At last the day had come! The fifth class school tour took place on Wednesday 12th June.
A beautiful, bright, sunny morning matched our moods as we climbed aboard the bus and headed for Galway. The journey was full of songs and laughter and the time flew by.
Our first stop was in Pure Skill in Knocknacarra, which is a huge indoor sports hall, divided into various sporting challenges, incorporating ten different sports. These included familiar sports like GAA and basketball, but also some more unusual ones such as baseball and golf. The children each got a swipe card, which allowed them to move through the challenges independently. They also had scoring cards to keep track of their goals, points, putts and volleys! We were so proud of how well they all behaved here. They were patient, careful, enthusiastic and best of all, supportive of each other. The words of kindness and encouragement we heard as we walked around were so wonderful – something they should be very proud of.
After two hours, they had worked up an appetite and so we had a picnic outside in the sunshine before we got back on the bus for the short journey out to Salthill. As always, it was so beautiful there and we couldn’t resist a walk along the promenade. A local busker was playing the saxophone and a few of the boys chatted with him about which soccer team he supported. Again, they were so well behaved and on the way back the busker remarked, “They brightened up my day!”
It was time to go to our second stop – Galway Atlantaquaria! This aquarium is full of Ireland’s native species found in our oceans, rivers and lakes. We split into two groups and began our guided tour. It was so informative and we saw such an amazing variety of creatures, including some wobbly jellyfish, little sharks, a camouflaged octopus, dangerous piranhas and we even spotted Nemo and Dory! We learned all about their habitats, survival skills and what they liked to nibble on. We also saw the incredible Bearna Log boat, which is over 5,500 years old and on display in the aquarium. Our guides Tara and Niamh were so enthusiastic about their work, they were certainly inspiring to a few of our group. Maybe we have a future marine biologist or two in fifth class!
As we made the short journey from Salthill to Jump Lanes in Mervue, outside the city, the children were ‘bouncing’ with excitement! Shoes off, wristbands on and they were ready for action! They jumped and flipped, leaped and twirled their way across the trampolines. There were a few comfy bean bags for anyone who needed a little rest, but no one stayed too long because they were having too much fun. After an hour up in the air, there was one more activity – football pool! In teams, they competed to kick the ball into the pockets. Here, after a busy day, we once again heard the children encourage and support each other. What a wonderful way to end the day.
What school tour is complete without a tasty Supermacs? We arrived in Ballindine and there were hungry bellies all around! The children were patient and respectful, despite a long queue. They enjoyed their food together and after all the activities, we thought there might be a few sleepy heads on the last leg of our journey. Oh how wrong we were! The singing and chants brought us all the way to the school gate, so I think we can say they truly enjoyed every last minute of the day. Some of the boys went on to play – and win – a match shortly after they arrived home, we don’t know where they got the energy!
It was such a wonderful day out with fifth class. They were a credit to the school and to their parents, we couldn’t have been prouder of them. We hope they had a great time and that these days hold special memories for them all.
