Where did you go school in Waterford?

MRnotlob606

I went to mount sion.There are some positive developments going on there which I'm happy to see.

PTH2009

St Stephens and De La Salle College

went to WCFE and WIT in later life

Wanderer2010

De La Salle College. Hated it. When I was there late 80s early 90s, if you werent a hurler of football player then there really was nothing for you and the teachers had no time for you. Speaking of the teachers, they were a really jaded lot. You either had mad nuts going on power trips like Mr O Doherty or the old school teachers who were just cruising to retirement and had zero interest in the pupils or the curriculum. Then you had a careers counselor teacher who was completely unsuitable for the job. Couldnt wait to get out of there and when i went to WIT thats when I enjoyed study for the first time in my life.

Odats

Mount Sion both Primary and Secondary.

Nice to see the good work coming to fruition down there with John McArdle and Bill Doherty. Nice to see.

Johnboy1951

Stephen's Street and De La Salle College ...... waaaay back when ....

barneystinson

Odats wrote: »

Mount Sion both Primary and Secondary.

Nice to see the good work coming to fruition down there with John McArdle and Bill Doherty. Nice to see.

Nice to see you saying nice to see twice in one post. Nice to see.

(Dare you to say it 4 times :cool:)

shockwave

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

I went to mount sion.There are some positive developments going on there which I'm happy to see.

Im also a mount sion survivor.
Was there in the 80's and it was an absolute dump.Run down, no facilities and the teachers were useless.I hated the place.

fricatus

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

De La Salle College. Hated it. When I was there late 80s early 90s, if you werent a hurler of football player then there really was nothing for you and the teachers had no time for you. Speaking of the teachers, they were a really jaded lot. You either had mad nuts going on power trips like Mr O Doherty or the old school teachers who were just cruising to retirement and had zero interest in the pupils or the curriculum. Then you had a careers counselor teacher who was completely unsuitable for the job. Couldnt wait to get out of there and when i went to WIT thats when I enjoyed study for the first time in my life.

I would have been there the same time as you, and I have to say my experience was a lot better, though I can certainly identify with some of what you're saying.

The best memories I have would be to do with the choir and Brother Ben. I didn't even study music (though I had Ben for religion), but being in the choir was a great experience (especially when you'd go off to competitions where there were girls' schools!). I wasn't in any of the musicals but any of the lads who were really enjoyed them and had great memories and admiration for the people involved.

The people I had teaching me English, French and the science subjects were great for the most part. My maths teachers were decent enough too, but I do remember an awful old fashioned geography teacher and one out and out creep. A huge amount has to do with the teachers - good teachers are worth their weight in gold, and bad ones can blight your teenage years. I can see how, with a different set of teachers, my time there could have been a nightmare. Scary...

wmpdd3

I went to shm in Ferrybank, it was pretty much St Trinnians!

Freezing, strict and traditional.

lassykk

I went to St Pauls for secondary school.

I know it has a bit of a reputation (or at least it did back then) but I found it a great school.

Some brilliant teachers out there especially my old English teacher Mr Whittle (never knew his first name!). Took his job very seriously and did a good job too albeit was a bit strict at times.

Good selection of sport out there too. Picked up both volleyball and some field athletics sports when there.

kfallon

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

De La Salle College. Hated it. When I was there late 80s early 90s, if you werent a hurler of football player then there really was nothing for you and the teachers had no time for you. Speaking of the teachers, they were a really jaded lot. You either had mad nuts going on power trips like Mr O Doherty or the old school teachers who were just cruising to retirement and had zero interest in the pupils or the curriculum. Then you had a careers counselor teacher who was completely unsuitable for the job. Couldnt wait to get out of there and when i went to WIT thats when I enjoyed study for the first time in my life.

