Dates For Your Diary For The New School Year

by | Aug 30, 2021 | Guest Post | 0 comments

Now in its ninth consecutive year, this hugely popular post is back again. So many teachers make use of this list while they are making plans for seasonal and related activities in the classroom during the school year. Huge thanks again to Ciara Reilly (@PrimEdTeacher on Twitter) for compiling this annual list.

As well as special days, feasts, festivals and celebrations it also includes dates of conferences that will be of educational interest to teachers. Links are provided for further information. Save the dates in your school diary.

All of these dates give teachers great opportunities to celebrate special occasions in school and to see how they can be integrated into the curriculum for educational purposes. So if you are in the midst of planning the year ahead, why not incorporate some of these special occasions into your plans.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 disruptions, this year may again be slightly different to other years and events/festivals/conferences may be subject to change.

If any occasions/dates have been omitted, or if there are any mistakes, please email me to let me know and I’ll update the list.

  1. FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification playoffs, Republic of Ireland Vs Portugal, Wednesday 1st – https://www.fai.ie/
  2. FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification playoffs, Republic of Ireland Vs Azerbaijan, Saturday 4th – https://www.fai.ie/
  3. All-Ireland Ladies Football Final, Sunday 5th – https://www.ladiesgaelic.ie/
  4. Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony – Sunday 5th – https://www.paralympic.org/
  5. Read A Book Day, Monday 6th – https://nationaltoday.com/national-read-book-day/
  6. FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification playoffs, Republic of Ireland Vs Serbia, Tuesday 7th – https://www.fai.ie/
  7. Microsoft Dream Space TV: Season 2 (‘Minecraft: Education Edition’) launch, Monday 6th- https://www.microsoft.com/dreamspace/
  8. All-Ireland Men’s Football Final, Saturday 11th – https://www.gaa.ie/
  9. 20th Anniversary of 9/11 World Trade Centre Attacks – Saturday 11th – https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/9-11-attacks
  10. All-Ireland Camogie Finals, Sunday 12th – https://www.camogie.ie/
  11. Bike Week, Sunday 12th to Saturday 18th – http://www.bikeweek.ie/
  12. Roald Dahl Day, Monday 13th – https://www.roalddahl.com/
  13. International Dot Day, Wednesday15th – https://www.internationaldotday.org/welcome
  14. National Ploughing Championships, Wednesday15th – Friday 17th (taking place without exhibition) – http://www.npa.ie/
  15. Culture Night, Friday 17th – https://culturenight.ie/
  16. FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 qualification playoffs, Republic of Ireland Vs Georgia, Friday 17th – https://www.fai.ie/
  17. International ‘Talk Like A Pirate’ Day, Sunday19th – https://www.ducksters.com/holidays/talk_like_a_pirate_day.php
  18. International Day of Peace, Tuesday 21st – http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/
  19. Autumn Equinox, Wednesday 22nd – http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html
  20. European School Sports Day, Friday 24th – https://www.essd.eu/
  21. European Day of Languages, Sunday 26th – http://edl.ecml.at
  22. Dream Space TV episode 1, ‘Dream Home Challenge’, Thursday 30 September – https://aka.ms/DreamSpaceTVMEE

 

  1. FÉILTE 2020 (taking place online) Saturday 2nd – https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/website/en/feilte/feilte-2021/
  2. World Animal Day, Monday 4th – http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/
  3. World Space Week, Monday 4th – Sunday10th – http://www.worldspaceweek.org/ ; http://spaceweek.ie/
  4. Fire Safety Week – no definite dates but probably Monday 4th – Monday 11th – http://firesafetyweek.ie/
  5. Blue Star Programme, registration closes Tuesday 5th – http://www.bluestarprogramme.ie/
  6. World Teachers’ Day, Tuesday 5th – https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldteachersday
  7. Dream Space TV episode 2, ‘Mars Rover Challenge’ (coinciding with World Space Week), Thursday 7th – https://aka.ms/DreamSpaceTVMEE
  8. GOAL Jersey Day – Friday 8th – https://www.goalglobal.org/jersey-day/
  9. FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification playoffs, Republic of Ireland Vs Azerbaijan, Saturday 9 – https://www.fai.ie/
  10. EU Code Week, Saturday 9th – Sunday 24th – https://codeweek.eu/
  11. World Homeless Day, Sunday 10th – http://www.worldhomelessday.org/ (also Focus Ireland Resources)
  12. Dream Space TV episode 3, ‘Desert Island Challenge’ (Coinciding with Maths Week), Thursday 14th- https://aka.ms/DreamSpaceTVMEE
  13. Maths Week, Saturday 16th – Sunday 24th – http://www.mathsweek.ie/
  14. Climate Action Week, Monday 11th – Sunday 17th – https://greenschoolsireland.org/
  15. Global Handwashing Day, Friday 15th – https://globalhandwashing.org/
  16. World Food Day, Saturday 16th – http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/home/en/
  17. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Sunday 17th – https://www.17october.ie/
  18. FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 qualification playoffs, Republic of Ireland Vs Sweden, Thursday 21st – https://www.fai.ie/
  19. Dream Space TV episode 4, ‘Lessons in Good Trouble’ (coinciding with UN International Day of Preventing Poverty), Thursday 21st – https://aka.ms/DreamSpaceTVMEE
  20. FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 qualification playoffs, Republic of Ireland Vs Finland, Tuesday 26th – https://www.fai.ie/
  21. Clocks go back an hour (2am to 1am), Sunday 31st
  22. Hallowe’en, Sunday 31st October

