Comments on: Memories of a Violent Teacher

By: Nollaig

Nollaig — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 07:36:51 +0000

It was not just the brothers, I went to St Johns on Garryowen road, the old school, I was 5 years old and was hit in the back of the head from behind for switching my pencil to my left hand and left unconscious in the class room.After school finished I was found by the old cleaner Florrie, god rest her soul. The person who did this was Sister Agatha, from St Marys convent. It has been 45 years but I still loath all clergy, especially nuns.
My parents made a complaint but the nun was packed off to the missions. I hope she dies alone and screaming.

By: Bock

Bock — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 23:48:54 +0000

That extra information makes me view Marrinan as an even more despicable character than I already considered him.

By: Michael Fitzgibbon

Michael Fitzgibbon — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 23:40:11 +0000

Well done on documenting the most appalling behaviour I ever had the misfortune of witnessing in not necessarily halycon school days. One slight correction, the victim was not slow, he just had the misfortune of being vulnerable having lost a parent, he cried in class and was immediately picked upon by neanderthal with the unerring feral instinct of spotting human weakness.

By: Bock

Bock — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 01:26:24 +0000

I identified the teacher in the post. He did not have the name of an American president.

By: matt

matt — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:23:48 +0000

Bob that teacher you describe .. .you were dead on what u said .
Bro crowe ( courtesy for boys and girls) huh also had him for latin and english I remember the copy books stacked up and the ones on the side to class 1p patricks '75 what I would give to meet him now on the street but he is dead, a real bastard he really loved his thin long leather with weights in it .
Bro cleary a sadistic evil man who got off on beatin the shit out of kids ….
Bro guthrie the worst Cristian brother of them all, a bully ,a bastard, really liked to dole out pain he really liked that he really did ,he even used to beat and bully Jimmy the caretaker a small light man RIp.left and married i believe now well up the ranks in the GAA.

By: maitiu

maitiu — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:09:29 +0000

Hi, Ray ? Is that you, Black Hair Brown Eyes ? and a brother called, was it Dennis, the old memory cells are getting burn't out., appologies for precaution's

If it is, who I hope it is, thanks for the Kind thoughts in your Post., Those were the days, and I remember getting lots of Chickens from my Grandmother who lived in the 'Widows 'Alms" She was on a small pension from the UK Military, and used to supply my pocket money. Her Husband my Grandfather was in the famous Battle of EL -Kebir in Egypt 1885, and thats where the Chickens originated from. Unfortunately no money at home as you know, circumstances were "Critical to Say the least" – and to put it mildly, we all survived to tell the tale. you can also e-mail me at oceanspan@gmail.com if you wish. Happy Christmas to you and All the Family. looking forward to re-connecting after so many years. Matt
Delighted to hook up after all those years., I am in good health and I wish you and Family a very happy Christmas and New year., Cheers for now. Maitiu (Matt) ( Mashie ) etc.,

By: Ro g

Ro g — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:37:36 +0000

How are you Maitiu
I think I was at school with you, my father died in 1956 and money was very scarce, but once a week you would give me a penny if you had it and I never forgot that. I would often say to you Maitiu, have you any chickens, but you knew what I meant and I looked forward to that penny to buy a chester down the lane from the school. If its the same person we are both talking about I have approached him and said it to him about the abuse and I am not talking about physical, it was sexual. But he denied it which he would anyway. I will be in the Limerick Area after Christmas If you would like to meet up.Thanks to Bock for the Info

By: maitiu

maitiu — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:12:12 +0000

Hi Bob and Tony,

Suggest you both go See that Politician from your past, And let him give you some explanatlion, I can assure you it will be most Satisfying.,

Regards

By: Tony C

Tony C — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:37:39 +0000

Bob, same teacher knocked my younger brother about,only I didnt find out it about until years afterwards. Hes still knocking on doors looking for votes ,telling people what he can do for them, the tramp. Hopefully,our paths will cross someday and we'll see if he's still a hard man, now that the playing field is more level. Makes you wonder if carries on like that at home.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 02:55:39 +0000

JT, corporal punishment may have been abolished in 1982, but I can assure you it didn't stop in 1982. I saw some beatings handed out for the most frivolous reasons (is there a good reason?) that I only now recognise decades later not as "corporal punishment" but as aggravated criminal assault.

In terms of actual physical abuse, sure, I took a knock or two. Nothing as horrible as some of the stories here, and not as horrible as the victims I witnessed. But I can testify that the effect of being locked in a tiny room with and angry sociopath for years on end took it's toll on me as a child. Not as much as some of the other kids, but the threat of unprovoked sadistic violence from a 17 stone thug has it's affects as well. And when they did eventually stop short of hitting you, that threat was used to much more menacing effect.

I saw well-known teacher [identifying details deleted] throw a ten year old down a flight of 12 stairs because he was playing with a toy car in the hallway when he was supposed to be standing in a queue waiting to be allowed back into class after a break.
(Same "educator" punched another boy in the face for laughing when he passed out pissed drunk in the class room and fell off his chair)

I saw a boy run screaming and whimpering out of the classroom after being whipped 17 times (and yes, three decades later I really do remember the exact number!) across the legs with a leather strop for failing to recite a prayer correctly. That boy never returned to school after that, and I doubt very much he can either recite the same prayer or even believes in god.