Worst teacher I ever had! Thought he was cool and he could frighten us all :rolleyes:

St Stephen's and then De La Salle College. Went to WIT after that!

deadybai

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

De La Salle College. Hated it. When I was there late 80s early 90s, if you werent a hurler of football player then there really was nothing for you and the teachers had no time for you. Speaking of the teachers, they were a really jaded lot. You either had mad nuts going on power trips like Mr O Doherty or the old school teachers who were just cruising to retirement and had zero interest in the pupils or the curriculum. Then you had a careers counselor teacher who was completely unsuitable for the job. Couldnt wait to get out of there and when i went to WIT thats when I enjoyed study for the first time in my life.

I graduated in 2009 and I must say I would have wrote the exact same post. Nothing has changed including Mr.OD.
I wouldnt recommend anyone to go there. Prison would be a step up from it.

fiachr_a

deadybai wrote: »

I wouldnt recommend anyone to go there. Prison would be a step up from it.

I went there too, sh-t school. One class full of the posher lads (or from the respectable families in town) got the decent teachers. The rest of us got the sh-t ones. Nice lads from my class in primary went on to DLS but didn't complete the Leaving Cert due to bullying. Saw that bollox Br Killian recently, he used to hassle a guy in my year during lunch time. A man his age behaving like that should hang his head in shame.

1967

Mount Sion Primary and Secondary,the only school in Ireland where education was an optional extra .Good to see the place on the up at the moment and the new astro pitches in the yards will be very welcome addition

MRnotlob606

1967 wrote:

Mount Sion Primary and Secondary,the only school in Ireland where education was an optional extra .Good to see the place on the up at the moment and the new astro pitches in the yards will be very welcome addition

It's really great to see, however a lot of the sustained success the school is having recently is really down to one particular teacher's initiative to take it out of 1970s.A lot of them couldn't of caring less really.

Wanderer2010

fiachr_a wrote: »

I went there too, sh-t school. One class full of the posher lads (or from the respectable families in town) got the decent teachers. The rest of us got the sh-t ones. Nice lads from my class in primary went on to DLS but didn't complete the Leaving Cert due to bullying. Saw that bollox Br Killian recently, he used to hassle a guy in my year during lunch time. A man his age behaving like that should hang his head in shame.

I dont know what its like now but in the 90s the bullying was unreal, and that was way before all the anti-suicide and bullying campaigns we have now. I cant imagine I was the only one who hated that place due to a mixture of absolute d!ckheads and teachers who were almost as bad. I witnessed the GAA lads getting away with absolute murder and they would get their tests marked high even if they missed half the classes due to training: one teacher comes to mind, he would have been maybe mid 50s, he taught Irish on the D floor, glasses, real dull guy...Mr O Rioradin maybe? He LOVED the GAA lads!

I have to say when I saw your man O Doherty popping up on the Pieta walk to Belfast, my first thought wasnt "Fair play to him" but rather "I cant believe he is STILL a teacher", he used to love shouting and roaring in lads's faces, a real little upstart, dont know what hes like now but he wasnt fit to be a teacher back then. Having said that, despite my feelings about his teaching abilities, big kudos to him for raising money through his campaign.

Who the hell said schooldays are your happiest every days!

fuzzy dunlop

Odats wrote: »

Mount Sion both Primary and Secondary.

Nice to see the good work coming to fruition down there with John McArdle and Bill Doherty. Nice to see.

Mount Sion too (Primary and Secondary) and loved it. Couple of A-Hole teachers. Couple more on a knife edge. Couple more borderline psychotic (Christian Brothers who were straight out of Father Ted despite not being priests), but most were grand. I am curious though what is going on there lately? Last I heard the enrollments had hit the floor.

JenniFurr

I went to the Mercy and St. Paul's. From what others are saying my experience at the Mercy seems to be the girls school equivalent of De La Salle. I hated the place and if you weren't into GAA/athletics or came from a wealthy enough family you may as well have been invisible. Though I would say the primary was much worse than the secondary (or at least in the 90s). There are some stories that I've heard from my era there that are pretty bad but I don't know if they're completely true.

