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Is i an Ghaeilge an teanga is aille ar domhan.

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Best ways to learn the Irish language during Seachtain na Gaeilge this March

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Check out these Irish language resources to help you learn a new language for 2019.

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Altan is a popular Irish traditional band.

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Irish traditional music : "Altan" - set of 3 reels

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One famous Irish dance step is the jig.

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Everyone's heard of an Irish jig, but few people actually know what it is. Of course, we've probably all, at some point or another, hopped around a bit and said we were 'doing a jig,' but probably someone who knows what a jig actually is wouldn't find our hopping to be a jig at all. So what exactly IS a jig?

The jig is a celtic dance which takes its name from the type of music to which it is danced, also called a 'jig.' The music takes its name from the French word 'gigue,' which is an older word for a fiddle. Therefore, an Irish jig is one of many cultural dances that is done to fiddle music, specifically, Celtic fiddle music. There are Irish and Scottish variants of jig music, but the most well known of the jigs is the Irish jig.

An Irish Jig

An Irish jig is done to jig fiddle music, which often has a beat of 6/8. There are other beats that are still considered to be jigs as well; however, the most common jig music/dance is one of a 6/8 beat. A jig is danced with a lot of hopping, making it into a joyful dance; jigs are often danced at weddings and other types of celebrations.

Related Articles

A traditional Irish jig is a series of hops and steps that repeat themselves over and over again. The steps are very simple, either stepping forward or taking steps backwards, but the hops can require some practice in getting the timing and coordination right. The best way to practice getting it right is to make sure that you are listening well to the music. The beat is fast, so you'll want to make small steps and hops at first in order to maximize your chances of getting in all the steps on the beat of the music.

Step-by-Step

Point your left foot in front of you

Step onto your left foot and bring your right foot into a closed position behind it, transferring your weight onto your right foot

Bring your left toe up to your right knee as you hop

Swing your left leg so that your left knee is pointing in front of you and your foot is by your right knee---this is also done while hopping

Place your left foot on the ground behind you: the first of four steps backwards, left, right, left, right

Your weight should now be on your right foot, so that you can point your left foot in front of you---you're back to the beginning!

Learning by Example

If the above steps seem a bit confusing, you can also observe others dancing an Irish jig in order to get a better idea of how to string the steps together and how they should fit on the music. A few clips:

Popularity of Celtic Dance

Celtic dance forms have increased in popularity steadily since Riverdance took the world by storm in the 1990's. This means that there are more dance studios offering courses and workshops in traditional Celtic dance. In addition, the opportunities to see live Irish dancing are increasing, making it not only easier to learn the steps, but also making it a more popular hobby and activity.

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Everyone's heard of an Irish jig, but few people actually know what it is. Of course, we've probably all, at some point or another, hopped around a bit and said we were 'doing a jig,' but probably someone who knows what a jig actually is wouldn't find our hopping to be a jig at all.

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Most popular tourist attraction in Ireland.

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Ireland Cliffs, Famous Cliffs in Ireland | Cliffs of Moher

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One of Ireland's favourite visitor experiences, the Cliffs of Moher tower over the rugged West Clare coast. Walk the safe, paved pathways and view the famous Cliffs on Europe's western frontier and enjoy the spectacular vistas over the Atlantic Ocean and the Aran Islands.

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Liscannor, Ireland

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The Cliffs of Moher are entirely vertical and the cliff edge is abrupt. On a clear day, the views are tremendous, with the Aran Islands etched on the waters of Galway Bay.
From the cliff edge, you can just hear the booming far below as the waves crash and gnaw at the soft shale and sandstone.

With a due-west exposure, sunset is the best time to visit.
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Ireland Cliffs, Famous Cliffs in Ireland | Cliffs of Moher

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The Cliffs of Moher, looking over the rugged west Clare coast, one of Ireland's favourite visitor experiences. Save Up To 70% Booking Direct!

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A popular island off the Irish coast.

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You don't have to be on pilgrimage and you don't have to be focused on Christianity or Celtic Spirituality because the islands have a spiritual energy about them no matter what your spirituality is or where you are coming from in terms of your beliefs.

Inis Mor Island plays host to a zen Buddhist group who visit every summer for a retreat of up to 2 weeks. They live here and they do all their meditation in a building on the island that is dedicated to spiritual purposes, Killeany Lodge. Other various accommodation options are also available. People come to the Aran Islands for their own reasons, some are shamanic in their orientation, others might be interested in walking in nature and finding the sacred places on the island and tuning into it. There have been groups who have come for revision quests. These would be native American in background and they bring people to the islands as a place for them to go on a vision quest so they go out into the wilderness of the islands, and there are plenty of places on the island which are totally isolated where you won't see a sole or anything like an electric cable or car or bike, totally out in the wild and you can get in touch with your inner self.

