The Old School

I first went to school in 1966 in what is now known as the "old school." Having lived a short walk away and practised walking to school on the inside of the ditch with my two brothers for six months prior to my offical start date, I eagerly looked foward to my new adventure.

The old school was a formidable building surrounded by stone walls and containing two playgrounds. One yard was mixed and the other one was for the girls only. This generated an aura and mystique about girls, which I might add I have retained to this day.The classrooms, of which there were three, were big and cold with high ceilings and the heat came from a solid fuel stove. At lunch time Master Kavanagh served his speciality, big enamel mugs of steaming hot cocoa.

Games consisted of football, hurling and running the gauntlet of climbing out along the wooden beam in the shelter. The bigger boys even went so far as to go over to the bog nearby and believe me, that was living dangerously. Justice in those days consisted of a sharp cut of a bamboo cane across your rear end which helped to get rid of the cold.

The teachers in those days were Master Kavanagh, Mrs McDonald and Mrs Doyle who dispensed knowledge in large amounts. This knowledge wasn't always retained but it was fun in trying. The desks were solid wood with two seated at each.

On my first day I sat with my brother for the first five minutes but then I took up position beside Liam Owens in Junior Infants. I spent three years in the old school learning the alphabet, tables and singing....... somethings never change!

In 1968 the old school closed when the new one was opened by Bishop Herlihy and an era had passed.......no more cocoa .......memorable times!!