Going back to school pays off for Patricia

THE hard work has reaped rewards for Patricia Lynch, who sat the Leaving Cert at the same time as her son Liam.

Patricia, who said she was “delighted” with her results, has been accepted by Trinity College where she plans to pursue social studies.

“I’d like to be a social worker,” said the 42-year-old student and mother of four. “It’s something I’d like to be as I do a lot of voluntary work.”

Mary Judge, 65, was among her fellow students at Coláiste Íde in Finglas. “Originally, the kids thought we were a bit crazy, but at the end we all got on great.”

Patricia, from north Dublin, said she was disappointed that Liam, 18, showed less enthusiasm about his results. He is on holidays in Greece and made it clear he didn’t want to know the outcome until he returns home.

“I’d like him to have a more positive attitude, but I wouldn’t put pressure on him,” his mother said.

As a teenager growing up, nobody she knew in the Cabra area was studying. “It just didn’t happen. You just got a job at 14 and went out to work.”

Her back-to-school adventure was prompted by a desire to know how to use a computer, to help her run the youth club in which she has been involved for the past 20 years. Since computer studies was on the Leaving Cert course, she thought she’d give the full exam a try. Now she also has an A1 in history, B2 in English and home economics and a C1 in art and art appreciation.

Patricia sings the praises of returning to education: “I would thoroughly recommend it. It’s a great social thing as well, you meet lots of people.”

Husband Derek is “100% behind me. He thought I was mad at the start, but he’s delighted for me now.”

Son Derek, 20, is studying electrical engineering, while her other boys, Alan, 14, and Paul, 10, are also at school and doing well.

Joking that the mother is expected to do everything in a house of boys, Patricia added: “I’m hoping I’ll make better men of them, New Age men.”