The Way We Were

The Idea

“The Way We Were” is a living history initiative that involves older people exhibiting artifacts from earlier times and explaining to primary school pupils how they are used. It is a programme of Third Age Ireland, an organisation that provides opportunities for older people to contribute to their communities and engage actively in society. The programme brings recent history to life in a way that textbooks can’t. It allows participants to touch, feel and see history while also getting a first-hand account of what it was like to live in Ireland in times gone by.

Artifacts that have been used in the past include a carbide bicycle lamp, fire bellows, fountain pen and ink, medicine bottles, wooden washboard, and an early hot water bottle. The exhibitors dip into their own childhood and show today’s children items that recall a very different way of life. The programme has proven really successful in many primary schools with both students and exhibitors benefiting hugely from the opportunity to get together and share stories as well as creating a unique learning experience for the children.

The project can work equally well in a nursing home setting where the exhibition of the artifacts provides a pleasant nostalgic experience to residents. It is extremely useful in involving all residents in a communal social experience and in particular quieter residents or even those suffering with dementia come to life when engaged with the exhibition.