Our teachers at the time were

Mr. and Mrs. Roache

Mr. O Shea

Mrs Fleckney

Mr. and Mrs Roache lived in Ballycorman

Mr. O Shea stayed in Cranny's of Ballycorman

Mrs. Fleckney stayed in Laceys of Ballylinan

Our long summer Holidays are almost at an end, we are due back in school next Monday which is only a couple of days away. We all enjoyed ourselves during the summer in our own different ways. Some would go and live with their Aunties, Uncles, or Grandparents all during the hoildays, and would return just a couple of days before the school would re-open.

Mrs Glennon and her two children and Mrs Cummings and her two girls often brought us on a picnic to Conway's wood on fine sunday afternoons during our holidays. On the day of a picnic. Both Mrs. Gleannon and Mrs Cummings would have a whole lot of sandwiches made some of plain loaf bread, and more would have home made cakes, both plain and currant. They used to make lovely home made bread. The sandwiches were made up of both meat, and others made of cheese. Sometimes as many a fourteenor fifteen would be going to a picnic. Mrs. Gleannon and Mrs Cummings assisted by the girls would bring the milk, sugar, cups, spoons, knives, and whatever else was needed. The boys would bring a couple of kettels, a couple of teapots and three or four cans of water.

To get to the wood we would go up the lane by the school, cross the railway line, and over the style and into Lacey's field, keep on the path to Lacey's fieldand into the wood. On arriving in the wood, the boys would collect bits of rotten sticks to make the fire to boil the kettels.

The girls would help to lay out a big white tablecloth and place all the cups and saucers, spoons, milk, sugar and all the different sandwiches on it.

When the kettels were boiled, Mrs. Cunning would make the tea, and herself and Mrs. Gleannon would get us all to sit around and pour out the tea for each of us, and tell us to eat plenty. By the time we were finished eating there would be very little left. When the meal was over, Mrs. Cunning and Mrs. Gleannon would tell us stories or say poems or sing the songs we knew ourselves in our own way.

Before we would leave for home the girls would start picking Bluebells, Primroses, Bowslips and Violets to bring home. Some would pick daisy's to make daisy chains to wear aroung their neck's. The boys would have their own bit of running and racing around. That evening we would all assemble to return home quite happy after having such an enjoyable afternoon.

The following is a poem that Mrs. Glennon taught us about the Violet.

Well here we are back in school again after our long summer holidays. None of us were very happy at the thought of having to go back. We would like to have had another week, or even a extra couple of days.

After prayers this morning, Mrs. Fleckney setteled us all into our proper desks. Now being in senior infants we are in the front desks, and the junioror baby infants are in the desks behind us, that we were in last year.

Mrs fleckney has examined the contents of our school bags to see have we everything we need starting a new school year in a higher class.

Our teacher tells us we will have a little more learning to do, both in school and at home. Today she has got us to write in our copy's what she has written on the blackboard. Afterwords on examining our writing, she told some of us that we would have to do a bit better than that.

When it came to reading, our teacher would get the whole class to put their pencils on the desk in front of them. Then she would ask one one of us to read a particular sentence out loud, the rest of the class would be following that sentance silently. If the reader came to a big, or hard word as we used to call them you'd atend to stammer a bit, then you would try andspell it letter by letterwithout much success. Mrs. Fleckney would tell you to take it in pants. We will take the word Tumbelweed for example. The first pant Tumble, the secont pant weed. By repeating tumble-weed a few times seperately a few times, you would eventuall bring the two pants together to form the word, Tumbleweed.

Everyday from now onwards it will be school for us all, with no break until Christmas Hoildays, and that just now seems a long way off.

Weare into the month of October now, and the long nights are closing in fast. By the time we get home from school and has our dinner eaten, its almost dark. As there is'nt much daylight outside for playing, we may just sit down and do our exercise, which consists of 5 sums, a small compisition, and a few questions from outr catachisim. Afterwords if the weather were fine we would go out and mingle with some of our school chums before retiring for the night.

The next moring if we arrived in schoo before the teacher we would huddle together in bunches of three or four to compare our exercises from the night before, and to see if we had the same answers to our sums. If by chance we found the same answers wrong, there would be a hasty bit of copying to have them in order when the teacher would come to examine them.

