Celebration of Culture Day at Dundalk Grammar School

The students at Dundalk Grammar School held their annual Celebration of Culture Day 2025 in the school.

The event has been running in the school since 2018, and save for Covid, the day has found a special place in the hearts and minds of students.

This is very much a student directed and organised day, and this is why the student body really embraces, and feels very much a part of, the day.

Students make a big effort to dress in their chosen cultural attire, and this is what is the essence of the event.

For one day of the school year, each student can present their own culture, whether you come from Afghanistan, or your culture that is dear to you is your local Gaelic football team. It is all there, over 50 cultures making up the school student population. 

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Students were encouraged to put up stalls on the day of the various cultures. What stood out was the lovely foods served from the stalls.

Students had gone to great trouble to make foods representing their own culture. A visit to each stall on the day made for a very appetising experience.

Then there was the music, and the singing, and the dancing. There was a real flow to the day, and the atmosphere was tangible. Everyone was in good form. If only every day at school could be like this. Whatever the formula on the day, it works.

Parents joined in the fun on the day. The Parent Teachers Association had their own stall. The day itself was rounded off with a concert in the afternoon to reflect culture.

The decorations up around the school contributed significantly to creating the special atmosphere. Celebrating diversity, but united in this diversity, has been the theme of Culture Day since its inception in 2018.

This year's celebration was added to by the attendance of a number of Ambassadors. In attendance, by invite of the 5th year Politics class, was the Dutch Ambassador, Maaike van Koldam, the Luxembourg Ambassador, Florence Ensch, and the Deputy Belgian Ambassador, Katrijn Coppens.

The Politics students had arranged a reception for their special guests, and the students presented a number of gifts to their guests. Short speeches were made, and the Ambassadors were taken on a tour of all the stalls.

The idea of the Ambassadors to attend grew out of the Mock Council of the EU Debate which will be held in Dublin Castle on March 28. 3 Politics students have been chosen to represent The Netherlands at this 27 selected schools event.

The Dutch Embassy has given the students enthusiastic support in their preparations. The theme will be the impact of AI and technology, and the DGS students must represent the views of the Dutch government.

The Dutch Embassy has been very supportive. When the Embassy heard about Culture Day, they immediately wanted to attend. Their contacts with other Embassies lead to the Luxembourg and Belgian Embassies communicating their interest in attending.

The key contact in the Dutch Embassy has been James Bradshaw, and the students have greatly appreciated his support.
So, another day of celebrating culture at DGS has passed. The spirit of diversity and inclusion is alive in the school, no more than any other school.

The students do appreciate that they can take ownership for one day of the year to celebrate culture, their own and others, in a way they would wish to. “We celebrate difference, but we also show how together we are.”