Dates for your Diary for the New School Year

by | Aug 20, 2020 | Guest Post | 0 comments

Now in its eighth 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.

This year may be slightly different to other years (for example, seeing GAA finals in December) and events/festivals/conferences may be subject to change due to the ongoing pandemic crisis.

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. Read A Book Day, Sunday 6th – https://nationaltoday.com/national-read-book-day/
  2. Roald Dahl Day, Sunday 13th – https://www.roalddahl.com/
  3. International Dot Day, Tuesday 15th – http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/
  4. National Ploughing Championships, Tuesday 15th – Thursday 17th (taking place without exhibition) – http://www.npa.ie/
  5. Culture Night, Friday 18th – https://culturenight.ie/
  6. International ‘Talk Like A Pirate’ Day, Saturday 19th – https://www.ducksters.com/holidays/talk_like_a_pirate_day.php
  7. International Day of Peace, Monday 21st – http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/
  8. Autumn Equinox, Tuesday 22nd – http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html
  9. Blue Star Programme, registration usually closes third week of September – http://www.bluestarprogramme.ie/
  10. European School Sports Day, Friday 25th – http://www.irishprimarype.com/
  11. European Day of Languages, Saturday 26th – http://edl.ecml.at

 

  1. FÉILTE 2020 (taking place online) Saturday 3rd – https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/FEILTE/
  2. World Animal Day, Sunday 4th – http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/
  3. World Space Week, Sunday 4th – Saturday 10th – http://www.worldspaceweek.org/ ; http://spaceweek.ie/
  4. Fire Safety Week – Monday 5th – Monday 12th – http://firesafetyweek.ie/
  5. World Teachers’ Day, Monday 5th – https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldteachersday
  6. UEFA Euro 2020 qualification playoffs, including the Republic of Ireland, Thursday 8 October – https://www.fai.ie/
  7. EU Code Week, Saturday 10th – Sunday 25th – https://codeweek.eu/
  8. World Homeless Day, Saturday 10th – http://www.worldhomelessday.org/ (also Focus Ireland Resources)
  9. Maths Week, Saturday 10th – Sunday 18th – http://www.mathsweek.ie/
  10. Climate Action Week, Monday 12 – Sunday 18 – https://greenschoolsireland.org/
  11. Global Handwashing Day, Thursday 15th October – https://globalhandwashing.org/
  12. World Food Day, Friday 16th October – http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/home/en/
  13. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Saturday 17 – https://www.17october.ie/
  14. RBS Six Nations 2020 resumes (Ireland v Italy, in Dublin), Saturday 24 – https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/
  15. Clocks go back an hour (2am to 1am), Sunday 25th
  16. Hallowe’en, Thursday 31st October

 

  1. Outdoor Classroom Day, Autumn edition, Thursday 5th November – https://outdoorclassroomday.com/
  2. Literacy Association of Ireland Annual Conference – Dublin City University, Friday 6th and Saturday 7th November – https://www.literacyireland.com/
  3. International Tongue Twister Day, Sunday 8th November – Try These Tongue Twisters
  4. Science Week, Sunday 8th – Sunday 15th November – http://www.scienceweek.ie/
  5. Goal ‘Write the Future’ writing competition, dates TBC but closing date is usually the second week of November – https://www.goalglobal.org/write-the-future
  6. Origami Day, Wednesday 11th November – http://www.origami-instructions.com/
  7. World Fisheries Day, Saturday 21st November – 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 26th November
  10. Green Flag Award, application deadline (for those applying for their first flag TBC), Friday 27th November – https://greenschoolsireland.org/green-schools-2019-2020/
  11. Advent, Sunday 29th November – Thursday 24th December

 

  1. Birthday of Walt Disney, Saturday 5th December
  2. All-Ireland Camogie Finals, Saturday 12 December – https://www.camogie.ie/
  3. All-Ireland Hurling Final, Sunday 13 December – https://www.gaa.ie/
  4. All-Ireland Men’s Football Final, Saturday 19 December – https://www.gaa.ie/
  5. All-Ireland Ladies Football Final, Sunday 20 December – https://www.ladiesgaelic.ie/
  6. Winter Solstice, Monday 21 December – https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html
  7. Christmas Day, Friday 25 December – Christmas resources available from https://nollaigshona.ie/
  8. New Year’s Eve, Thursday 31 December

 