There are plenty of people living out on the Islands who have been attracted here because of this spiritual energy of the place who approach spirituality from many different angles such as meditation, yoga and other spiritual practices that wouldn't fall neatly into any one religion or religious tradition. So no matter what your orientation is the island might have something to offer you in terms of a spiritual resource.

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Inis Mór (Inishmore) - Aran Islands - Galway - Doolin

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The Aran Islands are located in the middle of the Wild Atlantic Way. They are reached by Ferry from Rossaveal (which is the port when coming from Connemara & Galway). The Aran Islands are also accessible by Ferry from Doolin which is close to the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare.

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Sacred site associated with Irish kings.

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hilloftara.org | Top online resource for details on one of Irelands historical wonders, the magnificent Hill of Tara.

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The Hill of Tara, nestled in rural county Meath and bathed in celtic mythology, is one of Ireland's historic treasures.

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Beautiful, hand-written copy of the Gospels that's over a thousand years old.

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Book of Kells | Visit at Trinity College Dublin

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Visit the Book of Kells at Trinity College Dublin. Book tickets online to Ireland’s most famous tourist attraction. Explore this beautiful manuscript in person

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Climb a castle and lean upside-down to kiss it and you will receive the gift of gab!

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The Stone of Eloquence For over 200 years, world statesmen, literary giants, and legends of the silver screen have joined the millions of pilgrims climbing the steps to kiss the Blarney Stone and gain the gift of eloquence. Its powers are unquestioned but its story still creates debate. Once u

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Colcannon is a potato and cabbage dish.

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halloween recipe - traditional irish colcannon

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Halloween Recipe - Traditional Irish Colcannon

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Halloween Recipe - Traditional Irish Colcannon

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A sweet bread made with raisins.

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Give a little nod to the Irish with this traditional Irish Barmbrack Bread with Honey Butter. Filled with tea-soaked raisins and finished with a swipe of sweet homemade honey butter.

With St. Patrick's Day on the horizon, I have Irish on my mind. Truth be told, I'm not even a tiny bit Irish myself, but like so many, I'm game to be Irish in spirit any time and adopt many of their wonderful rustic and comforting foods .This bread is the perfect way to be celebrate the Irish!

Traditionally, the Irish serve Barmbrack at Halloween, but I don't think they'd mind if we all just enjoy it year round. This rustic bread is baked as one large round loaf and is filled with raisins that have been soaked in tea overnight before being added to the bread. The result is a lovely, lightly sweet and fruity bread that is great eaten out of hand or especially nice toasted. The honey butter compliments it perfectly and is so easy to whip up.

Cook's Notes for Irish Barmbrack Bread with Honey Butter

This loaf is nice with any raisins. I used half sultanas and then some golden raisins and some green raisins. If you are Canadian, pop in to the Bulk Barn to pick up a variety of just what you need.

I baked my bread in my cast iron skillet, which I would highly recommend, if you have one. Mine is 8-inches in diameter on the bottom. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, any oven-proof round baking pan around 8 or 9 inches will work.

Be sure to check the loaf around the 20 minute mark of baking and if nicely browned, loosely cover the top with tin foil for the last bit of baking, so the loaf doesn't get too brown on top.

Irish Barmbrack Bread with Honey Butter

Be sure to remember to soak the raisins overnight in the tea, the night before you want to bake this bread. You can use any raisins. A variety is nice for a pretty loaf.

Print

Bread:

2 cups raisins I used 1 cup sultanas, 1/2 cup golden raisins and 1/2 cup green raisins

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more as needed

4 Tbsp cold butter cut into small pieces

1 large egg beaten

Honey Butter:

3 Tbsp salted butter at room temperature

1. Brew 2 cups of hot tea and allow to cool to lukewarm. Add tea to a a medium glass bowl. Add the raisins, stir and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Leave to soak on the counter overnight.

2. *If using instant yeast, simply add it in with the flour mixture, as detailed below. If using dry active yeast, add yeast to lukewarm/cooled milk and allow to proof a few minutes before adding to dough.

3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of the flour, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and yeast. With a pastry cutter or your fingers (or with the paddle attachment on your mixer), work in the butter in to the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave, heat the milk to 110° if using dry active yeast or 120° for instant yeast. Beat the egg into the milk and then stir into the dry ingredients. Mix well with a wooden spoon or switch to the kneading hook on a stand mixer. Knead by hand or with the kneading hook until dough starts to come together (adding more flour in small increments, as necessary). Drain the raisins and add to the dough. (I find a sprinkling of flour on to the raisins help them to incorporate in to the dough more easily). Knead in the raisins, adding a bit more flour as necessary, until you have a smooth dough that is not sticky.

