Throwback Thursday: 50 years on... memories of my time at the School of Comm in Cork

What Cork person does not hold memories since babyhood of the haunting, unforgettable cry, “Echo! Six o’clock Eeecho!”?

On every side of the city, from the bottom of Summerhill to Washington Street, from the South Mall to the GPO, Pana to Daunt’s Square, every one of us has heard it over the decades.

And we still hear it today, although the “Six o’clock Echo!”, with its latest blurred inky printing of the racing results, has given way to the smart morning newspaper and constantly updated online rendering which enables us to keep in touch with our heritage as soon as we wake up.

One of the strongest voices has always been from that great ‘ Echo boy’ outside the GPO, Dave Hogan, who is still there today, advertising his wares, carrying on the tradition of more than a century.

We Leesiders hang together and the old motto, ‘all for one and one for all’, is never truer than in the city centre.

It reminds me of a lovely story told by an Englishman who as a child came over each summer to stay with relatives on Valentia Island.

When the dreaded day came to return to boarding school, he would be taken by ferry to the terminus at Caherciveen to board the train for Cork. Once there, he would be given tea and cakes as a final treat at the Tivoli.

But he listened, with a heavy heart, for the resounding cry outside, “Six o’clock Echo!” That was the signal for his escort to hurry him into his coat, collect his bags, and get a taxi down to Horgan’s Quay and the waiting Innisfallen.

“That Echo clarion call spelt the end of my wonderful summer, every time,” he said.

Poor lad.

And here are some memories from Bob Roche, who 50 years ago graduated as an Educational Woodwork Teacher at the then School of Commerce.

“I am one of a former class of 30 hopefuls who were selected by the Department of Education to be trained as educational woodwork teachers, to fill the requirements of the developing secondary school programmes,” said Bob.

“At that time, teaching woodwork in schools was becoming increasingly popular, especially in what were formerly academic secondary schools.

“Prior to the establishment of this programme in Cork, woodwork teachers came from already qualified trades, such as carpenters and joiners, who were trained in Gorey, Co Wexford.

“The title Educational Woodwork Teacher was therefore to distinguish between Gorey-trained (from the trades) and our classes who were drawn from the Leaving Cert student body.”

Bob continues: “Our course was from 1972 to 1975, and was held in the School of Commerce, only because there was space available there as a third level college, that was suitable for our needs.

“Other than the actual rooms granted for our teaching, we had no contact with any of the student body or staff, apart from casual acquaintance or social interaction.

“We were selected by interview at Apollo House in Dublin during the summer of 1972. Applicants were drawn from all over the 26 counties and our final group first assembled in Cork in the first few days of September.

“The attached group photo (see facing page) was taken by someone from the Evening Echo and we believe that it was published on the front page of the Echo that week.

“I am not certain of the exact date, but it would be wonderful to find that edition of the Echo. Maybe your archive might be able to help there?

“The photo includes the previous group to ours as well as the course head, other staff members, and officials from Cork City VEC including the then Chairman Gus Healy, later Lord Mayor.

“We had a full time-table of classes and instruction and practical woodwork. With 30 in our class, we were spread throughout the city in various digs and flats.

“I was in digs on Southern Road for the first term while others were in Mary Street, Douglas Street, and Leitrim Street. One of the lads was from Innishannon and he travelled home each day on the bus.

“The rest of us came from Cork (including myself, from Mitchelstown), Kerry, Tipperary, and as far afield as Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Kilkenny, Offaly. There was a distinctly western as well as rural profile to our student group.

“At this time, we were paid a weekly allowance of £7 by the Department of Education. This had to cover digs, food, and other essentials including school materials.

“Somehow we managed to survive. Some lads sought out odd-job opportunities like house painting, bar work, etc.

Bob says: “Our head teacher was Frank Carew, from the Lough area, known to all as ‘Jack’, nobody knows why.

“Other staff members were Pat Rossiter, from Wexford, and John McCormack (known inevitably as ‘The Count’.) John later went on to head up a teacher training programme in Lesotho.

