Cork pupils balance study with learning circus skills

Finding the right balance between learning and fun poses no problem for students at a school where unicycle, tightrope walking and other circus tricks have been added to the curriculum.

But there is no clowning around for the students at Carrigaline Community School in Co Cork, where the aim is to teach skills that go beyond entertainment and performance.

The performance education module has been available to transition-year students since September, and teacher Daire Shaw had to turn down applications for some of the 24 places on the second running of it this term. “Juggling is a basic one we start everyone off with, but they also learn tightrope walking, unicycling, plate-spinning, and balancing things on their chins and noses,” he said.