My youngest son Dáire got his Leaving
Certificate results last week and his CAO letter for a third level college
placement on Monday. My visit last Wednesday with Cepta and our son to the Jes (Coláiste
Iognáid) to collect his examinations letter ended a family involvement with Galway
schools going back twenty two years.
So I am happy to report that this chapter
in our lives ended on a high note: Dáire got the examination marks he needed in
order to met the requirements for bio-medical science.
Cepta and myself count ourselves privileged
and exceptionally lucky that Dáire and Shane have done us and themselves proud.
Throughout their childhood they worked hard in their studies, were fortunate to
have a few really good loyal friends, had some interesting hobbies, played
their preferred sports, and maintained good morals along the way in the sense
of never deliberately hurting friend, family member or others. As with all
parents we have had our ups and downs in family life and suffered a few hard knocks
on the journey. But nothing that most parents do not face. The two boys have
their own independence of spirit with their own beliefs, politics and views
that do not always correspond to that of mine(!). But this is as it should be- sons
and daughters are not clones of their parents, and all of us are shaped by our own
experiences.
The Photos
Photo 1 is of Dáire and Shane from August
2004- it was Dáire’s first day at primary school (Scoil San Phroinsias) and
Shane’s first day in secondary school (St. Mary’s College).
Photo 2 was taken a few months ago of the
family (including the lovely Cepta!) at Dáire’s graduation in May.
Finally, as a chapter in my own life
closes, I have to take this opportunity to give a sincere thanks and
appreciation to all those teachers in Scoil San Phroinsias, St. Mary’s College
and the Jes who did so much for the boys. In all my years involved in school
life going back to the age of five (and I myself qualified as a second level
teacher) I have only rarely encountered a really bad teacher. They do indeed
exist-a few taught me (& Cepta, Shane and Daire). But the vast majority of
teachers represent the unsung heroes of Ireland. In order to do their job well,
they have to take on so many diverse roles as they nurture generations of
children into adulthood, serving as educationalists, sports coaches, musical
instructors, career guidance officers, psychologists, social workers….
So a big ‘bualadh bos’ to the ‘múinteorí’!!
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