Krakow Trip 2008 - History Students visit Poland
In the very early hours of the 27th October fourteen students and two teachers, Ms Gray and Ms Roche, gathered in Dublin Airport eagerly awaiting four exciting days in Poland's former capital city, Krakow. After our arrival in Balice airport, we swiftly headed for lunch near the city's main market square. While there, we were surprised by the arrival of former teacher, Ms Lyons, who was to spend the rest of the trip with us. That evening we went on a ghost tour of the old city.
We had an early start on the second day for our two hour train journey to the two concentration camps of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. There we got an insight into the torture and appalling living conditions of those imprisoned there. This day will remain with many of us for a long time to come. At nine that night, back in Krakow, we went bowling which somewhat lightened the mood for the day.
On Wednesday, we visited the Wieliczka Salt Mine which is the Krakow Salt-Works Museum. There we went deep down, over 120 metres down, into the earth's surface. Galeria Krakowska and its two hundred and seventy shops was our next stop for four hours of shoping. Then it was back to the hotel to get changed for our final evening meal in one of Krakow's finest restaurants. Everybody received an award based on observations from Auntie Sarah and Auntie Carmel. We all had a good night.
Then the next morning it was doom and gloom as we had to return to a cold and windy Dublin. I think I can speak for evryone when I extend my sincere thanks to Ms Roche, Ms Gray and Ms Lyons for a wonderful four days.
Neil Keane
Krakow is a c
ity which expresses old style European Romanticism whilst harbouring the relics of the mighty Soviet Union. Arriving inthe city it struck me, this bizarre fusion of cultures which have collided to create a most spectacular city. Krakow is the cultural capital of Poland; its narrow streets and wide squares are filled with plush watering holes and luxury restaurants, although there are a few exceptions to this rule. Our hotel provided the perfect accomoation for fourteen adolescent men. Simple beds and adequate showers were all that were needed considering the amount of time that was actually spent there.
Every morning a Polish feast was laid on for our consumption. Laid out on glistening platters were countless number of meats and cheeses, accompanied by various egg dishes, salads and freshly squezed orange juice. I wonder, however, how many Irish teenagers are accostomed to such exotic fare.
James White
I woke at four in the morning for a run to the airport. When I arrived there I was slagged for my airport photo. On the plane I was sitting beside a rancid old woman who coughed, sneezed and farted throughout the flight. When we got there I had symptoms of the flu and was extremely annoyed.
We dropped our bags at the hotel and then went for something to eat. We walked around and saw most of the city and the town. We took a ghost tour of the city that night. Our guide's name was Luke; but we called him Tony. When we returned to the hotel it was time to sleep before our next day's outing to Auschwitz. We split up in the former concentration camp and experienced the place for ourselves as individuals and tried to find a hidden lesson that we had to understand.
When we arrived at the second Auschwitz we found it to be a more desolate place. The ruins from the old Nazi regime was all that awaited us. There was a blanket of fog that never lifted from the place. (See Neil Keane's photographs here.)
Keith McGrath
While in Krakow we visited the Salt Mines which are truly a "mine" of information. We descended 125 metres down a flight of wooden stairs, the depth realised by our ears popping. Once down there we marveled at the statues carved from salt and also the taste of the walls.
We also went bowling and, while we found it difficult to actually find the bowling alley, once we got there it was a great night for all, even for the bowling virgins. The food we had was also enjoyable and, although we made some inevitable stops for MacDonalds, we still got a taste for Polish cuisine.
At the end of the time, we all came home a little wiser but everyone also had a great time. I, for one, hope to travel back to Krakow when I am older.
Dean Flood
The weather in Krakow was nice which was a surpsise to those of us on tour as we were prepared for a cold and bitter trip.On the first day of our visit to Krakow we just got familiar with our surroundings so we walked around the centre of the city and had a gander. We also made an unwelcome trip (for some) to MacDonalds just to fill our stomachs. This is where Ms Lyons met up with us. Nobody expected to see her there at all. It was a good surprise becaus
e we all got on well with her. That night the teachers organised a guided ghost trip of the city which gave us an insight of Krakow and some of the buildings.
An added bonus of being in Krakow was seeing stunning women, day in and day out, There are so many good looking women there...a good distraction. I would definitelyreturn because it is a beautiful city and I would certainly recommend going there.
If I go back I would like to get to see a football match because football is a main passion there. Altogether it was a brilliant trip and we all had a great time.
Alan Leahy
5 students on tour
with Ms Roche
Steven Gaffney
on a Polish train
Four students on tour
The Krakow Tour Group
Click on the image (left) to see a slide show of the concentration camp at Auschwitz with photographs taken by Neil Keane.
Ski tour to the Italian Alps - (A Teacher Reports)
The ski trip this year was in a resort called Fopollo in Italy. The trip was made up of 41 second year students and 4 teachers; Mr. O' Byrne, Ms. Heduan, Mr. O' Dowd, and Ms. O' Malley.
We arrived in Fopollo on Sunday night and it was early to bed as we had a busy week skiing ahead of us. The hotel was in a perfect location, enabling us to ski to the door. We had all our meals in the hotel; our ski change room was located below the hotel and shops all within one minute walk.
Each day the students (and some less experienced teachers) had ski lessons in the morning, and in the afternoon. Everyone was divided into groups according to ability and everyone progressed each day. The advanced group were skiing the most difficult slopes right from the beginning. Each group had an instructo rwith whom they soon became friends by the end of the week. On the last day of skiing there was a race for each group. The winners received medals and certificates at a presentation ceremony. Each evening the students took part in Après ski events. They included ice-skating, swimming, tobogganing and a disco. Everyone really enjoyed them.There were a few other schools in the hotel, one of which was a girl's school from Dublin. Even though they were older than the boys they soon built up good friendships with them and numbers were exchanged and tears were shed on the last day.