Unforunatly, after a short time, we found that coping as a way of learning were'nt a success.

One day Mrs. Fleckney told each member of the class out seperatly to the blackboard. She wrote a sum on it and told us to find out the right answer. As you struggeled with the figures you looked around, but there were no one there to help you. No one there to give you the answer. A few of us felt by the wayside. Here I would want her to explain that. (Each pupil got a different sum to do).

We are now into the month of November, our teacher reminds us to remember the holy souls in our prayers. as the weeks and the months pass by, and our efforts to learn has inproved. Mrs Fleckney tells us we are now capable of using pens instead of pencils doing our school work.

So from now we'll be using pens. We can buy our pens from her, also some blotting paper.

On entering the school this morning we were all suprised to see the new teacher sitting at Mrs. Fleckney's table. She told us that her name was Mrs. O' Donnell and that she would be with us for a while, as Mrs. Fleckney was sick. We were all very sorry for Mrs. Fleckney, and we expressed the hope that, she would soon back teaching us again.

Our school day starts at 09.30AM with prayers, then our teacher examines our home work which takes quite a long time perhaps meanly an hour. Then i've have more than a half an hour of reading from our primmer's. After that we get five sums to do in our copies. Coming up to lunchtimeour teacher would have a short poem written on the blackboard for us to write into our copies. After lunch Miss O' Donnell will hand a big map of Ireland on the blackboard and point out the different Counties on it to us.

She would also piont out some of the principal towns in those Counties. Afterwords she may ask anyone to us to point out on the map a paticular town or county for her. If we fail to do so it shows we werent paying attention to what she was explaining to us. Then we're chastised.

After that we have our Catechisim classes which brings us up to the time to gives us our homework.

Then its prayers and home. But today its different, we dont get any homework to do, as our teacher has told us that our school is closing for the Christmas Holidays until the second week in January.

Miss O' Donnell wished us all a Happy Christmas and an enjoyable holiday. We are all very happy leaving this evening, its great to think, no more school for almost three weeks. During those years, whether you were on holidays from school or after school in the evening's. Apart from the time you spent playing, there was always time to call on some old person living alone who might need a bucket of water from the pump, or a few messages from the shop, or maybe collect a bundle or rotten sticks, to help to making the lighting of the fire easier for them in the morning. Most of us would do everything we could for those old people, by making them happy, it made us happy too.

The following little storey is quite true, it concern's myself during those times.

It were Ash Wednesday evening, after school, I took a walk over to see my uncle who lived alone. When i went in and we were talking for a few minutes. He said to me would you ever go back to the village and bring me a couple of messages. I said I would, so he gave me the money and told me what to get, which included a pound of rashers. I came to Murphys shop and Mrs. Wright the shopgirl parceled them up for me and gave me the change. When I got back to my Uncles house, he had a pot of tea made at the sige of the fire. I left the parcel on top of the table and gave him the change. He opened the parcell and took out the rashers. Then he put the pan on the fire and put some of the rashers on it. When they were cooked he put them on two plates, one plate for himself and the other for me. He then cut some slices of bread from a batch load and put them on a plate, then he poured out tea for both of us. When he had finished eating he looked at me and said. Eh! were you in school today? I said I was. He said did you not wash your face! Then he said, whats that black on your forehead? He also had black on his forehead. I told him it were Ash Wednesday. He said O God! I never thought of it. Neither did I but the rashers were lovely.

Now we are back in school after the Christmas Holidays. We are all glad to see Mrs. Fleckney back after her illenss. Mrs O' Donnell was a nice teacher, but we were more used to Mrs. Fleckney.

We are well into the month of January and the First Communion Class has been formed. Most of our class are in it with the exception of a couple who are too young. They need to be at least seven years old or a little more.

From now on we will have to learn a small Catechism off by heart in preparation for our First Holy Communion. Mrs Fleckney has told us that it will be on the first Sunday of May. Mass will be at 9 O' Clock that morning. Our lessons are much harder now, compared to what they used to be when we were in junior infants.

