Alanna's gran talks about her memories of school
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.
- Alanna’s grandad
What I learned from my interviews:
In January I interviewed my nanny and grandad.
I learned how they work at school and what did they play.
My nanny said she loved school and my grandad said it was ok but he didn’t like the homework.
My nanny said she had to bring turf to school and her dad had to bring turf on his bike.
My grandad had to walk in his bare feet and they had lots and lots of homework when they got home.
