| Biography | Curriculum area | Activity Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tone, Theobald Wolfe | 1798 Rebellion | he entry for Wolfe Tone could be used by students preparing ‘People in History’ essays for the topic 1798 rebellion. Students could be divided into eight groups of three, with each group taking one section of the entry: (i) Education and early life (ii) Pamphleteer 1790-91 (iii) United Irishman 1791-2 (iv) Catholic agent 1792-3 (v) Government crackdown, 1793-5 (vi) In America 1795 (vii) Revolutionary ambassador 1796-8 (viii) Trial and death Each group should read their section and summarise in three bullet points. Each group should then present their information to the class in order. By combining the bullet points provided by each group, the class will create a collaborative people in history essay on the life of Wolfe Tone. |
| Political developments in Ireland in the late 19th century and the 20th century | Write a ‘People in History’ essays based on the title ‘A named leader in the struggle for Irish independence’. The biographical entries listed should be helpful in preparing for this question. Similar to the activity for Wolfe Tone above, small groups could each take a section of a particular biography and work to create a collaborative ‘People in History’ essay for the particular individual. | |
| Political developments in Ireland in the late 19th century and the 20th century | Write a ‘People in History’ essays based on the title ‘A named political leader in the Republic of Ireland during the period 1960-1985’. The biographical entries listed here are the ones currently available for taoisigh who served during this period and should be helpful in preparing for this question. Similar to the activity for Wolfe Tone above, small groups could each take a section of a particular biography and work to create a collaborative ‘People in History’ essay for the particular individual. |
Dictionary of Irish Biography
The Dictionary of Irish Biography (DIB), a hugely important national and international resource for scholars of Irish society, history and culture. All schools, teachers and students have open access to the Dictionary of Irish Biography online through Scoilnet.
The Dictionary is a biographical reference work for Ireland and surveys the historical experience of the island of Ireland. It outlines the careers at home and overseas of prominent men and women born in Ireland, north and south, and the noteworthy Irish careers of those born outside Ireland.
The Dictionary is widely applicable to the Leaving Certificate History syllabus at both ordinary and higher level, especially the ‘key personalities’ emanating from each topic of study. Both the Early Modern Irish History: 1494–1815 and the Later Modern Irish History: 1815–1993 fields of study are well covered by the breadth and range of the Dictionary.
Scoilnet has some exemplar lesson suggestions that were created by History teachers.
Early Modern Field of Study: Irish History, 1494-1815
| Biography | Curriculum area | Activity Description |
|---|---|---|
| Nagle, Nano (Honora) | The end of the Irish kingdom and the establishment of the Union, 1770-1815 | Nano Nagle is a key personality for the topic ‘The end of the Irish kingdom and the establishment of the Union, 1770-1815’. This biographical entry will be of interest to students studying this topic and in particular for those examining the development of Catholic education during this period. Students could read the biography and answer/discuss the following questions:
|
Later Modern Field of Study: Irish History, 1815-1993
| Biography | Curriculum area | Activity Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tod, Isabella Skeffington, Hanna Sheehy- | Movements for political and social reform, 1870-1914 | Isabella Tod and Hannah Sheehy-Skeffington are key personalities for the topic ‘Movements for social and political reform, 1870-1914’. These biographical entries will be of interest to students studying this topic and in particular for those examining the suffrage movement during this period. Although Tod and Sheehy-Skeffington are not exact contemporaries but it may be of value and interest to students to compare and contrast their contributions to the feminist movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One half of the class could read the entry for Tod and the other the entry for Sheehy-Skeffington. Each group could present their information to the class. This could be followed by a class discussion where students compare the national, social and cultural backgrounds of each woman and their contribution to the feminist movement. |
| Croker, Richard Welsted (‘Boss’) Mannix, Daniel | The Irish Diaspora, 1840-1966 | Boss Croker and Archbishop Daniel Mannix are key personalities for the topic ‘The Irish Diaspora, 1840-1966’. Both men were born in Ireland and made contributions to public life in countries outside Ireland: Mannix as Archbishop of Melbourne and Boss Croker, a key figure in the Democratic party in New York City in the late 19th century. Students could compare and contrast the experiences of Croker and Mannix abroad. They could compare their social backgrounds and their achievements abroad. One half of the class could read the entry for Croker and the other the entry for Mannix. Each group could present their information to the class. |