There are two fireplaces in the school, one in Mr. Roches room upstairs. The other is in Mrs. Fleckneys room downstairs where we are. Mrs Roach has a coal burning stove in her room. In Mr O' Shea's room there is no heating of any sort. If the day is very cold he would go into Mr. Roaches room to warm himself. Before doing so, he would let his classes out to run around the schoolyard for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour.

As the weeks go by and January has passed, we are now into the first month of spring. Mrs Fleckney is paying more attention to the First Holy Communion class. We have Catechism for for a half an hour before lunch and again for another half an hour after lunch each day for the past couple of weeks.

She has told us, with the Easter Holidays not far away, we wont notice the time passing until the first monday of May. Sometimes Mrs. Roach comes in from her room, and herself and Mrs. Fleckney has us at the Catechism for quite a while. we have most of our other school lessons to do during the day as well.

Its the second last sunday of February, the evening is nice and fine, and one of the lads has got a new sponge ball. So a few of us are going up to the waste patch on the Railway Line to have a game of football. We divide ourselves into two teams of equal numbers and there is an odd one left, he plays as a hand on both sides. That means he plays the first half with one side and the second half with the other. Two coats placed apart at each end are used as goalposts. We dont have referees or unpires, neither do we have linesmen. Our game is placed at a hectic pace until we get tired, then we all go home quite happy after enjoying ourselves. Some may sore shins, others with bumps on their heads.

Well here we are into the Holy Season of Lent, we were all at mass on Ash Wednesday morning and got Blessed Ashes on our foreheads from Fr. Byrne before going to school.

Our sums, as well as our reading and writing are much harder than they were when we started in senoir infants last September. We also get a little more homework to do. Our P.P. Fr. Farrell called to the school today Mrs. Fleckney got the Communion Class around and asked us some questions from the Catechism. Fr. Farrell then asked us more questions and seemed to quite happy with the way we answered.

He then went into Mrs. Roche's room, and for us it were back to our lessons as usual. While playing in the school yard at lunchtime today Billy Daly colided with the top bar of the school gate and split his upper lip almost to his nose. He were brought to Doctor McKenna to have it attended to. The doctor told him, he would have to eat all of the soft food until the wound were healed, but it need not prevent him from attending school.

Skipping was a favourite form af pastime with the girls during the summer months. They could purchase a skipping rope in most shops. It consisted of a piece of strong chord about seven feet long with a wooden hand grip on each end. they would hold competitions amongst themselves going through the vairous movements during the game. some of the boys were also good at skipping, but it were mostly a game for the girls.

We have'nt had a day from school since St. Patrick's Day, but today we are all feeling very happy. Mrs. Fleckney has told us, our school is closing for the Easter Holidays, which means we will be returning to school just one week before we recieve our First Holy Communion.

Now with a few free days before Easter Sunday, we can go to the farmers houses looking for own Easter Coobague. An Easter coobague means giving you a couple of eggs that they wont take any money for. It makes no difference whether they are hens or ducks eggs. you would find most of these people very generous, but others might not be so much that way. Then after Easter we would start collecting any good eggshells that we could get, to decorate our "May Bush". On the morning of the first of May we would have a bush secure in the ground and place, the eggshells and cououred ribbons on its branches. Now you would'nt find a May Bush outside every house. Its only those who would look around for a nice sort of bush and collect the eggshells and ribbons that would have one.

Each year we erected our "May Bush" in the garden, we would leave it there for a week or more before taking it down. Today we are all back in school after the holidays. We enjoyed ourselves over the Easter, we had no worries about getting up for school in the mornings, no lessons to learn, or no homework to do. After lunch today our teacher brought the First Holy Connunion Class down to the church and put us in our seats at each side of Fr. Farrells confession box. In preparation for our first confession which will be on Thursday. Then she put us all kneeling at the Alter Rail and explained to us how to place the Alter Cloth under our chin as we will be be doing on Sunday morning when receiving our First Holy Communion.

By the time we returned to the school our lessons were over for that day. While Mrs. Fleckney had us down in the church, Mrs Roach took charge of the children in both rooms.

