What was Tabitha wearing?
3 (Chapter 4) What was Robert wearing?
4 (Chapter 4) What was Kitty’s uniform for her job as nursemaid?
5 (Chapter 4) What was Tabitha’s doll wearing?

Explore...!
If you have a video of ‘Titanic’ ask your parents if you may look at the clothes there.
Ask a librarian for a book about fashions in Edwardian days. Was there a difference between the clothes of the rich and those of the poor?

Edwardian

Clothes

Worksheet 2

Draw...!
Draw a picture of an Edwardian lady or man.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

TITANIC
‘A VOYAGE FROM DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter. You write an article describing either the gymnasium or the restaurant.
You are a child travelling to America. You meet Robert and Tabitha. Write a description of what might have happened.

Fact File
The Titanic was laid out like a most luxurious hotel. The lounge and the writing and reading room and the smoking room all had walls made of polished mahogany, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The grand staircase was made from pale oakwood, beautifully carved and polished..
On B deck were all the great suites of room which only millionaires could afford They were furnished with marble baths and 4 poster beds.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 6) What was Lady Victoria’s cabin like?
2 (Chapter 6) What did the steward think was a silly waste of money?
3 (Chapter 6) Where did the maids and valets eat?
4 (Chapter 8) What did Kitty have to eat when she was sent a tray of food by Lady Victoria?
5 (Chapter 7) What was the gymnasium like?

Explore...!
Try to find a book in the library which will tell you all about the food they ate on board the Titanic. Decide which items were for the first class passengers and which for the third class passengers.

Edwardian

Life on the Titanic

Worksheet 4

Draw...!
Draw a menu for a first class dinner.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

TITANIC
‘A VOYAGE FROM DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you were living over a hundred years ago and that you came forward in time. Write a description of what a busy motorway or dual carriageway looks like now.
Imagine a world without cars. Do you think that the invention of cars was a good thing? Write down the arguments for, or against (or even both!). Organise a class debate and get everyone to use their imaginations.

Fact File
. The first gas-powered vehicles looked like horse buggies. They were usually called horseless carriages. A man with a red flag walked ahead to warn people in case their horses were frightened.
In 1909 the first Rolls Royce was made.
In the early days, the cars could not go above thirty miles an hour.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 5) What is the name of Lady Victoria’s motor car?
2 (Chapter 5) What are the seats made of in Lady Victoria’s motor car?
3 (Chapter 5) Who drove Lady Victoria’s motor car and what was his name?
4 (Chapter 5) Why was there a glass partition between the driver and the passengers?
5 (Chapter 5) What is the name of the ‘boot’ in Lady Victoria’s motor car?

Explore...!
Ask your parents’ or teacher’s permission to look up the history of cars on the Internet - or get a book out of the library. Try to find a Daimler and a Bentley and a Silver Ghost (Rolls Royce)

Edwardian

Cars

Worksheet 3

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a car from 1912.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

TITANIC
‘A VOYAGE FROM DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you were a third class passenger and you were trying to get through the locked gates to the upper deck where the lifeboats were stored. Write a description of your feelings.
Imagine someone hanging on to a deckchair in that sea filled with ice. Write a description of how he or she is feeling. Are they rescued, or do they die?

Fact File
The building of the Titanic began in Harland & Wollf shipyards in Belfast in the year 1908. It was completed in March 1912.
On the 10 April 1912 it reached Southampton where most of the passengers boarded. It then went on to Cherbourg in north-west France.
11 April the Titanic arrived at Queenstown, County Cork.
On 14 April it collided with an iceberg and on 15 April it sank.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 6) What day, date and time did the Titanic leave Queenstown in County Cork?
2 (Chapter 9) What day did Kitty see Captain Smith receive the ice warning?
3 (Chapter 9) What speed was the ship travelling at that time?
4 (Chapter 10) What was the time, day and date when the first people left on the lifeboat?
5 (Chapter 14) How many people were lost on the night when the Titanic sank?

Explore...!
Think about why the officer held back the third class passengers with a gun and didn’t allow them on the lifeboat. What was the reason for that. Choose one person in your class to act the part of the officer and ask him to explain..

Edwardian

The Titanic (its history)

Worksheet 5

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a shipyard.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

TITANIC
‘A VOYAGE FROM DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you were designing a modern day Titanic. Write down the extra things that you would put in it nowadys in order to keep the passengers amused until they reached America.
Imagine that you were one of the workers in the Harland and Wolf shipyard in Belfast. How do you hear the news about the sinking of the Titanic and what do you feel about it? Write a description.

Fact File
The ship was 882 feet long, 94 feet wide and 180 feet high. It was able to go at a speed of 24 knots.
It had only 16 lifeboats - giving 1178 spaces for 2252 people on board - only enough spaces for less than half of the passengers and crew.
The Titanic did have a Marconi room - unusual at the time - and the operators continued sending out signals until the very last moment when the ship was sinking.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) What 3 things did Lady Victoria tell Kitty about the ship which would take them to America?
2 (Chapter 4) What 3 things did Robert tell her?
3 (Chapter 6) Why did the Titanic not come right into Queenstown harbour?
4 (Chapter 7) How many flights of steps were there altogether?
5 (Chapter 11) How did the Marconi operator send a signal?

Explore...!
Look at a map and see the journey that the Titanic would have taken from southern Ireland to America. Can you understand why the ship met icebergs.

Edwardian

The Titanic (the ship)

Worksheet 4

Draw...!
Draw a picture of the Titanic.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

1921
‘THE DRUMSHEE REBELS’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Michael Collins. Write a letter to Richard Mulcahy (another IRA man) telling him about the visit to Drumshee and about the list.
Imagine that you have offered to look after the list for Michael Collins. Write a description how you met him (checking carefully for spies) and how you told him of your safe hiding place.

Fact File
Michael Collins was born in West Cork in 1890.
He joined the Volunteers in 1916 and took part in the 1916 rising and was put in prison after it failed.
Michael Collins organised the IRA (Irish Republican Army) to fight using ‘hit-and-run’ tactics. He also set up a network of spies to report to him the plans of the British Government and was in charge of the money collected for the campaign.

Read & Write
(Chapter 1)
1 What part of Ireland did Michael Collins come from?
2 How old was he in 1921?
3 What did the Black & Tans do to Michael Collins’s brother?
4 Why did Michael Collins keep a list and why was it dangerous?
5 Who helped Michael Collins to spy on the English in Dublin Castle?

Explore...!
Ask your parents if you may watch part of the video of the film:
Michael Collins.
Visit the birthplace of Michael Collins near Clonakilty in Cork.

War of Independence

Michael Collins

Worksheet 1

Draw...!
Draw a picture of Michael Collins.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

1921
THE DRUMSHEE REBELS

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a member of the Black & Tans. Write a letter back to your mother in England. Do you think that the Black & Tans enjoyed Ireland?
Imagine that you are the son or daughter of Michael Collins’s brother. Write a description of the scene in Chapter One where the Black & Tans came to the house.

Fact File
The British Government sent armed ex-soldiers to Ireland. One group was known as the Black and Tans because they wore black jackets and tan trousers.
The Black & Tans had very little training and very little discipline. They were greatly hated in Ireland and were responsible for many atrocities. Many more people joined the IRA because of the stories of what the Black & Tans were doing across Ireland.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What terrible deed of the Black & Tans did Mike McMahon tell Michael Collins about?
2 (Chapter 2) How did Mrs Arkins explain the Black & Tans to John Joe?
3 (Chapter 5) What did the Black & Tans do to Bridget?
4 (Chapter 6) What made the Black & Tans crash into Mary O’Callaghan’s horse and cart?
5 (Chapter 10) What did the Black & Tans do to the Kilfenora Band?

