School Daze: ‘No education is lost’ says Loretta Kennedy

I’m originally from Mayo. I grew up in Swinford and I attended both primary and secondary school there. The primary school was mixed up until first class and then it was an all-girls situation for the rest of the way, when the boys were exported across the road to the boy’s school. Secondary school was mixed. It was a convent, but had nuns, lay people, and priests teaching — that’s rural Ireland in a nutshell.

I am the eldest of five and I was by nature very well-behaved during my school days. I remember my first day at school so distinctly because I was watching one child — one boy — who was crying and crying and crying for his mum. I remember having a lump in my throat but I would not allow myself to cry. I think this is down to being the eldest child and not wanting to cause trouble. I wanted to be dependable, sensible, looked out for my siblings, that kind of thing.