Kaydean and Shannon’s interview Listen to the podcast here.

Click above to hear Kaydean and Shannons interview

On the 16th of January 2010, my friend Kaydean and I (Shannon) interviewed my uncle-in-law Willie Meenaghan on times gone by at school. We found out that Willie went to school in Barnatra. Willie started school when he was 5 and finished when he was 13 and a half. Willie walked to school and sometimes on a very bad day his teacher would pick him up in his car. His school was about half a mile from his home. He explained to us that he wore Wellingtons to school in winter time and light shoes in summer time but if it was a really good day they would walk in there bare feet. He told us that there were about 120 children in his school at the time. He said his happiest memory of school was when he got the holidays. He learned most of the subjects that are being learned now like English, Irish, Maths, Religion and History. Maths was his favourite subject because he never had any problem with them. He went to school from 9:30 to 3:00. Willie explained that they got coco and bread for lunch and that it was supplied during winter but you had to bring your own during summer. They played football in the field during break. Willie said he was good friends with everyone but from his own village his best friend was Paddy Carey. If the children misbehaved the teacher would get a long cane and hit you 2 or 3 times as hard as they could draw it. Willie told us if an inspector came and they were good they would get a sweet cake or something small. His worst memory of school was when his father died. There were no school tours or football matches when he went to school but his principal brought them on outings. He said if he had the time again he properly wouldn’t go back to school. He thinks things have improved a lot since he was going to school because there are more chances and free-education came out the year he was leaving school.
Kaydean and I enjoyed interviewing him a lot because it was interesting and we had a good laugh.
By Shannon and Kaydean

On the 16th of January 2010 I interviewed my dad Gerry Sheeran about school in the past. I found out that my dad went to Pullathomas National School. My dad thought he was very lucky because his school was only about a quarter of a mile from his home. Dad walked to school every day. He also said there was about 80 or 90 children in his school. When dad first started school he had to bring turf with him everyday but then the teachers started buying the turf. Dad learned English, Irish, Maths, Religion and History but his favourite subject was Irish. His school day was from 9:30 till 3:00 in the evening. Dad had bread and coco for his lunch and after they had there lunch they would go outside and play football. If children misbehaved the teacher would put them standing outside the door for a few minutes. Dad explained that there were no school tours when he was going to school but they would play football matches at the parish football. Dad started school when he was 5 and finished when he was 12. He explained that you wouldn’t be sent home unless you were really sick and if you were you would have to walk home. They got holidays from school at Christmas, Easter and summer, during the holidays they went to the bog and done work around the house.
   I really enjoyed interviewing my dad because I found out a lot of things I didn’t know.

Click here to hear an MP3 of my interveiw An interview with Gerry Sheeran   By Shannon

                

 

 

                                          Nanny’s story

 

I was six years when I went to school and my dad brought me on the crossbar of his bike.

I had three and a half miles to go and after a few mouths I walked with my friends.

I started school in 1951, I went to Glenamoy National School.

There were only two teachers there.

We had five subjects: we had Irish, English, Maths, History, and Religion.

Before we left school we had an exam called the primary.

We had no heating only turf fire at the end of the room.

Sometimes we had to bring a sod of turf and later my dad brought a cart of turf and every parent did.

In the yard we played football, catch, hid and seek and ring a ring a rosy.

For lunch the older ones made cocoa and buttered bread and gave it out to all the students.

We had mugs at school and had to wash them after.

Yes the cane was used on both hands for many children. It was very cruel but I never got slapped at school.

There was no flush toilets at school only outside they were filthy.

The trovethery came and cleaned them out ever so often.

My interview with Nanny.

What school did you go to?                                                                                                                                                                                                             Inver N.S.

How did you get to school?                                                                                                                                                                                                             Walked across the fields with a sod of turf.

What did you wear?                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

No uniform. A pair of welling tons in the winter.

What subjects did you learn?

English, Irish, History, Religion and Maths.

What was your favourite subject?

English.

What subject did you not like?

Irish.

Who was your teacher?

Mrs Caulfield.

How many teachers were in the school?

Three:  Master Brennan, Master McGarry and Miss Caulfield.

 Who was your favourite?

Miss Caulfield.

 How many were in your class?

 How many were in your school?

Around 50.

How many breaks did you have?

How long was it?Half an hour.Who was your best friend?

Bridge McAndrew.

What did you play at break?

Catch.

What did you eat?

Coco and bread

Were there any discos?

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What  time did  the school day start?

9 o clock.

How were the children that misbehaved punished?

Slapped with a cane.

How were they rewarded?

No rewards.

Did you bring your own lunch?

No.

If you could would you go back to school?

Yes.

What time did the school day end?

3 o clock.

