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