Its Thursday just after lunch, and our teacher has our First Communion Class ready to go down to the church for our First Confession. When we were all in our places each side of the Confession Box, the girls on one side and the boys on the other. Fr. Farrell came down and went into the Confession Box. Then we went in, in our turn to make our Confession. When we all had our Confessions made Fr. Farrell came out and had a little chat with us. telling us that receving our First Holy Communion it were one of the most inportant days of our lives.

Then our teacher brought us all back to the school to collect our school bags and go home.

Today at school its back to our own lessons as usual, with only one Cathechism leson before lunch. Our teacher has told us to be in our seats in the church for sometime, before mass commences on Sunday morning.

Saturday being a free day we spent some of our time doing whatever little jobs we are asked to do at home. Afterwords we would bring messages to some old people, who would not be able to go to the shop themselves.

We also found time for a bit of sport before returning for the night.

Well here we are in our places in the Church on Sunday morning. We, the boys, are in the front seats on the night, just behind "The Pews" that the McKenna Family occupies. Mrs. Fleckneyis in charge of us. The girls are in the front seats on the left behind "The Pews" that the delaney Family occupies. Mrs. Roche is in charge of the girls.

All the boys are dressed in new suits, consisting of, coat, waistcoat, short trousers, shoes and top stockings, shirt collar and tie. The girls were dresses in long white dresses, with wreath and veil some have a little prayer book in their hand, others are carrying a small bunch of flowers. Fr. Farrell commences mass by reciting the Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity and the Prayers of the Faithfull. Then he continues saying mass and when it comes to communion time, Mrs Fleckney and Mrs Roach escorts us out to the Alter where we kneel down and place the Alter Cloth that is attached to the Alter Rail under our chin.

When Fr. Farrell gave us Holy Communion we remained kneeling until the teachers escorted us back to our seats. There we remained kneeling in prayerfull Thanksgiving for sometime.

In a short senmor afterwords Fr. Farrell gave the teachers and the parents great credit for the manner in which they had the children prepared for such an important day in their lives. After the last gospel, Fr. Farrell concluded mass by saying Three Hail Marys, the prayer for the people of the World. To save them from the Evil Spirits who warden through the World seeking the ruin of Souls.

After mass we got home as quickly as we could to get our breakfast, having fasted from midnight we all felt a bit hungry. We did'nt indulge in any games that Sunday, as we were afraid of soiling our new suits. Some spent the day away with their parents, visiting relations. Others were entertained locally by very nice neighbours.

The next day in school our teacher told us she were very pleased with us all for being so attentive during mass on our First Holy Communion Day.

She divided a big box of sweets between us all, and let us home an hour earlier that evening, and did'nt give us any lessons to learn for that night.

Right now its back to school as usual. Our thoughtare on the Summer Holidays which are only a few weeks away. Our teacher has told us that we, the senior infants will be going into first class after the hoildays. But before that we will have to do an examination to see if we are prepared to go into first class. But if we fail the examination we must remain in senior infants for another year.

As the day for the exam's are drawing near, each one of us hopes to do well so that we will be able to start in first class after the holidays.

Our teacher has told us that on changing into first class we will need a whole new set of books and copies. That means a new Reading Book, Poetry Book, Irish Book, Small Geography, Arithmatic Copy, Composition Copy, Irish Copy and Note Book. Also a Pen, Pencil, Ruler and Blotting Paper.

Mrs Roche will order any books or copies we may need, for those of us who may be going into her room after the exam's which we will be doing tomorrow. The Cronin family are leaving Ballylinan for good during the Summer holidays. Mr and Mrs. Cronin and their two sons, Harry and Bobby are returning back to Mr. Cronin's native place in Co. Kerry. We feel sad to think of them leaving the village, we will miss them very much.

Now that we have the exam's over, he are all happy to learn we have done well and are delighted to know we will be still together going into first class for the coming year.

Its Friday after lunch and Mrs Fleckney ha told us that our school is closing this evening for the Summer hoildays. Its great to think there wont be any more school for us until the first week of September, which seems a long way off. Now that we have no school to think of for the next couple of months. No getting up in time in the morning, no lessons to learn, no homework to do, we will be all enjoying the holidays in our own different ways.

