Bittersweet

Kellie Marie O Callaghan talked with her nana, Margaret Mc Evoy, about her primary school days in Annagh N.S, Co Clare, in 1935. Here she tells us some of her nana's memories.

Margaret walked 3 miles to school every day, it took the best part of an hour to get there. School started at 9.30am. There was no specific uniform, you wore what you had at home. Many children went to school without shoes, in winter she had to wear hobnail boots. If it was very wet her dad would bring her and her brothers and sisters to school in the pony and trap. They used pens, pencils and paper. In their school, Confirmations were only held every three years. The teacher had a cane, which she used on you if you didn’t know the answer to a question, if you were late, or if you misbehaved.

At lunchtime she played tig, hopscotch and if you were well off enough to have a skipping rope, skipping. Everyone had to bring their own lunch with them to school. She learned reading, writing and maths, if you didn’t do it right you were caned.

There were around 20 in her class. Fourth, Fifth and Sixth class shared a room. It was a two-room school. She attended and all-Irish speaking school where English was taken on as a subject. You had to do a preparatory exam before you left school to see if you were entitled to go on to Secondary school. Some students were lucky enough to get a scholarship to secondary school if they got good enough marks in the preparatory exam. School finished at 3.00pm. Every day you had to bring a sod of turf for the two open fires in the school.

Kellie Marie says, "I think that the best phrase to describe primary school education in those days is ‘bittersweet’. You were privileged enough to receive an education but there was the drawback of harsh corporal punishment which in the 1930’s was prominent. For my Nana and I’m sure for many other people, receiving that education meant that new horizons opened up for her. As a result of her primary school education she got the opportunity to travel to England and become a Nurse."

By Kellie-Marie O’Callaghan
Newcastle
Co Dublin