St. Marys College 100 Year Anniversary

scholar007

All past pupils are invited back for a number of events (Galway City Tribune Friday 3rd August 2012).

For fups sake, I spent 5 years trying to get out of the place. I had one particular teacher who spent half of every class talking about "de match" (any recent bog hopper GAA kickabout) and then wondered why a lot of lads with potential didn't do as well as he expected.

ANSWER: Because you spent half of every class yapping on about de match and didn't bother your árse teaching us!

I for one won't be attending the "festivities". I remeber my first day going up the driveway to that big imposing building feeling it was going to swallow me up. I still get the heebeejeebies everytime I pass that place!

WallyGUFC

Great 5 years there. The corridor from hell on the first floor with a certain 3 teachers all beside eachother always guaranteed a few laughs!

scholar007

WallyGUFC wrote: »

Great 5 years there. The corridor from hell on the first floor with a certain 3 teachers all beside eachother always guaranteed a few laughs!

WTF? I tell you one thing mate, I was nearly crying every day I had to go in there. I begged my parents to send me to Fr. Griffin Tech. after 3rd year. There were no laughs in that place and Im glad I didn't send any kids of mine into that place!

ben.schlomo

Loadsa laughs had in there in my 5 years, plenty of hard days too but overall a decent place with some good and some woeful teachers.

PomBear

scholar007, what events are on?

nuac

Was there in the fifties.

Some good teachers, made many friends.

There was a heavy emphasis on GAA - would have preferred some soccer and rugby options, but those were the days of the infamous ban,

For a boarder, a wet Saturday went slowly. OTOH it was easy to get permisson to go out town.

scholar007

PomBear wrote: »

scholar007, what events are on?

http://saintmaryscentenarycelebrations.blogspot.ie/

Wompa1

My dad went there for a while. Has a lot of nasty stories about what the priests in there were doing. Could imagine if there's a reunion it could be awkward if people who got the bad end of things actually attend. Hear say of course but I'd believe him.

scholar007

Wompa1 wrote: »

My dad went there for a while. Has a lot of nasty stories about what the priests in there were doing. Could imagine if there's a reunion it could be awkward if people who got the bad end of things actually attend. Hear say of course but I'd believe him.

Well, I wouldn't know anything about that. My gripe is the poor teaching. You never knew from one day to the next what would be covered. No teacher would say this is what we are going to do today. There was no plan, do, review. I got so fed up preparing stuff and then when you would go in, the first words you would hear were "well lads, did ye go to the match"? Like WTF? Thats most of the class gone.

Then there were days where certain individuals would beat a lad around the class for no apparent reason or decide the best way to impart knowledge was to shout a lot and swing / bang a hurl off desks.
As for exam preparation - another joke!

Please don't give me the Búllsh1t phrase - well thats the way it was - Thats BÚLLSH1T! I didn't learn there, I was in fear most of the time! Some of these individuals are still there. I think the best thing that they can do in their centenary year is apologise for the crap teaching and bully boy tactics!

Funk It

Had a great 5 years in Marys, as did most other I knew that went there. Don't know how you can say that you were in fear most of the time.

scholar007

Funk It wrote: »

Had a great 5 years in Marys, as did most other I knew that went there. Don't know how you can say that you were in fear most of the time.

I'm just relating my experience and why I won't be taking them up on the invite in the paper to attend for the 100 year "celebrations"

beeintheknow

Funk It wrote: »

Had a great 5 years in Marys, as did most other I knew that went there. Don't know how you can say that you were in fear most of the time.

Personally, I loved the place. I have many friends that I made there and am on good terms with many of my former teachers.

wet-paint

The people who enjoyed it, and want to meet past friends will go, and the people who didn't like it, won't.

We get it, you hated the place. No need to go on about how it was worse than Calcutta. Sheesh, it's obvious enough that this thread is for people who'd like to attend.

scholar007

wet-paint wrote: »

The people who enjoyed it, and want to meet past friends will go, and the people who didn't like it, won't.

We get it, you hated the place. No need to go on about how it was worse than Calcutta. Sheesh, it's obvious enough that this thread is for people who'd like to attend.

Whatever yer having yourself! :rolleyes:

gaillimhabu

I hope Fr. Joe didn't get a hold of you scholar

ben.schlomo

gaillimhabu wrote: »

I hope Fr. Joe didn't get a hold of you scholar

Kinda hope he did.;)

scholar007

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Kinda hope he did.;)

There is always 1.

ben.schlomo

scholar007 wrote: »

There is always 1.

Were you the 1 for Joe?

bethehokies

Wompa1 wrote: »

My dad went there for a while. Has a lot of nasty stories about what the priests in there were doing. Could imagine if there's a reunion it could be awkward if people who got the bad end of things actually attend. Hear say of course but I'd believe him.

