A spooky French connection with a north Offaly school
Pupils of Scoil Sheosaimh Naofa, Ballinagar (St Joseph’s National School Ballinagar) not only celebrated the beginning of the Halloween Midterm break on Friday, October 22, with fancy dress ‘Freaky Friday’ but they were also engaged in a call with pupils from their twinned village Jaux, in the Oise region of France, north east of Paris.
This project was mooted by the committee of Ballycommon Ballinagar and Geashill (BBG) Town Twinning to maintain the connection even in the current global pandemic. The BBG Town Twinning project was established in 2016 to promote and embrace the different cultures. The main aim of the project is to enhance and develop the connections through various mediums; sports, music, arts culture, education and language activities. This is the first part of all three schools in the Ballycommon, Ballingar and Geashill area connecting with the school in Jaux.
Interestingly both areas have similar population but Ballycommon Ballinagar and Geashill has three times the number of primary school children which also showcases the differences in cultures.
The most recent project was kindly facilitated by Mr Niall Spain, Principal, Scoil Sheoseamh Naofa, Ballinagar and Ms. Karla Ryan 3rd class teacher. Ms. Magalie Courribet teacher school principal kindly facilitated the project in Jaux along with French teacher Ms. Julie Loquet.
Organisers from both schools have said that they are delighted to have renewed contact with each other and hope to continue to look to develop other opportunities to do so. The BBG Town Twinning committee is also in communication with Offaly County Counci in terms of utilising and enhancing lT networks both at home and abroad to facilitate this communication.
The plan is to link with Jaux at Christmas and for St. Patrick's Day with either Geashill and/or Cappagh National Schools.
Ballycommom Ballinagar and Geashill Town Twinning would like to thank everyone who continues to support this project. The Jaux French committee were to visit Ireland in March 2020 and depending on how the COIVD pandemic situation is, they are looking to possibly 2022 or 2023 to reschedule this visit and the committee will be looking for families in the area to host the French visitors. More information will be forthcoming in the coming months.