 

 

 

 

On the 3^rd February 2010, I interviewed my Nanny. I found out lots of interesting things about school

In the past, the children that were good weren’t rewarded like we are now and they didn’t  learn as many subjects as we learn now. Now we have cars to get to school in but my nanny didn’t and had to walk.

My nanny also told me that each child had to bring two sods of turf every day for the open fires in each classroom. They also had to help save the head masters turf. My nanny is 82 years old. I enjoyed Interviewing my nanny and I found out lots  of interesting things.

SHEILA  MALONEY 

Q. What school did you go to?

A. She went to Pullathomas NS

Q. Do you remember what year you started and what age you were?

A. She went to school in 1972 and her age was 4 years old

 

 

Q. Did you get any sort of transport to school?

A. She went by bus sometimes but most times the bus would break down

 

Q. Did you have to bring a sod of turf to school?

A. No she didn’t the school had central heating

 

Q. Do you remember any teachers in the school?

A. Yes she does: Mrs. Coyle, Master Coyle, Master Burke and Ms. McDonnell

 

Q. What did you get for lunch?

A. She got bread and cocoa for lunch

 

Q. How many children were in your school?

A. She cant remember but the classes were big in numbers.

 

Q. Did ye get much homework?

A. They did sometimes and they wouldn’t have time to finish it because of all the chores around there house

 

Q. What was the classroom like?

A. They didn’t have any tables or chairs instead they had desks

 

Q. Who was your best friend?

A. Her best friend was Bernie Mc Donnell

 

Q. Did you ever get in trouble at school?

A. She did sometimes

 

Q. Do you think kids today have a better time going to school?

A. Yes most kids even love going to school today

 

Q. Did you like school?

A. Mmhh kind of…..

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MY INTERVEIW

 

On the 2^nd of February I interviewed my mum about life at school back in those days. She went to Pullathomas National School and she didn’t have to bring a sod of turf to school because they had central heating. They had a bus but most of the time of the time it broke down so they had to walk. She started in 1972 and was age 4 years. The lunches were provided free of charge and they got was bread and cocoa. They got a lot of homework and most of the time they wouldn’t be able to finish it because of all the jobs to do around the house. She got in trouble sometimes and the teachers were very stict. I leaned a lot about the history of schools back long ago, it was very interesting.

My interview

Seamus Conway  Click here to hear my interview

I interviewed my Dad, Seamus Conway. He said he was 4 years old when he started school.  He had three teachers when he was in this school. His principal was Master Tom McGarry and in his last year in the school,  his son, Michael McGarry, took over from him. The punishment was the cane and ruler or beating with anything . He had  two breaks each day, one at eleven o’clock and one at half past twelve.      

By Padraic

MY INTERVIEW

I interviewed my mother on the 2^nd of February 10. I enjoyed interviewing her. I found out a lot of stuff I didn’t know. My mother said that they never brought a sod of turf to school. At lunch they got a mug of coco and a slice of bread. They used to get a lift from the fish van. All the people were best friends. All the teachers were nice.

                                                                    By Nathan Ruddy

Michael Maguire and Joe

Click on the link above to hear the podcast of this interview.

On the 25/01/10 I interviewed Michael Maguire, a local shopkeeper and the post master. I asked him what school was like when he went. He said that there was no electricity, not like today when you get sent home if the electricity goes off. They had to walk to the well for spring water, this was a nice job as you could take your time and miss some lessons. They would have a mug of cocoa and a slice of bread for lunch and would have to bring a sod of turf to school for the fire. The classes were a lot larger than today as the families had a lot more children. There were no toilets in the school either. He said his favourite subject was Maths and it was all done in your head he showed me how he could still add up as quick as the till. He said when they left school they would have lots of jobs to around the house like milking cows or picking potatoes. He told me a story about three men going to buy a television. They went to the shop and the man said it was £30 so they buy it. The boss comes in later and says the TV should have been £25 so the man says he will give each man £1 back and keep £2 for himself. How much did they pay? If they paid £9 each three 9 are 27 the man had £2 for himself what happen to the other £1. He also asked me what was missing from school now that they had back then common sense. I enjoyed interviewing Michael Maguire as he had lots of interesting things to say.
By Joseph M.

Taped interview with Maggie Doherty

On the 16th of January Shannon and Kaydean interviewed Maggie Doherty about when she went to school in Inver. She lives in Gorthmelia strand. She is 84 years old. She started school when she was 7 years old and left school when she was 13 and a half years old. She missed 1 year out with a leg injury. There was three teachers and three classrooms. School opened at 9 o clock in the morning and closed at 4 o clock in the day. There were no uniforms. She wore flannels. The lunch was supplied. She had to walk through fields and ditches for over a mile to get to school. She had no enemy’s. She was friendly with everyone in the school. There was no football matches disco or school trips. There were 140 to 150 children in the school. She learned math English, Irish, Religion, Dancing and History. Her favourite subject was history. By Shannon and Kaydean