You aught to be REALLY REALLY careful about throwing out statements like that in a public forum. As you say its hearsay, but in saying it, you cast a lot of doubts on some of the very finest and upstanding men I have ever had the privilage to know. I am also aware that several detailed investigations happened in Mary's (as with every school run by the church up and down the country) and I know for a fact there was never any allegations of that nature against any of the staff. I have, however, a suspicion that you are probably on about lads getting the back of a cane or whatnot.. If that is the case, it would be best that you state that, and in its context, which was that everyone got caned them days, and not until the 80's was it banned. Otherwise, it may be prudent for you to withdraw your statement

bethehokies

scholar007 wrote: »

Well, I wouldn't know anything about that. My gripe is the poor teaching. You never knew from one day to the next what would be covered. No teacher would say this is what we are going to do today. There was no plan, do, review. I got so fed up preparing stuff and then when you would go in, the first words you would hear were "well lads, did ye go to the match"? Like WTF? Thats most of the class gone.

Then there were days where certain individuals would beat a lad around the class for no apparent reason or decide the best way to impart knowledge was to shout a lot and swing / bang a hurl off desks.
As for exam preparation - another joke!

Please don't give me the Búllsh1t phrase - well thats the way it was - Thats BÚLLSH1T! I didn't learn there, I was in fear most of the time! Some of these individuals are still there. I think the best thing that they can do in their centenary year is apologise for the crap teaching and bully boy tactics!

I really dont know what you are on about. In my time there (94-99) there was first in Ireland every year in the LC, we represented Ireland twice in the school boy world cup, There are eight medical doctors from my class, seven vets, a shed load of engineers, god knows how many PhD's. The acdemic success was simply superb, and would rival any private schools in Dublin. Of course there was an attitude that prevailed (probably rightly too), if you werent interested, or werent able, the staff didnt push you too hard, most of those lads went on to trades. Some of the finest carpenters in Galway were Mary's men... One lad who was in my class, now has a business in London which turns £180m a year. I cannot accept that these lads are the product of a poor school.

I do however accept that there were some really choice individuals in there too... but you get them in any school....

nick forde

I went to marys in the 80s couldnt wait to get out of the place. Had one irish teacher name of <snip> that bet the sh*t out of me everytime id move. He will get his day yet.

Wompa1

nick forde wrote: »

I went to marys in the 80s couldnt wait to get out of the place. Had one irish teacher name of <snip> that bet the sh*t out of me everytime id move. He will get his day yet.

Careful now, can't be saying that. I think it was in the 60's that my Dad went there..very grim

I went to school in the 90's, not in Marys but still got hit by nuns, some old drunk a-hole and a Principal.

biko

Old thread but it can be good to reminisce.

Just note, please refrain from mentioning any names or make accusations.

ben.schlomo

nick forde wrote: »

I went to marys in the 80s couldnt wait to get out of the place. Had one irish teacher name of <snip> that bet the sh*t out of me everytime id move. He will get his day yet.

Thanks for sharing your happy memories.

nuac

scholar007 wrote: »

Well, I wouldn't know anything about that. My gripe is the poor teaching. You never knew from one day to the next what would be covered. No teacher would say this is what we are going to do today. There was no plan, do, review. I got so fed up preparing stuff and then when you would go in, the first words you would hear were "well lads, did ye go to the match"? Like WTF? Thats most of the class gone.

Then there were days where certain individuals would beat a lad around the class for no apparent reason or decide the best way to impart knowledge was to shout a lot and swing / bang a hurl off desks.
As for exam preparation - another joke!

Please don't give me the Búllsh1t phrase - well thats the way it was - Thats BÚLLSH1T! I didn't learn there, I was in fear most of the time! Some of these individuals are still there. I think the best thing that they can do in their centenary year is apologise for the crap teaching and bully boy tactics!

I was there in the fifties, as a boarder, and had different experiences

1. there was a great interest in GAA, but I cannot recall any teacher who spent over half of class time on sport.

2. I cannot recall any teacher bringing a hurley into class

3. There was about two and a half hours supervised study each night. You did have to prepare for classes and have the work done.

4. Most professors put a lot of work into exam preparation, often running extra classes etc..

5. Paradise it wasn't ( especially grub wise ) but I made some lifelong friends there

6. there was a good mixture of guys there, from rural areas ( including gaeltachtaí ) small towns and Galway itself

ben.schlomo

nuac wrote: »

I was there in the fifties, as a boarder, and had different experiences

1. there was a great interest in GAA, but I cannot recall any teacher who spent over half of class time on sport.

2. I cannot recall any teacher bringing a hurley into class

3. There was about two and a half hours supervised study each night. You did have to prepare for classes and have the work done.

4. Most professors put a lot of work into exam preparation, often running extra classes etc..

5. Paradise it wasn't but I made some lifelong friends there

6. there was a good mixture of guys there, from rural areas ( including gaeltachtaí ) small towns and Galway itself

It happened, a golf club was another tool he used for gaining attention.