START – Town Park

Challenge 1: Team Mission

Before you leave:

Choose a team name connected with Ireland.

Take your first team photograph and send it to your teacher.

Find something in the park that you think is particularly Irish.

Complete the sentence:

We chose __________________ because __________________.

Now begin your Quest!

STOP 1 – Main Street

Carrick-on-Suir has a traditional Irish town centre with colourful shops, pubs and historic buildings.

Arrival Check:
Take a team photograph on Main Street and send it to your teacher before starting the challenge.

Architecture Detective

Look carefully at the buildings along Main Street.

Find:

• one traditional shopfront
• one pub
• one building with an interesting doorway
• one building with decorative windows or lettering

Take a photograph of your favourite.

Your Challenge

What makes this street look different from a street in your town in France?

Write three things you notice:

English Challenge

One person in your team should politely ask a local person:

“Excuse me, we are visiting from France. What is your favourite place in Carrick-on-Suir?”

Write down their answer:

And remember to say:

“Thank you very much!”

At the next speaking challenge, a different team member must ask the question.

STOP 2 – Tides of Time Visitor Centre

You have reached one of Carrick-on-Suir’s historic buildings.

The Visitor Centre is located in the restored St Nicholas’ Church.

Arrival Check:
Take your team photograph and send it to your teacher before beginning.

Observation Challenge

Before going inside, look carefully at the building.

Find or count:

How many large windows can you see from the front?

Windows: __________________

What shape can you see repeated in the windows?

Shape: __________________

Find one feature that tells you this building was originally a church.

Church feature: __________________

Ask a Local

A different person in the team should go to reception and politely say:

“Hello. We are students visiting from France. Could you tell us approximately how old this building is?”

Write down the answer:

Bonus Question

Another team member can ask:

“What is one person or story from Carrick-on-Suir that we should know about?”

Name: ______________________________

Story: ______________________________

STOP 3 – Ormond Castle

Now find one of the most important historic buildings in Carrick-on-Suir.

Arrival Check:
Take a team photograph and send it to your teacher.

Castle Detective

Stand somewhere safe where you can see the building clearly.

Look carefully at its shape.

Find:

• tall windows
• stone walls
• one feature that makes it look more like a grand house than the type of castle you expected

Drawing Challenge

Choose one interesting window, doorway or architectural detail and make a quick sketch.

You have three minutes only!

Think About It

If you owned Ormond Castle 400 years ago, what would you use the biggest room for?

Complete the sentence:

I would use it for __________________ because __________________.

Photo Challenge

Now take a second photograph.

Take the most dramatic team photograph you can with the castle in the background.

STOP 4 – The River Suir & Old Bridge

The River Suir has shaped Carrick-on-Suir for centuries.

Stop somewhere safe where you have a good view of the river and bridge.

Arrival Check:
Take your team photograph and send it to your teacher.

River Challenge

What colour is the river today?

Can you see the river moving?

Yes / No

How many arches can you count on the bridge?

Language Challenge

The word “Suir” is pronounced differently from how a French speaker might first expect.

A different team member should ask somebody local:

“Excuse me, could you pronounce the name River Suir for us?”

Listen carefully and practise saying it together.

Photo Challenge

Take another photograph showing:

your group + the river + the bridge

STOP 5 – Carrick-on-Suir Town Centre: Shopfront Challenge

Now become design detectives.

Find a traditional-looking Irish shop or pub frontage that catches your attention.

Do not enter unless invited or unless your teacher has permitted it.

Arrival Check:
Take a photograph at your chosen shopfront and send it to your teacher.

Look Carefully

Name of business:

Colour of shopfront:

Colour of door:

Number of windows visible:

Design Challenge

What detail makes this building interesting?

Choose one:

• sign
• lettering
• window
• doorway
• colour
• decoration
• something else

Complete:

We chose __________________ because __________________.

French Connection

Would this building look normal in Cognac?

Yes / No

Why?

STOP 6 – People of Carrick Challenge

This challenge can be completed anywhere in the town centre.

Your team must politely speak to one local person.

The question must be asked by a team member who has not already asked one of the earlier questions, if possible.

Introduce yourselves:

“Hello, we are students from France doing a school Quest around Carrick-on-Suir. Could we ask you one quick question?”

Choose ONE question:

Question A

What is the best thing about living in Carrick-on-Suir?

Question B

What place should every visitor see?

Question C

What food should somebody visiting Ireland try?

Question D

Can you teach us one Irish word or expression?

Write down the answer:

Person’s recommendation:

Important: You do not need to photograph the person. Always ask permission if you would like to take their photograph.

STOP 7 – Sean Healy Park / Suir Blueway

Find the walking route beside the River Suir.

Carrick-on-Suir is connected to the river not only through its history, but through recreation and tourism today.

Arrival Check:
Take your team photograph and send it to your teacher before beginning.

Spotting Challenge

Find evidence of three different ways people can enjoy this area.

For example:

• walking
• cycling
• boating
• nature
• sport

Your three:

Five-Senses Challenge

Stop for 30 seconds without speaking.

Then record:

Something you can see:

Something you can hear:

Something you can smell:

FINAL STOP – Return to Town Park

Congratulations — you have completed the Carrick-on-Suir English Quest!

Take your final team photograph in the park and send it to your teacher so they know your team has completed the route.

But there is one final challenge…

Your Carrick-on-Suir Verdict

As a team, decide:

Most interesting building:

Best photograph:

Friendliest interaction:

Something new you learned about Ireland:

One place you would like to visit again:

FINAL ENGLISH CHALLENGE

Complete this sentence together:

“Before today, we thought an Irish town would be __________________, but Carrick-on-Suir was __________________.”

QUEST COMPLETE!