We'll have plenty of time to kick football, go for a paddle in the Douglas river, as nine of can swim we may keep to the shallow spots on the river. We also spend some of our own free time over in Rahin Wood picking and eating Blackberries, Sloes that grow in the blackthorn bush. In late August the Laurel Berries are nice and ripe to eat. But like the Sloe you dont eat much of them at any one time. Around the same time as we are going back to school, the Hazel nuts will be ripe to eat. We will often pay a visit to Rahin Wood to fill our pockets with hazel nutz. Sometimes we would bring a small bag and to fill it so as to have a supply at home to eat during the winter.

Some families from the Village would go over to Rahin during the summer and have a picnic in the lawn, in the shade of the big Beech trees.

Conway's Wood, or Little Wood was also a favourite place for picnic's, being much nearer the village than Rahin.

Well here we are in the middle of the last week of our holidays. we are due back in school on Monday morning next. Although we all enjoyed the long break from school, the thought of us going back makes a little downhearted. The Cronin Family left the Village for good near the end of July. We are all very sorry to see them leaving.

The two lads, Harry and Bobby cried when saying good-bye to us.

Its the first Monday in September and here we find ourselves back in school again. We are now in a different room and Mrs Roche is our teacher.

After prayers this morning she asked each one of us if we had a lot of the books and copy's, pen and pencil that we will need when starting in our new class. She then showed us into our desks we will occupy for the next year. After more than a week in Mrs. Roche's room we are all quite happy in our new surroundings.

When I were in Mrs. Fleckneys Room, at Roll Call, she would call out your name in English, and if you were there you would answer by saying "Present"! or if during the day you had need to go to the Lou, you would put up your hand and say "May I leave the room please?"

But since going into Mrs. Roches room she calls the roll in the Irish. If your present you will answer by saying "Annso"!

If you need to go to the lou you put up your hand and say, An bfiul cead a gum dul amach marse de hula?

The lessons we have to learn now are very different and much harder from those we had in Senior Infants. Our reading book is bigger with more pages and longer stories. Then we have an Irish book, a Poetry book, a small Geography, and Copies for Compostions, Irish and Sums.

fields to watch the farmers cutting their grain crops with a Reaper and Binder. This machine, drawn by three horses, can cut and tie into sheares, that can crop as it moves along.

There are'nt many of those Reaper and Binders in the area, so the owners of them are kept bust cutting the grain crop for the different farmers when the crop is ripe.

In school those days, as well as our usual lessons, we are learning a lot from our Catechism in Preperation for the visit of the Diocesan Examiner which will take place on the last Thursday in October.

The day the Diocesan Examiner comes to our school he examines the Junior and Senior Infants in Mrs Fleckneys room first. When he has them examined he tells them that they can now take the day off.

He then moves into Mrs. Roach's room and when he has finished examining the children there, he gives them the day off also.

Then he proceed's upstairs to Mr. O Shea's room and he examines the children there, he gives them a free day also.

On going into Mr. Roach's room he examines the pupils there also, and lets them home for the rest of the day.

By now its near One O' Clock and all the children have gone home. Then Fr. Byrne and The Diocesan Examiner returns to the Parochial House in Arles with Fr. Farrell our Parish Priest. The teachers also got the remainder of the day off.

We are now almost six weeks in Mrs. Roach's room and are getting quite used to the change. She never chantises any of us for been late for school in the morning. Instead whoever is unfortunate enoughf to be late, they are sent up to Mr. Roche to be chastised. If your excuse for being late is genuine one, you might escape with a caution. But if its not, you could find yourself going back down to Mrs. Roche's room nursing a slap from the Cane on each hand.

One day last week, our teacher had us doing a Composition. At one stage I happened to dip the pen a bit deep in the Inkwell, and when i resumes wrighting a blob of ink fell on the page. I tried to soak it up with blotting paper, but it only made it worse.

Afterwords as Mrs. Roche went along through the desks examining each of our compositions. When she came to me I could hear her say to herself, O My God! Then she asked me "What Happened?" I told her. Well she did'nt get the cane, but suddenly I got a smack in the ear with the back of her hand, telling me to be more careful with the ink in future.

