Episode 3- Gormanston College: the 7 day boarding school

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2 responses to “Episode 3- Gormanston College: the 7 day boarding school”

1. 

   Jim Monaghan

   July 20, 2024

   My older brother went there. He started in Multyfarnham in Westmeath. H ehated it. Luckily for him, he was not abused. One story he told me. A grandson of Dev was there and got a letter from Dev. He had to get a teacher to translate it for him,
   I did the entrance exam but did not get a scholarship (Par ents were a bit poorer by then) so went to the CBS in Kells

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2. 

   Kev Foy

   October 16, 2024

   1999. The year girls first attended, I was a day boarder. Got out after 4 months, after a mock suicide attempt. The whole school shunned me because all I talk about was awful it the place was and why did are parents feel the right to send to us this prison. Most just attempted it, their fate, I was having none of it, I’m getting out, and got out. After that I was the inspiration for others, one guy ran away from home and lived in his mates garage, before they agreed to send to him to the Tex. September 1999 I remember, first day of school, 8pm at dusk wishing it would never end, meeting with friends from primary school, telling me about the all teachers and eccentrics in the Tex, it sounded wild, bohemian, like me, and here I am stuck in a school with monks, where football is banned and I have to go school on Saturday. Christ thank God I wasn’t a full boarder. One nice memory was watching TV premiere Shawshank Redemption on a Sunday evening, early Fall – feeling that’s me getting sent to prison tomorrow, but right I have 3 hour window before this movie ends. Years later in Huntsman Inn, two lads came up with up to me ‘Are you Kevin Foy?’. It was 2 other alumni. They done it, the 6 years as boarders, they were bitter “A kip”, and what struck me was all that time they must’ve lived so nearby. Then finality to all this, now in my 30’s, I’ve read every Evelyn Waugh novel, he’s my favourite writer, I’ve come to the conclusion he is the best prose writer of all time, and I across a titbit about him. He once visited Ireland, in 1950’s and he said the experience was ‘awful’. Turns out, he came over to buy Gormanstown castle, only to change his mind when he heard Butlins was opening in Mosney. From English Snob to Republican Monks -forced me to play “Gaelic” football. Changed my life. And lots of others too. Many many stories I’m sure.

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