By Willie J. Dwyer
Transcript
A noteworthy year, 1966. Nelson beat a hasty retreat from Dublin’s O’Connell Street and a class of four sat their Leaving in Cashel CBS.
Five years earlier, thirty-three boys began first year. Half the class came from the town’s national school and the other half from rural schools surrounding Cashel – Golden, Knockavilla, Clonoulty, Boherlahan, Ballytarsna, Dualla, Ballinure, Rosegreen and New Inn. Confident townies and more reserved, shy lads coming from the country. Our transport system was mainly the Raleigh all-steel bicycle.
From day one, a slow exodus began. By the end of first year approximately one third had left, some to continue in the Vocational School (The Tech) to study for the more practical Group Cert. Carpentry and Metal Work available there provided a solid training for any of the trades. Our Second year was depleted further and on entering Third Year to study for our first exam, the Intermediate Certificate, we had sixteen on board. Subject choice was limited, i.e no choice. Maths, Irish, English, History, Geography, Science and Latin studied by our merry band. A Seismic shock might best describe our results. With honours grades scarce and fail grades a plenty (yes), the scatter was completed.
Boarding school for the final two years for some, but my mother’s wish to get me to go to the Cistercian College in Roscrea where her uncle had been Headmaster for many years failed miserably. My two-week stand-off eventually saw my return to Cashel to form part of the ‘Last Stand’. Once again, for our class of four, no choice of subjects was offered, no honours maths or science subjects, Latin was our green card if one wished to go to University to study in any of the Science Faculties.
By our own standards and expectations, we all got a Leaving Certificate in line with the low- pressure regime that prevailed within the Academy. My three classmates, Tom Delahunty, Rosegreen, John Browne, Mocklershill, and Martin Nolan, Dualla (deceased) proceeded to do a Trainee Management Programme with one of the Major Food retailers and with further studies in Adult Education, they all had very successful careers in retail business and accountancy. My path took me to Pallaskenry Agricultural Collect for a year (1966-1967) and I was fortunate enough to get a state scholarship to study Agricultural Science in U.C.D. from 1967 – 1971.
In the Spring of 1962, one of the highlights of our school-days occurred. The school won the Croke Cup (under 15 Hurling) defeating Templemore CBS in the final, I being one of the youngest players. We celebrated with a Cold Meat Tea upstairs in Mahony’s restaurant on Bank Place. Then on our bicycles and cycled home. Small as our numbers were as a secondary school, that Croke Cup team had five County minor players hurling for Tipperary in the three years that followed our win.
Reflecting on my six mile journey to school, we had a final fast downhill section into Ladywell in the morning. Going home was tougher, the Mile Hill was a steep climb. Ladywell and Canopy Street had at least three milking herds then. The retail outlets I recall were Tommy Duane’s Chip shop in Canopy Street – a very welcome stop during the cold winter months. In Lowergate, John J Grogan’s for sweets or a wafer ice cream and Denis Kennedy’s for the lads who wanted a woodbine or two to keep the nicotine levels afloat.