Holland
Visit to Enschede, Holland (Project Meeting) -
In October 2008, two of our teachers, Ms. McGovern and
Ms.Crowe travelled to Holland as part of our Comenius
project. The purpose of our visit was to meet with our
partner schools (both Dutch and English) for the first time
and visit some schools in Holland.
The schools which we
visited were, Liduinaschool and Paus Joannesschool. We
visited these schools as they are our partners in this
Comenius project. It was very interesting and enlightening
to visit these schools as they showed to us, the diversity
of education in different countries.
Click here for
Photo Gallery of visit to Holland
While there is no obvious link
between Newbawn and Holland there are several very important
links between Wexford and Holland. Two of these links are
evident in everyday place names still used in Wexford and
the other sees thousands of people drive by this evidence
everyday without realising it.
In the 16th century a Dutch boat
builder, named Kaats, came to Wexford town and set up a boat
building yard somewhere near where Dunnes’ Stores now is. He
launched his boats from a small strand opposite his yard.
(If you drive out over Wexford bridge and pass the swimming
pool, you will pass a small strand on your left hand side.)
That strand is still called “Kaats Strand” even though many
people when pronouncing it and spelling it use “cat” or
“cats” as in “the cats’ strand” as opposed to the correct
Dutch version of Kaats.
In the same vein one of the biggest
suburbs of Wexford town is the area known as “Coolcotts.” If
you drive up past Dunnes and up towards Wexford Park, you
are heading towards Coolcotts. The place name looks peculiar
until you look at the possible origins for it. When you
consider that the “Irish” for back is “cúl” you can see
where the name “cúl Kaats” (behind Katts / at the back of
Kaat) was used to describe the area of land at the back /
behind the boatyard. Over the years this name became “Coolcotts.”
In the last years of the 19th
century, land was reclaimed from Wexford Harbour. Where
better than to turn for expertise in this type of work than
Holland. Three Dutch engineers were contacted to come to
Wexford to oversee the work but they would only come here on
condition that the have three “Dutch style” houses built
for them. The houses were duly built, the reclamation works
completed and the Dutch engineers returned home.
However over one hundred years later many people drive
past these houses unaware of their Dutch heritage. The
houses are known as “Auburn Terrace” and are just beside
Dunnes Stores and opposite the car park where the cinema
used to be.
Auburn Terrace
2009