  1. New Year’s Day, Friday 1st January
  2. World Braille Day, Monday 4 January – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-braille-day/
  3. Nollaig na mBan (The Epiphany/Little Christmas), Wednesday 6 January – Powerpoint on Nollaig na mBan
  4. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday 18 January – https://www.calendardate.com/martin_luther_king_day_2021.htm
  5. International Share a Compliment Day, Sunday 24 January – https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/compliment-day
  6. Catholic Schools Week (tbc), Sunday 24 – Sunday 31 January – https://www.catholicbishops.ie/catholicschoolsweek/
  7. Australia Day, Tuesday 26 January
  8. Backwards Day, Sunday 31 January – https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/backward-day/
  9. Storytelling Week (UK), Saturday 30 January – Saturday 6 February – https://www.sfs.org.uk/national-storytelling-week

 

  1. Lá Fhéile Bríde, Monday 1 February – St. Brigid’s Cloak PPT
  2. Ireland’s first game in the 2021 RBS Six Nations (against Wales in Cardiff), Sunday 7 February – https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/
  3. Safer Internet Day, Tuesday 9 February – https://www.saferinternetday.ie/
  4. Chinese New Year (Year of the Ox), Friday 12 February – https://www.dublinchinesenewyear.com/
  5. Valentine’s Day, Sunday 14 February
  6. Pancake Day/Shrove Tuesday, Tuesday 16 February
  7. Ash Wednesday, Wednesday 17 February
  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. Computers in Education Society of Ireland (CESI) Annual Conference, dates tbc, but usually end February/early March – http://www.cesi.ie/
  11. Engineer’s Week, Saturday 27 February – Friday 5 March – https://www.engineersireland.ie/Schools/Engineers-Week/About-Engineers-Week
  12. Rare Disease Day, Sunday 28 February – https://www.rarediseaseday.org/

 

  1. World Compliment Day, Monday 1 March – https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/world-compliment-day
  2. Seachtain na Gaeilge, Luan 1ú – Céadaoin 17ú Márta – https://snag.ie/
  3. 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
  4. World Book Day Ireland, Thursday 4 March – https://www.worldbookday.com/
  5. International Women’s Day, Monday 8 March – https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
  6. Mothers’ Day, Sunday 14 March
  7. St Patrick’s Day, Wednesday 17 March
  8. Green Schools Water Poster Competition 2021, dates tbc, but deadline for entries is usually late March – https://greenschoolsireland.org/
  9. Tech Week Ireland, dates tbc, but usually late March/early April – https://www.techweek.ie/
  10. Spring Equinox, Saturday 20 March – https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html
  11. National Tree Week (tbc), Saturday 20 – Saturday 27 March – http://www.treeday.ie/
  12. Nowruz Day (Middle Eastern new year/spring holiday), Sunday 21 March – https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-nowruz-day
  13. World Poetry Day, Sunday 21 March – https://www.un.org/en/events/poetryday/
  14. World Water Day, Monday 22 March – https://www.unwater.org/
  15. World Meteorological Day, Tuesday 23 March – https://public.wmo.int/en/resources/world-meteorological-day; https://www.met.ie/
  16. National Tree Week, dates tbc, but usually late March – https://www.treecouncil.ie
  17. 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/
  18. Clocks go forward (1am to 2am), Sunday 28 March
  19. Holy Week, Sunday 28 March – Saturday 3 April

 

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

 

  1. Europe Day, Sunday 9 May – https://ec.europa.eu/ireland/events/europe-day_en
  2. National ‘Walk to School’ week, dates tbc, usually second/third week of May – https://www.greenschoolsireland.org/
  3. RDS/ESB “Science Blast” Primary Science Fair, Limerick, dates tbc, but was scheduled for third week of May last year – https://www.esbscienceblast.com/
  4. National Space Day – Friday May 7th – https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-space-day-first-friday-in-may/
  5. Eid – May 13 – https://hamariweb.com/islam/eid-ul-fitr-in-ireland.aspx
  6. International Day of Families – Saturday May 15 – https://nationaltoday.com/international-day-families/
  7. Outdoor Classroom Day (Summer edition, tbc), Thursday 20 May – https://outdoorclassroomday.com/
  8. World Bee Day – May 20th – https://www.worldbeeday.org/en/
  9. Water Safety Week, various awareness weeks organised on a regional basis in summer months – https://www.iws.ie/

 

  1. World Environment Day, Saturday 5 June – 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, Tuesday 8 June – https://worldoceansday.org/
  4. UEFA Euro 2020 begins (Dublin is one of 12 host cities; first game at Aviva Stadium is June 14th), Friday 11 June – https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/
  5. Bike Week, dates tbc, but usually mid-late June – http://www.bikeweek.ie/
  6. Fathers’ Day, Sunday 20 June
  7. International Music Day, Monday 21 June – https://globaldimension.org.uk/event/world-music-day-fete-de-la-musique/2021-06-21/
  8. Summer Solstice, Monday 21 June – https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/seasons.html
  9. 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

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *