During my few brief years at the school, I was honoured to have been delegated to make the tea for the teachers. Mrs. O’Mahony always stated that the Ballysteen women were better at this task than anyone else. It also gave me an additional 10 minutes extra break each day.
One of my tasks in this role was to go to the shop for some of the teachers. Mrs. Ter as she was fondly known was the closest shop to the school and I would arrive daily with my list which would consist of milk, tea, biscuits and the odd packet of cigs for Mrs. O’Mahony. I was always awarded with a few biscuits which indeed were a treat as such luxuries we not often available in our own homes.
I was very fond of Mrs. O’Mahony and she of me and I felt that she could trust me.
On a few occasions in the course of teaching a class, she would get in to a rage with one of the students and always removed her reading glasses. On several occasions, she would call my name and ask me to go to her house to pick up her specs. eventhough these were in her hand. There would be a snigger in the class but as always, I left the room, went downstairs and would stay there for 10 to 15 minutes or so and then return to the class room where she would announce Anne I just found them but thanks.
I enjoyed my time at the school but it would have been a struggle in the 1960’s for my parents as fees had to be paid each quarter and there were 7 of us with just 1 year between each one but mother was a great organiser and always managed to have the money on time.
Life was much simpler then and expectations were not great but I think people were happier with the simple things in life.
Some of the people in my class at the time were Maureen Morrissey decd, Christy Lynch decd, Stephen Lynch decd. Nancy Enright, Margaret O’Brien, Nora Allen are just a few.
Memories of St Mary’s secondary, Askeaton 