5. Remove dough to a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size.

6. Grease an 8-inch cast-iron skillet or baking pan and pre-heat oven to 400° F.

7. Turn risen dough out on to a floured surface. Press lightly to de-gas, then form in to a round by pinching the dough underneath. Place dough round in to prepared pan. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rise until puffy, about 30 minutes more.

8. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes, then check the bread. If it is nicely browned, cover top loosely with a piece of tinfoil, then continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes or so, or until an internal temperature of about 195°.35-40 Let cool completely before cutting into slices. Serve spread with butter or honey butter.

9. For honey butter: combine ingredients in a small bowl and stir vigorously until well combined.

Give a little nod to the Irish with this traditional Irish Barmbrack Bread with Honey Butter. Filled with tea-soaked raisins and finished with a swipe of sweet homemade honey butter.

With St. Patrick's Day on the horizon, I have Irish on my mind. Truth be told, I'm not even a tiny bit Irish myself, but like so many, I'm game to be Irish in spirit any time and adopt many of their wonderful rustic and comforting foods .This bread is the perfect way to be celebrate the Irish!

Traditionally, the Irish serve Barmbrack at Halloween, but I don't think they'd mind if we all just enjoy it year round. This rustic bread is baked as one large round loaf and is filled with raisins that have been soaked in tea overnight before being added to the bread. The result is a lovely, lightly sweet and fruity bread that is great eaten out of hand or especially nice toasted. The honey butter compliments it perfectly and is so easy to whip up.

Cook's Notes for Irish Barmbrack Bread with Honey Butter

This loaf is nice with any raisins. I used half sultanas and then some golden raisins and some green raisins. If you are Canadian, pop in to the Bulk Barn to pick up a variety of just what you need.

I baked my bread in my cast iron skillet, which I would highly recommend, if you have one. Mine is 8-inches in diameter on the bottom. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, any oven-proof round baking pan around 8 or 9 inches will work.

Be sure to check the loaf around the 20 minute mark of baking and if nicely browned, loosely cover the top with tin foil for the last bit of baking, so the loaf doesn't get too brown on top.

Irish Barmbrack Bread with Honey Butter

Be sure to remember to soak the raisins overnight in the tea, the night before you want to bake this bread. You can use any raisins. A variety is nice for a pretty loaf.

Print

Bread:

2 cups raisins I used 1 cup sultanas, 1/2 cup golden raisins and 1/2 cup green raisins

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more as needed

4 Tbsp cold butter cut into small pieces

1 large egg beaten

Honey Butter:

3 Tbsp salted butter at room temperature

1. Brew 2 cups of hot tea and allow to cool to lukewarm. Add tea to a a medium glass bowl. Add the raisins, stir and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Leave to soak on the counter overnight.

2. *If using instant yeast, simply add it in with the flour mixture, as detailed below. If using dry active yeast, add yeast to lukewarm/cooled milk and allow to proof a few minutes before adding to dough.

3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine 4 cups of the flour, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and yeast. With a pastry cutter or your fingers (or with the paddle attachment on your mixer), work in the butter in to the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave, heat the milk to 110° if using dry active yeast or 120° for instant yeast. Beat the egg into the milk and then stir into the dry ingredients. Mix well with a wooden spoon or switch to the kneading hook on a stand mixer. Knead by hand or with the kneading hook until dough starts to come together (adding more flour in small increments, as necessary). Drain the raisins and add to the dough. (I find a sprinkling of flour on to the raisins help them to incorporate in to the dough more easily). Knead in the raisins, adding a bit more flour as necessary, until you have a smooth dough that is not sticky.

5. Remove dough to a large greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size.

6. Grease an 8-inch cast-iron skillet or baking pan and pre-heat oven to 400° F.

7. Turn risen dough out on to a floured surface. Press lightly to de-gas, then form in to a round by pinching the dough underneath. Place dough round in to prepared pan. Cover with a clean tea towel and allow to rise until puffy, about 30 minutes more.

8. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes, then check the bread. If it is nicely browned, cover top loosely with a piece of tinfoil, then continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes or so, or until an internal temperature of about 195°.35-40 Let cool completely before cutting into slices. Serve spread with butter or honey butter.

9. For honey butter: combine ingredients in a small bowl and stir vigorously until well combined.

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Give a little nod to the Irish with this traditional Irish Barmbrack Bread with Honey Butter. Filled with tea-soaked raisins and finished with a swipe of sweet homemade honey butter. With St. Patrick's Day on the horizon, I have Irish on my mind.

