5^th and 6th classes went on a school trip to Clare Museum on Tuesday last. A local archaeologist greeted us and started to talk all about prehistoric times and the first settlers, or hunter gatherers, in Ireland. We learned that these people would have come from Scotland and landed in Northern Ireland in search of a new adventure. Ireland at the time was covered with trees so the hunter gatherers had to make axes in order to cut firewood to cook and to keep them warm. These axes were originally made from stone. As time went by, axes began to be made from bronze and copper. These were much better materials than stone for cutting through things. Spears and arrows were also made out of bronze and copper. These were used to hunt animals such as boars, deer, birds, bears and fish. Hunter gatherers lived in little huts made out of sticks. They never stayed in one place too long so never really made a permanent home. We got to handle some artefacts that were nearly 6000 years old!! It was a very interesting morning. Afterwards, we got to explore the museum. There were all kinds of interesting things on display. There was a well in the ground and we were told that a school was built over it many years ago to provide water to the school…we wonder is there one under St. Tolas? The museum also has many headphones hanging from display boards and they allowed us to listen to some of the oldest people in Clare tell us about what life in Clare was like nearly 100 years ago. We even learned some history about where Ms. Kelleher and Ms. McGuane live….they come from very old times!! Clare Museum is well worth a visit!!