Commandant Padraic Kennedy with students of CBS, Drimnagh at the opening of exhibition “The Artists Rising”.
Military Archives

Education

The Military Archives promotes access to primary sources that assist with classroom teaching and show students the value of historical source material. Research shows that studying historical records improves reading, analytical thinking, writing and presentation skills.

Schools and archives can be brought together in many ways, including exhibitions; visits; lesson plans that demand archival research; extracurricular school-based activities (such as history clubs and debating societies); and the establishment of organisational links between schools and archives services.

We offer a variety of resources and services for teachers and students to assist with the exploration of Ireland’s military past. Browse our bank of specially designed lesson plans at the bottom of this page to engage and inspire your students.

Students

Our goal is to enhance your experience of working with and learning from original documents. We offer:

  1. Advice on undertaking scholarly research that involves the use and understanding of original documents;

  2. Research visits at which you can consult unique documents;

  3. Thematic galleries that focus on places, people and events you might have already encountered in the classroom, like our online exhibition on the visit of President John F Kennedy to Ireland;

  4. Opportunities to connect with us via conferences and workshops held in association with national campaigns and events like National Heritage Week.

Teachers

Our aim is to support your teaching goals and to share our professional expertise by packaging original documents for presentation in your classroom. We offer:

    • Military Archives workshops that provide opportunities to learn from original documents and objects;

    • Lesson plans designed for in-class student participation and informed by current curricula, syllabi and national commemorative events. Browse some of our lesson plans below.

      Lesson plans

      Our collection of 1916 Lesson Plans were developed for teachers in collaboration with NUI Maynooth, using primary sources from the Letters of 1916 collection, the Military Service Pensions collection and the Bureau of Military History.

      Lesson Plans

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      Research Project: Final Days and Execution of 16 Leaders

      This lesson is centred on the experience and fate of 16 leaders who were imprisoned, court-martialled and executed for their part in the 1916 Rising.
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      The Complexity of Loyalty

      Analyse a wide range of sources and key witness statements to gain a more nuanced understanding of the concepts of loyalty, nationalism and unionism.
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      Women in Easter Week

      Analyse a participant’s account and other related sources to better understand women’s involvement during the Rising and the events of Easter Week.
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      Proclamation of the Irish Republic

      Develop a better understanding of the main themes by analysing the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and Ulster’s Solemn League and Covenant.
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      Women in 1916

      An exploration of the role that women played during the Easter Rising and their reasons for becoming involved in organisations like Cumann na mBan.
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      Courtroom Drama: 1916 Court Martials and Court Case of Sir Roger Casement

      Examine court proceedings and other key sources to understand the dramatic events that sealed the fate of those involved in the 1916 Easter Rising.
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      Research Project: Internment in 1916

      Learn how to find, interrogate and use primary sources and images relating to Irish internment in the aftermath of the Easter Rising in 1916.
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      Na Fianna: Active Service in Easter Week and capture of the Royal Magazine Fort

      Using a single witness statement, research youth involvement during the Easter Rising by collecting related material, then present your findings.
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      War Correspondent: Easter 1916

      Act as a war correspondent to research and write a newspaper report that answers key journalistic questions about the events in Dublin in 1916.
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      Detention of Rebels Following the Collapse of the Rising in 1916

      An introduction to the situation faced by rounded up rebels in the immediate aftermath of the collapse of the 1916 Easter Rising and their final days.
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      Mapping Sites of Action 1916

      Identify and map out the various sites of action (conflict zones or otherwise) associated with the Easter Rising using primary sources.