This is the project that I did with Furglan School, funded by Clare Country Council and the Arts Council.  Over six weeks I went into the school and did a one hour session with half of the school at a time to make an informative booklet about their school.

There are only ten students in this school and I wanted to promote the school itself and its unique location in the countryside between Ennistymon and Lahinch. I am of course biased becuase it is the school I went to myself! I was able to use my own memories and knowledge as well as gathering information from my neighbour and local historian John Egan. We put together an eight page booklet filled with information and colour.

Principal Patricia Vaughan on the left absolutely delighted with the result of the project! Patricia started teaching in Furglan when I was in first class, and she is still a brilliant and enthusiastic teacher. "We're like a big family here" she says, with two teachers to ten students allowing for one on one attention for children. The school is unique that the students are not required to wear a uniform, promoting individuation and expression of personality. Having met all the students I can confirm that they are certainly a very expressive and happy bunch! 

Above: monoprinting directly from leaves pulled from the hedges outside the school. The children learned the names of the wild plants; ivy, fern, hawthorn. We noted the nettles but didn't pick them!

above: the result of the leaf monoprinting, using contrasting greens.

I cut this lino block for the children to print and colour in the windows - it is a derelict building in Ennistymon, that has been empty for as long as i can remember but was once a sweet shop. The children used their imaginations to preserve its history in their minds.

The children printed this lino block and filled in the various landmarks that we discussed, as I suspected most of the children had never seen a physical map so this was a revival of a lost art! In the text of the booklet I included little nuggets of information about some of these landmarks. The children were inquisitive and open to learning about the living history of Furlgan.

The children printed from lino blocks I cut of native sea shells from Lahinch beach, common varities that they can easily recognise.

Thank you to the Arts Council for this fantastic and fun opportunity!

It has inspired me for future projects and I hope the booklet is admired by many hands,

and that it might gain some more students who can avail of all the fantastic amenities the school has to offer.