The Early Days

The Early Days

Continuation of the Beginning

"Life as we know it doesn't have to be, life as we Make it is how it should be" - Maria Sheridan 

At first school in Ireland was great. I never really thought I had an accent, a liverpudlian one that is. In Liverpool they said I had an Irish accent, in Dublin they said I had a liverpudlian accent, NOW no one could guess really where I’m from,  I have traveled that much I guess my accent is pretty neutral. So any opportunity to read out loud or say a prayer out loud I was often volunteered, as the other Children in my class just wanted to hear me talk. It was great at that time to be asked to talk rather than being asked to be quiet...Mrs Coffey was history. Miss Beannacht was now my new teacher who embraced my enthusiasm. I was often asked why I always pronounced my g’s like at the end of going or roaring, lightening etc., I guess it was just my dialect.

In Secondary school the bullies appeared again. It wasn't as intense as was in the UK. What happened in the UK….I’m not entirely sure WHY they chose me to bully, if it wasn't me it was going to be someone else, you never really can get into a Bullies head to know the why often it’s a power thing, a control thing, because they’re so out of control in their own environments. EVERY night it felt there was a gang not just one or two a proper full on Gang waiting in the lane-way where I had to pass to go home. I can even remember their names still.  (as a side note, I’d like to say I went to Liverpool with my family back in April this year 2014 after not being back since leaving Liverpool in 1978 and we visited the area, I felt nothing just free of the fear of going back, it was a great and a sad visit, great to spend with family sad to see how empty and derelict the area had become, I felt no loss).

I really thought when we moved all the bullying was over, sadly I seemed I attracted them, I hence became the person who invents other family members just to deter them. We had a couple of guys stay at our Youth Hostel in Mountjoy Square and I pretended they were my brothers and threatened the bullies that my brothers would come down and sort them out.  I knew if I had of asked Tommy and Nikko to come sort them out they would. The girls backed off somewhat they only lashed out every now and then. All I wanted was to get along with everyone, confusing enough though, I didn't want to be part of a click, I felt for the underdog, I didn't want to be popular either, I just wanted to go about my business and go home, I was the underdog though, I didn't really feel like I fit in, however I thought I was a master of disguise, I thought I could mix with them all ……I wasn't so foxy as others…. I knew I’d have make a decision someday and walk my own journey. I decided to just keep my head down and not look right or left, do my work, not really answer too many questions even if I knew the answers in class, I tried to melt into the background.  I just wasn't fitting into a particular group, it was tough very tough. I then started questioning things always asking why but only when something got to me so much I couldn't keep quiet and then I’d be like a dog with a bone. You’d think in school this would be welcomed however it was to my detriment especially in Religion class, I was out the door more than I was in. Our Head Master even pleaded with me to just listen and not ask the Nun too many questions outside of the curriculum as it was just too upsetting for her, basically if it wasn't in the curriculum it didn't exist. If I wanted to know the mysteries of god I was told to become a Nun….(REALLY) My quest to find truth began very young so I knew more that I realised myself, by this time my ability to attract the bullies died down for a while!