Students at Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School made a symbolic appearance in the GAA’s 1916 commemoration event at Croke Park on Saturday 23rd April 2016.
The equality-based second-level school represented Educate Together pupils nationwide in the Grand Citizens’ Parade which aimed to showcase the full diversity of Irish society and which was the culmination of the thirty minute programme.
The second-level school which opened in 2014 is delighted to be involved in such an exciting and large scale production. Principal Bernie Judge, said:
“Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School is honoured to have been asked to take part in the Grand Citizens’ Parade. Croke Park is an iconic location and the students of Hansfield ETSS were excited to walk on the pitch. The Educate Together ethos is focused on the celebration of diversity and of ‘cherishing the children equally’ and what better time and place to highlight this than at a 1916 commemorative event at Croke Park! We would like to extend our thanks to the GAA for this fantastic opportunity.”
According to the students:
“It was brilliant and Dublin winning the League Final added that special touch to the enjoyment.”
Conceived to be a show of emotion and spectacle through large-scale innovative theatre, dance, song, image and pageant, this was an important production for the GAA to commemorate 1916, the Proclamation and the organisation’s role in the intervening 100 years.
The involvement of students from Hansfield Educate Together represented the educational sector of Irish life in today’s richly pluralistic society. Their participation symbolise the vital role inclusiveness, diversity and gender equality have within Irish life.
Directed by Ruan Magan, fresh from the recently successful 1916 RTE hit and featuring newly commissioned music composed by Patrick Cassidy, the event, will air on TG4 later this year.