Thats the price I paid for being a bit careless.

Ther Diocesan Examiner visited our school last Thursday. He came into our room a little after 10 O'Clock having been in Mrs. Fleckneys room with the Junior and Senior Infants.

After the examining 1st and 2nd class, he let us home for the rest of the day. Then he went upstairs to Mr. O' Sheas room to examine the pupils there. Then onto Mr. Roche's room to examine 5th and 6th class. He returned back to arles with Fr. Farrell and our school were closed for that day.

Next day in school, Mrs. Roche told us Fr. Byrne said he was very pleased with the way we answered the questions he put to us. Our teacher, herself, expressed satisfaction with her two classes an the outcome of the examination.

We are now into the early days of November. That means, we have to get up in the mornings by lamplight, so as to be ready for school. Then in the evenings were not long home when its dark.

We dont have anytime for sport in the evenings now, except on Saturday or Sunday fi the weather is fine. From Monday to Friday its school each day, and Mrs. Roche has brought us on very well in our learning for the short time we have been with her. She gives us every help to overcome any difficult problems that we may be faced with, as far as our lessons are concerned. The weather has got cold and wet, if it rains any day during our lunch hour is nearly over before we go back.

We have no school today, its the 8th of December. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception its a Holy day of Obligation. Fr Byrne celebrated mass at 9 AM with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament afterwards.

For the past couple of days we have been doing outr Xmas Exams, which consisted of a composition in English, also one in Irish, a bit of History, a bit of Geography, and 10 sums. Today our teacher tolf us our school is closing this evening for the Christmas Holidays. We are due back on January the 9th. She wished us all A Very Happy Christmas and to take care of ourselves.

On Christmas Eve it were early to bed for us during the night. When we awoke the next morning we were wide eyed with delight to see all the nice presents he had brought to each of us.

After coming home from 8 AM mass on Christmas Morning, the rest of the day was spent playing with our toys and looking at the presents santa brought to others. During the holidays we had a bit of snow and some frost, which gave us a chance to have some fun sliding on the road.

Then on New Year's Eve we had a Tourchlight Procession from Daly's house on the hill to the church where the people taking part sang hynms, and Mrs. Ryan rang the Bell. Bidding farewell to the Old Year, and welcomeing in the New.

Those taking part did'nt get to bed too early that night.

So now its back to school once more, back to the reading, writing and sums as usual.

Just now we are having very cold Winter weather, its not too nice getting out of a snug bed in order to get ready for school. In winter I get up at night and dress by a yellow candlelight. In summer quite the other way. I have to go to bed by day. I have to go to bed and see the birds still hopping on the tree.

What a difference there can be in the just now compared to what it were like just a few months ago. Often during the long summer evenings we would sit and watch the Lark rising out of the grass and soaring up into the blue sky warbeling to itself as it did so itwould soar up, up, until it were out of sight. Then after a short while you would see it dropping down from the sky as fi ti were shot. It would continue to fall like that until it were within a short distance fron the ground. then it would spread its wings and glide slowly to the ground to its nest.

The Corncrake were another we were ofter amused listening to at that time of a Summer's evening. Sometimes you would imagine he were near you, when he would give out a loud but coarse call which sounded something like Geak! Geak! He would repeat that a few times then he'd move off to a different place.

But here we are on our way to school on a wet, windy morning neat the end of January. We have on our topcoats with the collar turned up to keep out the wind. We also have our oilhats to put on our heads, with an elastic band under our chin to keep the wind from blowing it off.

When we reach the school we take off our own hat and overcoat and shakes off the rain from them in the porch before hanging them on a peg in the school room. Those who have to get to the school from a distance are exempt for being late on a morning like this. Mr O' Shea were out sick for a fw days, but he is back today teaching as usual in his room upstairs.

We are into the Month of February, and today at school there are some children missing from the class in each room. On seeking an explanation as to why they were absent, a Brother or Sister or some school pal would say there were at home sick, and unable to be in school that day.