St. Paul's was OK. A bit on the rough side but I had a good time there.

wellboytoo

Manor school primary loved every minute ,then Mount Sion Secondary a den of barely repressed savagery and violence meted out on a constant daily basis,and that was only some of the teachers. 1970's schooling not for the faint hearted,never went inside the door since the day I left.

Wanderer78

wellboytoo wrote: »

Manor school primary loved every minute ,then Mount Sion Secondary a den of barely repressed savagery and violence meted out on a constant daily basis,and that was only some of the teachers. 1970's schooling not for the faint hearted,never went inside the door since the day I left.

its terrible to hear things like this. i know many from your generation that were abused in every sense of the word at school. the church has a lot to answer for in this regard. no wonder theres so many people with addiction and mental health problems in ireland.

Aquos76

Mount Sion primary and secondary, left there in early 90's as others has said, delighted to see the secondary is starting to turn things around again, thankfully teachers like John McArdle, Bill Doherty and Domo Connolly has turned things around up there now.

jimbojazz

Waterpark......... from 1968-1985. Hated every minute of it, especially the secondary school - useless teachers, elitist attitudes. There was one teacher there - wont mention his name but he taught Geography and later became the career guidance teacher - how he was ever allowed be in the same room as children is beyond me - I wont go into it but he was obviously a sick b*****d.

Makes me laugh when I hear others praise that school

Wanderer78

jimbojazz wrote: »

Waterpark......... from 1968-1985. Hated every minute of it, especially the secondary school - useless teachers, elitist attitudes. There was one teacher there - wont mention his name but he taught Geography and later became the career guidance teacher - how he was ever allowed be in the same room as children is beyond me - I wont go into it but he was obviously a sick b*****d.

Makes me laugh when I hear others praise that school

im sorry to hear about your experience but things do change over time. hopefully the school is a better place now

DeanAustin

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

It was John Whittle I think. He was extremely strict but very, very fair and great at his job. I think he always made up his own mind on people and wasn't influenced by reputation in the way some other teachers were. A fantastic teacher.

High-Tower

St. Paul`s for me too.

Some beauts of teachers back in my time e.g. Billy Womble, Hector, Chinbar and Podge Casey :rolleyes::)

Deise Vu

wellboytoo wrote: »

Manor school primary loved every minute ,then Mount Sion Secondary a den of barely repressed savagery and violence meted out on a constant daily basis,and that was only some of the teachers. 1970's schooling not for the faint hearted,never went inside the door since the day I left.

That was me too! Coming from the Manor meant being outside the cliques. I was also a 'swot' (ie I could read and write) so there was a lot of hassle from every direction. I learned how to use my fists and ended up very wary of people. I'm not sure that was what Edmund Rice had in mind but there you go.

Fifth and Sixth year weren't too bad in fairness, a lot of the scum left after the Inter and the teachers were a lot more circumspect about disciplining testosterone-charged 6 footers.

wellboytoo

Deise Vu wrote: »

That was me too! Coming from the Manor meant being outside the cliques. I was also a 'swot' (ie I could read and write) so there was a lot of hassle from every direction. I learned how to use my fists and ended up very wary of people. I'm not sure that was what Edmund Rice had in mind but there you go.

Fifth and Sixth year weren't too bad in fairness, a lot of the scum left after the Inter and the teachers were a lot more circumspect about disciplining testosterone-charged 6 footers.

We probably know each other then ! I have no lasting damage other than like yourself knowing how to use my fists, but it was out of control in those days and the students were a tough bunch but mainly in response to the teachers.

johnnykilo

jimbojazz wrote: »

Waterpark......... from 1968-1985. Hated every minute of it, especially the secondary school - useless teachers, elitist attitudes. There was one teacher there - wont mention his name but he taught Geography and later became the career guidance teacher - how he was ever allowed be in the same room as children is beyond me - I wont go into it but he was obviously a sick b*****d.

Makes me laugh when I hear others praise that school

I went to Scoil Lorcain primary mid 80s - 93. There were some good teachers there but it was fairly rough I think (although I don't have any other primary school to compare it to so it's hard to know).

