Spa N.S.’s Gairdín na Scoile’ developed as a result of a very simple idea. In June 2011 a group of volunteers began with planting a few drills of potatoes and included the children in harvesting them. This exercise really sparked a huge interest in the pupils. It was agreed that the development of a school garden would be a hugely positive addition to our school. Since then we have housed the garden in a few locations on the school grounds but have had to move again and again.
However, in 2022, A big team of numerous volunteers under the guidance of school caretaker Padraig Walshts finally got to work on an area for the development of our gairdín. It was measured and stone paths laid. Raised beds were built, seaweed was drawn from Fenit beach and in a few months the gardening movement was well underway in Spa National School.
Today, the garden has a number of raised vegetable beds planted annually with a recorded crop rotation; perennial fruit & herb beds; a teaching area and a direct water connection
The living willow dome and tunnel which the children class created with guidance from Gortbrack Organic Farm is also a huge favouriate play space with the students.
In the last year, we have also had two regular visitors to our garden as school hens Taylor and Swift have taken up residence in their very own school henhouse.
Our ‘Gáirdín na Scoile’ is a wonderful place for our students to visit and enjoy. It is an outdoor classroom and a hive of activity. It is a tool to teach our children a life skill, how to produce their own food, how to save their own seeds, how to understand and respect the natural environment around them, to be aware of our bio-diversity and its importance in everyday life and how to do this by following simple organic principles, health, ecology, fairness and care.
