Plans for fourth annual gilson summer school
The annual meeting of the Laurence Gilson Summer School will be held on Monday 30th March at 8.30pm in the Gilson National School, Church Street, Oldcastle.
This year will see the fourth summer school devoted entirely to the subject of education.
The Laurence Gilson Summer School was established in Oldcastle in May 2012. Laurence Gilson, philanthropist and educator was a native of Oldcastle who, in 1810 endowed a school which would admit both Protestant and Catholic children from every social background and would be free of charge.
What subsequently became the Gilson Endowed School opened its doors in the 1830s. The original building – now no longer a school – is held in trust for the people of Oldcastle and is managed by a Board of Trustees.
To honour his legacy the Summer School has an educational theme each year. Despite Ireland’s rich tradition as a nation of scholars, this Gilson Summer School is the first devoted entirely to education.
The aim is to provide a forum for debate among teachers, learners, parents, academics, policy-makers and politicians – for anyone and everyone with an interest in providing or partaking in learning in the 21st Century.
The intention is to create a Summer School of international reputation. Capitalising on Ireland’s brand as a nation which has fostered learning through many centuries, the organisers believe that an educational summer school can attract world leaders in the field of education to Ireland and to Oldcastle/North Meath.