I went to Waterpark Secondary from 93-99. 1993 was the first year they opened it up to the public so there was a weird mix of people who would have normally gone there and a certain new scumbag element. It wasn't too bad overall though. There were a few useless teachers there and the Principal was a bit of a bully but nothing too bad.

Funny you mention that particular teacher, I think he was there up until 96/97. I had heard stories about him only years later when I left but while he was still there he used to have 1 on 1 contact with students as part of his Career Counselling duties. I'm pretty sure I attended a few of them but didn't notice anything untoward when I was there, other that he used to smoke in his office at the time. I do remember him being ushered out fairly rapidly at the end for whatever reason, mad to think that stuff was still going on relatively recently.

jimbojazz

johnnykilo wrote: »

Funny you mention that particular teacher, I think he was there up until 96/97. I had heard stories about him only years later when I left but while he was still there he used to have 1 on 1 contact with students as part of his Career Counselling duties. I'm pretty sure I attended a few of them but didn't notice anything untoward when I was there, other that he used to smoke in his office at the time. I do remember him being ushered out fairly rapidly at the end for whatever reason, mad to think that stuff was still going on relatively recently.

Yip, he was also ushered away when I got into 2nd year - came back as the career guidance teacher of all things, where he would have one on one sessions with students - god knows what went on in that office. I still see him around and get the shivers when I see him because of what I witnessed in class.

Deise Vu

wellboytoo wrote: »

We probably know each other then ! I have no lasting damage other than like yourself knowing how to use my fists, but it was out of control in those days and the students were a tough bunch but mainly in response to the teachers.

Leaving Cert 1978 by any chance? In fairness I still have a few friends who were Mount Sion lads for national school too so I don't want to paint too bad a picture and there were a couple of psycho teachers in the Manor too.

I still shudder at the treatment one traveller kid got when he was sent up to our class to be 'spoken to' by the principal, Brother O'Connor. MMA is for pussies, for proper out of control violence you only need a 1960's / 70's CBS education.

wellboytoo

Deise Vu wrote: »

Leaving Cert 1978 by any chance? In fairness I still have a few friends who were Mount Sion lads for national school too so I don't want to paint too bad a picture and there were a couple of psycho teachers in the Manor too.

I still shudder at the treatment one traveller kid got when he was sent up to our class to be 'spoken to' by the principal, Brother O'Connor. MMA is for pussies, for proper out of control violence you only need a 1960's / 70's CBS education.

Brother Boland and I had an amicable man to man chat in fifth year and we agreed to go our separate ways before it all fell apart. I would have been leaving cert 77 or 78 can't really remember Rocks Roche and I never got on so I guess he won in the end.

Deise Vu

wellboytoo wrote: »

Brother Boland and I had an amicable man to man chat in fifth year and we agreed to go our separate ways before it all fell apart. I would have been leaving cert 77 or 78 can't really remember Rocks Roche and I never got on so I guess he won in the end.

Rocks was some consequence alright. He spent years doing some sort of missionary work in Ghana afterwards. I hope it worked for him because he died about 10 years ago according to a sound teacher I met a while ago who used to be the leader of the anti-Rocks faction. What a school, the teachers even openly hated each other!

I met another past pupil in Fagans before the match yesterday, he said he saw Cyclops coming out of the train station yesterday morning. Another beaut, in every sense of the word.

Ostrom

High-Tower wrote: »

St. Paul`s for me too.

Some beauts of teachers back in my time e.g. Billy Womble, Hector, Chinbar and Podge Casey :rolleyes::)

Don't forget Mad Murphy, Barney Gumble, and Dob. Billy Womble was an epic name though.

High-Tower

Ostrom wrote: »

Don't forget Mad Murphy, Barney Gumble, and Dob. Billy Womble was an epic name though.

Yeah, I remember Dob and Murphy, cant place Barney tho, must be my old age

christy02

jimbojazz wrote:

Yip, he was also ushered away when I got into 2nd year - came back as the career guidance teacher of all things, where he would have one on one sessions with students - god knows what went on in that office. I still see him around and get the shivers when I see him because of what I witnessed in class.

