BURREN LEARNING ECO-BEO

Eco-Beo: My Burren Heritage
Burrenbeo are currently running an educational programme aimed at opening up the Burren Region's vast and varied heritage to primary school students. The Eco-Beo education programme will be delivered between January and June 2008 to nine primary schools in North Clare and South Galway, offering over 200 primary school students and their teachers a unique insight into the Burren's world famous karst landscape. This work is being carried out as part of Burrenbeo's contribution to, and with additional support from, the Burren Connect Project.

The primary schools participating in the 2008 programme are Kinvara N.S., Kilnaboy N.S., New Quay N.S., Corofin N.S., Kilfenora N.S., Doorus N.S., Kilshanny N.S., Boston N.S. and Tubber N.S. The Burren Connect Project is presently seeking additional funding to extend the course to other Burren schools in 2008 and 2009.

Over the 10-module duration of the course, participants would learn about various aspects of the Burren - its animals, plants, monuments, landscape and culture - through a series of colourful classroom presentations. This will be followed by weekly quizzes, e-newsletters and assignments.  Professional course tutors, all of whom are experts in their individual areas, will deliver each module. Students will be taken on a Burren field trip, where they will have the opportunity to put their newfound knowledge to the test.

The aim of the Eco-Beo education programme is to increase awareness and appreciation of the heritage of the Burren among the children who live in this special place. We aim to achieve this by delivering a hands-on, fun learning experience for all involved. Through educating the young people, the future custodians of the Burren, the programme aims to instil among the children a sense of informed pride, ownership and responsibility for their heritage, as well as producing a fresh and fascinating insight into the region. We want this course to be the best Heritage Education Programme of its kind ever rolled out in Ireland, as befits a place as special as the Burren.

Below please find some resources from the Course. These include copies of the newsletters and also some useful pictoral checksheets on various themes. Just click on the link to download and print.