Explore...!
Are there any stories about the Black & Tans in your neighbourhood? Some old people may remember stories told to them by their parents.
Try tape-recording some of these stories.

War of Independence

The Black & Tans

Worksheet 2

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Black and Tan.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

1921
‘THE DRUMSHEE REBELS’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a member of the IRA. Write an account of what happened when you tried to derail the train on the West Clare Railway.
Imagine that you are Mrs Meeney. Write down all the reasons why you don’t like the IRA

Fact File
IRA (Irish Republican Army) were organised by Michael Collins to be a guerrilla army - they were trained not for set battles but to be a hit-and-run force. They would ambush the British Army and the police and then disappear into hiding.
Famous members of the IRA at that time were Tom Barry of West Cork and Sean McEoin of Longford.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) Does Mrs Arkins think it it is a good idea for Mike McMahon to be in the IRA?
2 (Chapter 3) Why did the IRA have to drill in the middle of the night?
3 (Chapter 3) Who were the Fianna?
4 (Chapter 5) Why did the IRA want to de-rail the train on the West Clare Railway?
5 (Chapter 5) What did Mrs Meeney from the crossing cottage say about the IRA?

Explore...!
Look in a daily newspaper and see how many mentions you can find of the IRA.
Do you think that they are achieving anything?
Discuss this with a friend or with your class.

War of Independence

IRA

Worksheet 3

Draw...!
Draw a picture of an IRA man.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

1921
‘THE DRUMSHEE REBELS’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Kitty over in America. You make a present of a dress for your cousin, Bridget. Write Kitty’s letter telling all about the dress that she is going to send.
Imagine that you meet John Joe and you find that he always wears short trousers winter and summer. Write a description of for him of your clothes and where you wear different things - jeans, for instance.

Fact File
The nineteen twenties were a time of great fashion changes. For women, skirts got shorter and straighter, instead of being ankle length. If you have read the Titanic you will see how ladies dressed until the twenties. For the poor, there was not much change. They still wore shawls and dressed in whatever they had. Clothes were seldom bought in shops, but were made by at home, or by a dressmaker.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 3) Why does Bridget wear a pinafore?
2 (Chapter 3) How does she fasten her boots?
3 (Chapter 4) Who made Bridget’s green dress?
4 (Chapter 6) What does Mary O’Callaghan wear instead of a coat?
5 (Chapter 8) What does the doctor’s maid wear?

Explore...!
Try to go to a museum that might have an exhibition of clothes through the centuries. Pick your favourite time.
Visit Bunratty in County Clare and see the shops there and what they sold.

War of Independence

Clothes

Worksheet 4

Draw...!
Draw a picture of Bridget’s dress.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

1921
THE DRUMSHEE REBELS

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are on the West Clare Railway on 2 July 1921. Write a description of what happened after the train left Corofin (chapter 5).
Imagine that there is a law that no one could own a car. Would you enjoy going everywhere by cart, or bicycle or train, or on horseback? Make a list of the good things about doing without cars, and then make another list of the bad things.

Fact File
In 1921 trains were much more numerous than they are now. The West Clare Railway was closed down in 1957 and around that time many other small local railways were closed down, too. Country people missed them very much, because they gave a great opportunity to go to places more that ten or twenty miles away very quickly and easily. Also the trains made it easy for them to see their meat, butter and vegetables. Cars were very expensive and only the rich could afford them.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 3) Were bicycles very cheap in 1921?
2 Did the McMahons own a car?
3 How did Mary O’Callaghan travel to Ennistymon?
4 What did the Black and Tans use?
5 (Chapter 13) Why did the doctor have a car, do you think?

Explore...!
Look in a map of County Clare and see the route of the West Clare Railway. It travelled through Ennis, Corofin, Ennistymon, Lahinch, Miltown Malbay and Kilkee.

War of Independence

Transport

Worksheet 5

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a steam train.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

1921
‘THE DRUMSHEE REBELS’

Imagine......!
Imagine what did Bridget do on Monday 11th of July. Write her story. Did she meet John Joe?
Imagine that you are in prison and the news of the truce comes. Write the story of what happens then.

Fact File
Sinn Fein had got almost complete control of the parliament in Dublin by getting themselves elected in about ninety per cent of the seats around the country.
The British Government started talks in London. de Valera was secretly released from prison and taken over to London and the truce was signed in July 1921.
de Valera was not present when the treaty was signed.six months later.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 13) When was the truce declared. Give the day, date and month as well as the year.
2 (Chapter 13) Why would the men be allowed out of prison?
3 (Chapter 3) How long did the truce last?
4 (Chapter 13) What did Michael Collins want from the treaty?
5 (Chapter 13) Why do you think that de Valera wanted to fight on?

Explore...!
Talk about how the truce in 1921 was a bit like the Good Friday agreement in 1998. Do you remember when that happened and what did you think about it?

War of Independence

The Truce & Treaty

Worksheet 6

Draw...!
Draw a picture of de Valera.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

MILLENNIUM
@DRUMSHEE

Imagine......!
Imagine that that you find yourself in a strange land where kings and queens and knights and bishop and castles and pawns are all strolling around. Write a story of what happens.
Imagine that you are in a chess match - it’s the final of the Junior Championship. Write a description of what happens.
Write a character study of either Emma or Bruce. What sort of person is s/he?

Fact File
If you don’t know how to play chess, the best way to learn is to buy a chessboard and pieces and practise setting up the pieces on the board. (the illustration on page 103 will help you). After that, it’s probably best to get someone to teach you the moves. I think it’s hard to learn chess from a book. I usually teach chess by first teaching people how to capture their opponent’s pieces and then teaching how to checkmate with a queen and a rook.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 3) Why did Emma enjoy chess so much?
2 ((Chapter 3) What shows that Emma was very good at chess?
3 (Chapter 4) What does Emma think of the Ruy Lopez chess opening?
4 (Chapter 4) Why does Emma think that her father is out of date?
5 Who taught Emma to play chess?

Explore...!
Try to join a chess club, or else start one in your school.
Look in a chess book and find out some of the famous chess openings. See the date when they were first played.

Modern

Chess

Worksheet 1

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a chess board. Put a puzzle on it if you are able.

Century
20/21 AD

TIMELINE

MILLENNIUM
@DRUMSHEE

Imagine......!
Imagine that you go forward in time into the 22nd century. Write a description of what you are wearing and how it was made.
Imagine that you go to a party and you hate the clothes that your mother bought for you. Write a description of the evening. What do the other kids say?

Fact File
A hundred years ago everyone was dressed in ‘natural’ fibres. They wore wool taken from sheep, leather from cattle, linen woven from flax plants or cotton woven from cotton plants. In the twentieth century nylon was invented. This was made from chemicals and turned into a fine thread and then woven into cloth. It was very hard wearing and easy to wash, but not comfortable to wear, especially in hot weather. Now, most of our clothes are a mixture of nylon and natural fibres.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) What does Emma wear going to school?
2 (Chapter 15) What does Emma wear when she goes to the airport to meet Bruce?
3 (Chapter 17) What does Emma’s mother want her to wear to the party?
4 (Chapter 17) What does she choose instead?

Explore...!
Ask your grandmother/father and then your mother /father what they wore to parties at your age. What are the differences?
Think about wearing the wrong clothes at a party. Would you care? Or would it spoil the evening for you?

Modern

Clothes

Worksheet 1

Draw...!
Draw a picture of your favourite outfit.

Century
20/21 AD

TIMELINE

MILLENNIUM
@DRUMSHEE

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are going by aeroplane to Australia. Write a description of your journey.
Imagine waking up one morning and finding that there were no trains, no buses, no aeroplane: just man power and horse power. Write a description of how that could happen and how you would cope.