A couple of day's afterwords Dr. Mckenna called to the school and told the teachers the school would have to close for a while as there were a rather severe Flu Epidemic in the area. He also told them to advise the childres to avoid getting into groups, during their free time. In that way it would help to prevent the Flu from spreading. Later that day conveyed the doctors advice to their pupils before announcing the school were closing until further notice. Its over three weeks since our school were closed because of the flu and still a number of children and grownups affected by it. My brother Billy and myself were confined to bed for almost two weeks with it. I remember one day during the second week , I felt very sick. I could'nt rest or get ease no matter what way I tried or turned. After same time I felt as if i wanted to vomit, so I leaned out over the side of the bed and got the glass holder which were there for the purpose of vomiting or spitting into whenever I needed to do.

Well I did vomit, and while doing so I became very frightened and began to shiver all over. I called my Mother and when she came into the room and saw me vomiting up blood she said, "O Glory be to God. Whats going to happen at all."

Then she put me lying back in the bed and smuggled the clothes in around me, saying, she would try and get the Doctor as quick as she could. Later on that evening the Doctor arrived, and when he came into the room he said. Well my good little man, how are you feeling today?

I told him I were shivering all over, and also told him about vomiting the blood. He looked at the vomit in the bowl or holder and after a short pause he turned to my Mother and said, Mrs. Farrell you have nothing to worry about? That boy will be on his feet after a few days. Then he told her to keep both of us warm and give us plenty of hot drinks.

Well the doctor were night. the next day after the vomiting I began to feel a bit better. My stomach, although it felt a bit raw were much more setteled and I even began to feel like getting something to eat . When the doctor called again, he told my mother she could let us up and sit at the fire for a while for a few days.

After getting us up to sit at the fire she would give each of us a cup full of hot drink made from Senna Leaves. The Senna Leaves are put into the teapot just as you would do when making tea, then pour the boiling water on them.

After a short time you can pour the loquid or tea into a cup or cups, add milk and some sugar. I tastes very, very, sweet. Before putting us back to bed, my Mother would gives another hot drink made from the Senna Leaves.

Right now we are moving around the house and feeling as nearly a well as ever, Thank God.

Our School is reopening on to-morrow morning, Fr. Byrne announced it during Mass to day(Sunday).

Monday morning most of the children are back in their class's with the exception of a few who are not yet fully recovered.

For a few days after returning the school, we would be telling each other how the Flu effected us in different ways. But I soon got to know I wewe'nt the only one to vomit up blood. A lot of those I spoke to also vomited up blood, and like myself were very frightened at what they say happening.

I soon reailsed I were'nt the only one the Flu affected that way.

Last Wednesday being Ash Wednesday means we are in the Holy Season of Lent, and after a few more weeks we will be getting our Easter Holidays. But right now we are feeling a bit sad of another family member leaving the Village of good. It also means losing two fo our very nice school chums Tommy and Norah Glennon. Already the Glennon Family have left leaving us without the two lads, Harry and Bobby. Mr. Glennon has secured a good job near his native place in Ballymacoda, Co. Cork, so the family will be leaving for there shortly.

At present we are doing our exams in preparation for the Easter Holiday's which are due next week. With our exams finished Mrs. Roche will examine each of our copies and write on each of them the credit, if any, that she thinks we deserve for each subject.

As follows

G. For Good

V.G For Very Good

E.X. For Excellent

If none of those words were written on your copies after the teacher had examined them, you could be preparing to be severely chastised. At all times Mrs. Roche would impress up on the pupils the need to keep thier copies neat and tidy, whatever the subject.

Its Easter time again and to-day we are getting our holiday's. We all feel very happy, the Flu has cleared away and everyone is back to their normal health once more. It were a miserable time during the month of February and into early March. Most children became effected by it, as well a large number of grown ups.

Its Easter Sunday Morning and we are up early for 9 O'Clock Mass which were Celebrated by Fr. Farrell who gave Benadiction afterwords. The choir sang some beautiful hynms with Mrs Roche at the Organ.

The Altar Society had the Altar tastefully decorated for such an important day in the religious life of the Parish. After returning from Mass on Sunday Morning, we had a bit of a competition as to who would eat the most eggs. Not being a lover of eggs I were an also nan from the word. go. I only eat one. My brother Jim won the contest by eating the most. While doing so, he also eat Bread and Jam with each egg.