 

  1. Outdoor Classroom Day, Autumn edition, Thursday 4th – https://outdoorclassroomday.com/
  2. Dream Space TV episode 5, ‘Coding Challenge’ (coinciding with Science Week), Thursday 4th – https://aka.ms/DreamSpaceTVMEE
  3. Literacy Association of Ireland Annual Conference – Marino Institute of Education, Friday 12th and Saturday 13th – https://www.literacyireland.com/
  4. International Tongue Twister Day, Monday 8th – try these Tongue Twisters HERE and HERE
  5. Science Week, Sunday 7th – Sunday 14th – http://www.scienceweek.ie/
  6. Origami Day, Thursday 11th – http://www.origami-instructions.com/
  7. World Fisheries Day, Sunday 21st – http://www.gdrc.org/doyourbit/21_11-fisheries-day.html
  8. Library Week Ireland, dates TBC but usually end of November / beginning of December– http://www.libraryirelandweek.ie/
  9. Thanksgiving (USA), Thursday 25th November – https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/usa/thanksgiving
  10. Green Flag Award, application deadline (for those applying for their first flag TBC), usually towards the end of November – https://greenschoolsireland.org/green-schools-2019-2020/
  11. Advent, Sunday 28th November – Friday 24th December

 

  1. Birthday of Walt Disney, Sunday 5th
  2. 100th Anniversary of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Monday 6 December – https://www.decadeofcentenaries.com/about/
  3. Winter Solstice, Tuesday 21 – https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html
  4. Christmas Day, Saturday 25 – Christmas resources available from https://nollaigshona.ie/
  5. New Year’s Eve, Friday 31 December

 

  1. New Year’s Day, Saturday 1st
  2. World Braille Day, Tuesday 4th – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-braille-day/
  3. Nollaig na mBan (The Epiphany/Little Christmas), Thursday 6th – Powerpoint on Nollaig na mBan
  4. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday 17th – https://www.calendardate.com/martin_luther_king_day_2021.htm
  5. International Share a Compliment Day, Monday 24th – https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/compliment-day
  6. Catholic Schools Week (TBC), Sunday 23rd – Sunday 30th January – https://www.catholicbishops.ie/catholicschoolsweek/
  7. Australia Day, Wednesday 26th – https://publicholidays.com.au/australia-day/
  8. Backwards Day, Monday 31th – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/backward-day/
  9. Storytelling Week (UK), Sunday 30th – Sunday 6th February – https://www.sfs.org.uk/national-storytelling-week

 

  1. Lá Fhéile Bríde, Tuesday 1st – St. Brigid’s Cloak PPT
  2. Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger), Tuesday 1st – https://www.dublinchinesenewyear.com/
  3. Winter Olympics, Beijing, China, Friday 4th – Sunday 20th – https://www.beijing2022.cn/en/
  4. Microsoft Dream Space ‘Ireland’s Future is MINE’ closing date, Friday 4th – https://aka.ms/IFIMCompetition
  5. Ireland’s first game in the 2021 RBS Six Nations (against Wales in Dublin), Saturday 5th – https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/
  6. Safer Internet Day, Tuesday 8th – https://www.saferinternetday.ie/
  7. Valentine’s Day, Monday 14th
  8. Green Schools Exhibition, RDS Dublin, if taking place, usually on a Thursday in late February – https://greenschoolsireland.org/
  9. Texaco Art Competition, dates TBC, but deadline for entries is usually end of February – https://www.texacochildrensart.com/
  10. Rare Disease Day, Monday 28th – https://www.rarediseaseday.org/

 