Fact File
Up to the nineteenth century transport was by either person power, or horse power. Then steam power was invented and that ran the trains. the end of the nineteenth century Daimler invented the internal combustion engine and then we had cars in the 20th century.
Aeroplanes were invented around the time of the first World War and played an important part in the second World War.

Read & Write
1 On the first page of this book, you know that you are in the 20th century. Why?
2 How does Emma get to school and her mother get to work?
3 How is the post delivered to the house?
4 How does Bruce come from Australia to Ireland?
5 How did his great-great grandfather, Daniel, go from Ireland to Australia?

Explore...!
Look at a map and see where Shannon airport is. Why would aeroplanes from America stop there before they go to Dublin?

Modern

Transport

Worksheet 2

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a modern car.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

MILLENNIUM
@DRUMSHEE

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a computer programmer. Write about the program that you have invented.
Imagine that you have a ‘virtual’ friend. Write the e-mails that you send to each other.

Fact File
Computers were invented about the middle of the 20th century. In the beginning they were very slow and not able to do much. By the late seventies they were improving, but even then their memory was only about 2K - about 32000 times less memory than a modern computer in the year 2000.
It is said nowadays that computers double in size, double in speed and halve in cost every four years.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What sort of computer does Emma own?
2 (Chapter 3) What does her father suggest that she could do on the Internet?
3 (Chapter 3) What is her e-mail address?
4 (Chapter 10) What is a ‘Sysman’ (or ‘Sysadmin’)?
5 (Chapter 13) How did Emma help to solve the problem with computer program?

Explore...!
With permission from your parents or teacher explore the Internet. Try logging on to www.scoilnet.ie or if you haven’t already done so, you could find a ‘pen pal' on:
www.drumshee.com

Modern

Computers

Worksheet 3

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a computer.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

MILLENNIUM
@DRUMSHEE

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Daniel (If you read Famine Secret you will know all about him.). Write the story of how he went to Australia.
Imagine that you are Deirdre (If you read Famine Secret you will know all about her.). Write the story of how she went to England - perhaps she became rich with her lace-making.
Imagine discovering a cousin in America. Write a e-mail to him/her.

Fact File
After the famine about six million people left Ireland to go to England, America and to Australia.
Today, many Americans and Australians and English people have one or two Irish grandparents or great grandparents.
John F. Kennedy, President of the United States, was descended from Irish grandparents.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 4) Where did Bruce’s great-great-grandfather come from originally?
2 (Chapter 4) Why did Emma’s father want to move to the west of Ireland?
3 (Chapter 4) What did Bruce’s grandfather have on his wall?
4 (Chapter 4) Why do you think that the field names were written in Irish?
5 What were the names of Emma and Bruce’s great-great-grandparents? Why do you think that they left Ireland?

Explore...!
Look at a map of the world. Trace the journey for Irish people who went to America or to Australia in an old sailing ship. Imagine what it was like for them.
Look up the meaning of ‘Diaspora’ in a dictionary

Modern

Effects of the Famine
Dispersal of the Irish

Worksheet 4

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a ‘coffin’ ship.

MILLENNIUM
@DRUMSHEE

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are allowed to choose a German shepherd puppy. Write its story.
Imagine that you are a German shepherd dog who is being used as a war messenger in 1917. Write the story of how you are captured and brought to England. Choose a good German name like Rolfe or Franz or Helmut.
Imagine that you have a wonderful success with your German shepherd dog. Write about what happened?

Fact File
The German shepherd dog was created in Germany about a hundred years ago, by crossing three breeds of sheep dog. It is a loyal and very intelligent breed of dog, though some dogs can be too inclined to guard. During the First World War it was used as a messenger dog in the front lines and some of them were captured and brought to England where they were known as Alsatians because the first dogs had been captured in Alsace.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) Why did the dog breeder think that Emma should choose the small, timid puppy?
2 (Chapter 4) How did Emma distract Heidi from the sheep?
3 (Chapter 5 & s6) How did Emma train Heidi?
4 (Chapter 15) What did Heidi wear when she was tracking?
5 (Chapter 16) How did Heidi manage to track Orla’s little sister?

Explore...!
Find out some more about German shepherd dogs by getting a book from the library.
German shepherds are often used as Guide Dogs for blind people. Find out about the work done by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Modern

German Shepherd Dogs

Worksheet 5

Draw...!
Draw a picture of your favourite dog.

Century
20 AD

TIMELINE

BREHON LAW
‘MURDER AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Mahon. You have so much to learn, but none of it is written down. Imagine that you are asking your father to take you away from the school. Make up a story about what happens.
Imagine an adventure - perhaps another murder -at Drumshee law school. What happens?

Fact File
Brehon law was the ancient system of laws in Ireland. The law schools were set up to teach those laws. Until the time of Christianity most of the laws had to passed on by oral means (learning them off by heart) as probably the only written language was Ogham. One law school., in the north of County Clare (near to the Aillwee Caves) survived until the 16th century. You can still see the remains. It was built inside a fort.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) How many laws did the law students have to memorise?
2 (Chapter 2) Where was the law school built?
3 (Chapter 2) How many buildings were there? Name them.
4 (Chapter 2) Is there any mention of books in the schoolroom?
5 (Chapter 2) Can you imagine why the kitchen might have been in a different building?

Explore...!
If you live near County Clare, go and see the law school of
Cahermacnaughtan. Some of the books written there four hundred years ago are now in the British Library in London.

Celtic/St Patrick

Celtic Law schools

Worksheet 1

Draw...!
Draw a picture or a plan of Drumshee law school.

Century
5 AD

TIMELINE

BREHON LAW
‘MURDER AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine a Brehon law court. They were always held in the open air - often at fairs or large gatherings of people. Write about one of the cases.
What do you think of the Brehon laws? Write down your reasons to like, or to dislike them.

Fact File
Brehon Laws were the ancient system of laws among the Celts. The Welsh people also used the Brehon laws but in Ireland, especially in the west of Ireland, they went on for much longer. The east of Ireland and Wales probably finished with Brehon laws in the twelfth century, but they remained in force until the 16th century in places like County Clare.
In some ways, Brehon laws seem very modern to us as they permitted divorce and did not execute murderers.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 2) How many laws had Ita memorised from an early age?
2 What country, other than Ireland, used Brehon laws?
3 (Chapter 4) What was the fine for a secret killing?
4 (Chapter 8) What is the penalty for fingal (the killing of a member of your family or clan)?
5 (Chapter 10) Why did Ita say that she could not be punished for the crime of murder?

Explore...!
Could you make up some good laws for your school? Talk to your friends about this. What would the punishments be?

Celtic/
St Patrick

Brehon Laws

Worksheet 2

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Brehon (lawyer).

Century
5 AD

TIMELINE

BREHON LAW
‘MURDER AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are in a Brehon law school. Write an account of one morning.
Imagine that you have to give ‘honour prices’ to your friends. Perhaps a good footballer will be worth more - or someone who always gets their homework right? Make a list.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What was the honour price of a ‘Boaire’ (rich farmer)?
2 (Chapter 1) What was the honour price of an ‘Ocaire’ (small farmer)?
3 (Chapter 2) What did Brehon law say about the child of a man who was not married to the mother?
4 (Chapter 4) What was the honour price of Gabur?
5 What was the honour price of a carriage maker?
3 What is the honour price of a harp player?

Explore...!
Have a class discussion about honour prices and their effect on the fines.
You could divide into two groups -for honour prices and against honour prices.