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Potato pancakes made from both mashed and shredded potatoes.

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A very hard sugar candy.

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The Irish Yellowman Candy is a close relative to the honeycomb toffee but unique in its own way. It's a traditional sweet treat that has been found at the Ould Lammas Fair in Northern Ireland for centuries.

I am so excited to welcome you to the second month of the Eat the World challenge and this month we are going to Ireland since March is famous for Saint-Patrick's Day. No Irish blood in you? Well, no worries! You know what they say, everyone's Irish on St Patty's day. Since I have quite a few Irish recipes already on my blog, I went in search of a rare gem, a piece fallen from the pot of gold you could say, and found the Yellowman Candy Toffee.

Hammers and Paper Cones

The Yellowman Candy is closely associated with the Ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle, in Northen Ireland. Now I know what you are going to say: Ireland and Northen Ireland are not the same countries! Very true but the fair goes back to the 17th century, therefore making it Ireland's oldest fair. And the Yelloman Toffee was sold at the fair prior to the separation. And Saint-Patrick is the patron Saint of both countries. Did I make a good argument?

The fair takes place on the last Monday and Tuesday of August, celebrating the end of the harvest season. You will also find a lot of cattle and local treats to try. The Irish Yellow man can be found as rock hard blocks. It is so hard, merchants will break off pieces with a hammer and serve the rubble to you in paper cones. And it is often accompanied by the famous dulse, a dried seaweed I actually found in New Brunswick a couple of years ago. There is even an old folk song that mentions this Irish toffee candy:

At the ould Lammas Fair boys were you ever there
Were you ever at the Fair In Ballycastle-O?
Did you treat your Mary Ann to some Dulse and Yellow Man
At the ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle-O

In Flander's fields afar while resting from the War
We drank Bon Sante to the Flemish lassies O
But the scene that haunts my memory is kissing Mary Ann
Her pouting lips all sticky from eating Yellow Man
As we passed the silver Margy and we strolled along the strand
From the ould Lammas Fair in Ballycastle-O

Traditional Irish Food

If you want to know more about traditional Irish food and get more info on the Yellowman and Dulse combo, check out this article on what to eat in Ireland from XYU and Beyond.

I was surprised to see how many Irish recipes I already have on the blog: a gluten-free Irish Bacon Cabbage Millet Soup, a crockpot Chicken and Stout Stew, eggs benedict served on a colcannon. I needed to find something different and came across the Yellaman candy. By the way, the name of that candy is due to the color and not a racial slur as one might first think.

Yellowman Tips for Success

The Yellowman Irish candy is similar to the traditional honeycomb sponge toffee, but the ingredients vary slightly and there is always a touch of vinegar in it. Also, the rind is much thicker. The candy is exceptionally hard and brittle as the sugars are heated to the hard-crack stage (149 °C/300 °F). Apparently, in the old days, the warm toffee was placed on a hook and pulled repeatedly which gave it a light golden color.

The recipe may seem complicated but it was really easy to make as long as you have a candy thermometer and you are quick at the last stage, the bubbling stage. The bubbles are created by the addition of vinegar first, then baking soda, which causes carbon dioxide. Use a tall pan for this as the volume can triple or quadruple. The trick is to quickly and vigorously mix in the baking soda and pour the toffee into a pan before it hardens.

Once it has hardened completely...get your hammer and towel to break it up into chunks. If you like you can dip the pieces in chocolate as well. Keep the dust to top desserts and ice cream.

I served this to my family that came over for a potluck and everyone raved about it. Two cousins playfully fought (sorta) over who could bring some leftovers home. The rest I brought to work and everyone in my department went back for third or fourth servings. So yeah, the Yellowman Candy was a sweet success!

Yields 16-20 portions

Save Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Eat the World Recipe Challenge

Check out all the wonderful Irish dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

Amy: Cheesy Potato Soup with Irish Ale
Nicoletta and Loreto: Irish Chocolate Stout Cake
Wendy: Instant Pot Irish Stew with White Cheddar Crust
Camilla: Shamrock Salad-Topped Irish Boxty
Tara: Irish Baked Eggs with Spinach
Karen: Irish Potato Cakes
Sarah: Irish Parsnip Soup
Margaret: Dublin Coddle (an Irish Stew)
Bernice: Potato Cabbage and Rutabaga Colcannon

Did you make one of my recipes? I would love to see it. Take a photo and tag me on Instagram @cultureatz.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure policy). Please support CulturEatz by clicking on the links and purchasing through them so I can keep the kitchen well stocked. It does not alter the price you pay.