  1. Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday, Tuesday 1st
  2. World Compliment Day, Monday 1 March – https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/world-compliment-day
  3. Ash Wednesday, Wednesday 2nd
  4. Seachtain na Gaeilge, Máirt 1ú – Déardaoin 17ú Márta – https://snag.ie/
  5. RDS/ESB “Science Blast” Primary Science Fair, RDS Dublin, dates tbc, but was scheduled for first week of March last year – https://esb.ie/acting-responsibly/generation-tomorrow/esb-science-blast
  6. World Book Day Ireland, Thursday 3rd – https://www.worldbookday.com/
  7. Winter Paralympic Games, Beijing, China, Friday 4th – Sunday 13th – https://www.beijing2022.cn/en/
  8. Computers in Education Society of Ireland (CESI) Annual Conference, Saturday 5th – http://www.cesi.ie/
  9. Engineer’s Week, Saturday 5th – Friday 11th – https://www.engineersireland.ie/Schools/Engineers-Week/About-Engineers-Week
  10. International Women’s Day, Tuesday 8th – https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
  11. St Patrick’s Day, Wednesday 17th
  12. Green Schools Water Poster Competition 2022, dates tbc, but deadline for entries is usually late March – https://greenschoolsireland.org/
  13. Tech Week Ireland, Saturday 19th – Friday 25th – https://www.techweek.ie/
  14. Spring Equinox, Sunday 20th – https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html
  15. National Tree Week (tbc), Saturday 20 – Saturday 27 March – http://www.treeday.ie/
  16. Nowruz Day (Middle Eastern new year/spring holiday), Sunday 20th – https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-nowruz-day
  17. National Tree Week (tbc), Sunday 20th – Saturday 26th – http://www.treeday.ie/
  18. World Poetry Day, Monday 21st – https://www.un.org/en/events/poetryday/
  19. World Water Day, Tuesday 22nd – https://www.unwater.org/
  20. World Meteorological Day, Wednesday 23rd – https://public.wmo.int/en/resources/world-meteorological-day; https://www.met.ie/
  21. Green Flag Award (application deadline (for those applying for their second and subsequent flag, tbc), Friday 26 March – https://greenschoolsireland.org/green-schools-2019-2020/
  22. Mothers’ Day, Sunday 27th
  23. Clocks go forward (1am to 2am), Sunday 27th
  24. Green Flag Award (application deadline (for those applying for their second and subsequent flag, tbc), usually the last Friday in March – https://greenschoolsireland.org/

  1. April Fool’s Day, Friday 1st
  2. World Autism Awareness Day, Saturday 2nd – https://autism.ie/; https://asiam.ie/
  3. Holy Week, Sunday 10 – Saturday 16 April
  4. Easter Sunday, Sunday 17 April
  5. Earth Day, Friday 22nd – https://www.earthday.org/
  6. Shakespeare Day, Saturday 23rd – https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/uk/shakespeare-day
  7. International Jazz Day, Saturday 30 April – https://jazzday.com/

 

  1. International Family Equality Day – Sunday 1st – https://www.familyequality.org/international-family-equality-day/
  2. Different Families Same Love – INTO Competition – dates TBC but usually first two weeks in May
  3. Eid – Monday 2nd/Tuesday 3rd – https://hamariweb.com/islam/eid-ul-fitr-in-ireland.aspx
  4. Europe Day, Monday 9th – https://ec.europa.eu/ireland/events/europe-day_en
  5. National ‘Walk to School’ week, dates tbc, usually second/third week of May – https://www.greenschoolsireland.org/
  6. RDS/ESB “Science Blast” Primary Science Fair, Limerick, dates tbc, but was scheduled for third week of May last year – https://www.esbscienceblast.com/
  7. National Space Day – Friday May 6th – https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-space-day-first-friday-in-may/
  8. International Day of Families – Saturday May 15 – https://nationaltoday.com/international-day-families/
  9. Outdoor Classroom Day (Summer edition) Thursday 19th – https://outdoorclassroomday.com/
  10. World Bee Day – May 20th – https://www.worldbeeday.org/en/
  11. Water Safety Week, various awareness weeks organised on a regional basis in summer months – https://www.iws.ie/

 

  1. World Environment Day, Sunday 5th – https://worldenvironmentday.global/
  2. RDS/ESB “Science Blast” Primary Science Fair, Belfast, dates tbc, but was scheduled for first week of June last year – https://www.esbscienceblast.com/
  3. World Oceans Day, Wednesday 8th – https://worldoceansday.org/
  4. Fathers’ Day, Sunday 19th
  5. International Music Day, Tuesday 21st – https://www.makemusicday.org/
  6. Summer Solstice, Tuesday 21st – https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html
  7. 100th anniversary of ‘official’ start of Irish Civil War, Monday 27 June – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Civil_War
  8. FÍS Film Festival, dates tbc, but deadline for submission is usually the end of June – https://www.fisfilmproject.ie/

 

The full list of Dates for your Diary can be downloaded as a .PDF file HERE

(Months of the Year visuals are available as a download HERE)

Ciara Reilly is Assistant Lecturer in Education in ICT and Digital Education in Marino Institute of Education. You can follow her on Twitter @PrimEdTeacher

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