Meitheal is the Irish expression of ancient community that thrives through cooperative work.

Dr. Helen Hallissey taught for more than 30 years, holding a post of responsibility in Music and Drama at Scoil Mhuire, Ballincollig. She facilitates drama workshops, is a regular contributor to Intouch (INTO monthly magazine) and frequently presents at drama and education conferences. Her PhD explored creative writing (students as playwrights), winning Helen a John Coolahan Award for Research.

Máire Goggin has been a classroom teacher for over 15 years (St. Luke’s, Montenotte). She is an e-tutor with OIDE and has a Master’s in Teaching and Learning with Hibernia College. Máire is a creative teacher. She has a special interest in story through the arts. Recently, Maire has been exploring film-making with her class on their imaginative project based on Shandon Bells. 

Features of Cork Arts Meitheal

• This is a co-op where teachers are willing to swap resources, work samples, classroom management ideas.
• It is highly practical and hands-on.
• It provides an opportunity to discuss issues regarding teaching the arts.
• It provides an opportunity to listen to like-minded teachers, to their ideas and stories, to inspire and be inspired by them.
• Each Meitheal will be based on a topic or story. It will involve Drama ideas, Visual Arts ideas, Music ideas, Film ideas based on that agreed topic/story.
• You will leave with resources to take back to your classroom and your work colleagues.
• We will build one another’s teaching capacity and establish Cork Education Support Centre as a centre of excellence in the arts.
• We will meet once this term and twice in both Terms 2 and 3 at Cork Education Support Centre.
• It will be a sociable 'Are you going to the Meitheal'?

Feedback from a similar Cork-based community of practice in the arts:

‘What worked well?’

• Inspired by the new ideas, it makes me look forward to going to school the next day
• 3 aspects of the arts on the same story
• The practical nature of the workshop. Physical samples of work. PPT presentation from real classrooms.
• I love the concept of teachers sharing ideas.

Starting date:    Meitheal 1.   November 26th  2024 at 7pm

Other dates:     Meitheal 2.    January 21st 2025 

                          Meitheal 3.    March 4th 2025

Two further dates to be decided

Venue: Cork Education Support Centre, The Rectory, Western Road, Mardyke, Cork T12KC86

Book your place here: https://cesc.ie/cop/3355-cork-arts-meitheal-1-community-of-practice-in-the-integrated-arts.html 

Ficheall 2024/2025

Ficheall.ie is the national network of primary teachers promoting chess in their schools for the social and cognitive benefits it has for primary school students. Ficheall teachers use chess as a tool to teach through and an opportunity for their students to develop new skills and values, as well as representing their school at Ficheall tournaments called Féile Fichille (chess festival).

The Ficheall.ie website contains many excellent resources created by fellow primary school teachers such as:

• A series of 10 beginner chess lessons (with optional integration to the SPHE curriculum)
• List of CPD chess courses for teachers (summer, evening and online courses)
• Chess numeracy puzzles
• Ficheall newsletters with chess updates
• Online Teacher Chess Club

Ficheall Summer Course

Cork Education Support Centre have hosted the Chess for Social Skills summer course previously with great success. Upon completion of this course teachers can play chess (most attend the course having never played chess before) and can teach the basics of chess to students in their class while also teaching key SPHE curriculum objectives from 1st to 6th class (all of this without worksheets).

Féile Fichille Chess Tournaments

Féile Fichille tournaments are non-competitive chess tournaments organised annually in Term 2. No medals, prizes or trophies are presented. Instead, the day is a celebration of the students learning chess and social skills as well as their teachers’ leadership skills to introduce the initiative in their school. For many students it is their first opportunity to wear their school jersey and represent their school. More details about Féile Fichille Tournaments can be found here (including a checklist to ensure students are ready for the Féile Fichille)

Féile Fichille Timeline

• September: Registrations Open
• October: Registrations Close
• November: Schools informed of tournament date and venue
• January/ February/ March: Féile Fichille tournament will be scheduled in term 2. Registered schools will be allocated one Féile Fichille tournament to attend. Schools are required to be at the venue at 9.30am with the event concluded by 2pm

Contact Us

If you have any queries regarding the Féile Fichille Tournaments please contact Ficheall using the Contact Us link here.

Cork Education Support Centre is delighted to announce that we are facilitating the Concern Primary Debating Competition again this year. 

We are now accepting applications from schools that are interested in participating in the competition this year.

Application forms have been emailed to all of our Primary schools on 8th October 2024.

The closing date for receipt of application is Monday 14^th October 2024

Places are limited so please apply early to secure your place.

Completed application forms should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

An online training session will be facilitated by Concern for participating schools on Monday 21^st October at 3.30pm.

The Annual General Meeting for 2024 will take place on Tuesday 28th May, 2024 at 7pm.

The meeting will take place in Cork Education Support Centre.

Please contact us if you wish to attend at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..