I think I must be the longest and the oldest student here in Coláiste Dhúlaigh.
When I first started Pat and Rosaleen were here, I was very nervous but their warm welcome soon put me at ease. I had very little education leaving school just before my fourteenth birthday.
My reading was okay, but my spelling was not good. The first thing my tutor taught me was to break down my words. I found this very helpful when I went on to do the different courses. My favourite subject was history. We did research on the 1916 rising, the people involved and all the sacrifices the men and women made for what they believed in. It helped me to look at Dublin streets and buildings with fresh eyes.
I went on to do more courses but the computer course was the most challenging and alien to me. I was born with one hand. I thought how I am going to cope with this?”. Collette was my first computer tutor, “no problem”, she said and showed me what to do. She was so patient and kind as are all the tutors I’ve had along this journey. Then came the smartphone. I had no idea how to use it but with the help of my tutor Mary I have learned so much. So I try to keep on learning in this digital world we live in.
My tutors have given me confidence. It has made such a big difference to me on my journey.