Celtic/
St Patrick

‘Honour’ Prices

Worksheet 3

Fact File
Punishments under Brehon law were usually a fine of some sort and the amount of the fine depended not only on the crime; but also on the ‘honour price ‘ of the victim.
A king was worth 21 - 42 ounces of silver;
A poet: 21 ounces of silver.
A Brehon: between 5 and 3 ounces of silver.
A Physician: 3.5 ounces.
Silverwright: 3.5 ounces.

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a Celt (harpist, chariot builder or anything you wish) and write the ‘honour price’ beneath..

Century
5 AD

TIMELINE

BREHON LAW
‘MURDER AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you find an old piece of wood that has been perfectly preserved in the acid soil of a bog. There is a message on it, written in Ogham. Tell the story of that message.
Imagine you find a stone on top of a mountain. On it is written, in Ogham, the following words: Here lies Conan, the fierce and the turbulent.’ Tell Conan’s story.

Fact File
The Ogham alphabet.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) Who taught Mahon to write Ogham?
2 (Chapter 9) What was the message that Mahon sent Ita?
4 Why did Mahon write his message in Ogham?
5 Could you write his message in Ogham?

Explore...!
Time yourself, or get someone else to time you in writing a few words in Ogham and then a few words in the English alphabet. Which was the quicker and why?

Celtic/
St Patrick

Ogham Writing

Worksheet 5

I

Draw...!
Draw a picture of your name written in Ogham.

Century
5 AD

TIMELINE

BREHON LAW
‘MURDER AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a girl or boy of the fifth century. Write your story and include details of your clothes.
Invent an outfit for Nessa to wear at her wedding. Write a description of it.

Fact File
Dress in the 5th century for a girl would have consisted of a linen tunic, leine,probably fairly long, and a cloak or bratt which was made from wool and would have reached to the girl’s ankles. A girl would have worn her hair in plaits until she was of marriageable age.
A boy would have worn basically the same clothes, but his tunic would have reached only to his knees.
Both of them would have worn a pouch, instead of having pockets.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What was Gabur’s cloak trimmed with?
2 (Chapter 1) What colour was Gabur’s tunic?
Do you know what that word means?
3 (Chapter 3) How was the cloak made?
4 (Chapter 3) What was Mahon’s tunic made from?

Explore...!
Try to get hold of some sheep's wool and dye or stain it in natural colours. Yellow can be made from nettles, saffron was made from the gold in the centre of crocus flowers. Blackberries will make purple.

Celtic/St Patrick

Dress in the 5th Century

Worksheet 4

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a boy or girl from the fifth century.

Century
5 AD

TIMELINE

BREHON LAW
‘MURDER AT DRUMSHEE’

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Patrick. Write the story of your life. Tell about the visit to Coad for the mid-winter festival.
Imagine that you are Ita. Write down her reasons to keep the statue of the goddess Brigit. Who are the other gods and goddess that Ita would have know? Make up some names for them and say why she likes them.

Fact File
St Patrick was born in Britain, probably around Bristol. and was taken to Ireland as slave when he was a boy. Later on he returned to tell the Irish people about Christianity.This story tells how St Patrick baptised a king. It is true that he did baptise a king from what is now known as County Clare at that time and he also helped the king to go through the Brehon laws and select those that they could keep. Some laws the Christians did not like, but most remained in use for hundreds of years afterwards - even a thousand years in the far west of Ireland.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 11) When was Patrick first brought to Ireland?
2 (Chapter 11) Which gods did he say were not true gods?
3 (Chapter 11) How did Patrick explain that there were three persons in God?
4 (Chapter 15) Which important person did Patrick baptise in this chapter?
5 (Chapter 15) Why did Flann not want to become a Christian?

Explore...!
See if you can find the prayer:
‘St Patrick’s Breastplate.’
You might like to memorise it or to write it out.

Celtic/
St Patrick Era

St Patrick

Worksheet 6

Draw...!
Draw a picture of St Patrick.

Century
5 AD

TIMELINE

TIMELINE

Century
20 AD

Draw...!
A picture of an aerial battle in the sky over the English coast on a hot June day..

Worksheet 1

Aircraft in W.W. II

Modern/
20th century

Explore...!
.Ask your parents’ or teacher’s permission to check out a website devoted to the Battle of Britain.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) What was the name of the aerodrome 3 miles from Folkestone and the English coast?
2 (Chapter 1) How did Clive know that the aeroplane on fire was a Stuka, not a Spitfire?
(Chapter 1) What signal warned the
people of Hawkinge that there was going to be an air raid?
4 (Chapter 2) Were the Dornier aeroplanes slow-moving or fast?
5 (Chapter 1) What were the Stukas and Dorniers aiming at?

Fact File
English Aircraft:
Hurricanes: a one-seater-aircraft made mainly of wood. It had 8 machine guns.
Spitfires—more advanced and faster than the Hurricane. It had only two machine guns, but they were heavier than the Hurricane ones
German Aircraft:
Stukas— a dive-bomber which dropped bombs very accurately. They were bigger than Spitfires, but slower.
Dorniers—a twin-engined bomber. This was the slowest aircraft but could carry lots of bombs.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are watching an air battle. Write down what happens.
Imagine that you are ten years old and are living in Hawkinge in 1940. Write a letter to a friend in Ireland telling what is like to be living within easy reach of the German bombers flying over from France.

WORLD WAR II
‘RESCUE AT DRUMSHEE’

TIMELINE

Century
20 AD

Draw...!
A picture of the boats in the sea and the aircraft overhead.

Worksheet 2

Dunkirk

Modern/
20th century

Explore...!
Trace a map of Europe showing France and Britain. Draw a line from Dunkirk to Folkestone. Now measure the line with your ruler. Place the ruler on the scale at the bottom of the map. This should give you the number of miles.

Read & Write
1 How many miles were between northern France and southern Britain?
2 What was the date of the evacuation of Dunkirk?
3 Name four different kinds of boats that were bringing back the troops?
4 Why were the boats bringing the British troops back from France?
5 Is Folkestone in Britain or in France?

Fact File
In June 1940 A fleet of 41 destroyers, together with sloops, minesweepers, transports, and patrol craft, and many small pleasure boats and yachts were sent over to rescue the British soldiers from Dunkirk. Almost miraculously, by June 4, 338,226 British, French, and Belgian soldiers had been evacuated to
England, at a cost of 6 destroyers sunk and 19 damaged, not to mention many other smaller vessels.

Imagine......!
.
Imagine that you are the owner of a small sailing boat at Folkestone. You join the force that were being sent to rescue the soldiers from Dunkirk. Write a story about your exciting day.
Imagine you are a pilot of a Spitfire. You are trying to protect the boats crossing the English Channel. Write the story of your battle with the German aircraft.

WORLD WAR II
‘RESCUE AT DRUMSHEE’

TIMELINE

Century
20 AD

Draw...!
A plan of the Maginot forts along the French/ German border..

Worksheet 5

Maginot Line

Modern/
20th century

Explore...!
Ask your parents or your teacher whether you might look up The Maginot Line on the Internet. See if you can find the words of the George Formby song about it.

Read & Write
Chapter 7
1 Who built the Maginot forts?
2 Where were they built?
Which country did not have Maginot forts along its border?
4 How were the forts connected to each other?
5 What else was underground?

Fact File
The Maginot Line was built by the French along its north-eastern border. It was an immense fortification, complete with its own rail system, huge guns, air-conditioned living quarters of the troops, all made of a concrete that was thicker and stronger than ever used before.

Imagine......!
You are a soldier in a Maginot Fort. Write a diary entry for one day and what you did during that time.
Imagine that you are in the last fort near the Belgian border. Describe how you can see the German soldiers invading Belgium.

WORLD WAR II
‘RESCUE AT DRUMSHEE’

TIMELINE

Century
20 AD

Draw...!
Try to find a picture of de Valera from your history book. Draw or trace it.

