History Is Here To Stay
The Minister for Education Joe McHugh recently announced that he intends to keep history at a compulsory subject at Junior Cert level, which is glorious news for myself and fellow history enthusiasts.
I may be biased as someone who has had a love of history instilled in me from a young age and is hoping to further study it at third-level, but I believe that history remaining compulsory is a good thing for all students, from those who love it to those who loathe it. I know some people may think that history is a bore and unnecessary. They are entitled to have these opinions, but I truly think that this decision is for the best.
First of all, one of the main reasons that studying history is so important for young people is that they learn about the country they live in and our story as a nation. I think it is critical for young people to learn about Ireland’s history in relation to Great Britain and our journey to independence, while also learning about women’s history, including the suffragettes and other aspects, to note how far the country has come in the last century— what battles we’ve fought and won.
On the other hand, I also agree with the point made by the Minister for Education, that we should also learn about the dark side of our history, such as the state’s mistreatment of women. Including the many scandals involving mother and baby homes, abuse of children and discrimination towards minorities such as the LGBT+ community and the Travelling community. It is vital for young people to learn about the negative parts of our history as well as the positive parts. It is essential to show them that Ireland has made mistakes, that we acknowledge these mistakes, learn from them and know we can never go back to the way certain things were. Therefore I also agree with Mr McHugh’s point that history should be taught at a young age to make us “well-informed, active citizens who understand the importance of history in shaping the future” *
I also want to bring in a point made by my fellow ISSU writer Charles Gallagher that although some people may think the Irish history curriculum is biased against the British, myself and Charles both agree that the “curriculum is not biased and that it is merely common sense and patriotism” considering Ireland’s horrific history with the UK.
Not only is it important for Irish history to be taught, it is also necessary to learn about other areas of history such as Columbus and the mistreatment of Native Americans and the cruelty shown towards African American people in the USA. It is important to study these other areas of history to understand the struggles of other people and to respect other countries and races.
To finish, I will reiterate my opinion that history remaining mandatory is in fact a good thing, despite the arguments against it, for all of the reasons I have mentioned above. I hope I will be able to continue studying and cultivating my love of history for as long as I can and that this decision by the Minister for Education will awaken a love of the subject in many more young people for years to come.
By Kate Duffy