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A Unique Irish Yellowman Candy for Saint-Patrick's Day

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I am so excited to welcome you to the second month of the Eat the World challenge and this month we are going to Ireland since March is famous for Saint-Patrick's Day. No Irish blood in you? Well, no worries! You know what they say, everyone's Irish on St Patty's day.

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The Triskelion:
This is similar to the idea of the Trinity as the triskel stands for unity of the physical, mental, and spiritual. The Triskelion can also symbolize eternal life, the flow of nature, and spiritual growth.

Brigid's Cross:
This is a small cross usually from rushes, with four arms at tied at the ends and woven square in the middle. Brigid's cross is associated with the patron saint of Ireland and they were set over doorways and windows to protect the home from any kind of harm.

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The Irish Flag:
Consisting of three stripes, green for the Catholic population, white for harmony and unity, and orange for the Irish Protestants. This was the symbol of hope and peace and was adopted by the Irish Republic during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921).

The Irish Harp:
It is a traditional symbol of Ireland. This reflects the immortality of the soul and is one of the more popular instruments.

The Claddagh Ring:
Originated for the Irish village of Claddagh, is traditionally given to represent love, the heart, loyalty, the crown, and friendship, the hands.

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Celtic Cross:
This is a combination of the traditional Christian cross with a ring, which is a symbol of energy/life, surrounding the intersections.

Celtic Tree of Life:
Though there are many tree symbols, each tree species represented a different meaning.
For example, ash represents connection, wisdom, and surrender; willow signifies imagination, intuition, and vision; and oak is for strength, stability, and nobility.

The Trinity Knot:
This could represent promises to a relationship; symbolize unity and trinity of soul, heart, and mind; or three distinct interlocked levels of physical, mental, and spiritual self.

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Ireland does not have an official state religion. The Irish Constitution allows individual's the right and freedom to profess and practice a religion of their choice.

With this being said, the Catholic Church and the Irish state have a longstanding historical, cultural, and political connection.

Most of the population identifies as Christian, with 84.7% affiliating with Catholicism, 2.7% identify with the Church of Ireland, 2.7% identify with some other branch of Christianity, 1.1% identify as Muslim, and 1.7% did not specify their religion affiliation.

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Dates of Significance:
New Year's Day (1st of Jan.)
St. Patrick's Day (17th of Mar.)
Good Friday (Varies)
Easter (Varies)
May Day (2nd of May)
June Bank Holiday (6th of June)
August Bank Holiday (1st of August)
October Bank Holiday (31st of October)
Christmas Day (25th of Dec.)
St. Stephen's Day (26th of Dec.)
New Year's Eve (31st of Dec.)

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Education in Ireland

Education is required for children in Ireland from the ages of six to sixteen or until students have completed three years of second-level education.

The Irish education system is made up of:

Early Childhood

Primary

Post Primary

Further Education and Training

Higher Education

Qualifications Recognition

Educational provision for students with special educational needs

Provision for disadvantaged students

State-funded education is available at all levels, unless you choose to send your child to a private institution.

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The picture below represents the different level of schooling in Ireland. On the left shows the typical age of completion of that level and the arrow represent the different pathways a student could choose when deciding what path they want to follow to contribute to as a future member of society in Ireland.

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Educational System: Preschool and Special Ed

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Educational System: Preschool and Special Ed

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Preschool education is provided by privately funded childcare facilities or providers.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme provides free early childhood care and education for children of this age.

While other preschool initiatives are funded by the Department of Education and Skills for being focused primarily on children at risk.

Special Education can range from additional support in schools to specialist support in specialized schools.

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Children do not have to attend school until the age of 6. Some children can attend school in September once 4 years of age.

The primary school curriculum is child-centered.

Though primary schools are generally privately own by religious communities or boards of governors, the schools are still funded by the state.

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Secondary-level education is three different types of post-primary schools that generally starts at the age of 12.

This will consist of a 3-year junior cycle followed by a 2-year or 3-year senior cycle.
(This can be depending on if the child takes an optional transition year following the Junior Certificate examination.)
The transition year allows students to experience a wide range of educational inputs and work experience free from formal examinations.

During their senior cycle, students will take one of the 3 programs, leading to a State examination-Leaving Certificate, Certification Vocational Program, or the Leaving Certificate Applied.

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Educational System: Secondary School Cont.

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Educational System: Secondary School Cont.

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Leaving Certificate: the main basis which places in universities, institutes of technology, and colleges of education are allocated.

Leaving Certificate Vocational: placing a concentration on technical subjects and including modules which have vocational focus.