Worksheet 4

The Emergency

Modern/
20th century

Explore...!
.Anyone over the age of sixty-five will have memories of the second world war period, the ‘emergency’ in Ireland. Write down some of their memories. Ask them about food and clothing at the time.

Read & Write
1What did Maggie say was needed very badly in Ireland as they could not get coal during the ‘emergency’ or W.W.II?
(Chapter 2)
2 What country, other than Ireland, remained neutral during World War II?
3 What foods were short in Ireland during World War II
4 What were Irish farmers used to selling to Britain before World War II?
5 Why do you think the train was so slow when it was running on turf, not coal?
(Chapter 2)

Fact File
During World War II de Valera, who was the leader of Ireland at the time, decided that Ireland would not join in the war, but would remain neutral, like Switzerland.
This meant that Ireland had fears that they might be invaded by either the British and their allies, or else the Germans. A lot of food was quite short, like sweets, and later on in the war Ireland suffered from food shortages as much as the British. Farm incomes were very low during that time as the farmers had been used to selling their cattle to England.

Imagine......!
.
Imagine that you are evacuated from Britain to Ireland. Write a story about your experiences.
Write about a day at the bog saving turf and hoping that your family will get a lot of money from selling it.

WORLD WAR II
‘RESCUE AT DRUMSHEE’

TIMELINE

Century
20 AD

Draw...!
A picture of a train in the station and children getting on it.

Worksheet 3

Evacuees

Modern/
20th century

Explore...!
Why not get in touch with a school in England and ask them for any historical facts about their school during World War II.
Class6@victoria.road. kent sch.uk is the email address of the school I used in my book.

Read & Write
Chapter 2
1 Where did the children on the train come from?
2 Where were they going?
Why do you think Wales was safer than England in 1940?
4 Why did the trains have black-out curtains?
5 What was a Mickey Mouse gas mask?

Fact File
During World War II thousands of children were evacuated from their homes in London and in south-east England where the bombing was most severe. Many of these were sent to Wales. The children were often very unhappy at being separated from their families and after the first year were often brought back to their own homes. Some children were very well-treated by kind people but others were not so well-treated.

Imagine......!
.Imagine that you are evacuated from London. You arrive in Wales. You are sent to stay with a horrible man and woman who hate you and find you a nuisance. Write about what happens next.
Or
Write a letter to your mother in London begging her to let you come home.

WORLD WAR II
‘RESCUE AT DRUMSHEE’

TIMELINE

Century
20 AD

Draw...!
A picture of a submarine, using Clive’s description in Chapter 10

Worksheet 6

Submarines

Modern/
20th century

Explore...!
Try to make a model of a submarine out of clay or from one of the kits which you can buy at model shops.

Read & Write
(Chap. 10)
1 What is a U-boat?
2 Where is the propeller?
3 What is the conning tower?
4 What is the periscope?
5 Why did the German submarine come ashore at the Aran Islands?

Fact File
By World War II the submarine had a surface speed of about 18 knots using diesel engines and a submerged speed of 8 knots using electric motors. It was forced to surface periodically in order to recharge its batteries.

Imagine......!
.Imagine that you are Ed, as an old man, and that you want to tell your grandchildren about your experiences of being captured in a German submarine. Write about what it would have been like and how exciting it was to be rescued by your sister and her cousins. What would life have been like in the cramped conditions on board the submarine. Start off with the words ‘When I was only twenty-one years of age…’
Imagine that you are living in the west of Ireland and that you see a German submarine. Write about what you might do. Would you tell someone or decide to say nothing?

WORLD WAR II
‘RESCUE AT DRUMSHEE’

TIMELINE

Century
17 AD

Draw...!
A map of Ireland and pinpoint the town of Kilkenny on it.

Worksheet 1

Confederation of Kilkenny

Civil War in England. Cromwell comes to Ireland.

Explore...!
Look at a map of Ireland and find Kilkenny. Use a piece of thread to measure the distance between Kilkenny and Corofin in County Clare. Put the thread against the scale to measure the miles.

Read & Write
Chapter 1
Who were the English royalists still loyal to?
2 On whose side were the Irish?
3 Who was Conor O’Brien?
4 Were the Cromwellians part of the Confederation of Kilkenny?
5 Who did the Confederates want to be the ruler of Great Britain and Ireland?

Fact File
The Confederation of Kilkenny was an
alliance between the Irish and the English Royalists. In 1641 the
Confederation of Kilkenny reacted to the unrest caused by the English Civil War by creating a national parliament based in Kilkenny which governed Ireland for six years.

Imagine......!
You are Alys. Make a list of the reasons why you should tell Máire Rua what you overheard of the plot to kill her husband. Then make a list of the reasons against saying anything. Write down what you would do.
Write Alys’s diary for that day. Write about going to the castle at Lemeanah having the interview with Máire Rua and meeting the six children. And then write about what you overheard on your way home. Mark the diary entry October 30 1651.

CROMWELLIAN
‘Dark Days at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
17 AD

Draw...!
Try to find a picture of Oliver Cromwell in your history book. Draw or trace it.

Worksheet 6

Oliver Cromwell

Civil War in England. Cromwell comes to Ireland.

Explore...!
The name of Oliver Cromwell used to be one of the most hated names in Ireland. Try an experiment of asking ten people over fifty what the name means to them and then try ten people under thirty. Compare the results.

Read & Write
1 What does Alys call the battle of Drogheda? (Chapter 1)
2 What does Alys say will happen to the priests if Cromwell gets control of County Clare? (Chapter 9)
3 What was the name of Cromwell’s son-in-law? (Chapter 14)
4 What does Máire Rua say that Cromwell plans to do to the rich Catholics in Cork and Tipperary? (Chapter 13)
5 What will he do to the landowners in Clare, according to Máire Rua? (chapter 13)

Fact File
Oliver Cromwell was a country gentleman and then a Member of the English Parliament.. He was also a Puritan and the Puritans hated the king of England. Oliver Cromwell led an army to victory against King Charles I’s army. Even though he had no military experience, Cromwell turned out to be a brilliant cavalry leader. The defeat and then the execution of the king left Cromwell in charge as virtual dictator of England.
Soon after Cromwell landed in Ireland he marched his army up to Drogheda. His guns opened a hole in the ancient walls in two days, and he stormed the town on September 11. Most of the defenders and many of the townsmen, particularly the Catholic clergy, were massacred by Cromwell's troops when the town fell and all the garrison's officers were put to death the following day.

Imagine......!
Imagine that your brother or uncle is a priest. He is hiding. You hear that the Cromwellian army is coming to search the neighbourhood. Write the story of how you warn him.
Imagine that you are living in Drogheda and that it is September 11 1649. Write the story of how the town was stormed by Cromwell’s army and its inhabitants massacred. (What other terrible event occurred on September 11 recently?)

CROMWELLIAN
‘Dark Days at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
17 AD

Draw...!
A picture of a tower house. Make the windows small and narrow.

Worksheet 3

Castles/Tower Houses

Civil War in England. Cromwell comes to Ireland.

Explore...!
See if you and a group of friends could make a model of a tower house. Get a long box and stand it on its end and cut one side out. Put in three or four floors and make furniture out of match boxes or cardboard.

Read & Write
Chapter 5
1 When had the tower house castle been built at Lemeanah?
How was the tower house joined to the mansion?
What was the tower house used for in 1651?
Did the tower house have an ordinary staircase?
What sort of door did the tower house have?

Fact File
Most of the castles in the west of Ireland were simple tower houses with a ‘bawn’, or yard, around them. They were usually four storeys high with one large and a couple of small rooms on each floor. The floors were connected by a spiral staircase. The soldiers were on the ground floor and sometimes the first floor. The ‘dining hall’ or grand room would be on the first or second floor, and family rooms above that.
Because of the risk of fire, the kitchen was usually a separate building.

