Cork school principal on surviving Turkey earthquake: We were saved by one quirk of faith

There are terrible stories that you have to leave at the gate. You could be worried all day about the lives of some children. All you can do is help them get through the school week

Aaron Wolfe, principal of Coláiste Eamonn Rís with his ice cream van, which was used as a project for 4th-year students. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

As a principal I come up against all kinds of strange scenarios, but that knock on my hotel room door while on a school tour in Turkey probably sticks in my memory the most.

We were staying overnight in Istanbul when our vice principal Edel broke the news that still leaves me cold today. “There’s been an Earthquake in Malatya.”