The other members of the family did a bit better than I did, they eat more than one. After dinner that day we went over to Rahin to watch a cricket match between Castletown and Ballylinan. Being a nice fine sunny evening a lot of people were in the "Oak Meadow" looking at the match.

Whil watching the match with a couple of my pals. We were standing quite a safe distance from where they were Bowling. We heard a swish in the grass, and suddenly a Cricket ball bounced off my ankle.

One of the players came rushing and picked up the ball and threw it as fast as he could back towards the wicket. My ankle were painful and sore for a while, but it got better.

Our Easter Holidays have come to an end, and to-day, Tuesday, we are back in school once more. Mrs. Roche was very pleased to see us all back in our desks again, and hoped we all enjoyed our holidays.

Lent being late this year, its almost into the month of May when going back after Easter. So we are all happy to know that after a few weeks we will be looking forward to our long Summer break.

Right now, a lot of us have off the boots and are going to school in the bare ones. We like going barefooted when the summer comes in, even though it might mean you could be the victim of a Stone, Bruise or Thorn.

Only yesterday Pat Morgan stepped on a piece of glass, he went to old Mrs. Hurley who lives just across the road from the school to have the cut dresses and bandaged. We always go to Mrs. Hurley if our cuts or bruises are'nt too serious.

She is a very nice old person, and is ready at all times to treat our wounds, should we be unlucky enough to sustain one.

Mrs. Fleckney, our teacher in the Infants room has left. Lacey's where she were staying and is gone to live in a house in Coolanowle, or Castletown as some call it. Her husband William Fleckney, Who has retired from the British Army has come over with their two sons Terry and Hugh, and have taken up ressidence in Purcells house in Coolanowle.

Mrs Fleckney sister, Mrs. Mc Donagh and her son Derry has also come to live with them. Mr. Fleckney has a Motor Car, so he drives Mrs. Fleckney and the three boys to school each morning, and collects them each evening after school. The distance from our school to their home is about 21/2 miles.

Its Midsummer and the weather has got very warm, our first thoughts are to get into a river or stream to have a dabble in the water.

Since none of us can swim, we have to choose a place that is'nt too deep, which would be too dangerious. Neither would it want to be too shallow, as there would'nt be enough of water. About 31/2 feet is ideal. The Douglas River which flows through Castletown has some suitable spots, but they are on the small side. The bigger holes or sharps, as they known by can be very deep and unsafe for the nonswimmer.

Nearer home there is a spot known as "The Cutting's." Its becide the Old Railway Line joining Lacey's Bog. Its about 4 yards wide and 8 or 9 yards long. To make it the proper depth, we cut sods and made a dam at one end. After some time the water fills up and flows over the dam, leaving us with an ideal place to paddle in. The only drawback with this pool is that it is always muddy.

So on and off during the warm weather this is the pool we visit most. We dont have swim suits or such things, all that we bring is a towel to dry ourselves.

When we arrive at the pool we just take off all our clothes and place them in a pile on the bank, then jump in, in our birth suit and has a good splash in the water for a while. After putting on our clothes we return home feeling very refreshed.

One Sunday evening after out tea a few of us decided to go down to the cuttings and have a dip. When we arrived there we discovered that the water were a bit cold. But after walking down that far, we decided to change as usual and jumped in.

After a short while we noticed the water getting colder, so we agreed to get out and leave it so. Just as we were about to leave the water, a man and his wife, out for an evening stroll along the Old Line came right down where we were and stood looking at us. We could'nt leave the water while they were there. Although nearly shivering at this time we just had to keep paddeling around.

Luckily for us they did'nt stay too long before they resumed their stroll down towards the Drimroe Road.

When they had left, we made no delay on getting out and into our clothes and returning home.

It were one of those evenings we did'nt enjoy our splash in the water all that well. It seems only a few short weeks since we returned to school after our Easter Holidays . well here we are doing our exams in preparation for our Summer Break and also for the change in classes. If we are successful with our exams it means we go into second class when we return to school in September. Should we fail, the fault will be on our own. Our teacher has given us every help to......

 

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