Imagine......!
.
Write a list of reasons why landowners in Ireland liked to live in tower houses. What would be the reasons for living in them and what would be against living in them.
Imagine going back in time. You go to sleep in a modern bedroom, centrally heated, and you wake up in a cold, draughty tower house. You get up and go exploring. Write down what happens next. Do you ever get back to your own time?

CROMWELLIAN
‘Dark Days at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
17 AD

Draw...!
A picture of either Honora, or of
Turlough dressed up for the Halloween party.

Worksheet 2

Dress

Civil War in England. Cromwell comes to Ireland.

Explore...!
Try weaving by making yourself a loom from a piece of stiff cardboard. Make eight notches at each end to hold the eight pieces of wool that make the warp. Then weave threads in the opposite direction to make the weft.

Read & Write
1 What is Alys’s dress made from? (Chapter 3)
2 What is her red cloak made from? (Chapter 3)
3 What is Máire Rua wearing when she greets the new arrivals? (Chapter 1)
What does Honora wear for the Halloween party? (Chapter 4)
5 What do Teige and Turlough wear for the Halloween party? (Chapter 4)

Fact File
In the seventeenth century the ordinary people of Ireland wore clothes mostly made from wool which they sheared from their own sheep, spun, dyed and then wove into cloth. Red was the most popular colour for women. (It was dyed with a plant called ‘madder’). They also wore linen woven from the rotted stalks of a plant called flax.
The rich people wore silks and velvets which were brought in on ships from France and Spain. Lace was very popular for both men and women and most of it was imported from Spain or Flanders.

Imagine......!
Imagine yourself at a Halloween party in a castle in 1651. What are you wearing? Write down an account of the party.
Imagine that you find a piece of lace from the Cromwellian times. It has magic powers and it transports you back to those days. Write down what happens.

CROMWELLIAN
Dark Days at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
17 AD

Draw...!
A picture of the plague in London where men pushed carts around at night heaped with dead bodies.

Worksheet 5

The Plague

Civil War in England. Cromwell comes to Ireland.

Explore...!
Look at the picture of the burial slab for the two O’Brien children on the last page of ‘Dark Days at Drumshee’. How many mistakes and old-fashioned spellings can you find? Try to think of a reason why there are so many mistakes.

Read & Write
Chapter 8
1 How many days to get the fever down if the children are to get better?
2 What did Alys see on Mary’s neck?
Where were the swellings on Slaney?
What were the swelling called?
5 What was the only medicine that the children had?

Fact File
Bubonic plague:
So called because buboes, or enlarged, inflamed lymph nodes appear in the groin or armpit or on the neck.
Bubonic plague is passed from person to person by the bite of fleas that live on rats.
In bubonic plague, the first symptoms are headache, nausea, vomiting, aching joints, and a high temperature. The lymph nodes of the groin or, less commonly, of the armpit or neck, suddenly become painful and swollen. The buboes swell until they are the size of a chicken egg . In non-fatal cases, the temperature begins to fall in about five days, and approaches normal in about two weeks. In fatal cases, death results in about four days.

Imagine......!
Imagine a town or a city. Someone comes. He or she is very ill with the plague. Write down what happens. Do other people get it? Does it spread through the whole place?
Plague was always worst in big cities and towns, and not too bad in the countryside. Why do you think that was? Write down some reasons.

CROMWELLIAN
‘Dark Days at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
17 AD

Draw...!
A picture of a piece of 17th century furniture. You could copy one from the book or from a book of
antique furniture.

Worksheet 4

Castles/Mansion Houses

Civil War in England. Cromwell comes to Ireland.

Explore...!
Try to organise a class or family visit to a seventeenth century castle/mansion house. Donegal Castle is a magnificent example for anyone living in the north-west of Ireland, but there may be other examples.

Read & Write
Chapter 3
What were the walls of the new mansion panelled with?
2 Describe the kitchen at Lemeanah.
3 What was the ceiling of the Great Hall made from?
How was the room lit up?
What was the fireplace made from?

Fact File
Towards the middle of the 17th century the landowners began to look for more comfort in their houses and many of them built ‘extensions’ on to their existing tower houses so that they had a magnificent and at the same time, comfortable place to live in.
Lemeanah Castle was one of these. The extension was built to the same height as the old tower. It had the kitchen and other rooms on the ground floor, the Great Hall on the first floor and the main bedrooms on the second floor. The children’s and servants’ bedrooms were on the top, or attic floor.

Imagine......!
Imagine going to a Halloween party in a seventeenth century house. What would you wear? Write down an exciting adventure that you might have.
Imagine that you are living in an old tower house/castle. You are trying to persuade your wife or husband to build a new house. What reasons could you give? Make a list saying what you would like to have in the new building.

CROMWELLIAN
‘Dark Days at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
19 AD

Draw...!
Draw a poster which would make people vote for Daniel O’Connell.
.

Worksheet 1

Daniel O’Connell

Fight for Catholic Emancipation.

Explore...!
If you are in Kerry try to visit Daniel O’Connell’s home in Derrynane?
If you are in Clare, go to Ennis and see where the statue of Daniel O’Connell stands. This is the spot where the elections results were read out.
There is another statue of him in Dublin.

Read & Write
Chapter 1
Who would be the first Catholic member of Parliament?
2 What was Daniel O’Connell trying to do for the Catholics in Ireland?
Chapter 2
3 What was the Catholic rent?
4 How much did the poor people give?
5 How old was Daniel O’Connell in 1828?

Fact File
Daniel O’Connell:
Born in 1775 .
Brought up by his uncle in Co. Kerry.
Went to school in France in 1791.
Became a lawyer (barrister) in 1796.
Was very successful and earned a lot of money.
In 1800 he began the struggle against Britain.
He wanted:
Home Rule for the Irish.
Equal Rights for Catholics.
In 1828 he stood as the first Catholic candidate in the election in Co. Clare and was successful. Catholic Emancipation was given in 1829.
He died in 1847, two years after the Great Famine.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Daniel O’Connell. Write an account of the week in Ennis when you were at last elected as the first Catholic Member of Parliament.
Imagine that you are Jimmy. Write about how you met Ronan and what happened in Ennis that week.

Daniel O’Connell
‘ The Secret Spy at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
19 AD

Draw...!
Draw a picture from an encyclopaedia of some piece of old money like a penny or a shilling, or even a
farthing.

Worksheet 2

Money in 1828

Fight for Catholic Emancipation.

Explore...!
Add up the sum below. Do you think arithmetic was harder in the days of old money (ended in 1971).
£ S D
10 6 +
12 6
Make up sums using pounds, shillings and pence.

Read & Write
Chapter 2
How many pennies made a shilling?
How many shillings made a pound?
How many farthings to a shilling?
Chapter 6
How many half-crowns in a pound?
How many five-shilling-pieces in a pound?
6 How many ten-shilling notes in a pound?

Fact File
Here are some prices taken from Daniel O’Connell’s letters.
1798
journey from London to Hollyhead (by coach) in Wales: £5.00
Luggage: £2.2.0
Ship to Dublin: ten shillings and sixpence. £0.10.6
Food on the journey: £1.3.0
1822
Doctor’s bill: £138.10.0
1823
Daniel O’Connell’s uncle died and left him £15,000
1828
16 Dublin Catholics each subscribed £100 for election expenses.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are at Corofin church. This is your first time seeing Ronan. Describe what he looks like while the money is being put in his bowl and how he adds it up in his head. Would you be surprised that he got it right?
Imagine that you are shopping in 1828. Write down an account of all you bought and how much you paid for it.