Leaving Certificate Applied: preparation of participants for adult and working life through relevant learning experiences.

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This is made up of the university sector, the technological sector, and the colleges of education, which are funded by the state. These would be your bachelors, masters, and doctorate degree level schoolings.

The technological sectors includes technological universities and institutes of technology.

The colleges of education train for the primary school teachers.

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Education has always been a priority and highly valued in this culture. Prior to the establishment of a national system of primary education in 1831, there was already in existence a vast network of schools.

Education is now regarded as a central plank in the economic, social, and cultural development of Irish society.

Governments and social partners view it as strategically interlinked with national planning.

There is also a high level of public interest in educational issues, which has been further developed by the consultative approach adopted by the Government in the formulation of educational policy.

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Novel ideas to make relationships in the classroom stronger and more supportive of learning.

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The first thing that strikes you is the classroom. There are no symmetrical lines of desks facing a whiteboard. Instead, there are small pods of four tables grouped together.

In another classroom, chairs are arranged in a big U to facilitate discussion. Then you notice coloured pages open on students' desk during class. The so-called traffic-light system - with red, amber and green pages - allows pupils to give unobtrusive feedback to the teacher on whether they are following what is going on.

"We don't focus on 'chalk and talk' any more,' says Pat Tighe, acting principal of Magh Éne College, a secondary school in Bundoran, Co Donegal. "The old approach was teacher-led. Students weren't active participants They were told what to do, and they did it . . . Now, there's a big focus on partnership."

This takes the form of group work and creating an active learning environment where everyone feels involved. "It makes the classroom come alive," he says.

It is yielding impressive results.

Feeder-school lists, which rank secondary schools based on the proportion of students that progress to third level, are typically dominated by fee-paying or high-achieving schools in affluent areas.

Yet, Magh Éne College, a school under the patronage of the Education and Training Board (formerly the Vocational Education Committee) has vaulted towards the summit of this year's list.

It ranked third nationally out of the State's 700-plus secondary schools, ahead of long-established bastions of privilege and high achievement.

It was followed in fourth place by another ETB-run school, Coláiste Gleann Lí in Tralee (formerly Tralee Community College), which is using the same learning techniques.

Both schools put much of their high performance down to a quiet revolution in teaching and learning prompted by a Canadian professor, Barrie Bennett.

Roots in 1980s Canada

The roots of his "instructional leadership" go back to the 1980s in Canada. A ministry of education report at the time found that Durham school district, east of Toronto, was one of the worst in the province of Ontario. Bennett was part of a team that fundamentally changed the way teaching and learning took place in the classroom.

A decade later, Durham was recognised as one of the most innovative school districts in the world, when it was awarded a major international prize by the Bertelsmann Foundation.

At the heart of the approach is research that indicates that a teacher's "instructional repertoire" is one of the single biggest predictors of a student's performance.

"I've found the vast majority of teachers really do want to make a difference in the classroom," says Bennett. However, he points out that most training programmes only get teachers out of the starting blocks. They do not place enough emphasis on the repertoire of instruction approaches that can fully engage students.

To do it well, Bennett says, requires time and patience. Research indicates that it takes about 10 years for anyone to become an expert in a field that is reasonably complex.

"Slower is faster, and less is more," he says. "Most school districts work on the idea of 'let's have a good year'. The key is to stay with it long enough to build the internal capacity to have your own teachers doing the workshops for other teachers."

Bennett first came to Ireland almost a decade ago following an invitation from a Department of Education official, Dr Finn Ó Murchú, who was impressed by his research findings.

Tighe recalls going to Bennett's first workshop for teachers in Ireland, at the Mount Wolseley Hotel in Co Carlow in 2008. Most training days tend to involve changes to subject material or the curriculum. But this was different: the focus was on the very building blocks of teaching and learning.

"It was unlike anything I had come across in my day," Tighe says. "It was based on students seeking information themselves, sharing it and problem- solving, all under the gentle guidance of a teacher."

Pilot scheme

At Magh Éne College, teachers gradually piloted the new methods with first-year classes. Outside school hours, teachers shared their experiences of what worked and what did not.

"We didn't have to sell it," says Tighe. "Teachers found classes were easier and outcomes were better. There were far fewer discipline issues."

Now, all 28 teachers at the school are trained in new methods of teaching and learning.

Students are enthusiastic about the new approach and say it makes classes more engaging. "We learn from each other," says Eimear Colreavy (15), a transition year student. "No student can be the best at everything, so we share what we know when it comes to group work, under the guidance of the teacher."

Teachers, too, are rediscovering a professional pride in their roles and say classes are filled with energy, experimentation and enthusiasm.