I graduated waterpark in 1994 and he was still there. Taught geography during my time if I remember correctly.

BlaasForRafa

Aquos76 wrote: »

Mount Sion primary and secondary, left there in early 90's as others has said, delighted to see the secondary is starting to turn things around again, thankfully teachers like John McArdle, Bill Doherty and Domo Connolly has turned things around up there now.

McArdle?....As in Jock?

The three you named are amongst the few good teachers that used to be in that place along with maybe Spud Murphy, Farrelly and Tommy Walsh.

On the other hand there was the likes of Rocks, Click, The Jaw, The Freak, Robocop, Mocky and an a bunch of other incompetent a**eholes. I would have said a wrecking ball was the only way to improve that school but if Doherty and Dommo can turn it around then fair dues to them!

jimbojazz

christy02 wrote: »

I graduated waterpark in 1994 and he was still there. Taught geography during my time if I remember correctly.

Was he up to his old tricks up to then or were ye aware of what he was previously up to?

lassykk

High-Tower wrote: »

Yeah, I remember Dob and Murphy, cant place Barney tho, must be my old age

Barney was there in my time alright but I never had him as a teacher. I remember the harshest nickname was a female teacher that we called Emerson because she looked like the Brazilian Middlesbrough midfielder.

jimbojazz

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

There was a lad in Waterpark nicknamed Pigsy - cos he looked like yer man in the TV show Monkey - that was harsh lol

lassykk

jimbojazz wrote: »

There was a lad in Waterpark nicknamed Pigsy - cos he looked like yer man in the TV show Monkey - that was harsh lol

Had to google who Pigsy was but yeah that's harsh enough alright!

Hope his ears weren't the same!

jimbojazz

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Harsh but accurate - but I wouldn't have said it to his face as he was a black belt in tae kwan do - think his ears were pretty similar

Samsgirl

Repeated the LC in Waterpark 1992 /1993. Think it was the first year girls were allowed in. There was about 20 of us over in the Monastry. Was a great year, we were pretty much left to our own devices as we had about 3 free classes a day. I don't think they knew what to do with us re discipline.
There was one maths teacher - a very small man. We saw him hit some of the lads in 6th yr.

Samsgirl

Ws in the Presentation Convent till 1991 both Primary and Secondary.
Quite a mix of people in there. If you lived in one of the nicer estates like Lismore Pk you got on. If you were from Larchville / Lisduggan you were seen as a no hoper. Or maybe that was just me.
Like everywhere else of the time there was def some teachers in there that should have been no where near a classroom.
One of my maths teachers told me I would end up sweeping the streets for the Council. Ended up part qualified accountant. Will finish exams next yr.

taytobreath

jimbojazz wrote: »

Was he up to his old tricks up to then or were ye aware of what he was previously up to?

he was at a lad in my class in the one on one careers counselling thing in his office, we had a sex education class the day before from him and ill never forget it when the lad came up to us and said jesus christ i just got felt up i think. Apparently he was checking to see if both his balls dropped. He got in trouble for it but he was still working there 4 years later when i left

christy02

taytobreath wrote:

he was at a lad in my class in the one on one careers counselling thing in his office, we had a sex education class the day before from him and ill never forget it when the lad came up to us and said jesus christ i just got felt up i think. Apparently he was checking to see if both his balls dropped. He got in trouble for it but he was still working there 4 years later when i left

Yeah I heard that as well about the balls dropping. He was also a bit dodgy but never fiddled me 😀

christy02

Samsgirl wrote:

Repeated the LC in Waterpark 1992 /1993. Think it was the first year girls were allowed in. There was about 20 of us over in the Monastry. Was a great year, we were pretty much left to our own devices as we had about 3 free classes a day. I don't think they knew what to do with us re discipline.
There was one maths teacher - a very small man. We saw him hit some of the lads in 6th yr.

We were all excited about the girls starting school. Hormones everywhere!!!

