Kids’ Own, in conjunction with the Kilkenny Education Centre and the Belfast Education and Library Board, is leading the ‘100 Years History Project’ for 12 primary schools North and South of Ireland. The project is funded by The Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund.

The 100-year history book project aims to provide an opportunity for children north and south and from all backgrounds to engage with Ireland and Northern Ireland’s history and to specifically explore, through a series of creative writing and art workshops, the events that happened during the decade 1912-1922. This project offers an exciting opportunity to stimulate a dialogue among children from all parts of Ireland and Northern Ireland about our past and our future. The project invites children to objectively research, collate, celebrate and document the events that took place between 1912-22, both nationally and within their own localities and family histories.

This project will be taking place from November 2014 to May 2016. Kids’ Own are working with 12 enthusiastic schools and with children aged between 7-10 years of age.

The 100-year history book project will take place in two phases:

Phase 1

Phase 1 of the project (2014), supports children as researchers, working alongside their teachers, and an artist and writer, to explore events that took place during the decade 1912-1922, and giving expression to this through art work & writing.

The children’s historical research will be documented through a process video, and also published online on a dedicated website.

Phase 2

(Pending further funding from The Department of Foreign affairs.)

Phase 2 will involve more in-depth research. The children will work alongside the artist and the writer to develop their writing and artwork further and collate this into a special commemorative publication that celebrates the diversity of events and lived experiences in Ireland and Northern Ireland during the decade 1912-22 and that represents children’s perspectives of these events 100 years on.