'I don't know why I decided to go to university in Galway, but I am certainly glad that I did'

'I don't know why I decided to go to university in Galway, but I am certainly glad that I did'

Frank remembers going to University in Galway.

Frank Gaynor

Trinity College Dublin

1965

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Frank Gaynor

Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Life Story

Galway, Ireland

1960's

I don't know why I decided to go to university in Galway, but I am certainly glad that I did. In 1965 Galway and its university were both small and friendly. I shared accommodation with six other students in a house on Prospect Hill, near Eyre Square. Four of my house - mates were first year students who saw me as a kind of father figure; this was an unexpected role for me. I went with them to the first dance of the year for first years, in Salthill, and felt a bit different as many of the girls looked like primary school pupils. By the time I arrived in Galway all the available teaching practice hours in secondary schools had been taken by other students. I had to settle for teaching hours in a primary school in Salthill. The result of this was that I successfully completed the course and qualified as a secondary school teacher without teaching even one lesson in a secondary school. While this was possible in England it was most unusual in Ireland. I got along well with the Principal of the school in Salthill and in January he offered me a temporary full - time teaching post. From January to June I was able to combine teaching in the primary school with attending lectures at the university. It was the perfect combination. I needed the money, and the university course on its own was not demanding enough. I gained very little from the course in the way of teaching skills. The best I could say about it is that it was relaxing. Professor Larkin opened many of his lectures by having us sit back and listen to a recording of 'The West's Awake' or 'The Boys of Wexford' on an old LP. I don't recall anything else from his lectures.I enjoyed socialising around the city with some of my classmates. We duly celebrated the night that Nelson was sent tumbling off his Pillar in Dublin. I got involved in sport. I attempted boxing but after a heavy whack on the nose on my first night in the ring I quickly moved on to hurling. I travelled with a university hurling team to play a UCD team on the new campus at Belfield. At that time Belfield was a large building site. Gaelic football was very popular in Galway that year as the county team was on its way to winning three All - Ireland titles in a row. The captain of the team, Enda Colleran, was in my class. When I met him strolling along the seafront at Salthill one Sunday evening he told me it was the first time in four years that he had a Sunday afternoon to himself. In June my mother decided to come to Salthill for a week. For some reason that I can't recall she decided to come mid - week. I rushed away from the school and got a lift all the way home with a man I knew on a regular run delivering The Evening Press. I expected to find my mother all set for her holiday and ready to jump into the car so that I could drive back to Galway without delay. My mother had different priorities. When I reached the kitchen door I met her on her way to the farmyard to tend to a sick calf. The landlady in the B&B in Salthill was understandably unfriendly when we got her out of bed to check us in well after midnight. The rest of the week was a great success as we drove around Connemara or relaxed by the sea at Salthill. Sometime later my sister Kathleen joined me for a few days and we had a hilarious fun week as she toured Galway and Salthill on the carrier of my bicycle.

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

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)