When the weekend arrived everyone was feeling tired but full of excitement for the last days events. Mr. O' Byrne organised a guided tour of the 'San Siro' on Sunday. We packed up and said our goodbyes taking the journey into Milan. After a stop off in McDonalds we went to the San Siro shop, museum and a guided tour of the stadium and dressing rooms. It was definitely the highlight of our trip.
Before we went to the airport we got the metro into Milan city center and spent a few hours sightseeing and shopping for designer handbags and lots of other presents to bring home. We arrived at the airport thinking all the excitement was over. Word had just arrived of the new Italian manager of the Irish football team. When by a stroke of luck we saw John Delaney, president of the FAI in the airport. Some of the students politely said hello when he began to chat and gave Ms. Heduan 40 tickets to see the next Ireland match. Everyone was thrilled. What a way to end a wonderful week! I will be the first person with my hand up to go on the next ski trip.
Ms. Aisling O' Malley
Click on the image of the skier above to view a short video of landscape pictures made by a ski rep, Norman Dawkin, who met the staff and students of the school and was so impressed with all concerned he sent on the video and some pictures.
Ski Tour to Italy
Garreth Cummins : The best part about the ski trip was going down the slopes. They were huge and very steep and there were kids aged two and more skiing down them.
Alex Fitzsimmons : The best part of the trip was speeding down the mountains and seeing one student, in particular, falling down while trying to show off. Even little kids were better than he was.
Cathal Nolan : It was great because you get real fun out of it. You get to hang out with your friends and you learn new things every day like ice-skating and, of course, how to ski.
Sean Bradbury : It was good because I learned to ski. I had a laugh when everybody was falling.
Brian Gregg : The best part of the ski trip was falling! The food was awful.
Jordan Kiernan :We met John Delaney of the F.A.I. at the airport and he gave us 40 tickets for an international match plus two passes to meet the players. The San Siro Stadium was deadly; it was huge even though the pitch was tiny.
Stephen Joyce : I enjoyed the skiing most, particularly flying down the slopes..
Ski Tour to Austria (A Teacher's View)
On Saturday, December 29th, a group of 25 set off from Dublin airport in the early hours of the morning on their journey to Friedrichshafen, a town on the northern side of Lake Constance in southern Germany, near the borders with Switzerland and Austria.. When we arrived in the airport we hada two and a half hour entertaining bus journey to the Ehrwvald resort on the Austrian German border. We went to our hotel - The Alpen - and sorted out the rooms.
That Saturday, on our arrival, we were all fitted out for the equipment we needed - not only the skis,but also the poles and the boots. We retired shattered but eager t
o hit the slopes which we could see from our bedroom windows.
The next morning we were divided into three groups: beginners, intermediate and advanced. Some of the students were on their third ski trip and the advanced were joined by Mr O'Byrne while Mr Kenny worked with the beginners.
All of the students made steady progress during the week with the beginners doing the best, despite some heavy falls and suicide skiing moments. By the end of the week the advanced and intermediate students were flying down the black slopes, while the beginners were skiing down the blue and red slopes with a great view of the alps. The advanced and intermediate even managed to ski back to the hotel from the slopes on one evening.
There were three different ski locations in the area. The main one was in the Ehrwald village centre. We also travelled to the Ehrwald Elm while the highlight was a day spent skiing from the top of the Zusspitz Mountain which is the highest point in Germany, across the border from where we were normally skiing. We finished our skiing on the Friday with a set of races for each group against the clock. This tested our technique of turning combined with the thrill of racing against the clock.
The "Apres Ski" activities were varied and amusing to say the least. In the evenings there was swimming in the local pool, ice-skating at a rink and also tobogga
ning. This involved sleigh riding down the floodlit slopes at night with only our boots to steer and brake.
On the final day we departed early from our hotel and headed for the Austrian town of Salzburg. It was a most enjoyable and relaxing day in the birth place od Mozart. We went on a guided tour of the city followed with the opportunity to shop for the loved ones back home.
A most enjoyable ski trip was had by all where everybody returned with all their limbs intact. A sincere thanks to our reps from Top Flight, Danielle and Mido, for providing such hospitable accomodation with the finest of food. A special word of thanks to the teachers and students who made the week so enjoyable. Here's to next year.
Mr Gary Kenny
Ski Tour to Austria
Brian Walsh: I was in the intermediate section and I won the race at the end in my category. The skiing was great. I am going back next year.
Mark Carroll: The thing I enjoyed the most was the skiing even though I wrapped myself around a tree.
Barry Kiernan: This was my third ski trip and the best of them all. I really enjoyed New Year's Eve in the Alpen Hotel
Liam McCabe: The be
st thing was the skiing. It is deadly.
Aaron Cuddihy: The best thing about the ski trip was the night life. The locals were friendly and mad for the drink.
(Seen in the photograph on the right relaxing in his hotel room.)
Daniel Morris : This was the not the first time I'd been skiing as I was on the 2007 tour to Italy. I enjoyed the skiing even when I fell and slid for 10 feet and sprained my ankle.
Liam Thunder: We got on a bus out to the music bar and it was deadly with live music and craic.
Mark Lynch: What a buzz!
Sean Taaffe : The best thing was watching people falling on the slopes.
Sam Wade: The music bar was a good laugh with a band able to sing and perform English songs.
Keith Gleeson: The toboganning was good even though three people were injured. It is fun but very dangerous.
(Seen in the photograph on the left wearing his head gear for the slopes.)
Stephen Storey Jones: New Year's Eve was great. We were all very happy.
Click first button to hear the skiing.