Daniel O’Connell
‘ The Secret Spy at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
19 AD

Draw...!
A picture of a procession going in to Ennis with the priest and the band.

Worksheet 3

The Catholic Priests

Fight for Catholic Emancipation.

Explore...!
Taking the pledge in Ireland started with Father Matthew in Cork. Find out about him and the work that he did. When was he born and when was the pledge first started?

Read & Write
Chap 2
1 Why was Sunday Ronan’s favourite day of the week?
2 Who was Father Murphy? Why did he tell the Catholics to vote for Daniel O’Connell?
3 Why did Father Murphy ask the people to take the pledge that they would not drink while they were in Ennis?
Chap. 3
4 How many priests in County Clare were for Catholic Emancipation?
5 Who was Father Coffey?

Fact File
The Catholic priests played a very important part in Catholic Emancipation, particular in the collecting of the Catholic Rent. Most of the collections took place at Church gates and so virtually every Catholic in the country had the opportunity to contribute on a weekly or monthly basis. The Catholic rent was set at a penny a month, though poorer people tended to pay a farthing each week that they could afford it. The rent was important in the fight for Catholic Emancipation:
1. It built a fund for fighting elections and for the printing of information.
2. It united Catholics from all over the country.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are Father Murphy, write down your account of that last Sunday in July when you preached the sermon. Don’t forget to write down what Father Murphy might be thinking about Thady Dooley and about Daniel O’Connell sitting in his little church at Corofin.
Imagine that you have been asked to persuade people not to drink on voting day in Ennis. Write down a list of good reasons against alcoholic drink on that day.

Daniel O’Connell
‘The Secret Spy at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
19 AD

Draw...!
Draw a picture of Mrs O’Connell in all her finery or
copy a drawing of your favourite outfit in the book.

Worksheet 4

Dress

Fight for Catholic Emancipation.

Explore...!
Get a book out of the library about clothes in the early nineteenth century. Join with some of your friends to make a group scene. Put rich and poor men, women and also, perhaps some marching soldiers.

Read & Write
1 How would a boy of four be dressed in 1828?
2 What materials did rich ladies use for their dresses?
3 What was Mrs O’Connell’s dress made from?
4 How does Ronan describe the soldiers who cross the bridge?
5 What does Ronan wear for the dinner with Daniel O’Connell and the other gentlemen?

Fact File
In the early part of the 19th century women and small girls and boys wore long dresses with fairly narrow skirts. The rich wore silks and velvets, but the poor mostly wore homespun wool (known as frieze) and sometimes linen.
Men and boys of over six or seven wore pantaloons (tight trousers), frock coat (reaching to the knees), waistcoats and linen shirts.
At a court function in 1829 Daniel O’Connell’s wife wore a ‘dress of white tulle (a soft fine silk) over a white satin slip, ornamented with blond and white roses, and a train of pink satin. She wore a head-dress of blond lappets (over-lapping folds), feathers and diamonds.’

Imagine......!
.
Imagine that Daniel O’Connell offers Mary Ann a new dress to thank her for her part in saving him. Write down a description of the dress that she chooses.
Imagine that you have just joined the army. Write a description of your uniform.

Daniel O’Connell
‘The Secret Spy at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
19 AD

Draw...!
Draw a picture of the scene in front of the courthouse with the people queuing up to vote.

Worksheet 5

The Election at Ennis

Fight for Catholic Emancipation.

Explore...Talk about elections.
Nowadays the ballot is secret; in 1828 it was open.
Which do you think is better: a secret ballot or and open one?
Would it make a difference to you if you were asked to vote on the nicest person in the class?

Read & Write
(Chap. 1) Were there any Catholics in the British Parliament before the Ennis election?
What was the date of the election at Ennis?
3 What were the names of the two candidates?
4 Why did the priests forbid everyone to drink on the streets of Ennis during the election?
5 What were the results of the election?

Fact File
The election in 1828 in Ennis, Co. Clare is famous because it was the first time that a candidate was a Catholic. Daniel O’Connell agreed to stand against Vesey Fitzgerald on Monday June 24 and within twenty-four hours sixteen Dublin Catholics had raised £1600 for the election expenses.
During the election there were 3000 soldiers in Ennis. They were there to keep order, but many of the ordinary soldiers them were Irish themselves and they were secretly very pleased. When Daniel O’Connell went back to Dublin many ‘threw up their caps’.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you were a reporter from the London Times. You are writing an account of the election in Ennis. Write about the scene in front of the courthouse and about Jimmy and his pig.
Imagine that you are the yellow-faced landlord. Give yourself a name and write about what happened.

Daniel O’Connell
‘The Secret Spy at Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
19 AD

Draw...!
Draw a picture of the British Houses of Parliament.

Worksheet 6

Catholic Emancipation

Fight for Catholic Emancipation.

Explore...!
Get in groups and think out some good posters asking for Catholic Emancipation. Make up a slogan—don’t use too many words—try to make it so that it catches the attention. Use a big black marker for the lettering.

Read & Write
(Chap. 2)
1 What does John say to Michael about Catholic Emancipation?
2 What does he say about the Arkins family. Will Catholic Emancipation be good for them?
3 Do you think he was right?
(Chap. 9)
4 Why did Daniel O’Connell want so much to win the election at Ennis?
5 What did Father Murphy say that Daniel O’Connell would get for the tenants?

Fact File
Catholic Emancipation was granted in 1829.
Before Catholic Emancipation ,Catholics could not be a parliamentary candidate. This meant that the Catholics in Ireland had no one to speak up for them in parliament. They had no one to fight for the rights of the tenant farmers.
There were other restrictions on Catholics at that time. They could not hold any public office, they could not be a senior barrister. They could not be a judge. They could not be an army officer. They had to go to university in France or Spain.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you want to convince someone that Catholics should be granted Catholic Emancipation, make a list of your reasons.
Imagine that you are the son of a rich Catholic shopkeeper. He wants you to be a doctor. There is no university for Catholics in Ireland, so you have to go on a ship to France. Write down a description of your journey and of your first day at a French university.

Daniel O’Connell
‘ The Secret Spy at Drumshee’

There is a set of six worksheets to go with each book.
Each set of six worksheets covers one historical period in the history of Ireland.
It is probably best if the whole book is read before the worksheets are done.
The ‘Read & Write’ ‘Draw’ and ‘Explore’ section of each worksheet should be within the capabilities of each child in the class; the ‘Fact File’ and ‘Imagine’ sections may be more suitable to be used as extension material for the more able children.
It would be useful to have history reference books and an atlas at hand while the children are working on these sheets.
Where time is limited it would work well to divide the class into six groups and give each group one worksheet; the groups could present their results to the rest of the class.

Suggestions for the use of worksheets with
The Drumshee Timeline Series

TIMELINE

Century
8 AD

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a blacksmith at work. Don’t forget the fire, the anvil and the blacksmith’s tools such as his hammer, his sledgehammer and pincers.

Worksheet 1

Iron Working

Early
Christian/Late Iron Age

Explore...!
Try to organise a visit to a working forge or a replica of one such as at :
Geraldine Tralee,
Cragganaun, County Clare
Viking Dublin,
Ulster History Park, Tyrone and probably anywhere that has a history or theme park.

Read & Write
1 (Chap. 1) What sound did the hot metal make when it was plunged into the cold water?
2 (Chap. 3) Which part of the harness for the abbot’s horse was made from iron?
3 (Chap. 7) What happened to the lumps of iron when they got hot?
4 (Chap. 7) What did Conan use the sledge hammer for?
5 (Chap. 7) How did Conan shape the knife from the hot metal?