"It's magical," says Joan Russell, project officer for instructional practices with the ETBI. "The days of teachers closing the door behind them are going. They are sharing their practice and their experience. They have the skill and the courage to try new methods."

There has been no formal evaluation of the impact of training so far. Anecdotally, however, many teachers say it is transforming the classroom and maximising the potential of students of all abilities.

Nationally, more than 900 teachers in about 220 schools have been trained in instructional leadership. There is a waiting list of schools seeking to take part in instructional leadership training, with a series of new sessions due to begin in March.

Bennett says plans to roll out the approach nationally in Ireland are by far the most ambitious of any of the projects he has been involved in. "They are doing an excellent job of attending to the research related to what works; they are also researching and assessing themselves as they move along," he says.

The involvement of boards of management and education leaders at universities, he says, will be vital to sustaining its success in the longer term.

"What happens at the top is always what makes the project survive or die," he says. "Staying connected to key players and stakeholders is essential. So, getting unions involved in finding ways they can support teachers to make their work more effective is key."

LEARNING TECHNIQUES: HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS

Here are some of the techniques that successful schools such as Magh Éne - a secondary school in Bundoran, Co Donegal - are using to change the way learning takes place in the classroom.

Traffic-light systemStudents' journals are open on their desks with pages coloured in green, amber and red. They use them to give teachers real-time feedback on whether they understand what is being taught. "If a teacher sees a sea of red, then they know there's a problem," says Pat Tighe, principal of Magh Éne College. If an individual student displays a red page, the teacher can provide one-on-one support.

Mini white boardsIn a typical class an individual student is selected to give an answer to a question. As part of this new approach, all students are required to answer a question by writing it down on a mini whiteboard, which they display simultaneously to the teacher. "In the old classes, students sat in line hoping they might not get picked out to answer a question they didn't know," says Tighe. In this [new] way, everyone's involved and everyone feels safe instead of being put on the spot."

Fishbone diagrams Instead of transcribing reams of notes, students are encouraged to use "mind-mapping" techniques for brainstorming. Fishbone diagrams help students to consider all possible causes of a problem, rather than the most obvious.

No percentages Instead of a test at the end of school term, which shows how much a student knows or doesn't know, many are opting for formative assessments. These involve giving regular feedback to students in the form of constructive comments rather than percentage scores.

WHY SCHOOLS ARE SIGNING UP IN THEIR DROVES

Joan Russell is project officer for instructional practices at the Education and Training Board Ireland

There has been much talk of storms in Ireland over the past few weeks, each of which have left their mark on our towns and villages .

However, one storm that has been hitting the country for the past eight years, relatively silently, yet making a positive impact on our postprimary schools and colleges, is a major change in the way teaching and learning is taking place in the classroom.

The Instructional Leadership Programme is unique to the field of education in a number of ways. It is entirely voluntary. No school is compelled to undergo training. Instead, schools and colleges are invited to participate. In recent months, enrolment has been based on waiting lists rather than advertising. Schools and colleges are signing up and waiting their turn to participate.

It is not focused on any particular subject. Rather, it is based on ensuring we have active classrooms with high- quality teaching and learning.

In the process, the programme is giving teachers an opportunity to develop a new language around their classroom practice, enabling them to share practice, resources and ideas, regardless of their subject.

The Education and Training Board Ireland has engaged with Canadian professor Barrie Bennett to develop a programme of professional development for school and college management and teachers that focuses on developing these skills. This programme is in its eighth year and has facilitated the training and upskilling of almost 1,000 postprimary teachers, principals and deputy principals.

Annually, a cohort of about 120 participants - including three representatives from each school - attend four workshops, over a two-year period.

Generally two groups are facilitated consecutively. Due to demand, three will be facilitated consecutively from 2016 onwards.

So, why are schools signing up in their droves for the programme?

We've found that students love how the teachers have embraced the methods used to make classrooms active-learning environments.

One teacher tells the story of how her students left her classroom and asked another teacher would she "do the stuff that the other teachers does with us?"

This is opening up an opportunity for professional collaboration within the school.

It is also encouraging teachers to consciously adapt their classroom practice to maximise student learning and to make classrooms a safe and accountable learning environment.

The science behind the learning is a central part of the programme. Teachers learn not just new skills and how to implement them but also the science and reasoning behind them.

The programme promotes and supports the building of internal capacity in schools, where teachers become critical friends and teachers of each other. Schools are developing the capacity to provide their own professional development, to meet their own unique needs.

It is much more than another form of learning. There are a number of crucial ingredients required to help ensure it works effectively.

For example, it is compulsory for the principal or deputy principal to participate in the programme.