“Sean Fleming was on loan from the VEC, and Leonard O’Connor, simply referred to as Lenny. Other staff members were only part time to our course; Kevin Kelly (Maths) from UCC, Dr Daly (English), also of UCC, and Irish teacher An tUasal O Broin, a lovely elderly gentleman, who I think was a former teacher at Coláiste Chriost Rí.

“As time advanced, we had numerous adventures with our class. Probably the most notable was at the start of year two when we were all dispatched to the West Kerry Gaeltacht to learn Irish.

“We spent the entire month of September around the Ballyferriter area and simply enjoyed every minute.

“There were the céilís at night, swimming in the sea, climbing the hills, etc, as well as the odd class in the local hall.

“The principal of the Vocational School in Dingle, Mr Micheál O Sullivan, was tasked with ‘teaching us a bit of woodwork’ a few afternoons a week.

“Some time before our arrival in west Kerry, David Lean had made the film Ryan’s Daughter there, and I remember exploring some of the scenes that were used, and especially the old schoolhouse that was built especially for the film.

“Back in Cork for October, we were back into the serious work of year two of our course, with a new bunch of lads now starting year one.

“At this stage, I had moved out of the digs and had a flat with a few of the other lads over a hairdressers at the corner of White’s and Douglas Street. Three Kerry lads from Causeway, a lad from Ennis, and myself. Living on £7 week then needed good planning and careful shopping.

“Across the road from our flat there was a little grocery shop run by Finbarr and Cathleen, and this was where we did most of our shopping.

“As young lads, we had a great collection of ‘pin-up’ pictures from page three of the papers, and the Sunday World especially, on our kitchen wall.

“A real treat was when someone had been home and maybe brought back a bag of goodies such as scones or buns.

“Once, I returned with a recipe for Irish stew. Meat and veg were sourced in the English Market. I also got a box of mixed herbs as per my mother’s recipe and set to work. Everything was fine apart from one small detail. I should only have used a pinch of mixed herbs, but had put in the entire packet. Wow! I have never made stew since then.

“Without funds, our social life was limited enough. One group of lads had a flat further along Douglas Street and at weekends we would meet there to play poker.

“We had a jar of 1p and 2p coins which was divided up amongst all those present around 8pm, and we played poker until one person had won all the money. Nobody was allowed to go to bed or go home while the poker was on.

“When all the money was won, it was then put back in the jar until the following weekend. One game lasted until 11am the next day!”

Bob explains: “Having finally graduated from Cork in 1975, we were all seeking interviews in various schools around the country.

“I myself was lucky enough to gain a position in Sawmill Street vocational school (got to know your father, the famous Joey, there, Jo!), but was only there for one year as the school was being moved to Ballyphehane and there wasn’t a vacancy for me.

“I ended up teaching woodwork and technical drawing, etc, in Patrician Secondary School in Newbridge, Co Kildare, and I am now long settled in Newbridge. Still a Cork man at heart, though!”

Bob concludes: “Sadly, we have lost five members of our class that first assembled in Cork in 1972 - Neil McDaid; James Fitzmaurice, from Castleisland; Pat Culliton, from Glenmore, Co Kilkenny; Michael Quirke, from Carrick on Suir; and Michael McBride, from Letterkenny who taught for many years in Co Waterford.

“I am currently trying to arrange a reunion for our surviving classmates in September in Cork, to mark 50 years since our graduation. We have decided to meet on September 9 and 10 at the Clayton Hotel on Lapps Quay, with a special get-together in the hallway of the College of Commerce on the 10th, hopefully to get a repeat of that original photograph!

“I have already met with Ms Helen Ryan, current principal of the College, and she is delighted to welcome us back to Cork.”

What a wonderful story of a full life well lived, Bob! And good for you, keeping in touch with your former classmates throughout the years.

It will certainly be a reunion full of chat and laughter and ‘do you remembers’. We look forward to seeing the repeat photograph once it has been captured on September 10!

What do you remember of your own post-school training and education?

Were you in that Class of ’72? Or were you on a similar learning curve elsewhere? Let us know.

Email jokerrigan1@gmail.com, or leave a message on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/echolivecork.