'Living in the flat in Dublin, usually 4 or 5 of us was the University of my Life'

'Living in the flat in Dublin, usually 4 or 5 of us was the University of my Life'

Billy Gallagher describes moving out of his uncle's house to live in a flat with four of his friends who were studying in UCD. He remembers flat life and describes that time as 'the university of my life'.

Billy Gallagher

Trinity College Dublin

1955

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Billy Gallagher

Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Life Story

Dublin, Rathmines

1950's

I moved out of the uncle's house in September 1962 and into a flat with four pals, all studying in UCD. This flat existed with all of us coming and going until 1972 at various addresses mostly in Rathmines. Although my formal education stopped at the Leaving Cert the flat environment, all the pals at UCD, contacts constantly visiting, this was a wonderful learning environment. In all, 41 people lived in these flats over 13 the years that I was there. (It continued to exist for a few years after I left.) My education came from these two environments: The Boys' Club (social and community awareness) and the flat (integrated and tolerant life).Living in the flat in Dublin, usually 4 or 5 of us was the University of my Life. All the others were at UCD or law school and a constant flow of students and intellectuals passed through. Fr Feargal O'Connor taught in UCD then, Ethics and Politics. Maurice Manning taught in same department as did Philip Pettit (Philosophy) both of whom lived in the flat while studying for their masters' degrees. The flats were mostly in Rathmines and the population evolved naturally. As someone would leave to work or study there was always a replacement around the corner. This living experience was the greatest advantage I got in life, it was intellectual and educational, we learned tolerance and compromise, it was healthy living and ideal for formation of young people setting out for middle class Ireland. The main lesson for me was the advantage and necessity of getting out of home and surviving. This lesson I have passed on to all my children.

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)