This is not only to support them in executing their roles in leading teaching and learning, but also to ensure that effective change takes place right across the school or college.

This includes changing how teachers teach and how students learn across the postprimary and further-education sector.

An exciting aspect of the programme is that those who have completed it are facilitating the delivery of the programme in their own schools and colleges, with fellow schools and with groups of teachers at national and regional level.

In fact, graduates will facilitate with Prof Bennett at the workshops for the groups due to commence the programme in March.

Many have established support networks. These allow teachers in various schools and colleges across the sectors to meet on a regular basis, outside of school time, to share their experience and learning.

Nothing stands still, however. That is why a national conference is held annually to support and further promote the skills necessary to meet Ireland's' changing classrooms.

We have found that the instructional leadership programme has motivated many participants to continue their study of this area at postgraduate level. Their insights continue to be shared as valued feedback within the programme.

The programme is working and making an impact. It can be demanding and challenging, but it is of high quality and focused on the core business of any school: teaching and learning, at all levels. Joan Russell

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A teaching revolution that 'makes the classes come alive'

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The first thing that strikes you is the classroom. There are no symmetrical lines of desks facing a whiteboard. Instead, there are small pods of four tables grouped together. In another classroom, chairs are arranged in a big U to facilitate discussion. Then you notice coloured pages open on students' desk during class.

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Irish policies on classroom management.

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Managing children's behaviour and establishing and maintaining discipline in the school are essential components of the role of the primary teacher.

The INTO has published several policy documents relating to this issue, including Discipline in the Primary School (2002), Managing Challenging Behaviour (2004) and Towards Positive Behaviour in Primary Schools (2005). These documents emphasise the importance of adopting positive approaches to promoting good behaviour and discipline in schools, and outline strategies which have been successfully used by primary teachers. Chapter 7 of Developing a Code of Behaviour: Guidelines for Schools also deals with promoting good behaviour.

Teachers are reminded of Sections 2, 3 and 4 of Rule 130 of the Rules for National Schools (as amended by Circular 7/88):
(2) Teachers should have a lively regard for the improvement and general welfare of their pupils, treat them with kindness combined with firmness and should aim at governing them through their affections and reason and not by harshness and severity. Ridicule, sarcasm or remarks likely to undermine a pupil's self-confidence should not be used in any circumstances. (3) The use of corporal punishment is forbidden. (4) Any teacher who contravenes sections (2) and (3) of this Rule will be regarded as guilty of conduct unbefitting a teacher and will be subject to severe disciplinary action.
(While Rule 130 has been superseded by Developing a Code of Behaviour- Guidelines for Schools, insofar as it applies to matters dealt with in the Guidelines, the above sections remain relevant.)

It is acknowledged that despite the best efforts of schools, inappropriate behaviour happens, and that even minor breaches of the Code of Behaviour can be disruptive, particularly if they are persistent. Chapter 8 of Developing a Code of Behaviour - Guidelines for Schools outlines a problem solving approach to addressing inappropriate behaviour, including a whole school strategies, clearly defined roles and responsibilities and the use of sanctions.

Schools should determine what sanctions to use. Examples of appropriate sanctions include:

Verbal reprimand.

Removal from the group (class).

Withdrawal of privileges.

Withdrawal from the particular lesson or peer group.

Carrying out a useful task in the school.

Detention.

Formal report to the board of management.

If detention is used in the school, this should be made clear in the written Code of Behaviour. Parents should have adequate notice of detention.

Inappropriate sanctions include:

Physical punishment or the threat of physical punishment: physical chastisement of a student is illegal under section 24 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997.

Ridicule, sarcasm or remarks likely to undermine a student's self confidence.

Public or private humiliation.

Applying sanctions to whole groups or classes in cases of individual or small-group wrongdoing.

Leaving a student in an unsupervised situation (e.g. a corridor) while in the care of the school.

Persistent isolation of, or ignoring, a student in class.

Sanctions that are used in a discriminatory way: the Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2011 require that schools do not discriminate under any of the nine grounds in the use of sanctions.

Temporarily removing a student from the classroom to a supervised location may be appropriate in the interests of classroom management in order to ensure the learning of other students and to help the individual student to recognise and learn about the impact and consequences of their behaviour. However, consistently denying a student access to a particular part of the curriculum as a general sanction would not be appropriate.

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Managing children's behaviour and establishing and maintaining discipline in the school are essential components of the role of the primary teacher. The INTO has published several policy documents relating to this issue, including Discipline in the Primary School (2002), Managing Challenging Behaviour (2004) and Towards Positive Behaviour in Primary Schools (2005).

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Recommendations for teaching English learners in Ireland.