Small guy was always a bit rough with students. Made me stand through a whole class 1day with my head in a locker. Good times...

taytobreath

christy02 wrote: »

We were all excited about the girls starting school. Hormones everywhere!!!

Small guy was always a bit rough with students. Made me stand through a whole class 1day with my head in a locker. Good times...

ahhh his bark was way worst than his bite, i went thru 5 years of him and never seen him lay a finger on anyone, he got lots of agro tho cause of his size which probably made him have such a roaring voice and temper

jimbojazz

taytobreath wrote: »

he was at a lad in my class in the one on one careers counselling thing in his office, we had a sex education class the day before from him and ill never forget it when the lad came up to us and said jesus christ i just got felt up i think. Apparently he was checking to see if both his balls dropped. He got in trouble for it but he was still working there 4 years later when i left

God, he was sick - there was a 1st year one day whose flies were undone and I saw him ask could he fix them for him. He'd always be hanging around outside the showers after training, looking in at the lads showering. He caught me in class one day with a Playboy magazine - was being passed around - he said what would your Dad do if he knew this - I said not half as much as he'd do to you if you dropped the hand on me like you're doing to some of the lads in the class - his face dropped.

He always wore a cape and it was obvious why - he'd wrap it around lads and start feeling them up.

He'd ring lads up at weekends or holidays asking if they wanted to go out to his house to help him with the garden and have have tea with him. He was a classic predator, he'd befriend parents who thought he was the bees knees then abuse their children.

There's a story of a well known incident with one poor lad he was abusing - but I'm not going to go into it.

He's still around - wont mention his name - but it rhymes with Bomb Scene - he looks disheveled and like someone trying to hide from people. Saw him out in the Lisduggan shopping centre one day looking at a load of young kids gathered around the puppet machine - he was wearing a long coat and had his hands in pockets with a big grin on his face.

As regards other stuff that went on in that school, I witnessed some lads get serious beatings in class - one in particular in 6th year - absolutely savage, the kid was been punched and kicked by the thug, in fairness he stood up to him but the beating was something I never want to witness again.

There's another teacher down there, who had a title as if he was a knight;), people thought the sun shone out of his arse - but I also saw him lose the head on numerous occasions, one was when I was in 4th standard out in the primary school on the Dunmore Road - he lost the head with one of the lads - we were age 10 - and beat the absolute crap out of him. The way it was with him if your parents had money he'd love you but if they didn't you were dirt as far as he was concerned - he was a nutter - he'd be going mental during choir practice, shouting his nut off. He'd keep a whole class back after school till we got it right and wouldn't give a monkey's about lads missing their buses etc.

Other than that the place was great:rolleyes:

Johnboy1951

A lot of us had our eyes opened very early in life regarding sexual abuse by those in authority.

My only regret is that there was no way we kids felt we could discuss or mention such things to parents. It just was not done.

Knowing my father, may he RIP, it is my estimate that if he had known of the events I regularly witnessed (was not a victim myself) he would most likely have spent time in jail after he dealt with it.

I had thought that such reticence to disclose things to parents had eased if not disappeared decades later, but obviously not.

This is the saddest part of the whole thing IMO, and is the one most relied upon by such deviants.

jimbojazz

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

A lot of us had our eyes opened very early in life regarding sexual abuse by those in authority.

My only regret is that there was no way we kids felt we could discuss or mention such things to parents. It just was not done.

Knowing my father, may he RIP, it is my estimate that if he had known of the events I regularly witnessed (was not a victim myself) he would most likely have spent time in jail after he dealt with it.

I had thought that such reticence to disclose things to parents had eased if not disappeared decades later, but obviously not.

This is the saddest part of the whole thing IMO, and is the one most relied upon by such deviants.

+1

Did you go to Waterpark also

lassykk

Jesus some of the above comments are tough to read. It is absolutely terrible what some kids went through in school back then.

The principal in Slieverue NS before I started there had a reputation for being inappropriate (a filthy **** in other words) but he left the year I started in there. I think he was relocated to another school though, not arrested.