Fact File
.Iron ore was easily obtainable in many areas, such as at Drumshee. The deposits were usually in sandstone and were known as ‘ore’. To make iron the ore was simply smelted (heated) in a furnace; the pieces of iron were picked out of the slag, reheated into a single lump, and then hammered into the required shape.
Once the required shape of knife or other implement was produced it was ‘tempered’ (hardened) by being plunged into cold water.
Razor-sharp cutting edges could be produced on axes, spears, knives etc..

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a blacksmith in the 8th century. Make a list of everything you did in a day’s work.
Imagine that you find an ancient knife. You hold it in your hand and suddenly you are transported back in time. Write down what happens to you.

Early Christian
‘Banished from Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
8 AD

Draw...!
Draw a picture of a leather book satchel.

Worksheet 2

Leather Working

Early
Christian

Explore...!
Get together with a few friends and make a list of all the things that people use nowadays which are still made from leather, (not plastic or paper).

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 3) What did Columba use to sew the leather together?
(Chapter 3) What was the honour
price for a leather worker in ancient Ireland?
3 (Chapter 6) What did Jarlath and Columba use to cover the frame of the boat?
4 (Chapter 6) What was lime used for in the making of leather?
5 (Chapter 6) Why were the skins hung from the fence?

Fact File
The ways to turn animal skins into leather, and afterwards into vellum for writing on, were known for two or three thousand years before the 8th century. When the skin was removed from the animal it was placed in salt water.
Next the skins were washed in pure water from the river and left to soak for about seven days. Then all the flesh and animal fats were removed from the skins.
Leather was used for cloaks, shoes, satchels (used for storing the gospel books in) and for storage of water and other things.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a leather maker. Make a list of all the things that you could make from leather that would be useful in daily life in the 8th century.
Imagine that you are a leather maker. Would you be happy that the honour price fro a leather maker is so much less than for a blacksmith or a silver worker? Write down some arguments for increasing the honour price.

Early Christian
‘Banished from Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
8 AD

Draw...!
Draw a picture of the brooches that pinned Sorcha’s cloak at the shoulders. Colour the precious jewels.

Worksheet 3

Dress

Early
Christian/Late Iron Age

Explore...!
Imagine that you are an artist who has been asked to illustrate a book on 8th century Ireland. See if you can find The Book of Kells or a book of 8th century stone crosses. Make your own drawings of the clothes

Read & Write
1 (Chap 5) What was Sorcha wearing on the night of her betrothal to Conan?
2 (chap. 6) What colour was Columba’s new tunic?
3 (Chap. 6) What was used to dye the tunic blue?
4 (Chap. 6) What was woad?
5 (Chap. 7) What sort of cloak did the man who killed Honey and Jarlath wear?

Fact File
Most of our knowledge of what people wore in 8th century Ireland comes from the illustrations in books such as the Book of Kells and from the figure sculptures on the 8th century stone crosses.
These show that men women and children were all dressed in either a knee length, or ankle length, léine or tunic and that they wore a long cloak (just a rectangular piece of material) pinned with one or two brooches at the shoulders. The cloaks were very brightly coloured and were woven from different shades of wool, mostly purple, red or green. Shoes were made from one piece of leather sewn across the top.

Imagine......!
Make a list of people at an 8th century feast. Try to give them names of people that would have been around in that time. Write down what each one of them was wearing.
Imagine that you are a weaver. You want to make a beautiful cloak. Describe how you make the cloak, what dyes you use to colour the wool and how you weave it.

Early Christian
‘Banished from Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
8 AD

Draw...!
Draw a plan of the monastic settlement at Clogher. Mark in all of the buildings.

Worksheet 4

Monastic Settlements

Early
Christian

Explore...!
If it is possible, see if you can visit the monastic settlement at
Glendalough in Wicklow or
Clonmacnoise near Athlone.

Read & Write
(Chap. 2) What was Clogher?
2 (Chap. 3) What did the monks do in the scriptorium?
(Chap. 6) Where was the door in the bell tower at Clogher?
4 (Chap. 6) How did they get up to the door?
5 (Chap. 6) Where were the treasures of Clogher kept?

Fact File
Before the 12th or 13th centuries, the monastic settlements in Ireland were quite different to the later, more English, models. The monks or nuns did not live in one big building but each had their own hut or cell. There would also have been a church, a bell tower, an infirmary or hospital for the sick, a guesthouse, a kitchen-house and a scriptorium where the monks worked on copying the gospels.
Valuable pieces of gold and silver plate and jewelled crosses were kept in the bell tower.

Imagine......!
Imagine that you are a young man or woman who has come to join the monks at Clogher or the nuns at Kilshanny. Describe your first day and what happened.
Imagine a raid on the treasures in a monastic settlement. Describe what happens and how the treasures can be saved from the raiders.

Early Christian
‘Banished from Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
8 AD

Draw...!
Draw a spiral pattern and try to end it with a snake’s head. Colour your pattern.

Worksheet 5

Illuminated Manuscripts

Early
Christian/Late Iron Age

Explore...!
Try making some inks for yourself using whipped white of egg and some powder from a soft stone such as chalk or yellow sandstone. Be careful to ask an adult to help if you are grinding a stone. You can also use the juice of blackberries or raspberries.

Read & Write
Chapter 13
1 What did Columba use to make blue ink?
2 What did he use to make green ink?
3 What did he write with?
4 What did he use to grind the stone to powder?
What did he use to hold the inks when they were made?

Fact File
Illuminated Manuscripts:
These were mostly written and copied by monks in monasteries from the sixth to the fourteenth centuries. They were written on vellum (calf skin) with a quill (the feather of a bird). They were called illuminated because of the wonderful pictures which decorated them.
The Book of Kells:
No one knows exactly where and when the Book of Kells was written but it is believed that it was started in Iona by the Irish monks of St Columba and then, after the Viking raids on Iona, it was brought to Kells and was finished there.
It has the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all beautifully written and illustrated. Paper was not invented then so it was written on vellum, or calfskin.

Imagine......!
Imagine what it would be like to live in the eight century and to be chosen to help with one of the great books such as the Book of Kells or the Book of Durrow. Write about your first day in the scriptorium.
The Book of Kells was stolen in the 11th century and found, under a sod in a field, about a month later. Write the story of how it was stolen and how the book was tracked down.

Early Christian
‘Banished from Drumshee’

TIMELINE

Century
8 AD

Draw...!
A picture of a sailing boat of that time.

Worksheet 6

St Columba

Early
Christian

Explore...!
If you live near Co. Clare or Limerick, or Tipperary, try to visit the iron age settlement at Cragganaun and see the replica of St Brendan’s sixth century boat which has sailed from Ireland to America.

Read & Write
1 (Chapter 1) Why was the boy Columba christened with that name?
2 Where was St Columba born?
3 Where did he live for most of his life?
4 (Chap. 2) Why did St Columba leave Ireland?
5 (Chap 12) What did St Columba do with his boat when he arrived at the island of Iona?

Fact File
St Columba was born in Derry on Thursday 7 December 521. He was baptised Colum, (Columba in Latin) but was later nicknamed Columcille (Colum of the church).
After he became a priest he set up many monasteries (some say 300) all over Ireland.
In the year 563 St. Columba, with 12 companions, set sail for Scotland, in order to bring Christianity to the Picts who lived in northern Scotland at that time. He landed on the island of Iona and lived there for the rest of his life.
St Columba died in the year AD597 when he was almost 76 years old.

Imagine......!
You are one of the twelve companions of St Columba. Write an account of your voyage to Iona. Describe the weather and the sea and perhaps some exciting adventures.
Make a list of what St Columba and his twelve companions would need to take with them in the boat. The distance from Derry to Iona is over a hundred miles. How long would the voyage have been? Think of what they might have needed during their time at sea.

Early Christian
‘Banished from Drumshee’

(picture of timeline)

Century
13 AD