Student Magazine 2012 by G Raftery

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream”

Roscommon Adult Learning Centre, May 2012

C.S.LEWIS

This is our second edition from the learners in the Adult Education Centre and we have submissions from many learners on various topics. We have reflections and recollections, a word-search, jokes and a collaborative piece titled ‘The Journey’. We have a short story penned by a learner and pieces about our activities during the year. A number of our learners have completed a two-year programme. These learners, along with others who joined them, have worked towards national FETAC accreditation at levels 2/3. These are significant achievements as the programmes are part-time and assessments have been conducted on-line. During the year, we looked at animation and visual programming using ‘Scratch’. We used an on-line slideshow application and some of our learners successfully completed CPR & Defibrillator training. All learners had an opportunity to achieve certification through MyIT, a Government initiative to encourage wider participation in IT. We visited Roscommon Arts Centre to view a short drama piece on the negative aspects of Social Media and a screening of a Leaving Cert film; we did a Sponsored Walk in Mote Park and we visited Boyle while the highlight of our year was undoubtedly the visit to Belfast. Our year has come to a close and with that comes change. Some learners have chosen VTOS while another has decided to do a PLC and we wish them well in their further studies. To all who are finishing with us this year, may we extend a warm Thank You for your commitment and attendance, for your hard work, for the fun and laughter we have shared during your time with us. It has been our pleasure to work with you and we wish you all well in the future.

Elizabeth & Geraldine

VEC Word Search by Derek Y C R M C Y T X M H R V G V J I M M H Y F X M A E W G P E G A F O C V B A B M L C G X Q W W W B W E J D Q D R P X A A K L K W B F G W X W E E D L C N D S S F G W O Y K L R L S T I Y P V O S H A B L H W T P F L X B M Y S MATHS COMPUTERS PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS ROSCOMMON ENGLISH TUTORS HELPFUL TRIPS BOYLE ACTING MIME BELFAST TEABREAK WRITEON VIDEOS

P E P J X K J T V V V O V M N Y H P K M J F

L H U X G A T S L O V K L U O X B H N S N

M D I Q I X X V B A N R C N D W T L Q J O B

K G A E A S K I O O D Y Q R Y E M G W C V V

J O D H X Q Q E M O P D D M B V H M W I F N

N T M V V S L M U A E R G F S H T S R E B Q

V E V I C A O B S E T Y M U N M F U I W I E

S A O D W C I H V S K H V T R I P S T C L Y

W B J E S T V V J H A E S L Q M R F E O D T

J R M O I I W X P H J A H C L E D K O K R V

P E R S O N A L E F F E C T I V E N E S S

E A X L Y G Y P L L S G L U P P X D W W D S

C K I S N X J Y E J M X P M E P U X R L Y K

U F Y Q G N O B B C W M F R X T S J F I I U

Q V X T O B X A M K O D U K Q X M D L B W S

K C F M U M Q N D C S T L J L O W T C M A Q

M J V U B T I P B V X C O S T R T L S W I O

My Experience of Returning to Education by Marie My name is Marie. I am from Roscommon town. I attend the Adult Education Centre in Roscommon. I am learning how to use a computer. I also study Literacy and Maths. I would recommend returning to education to other people. I have learned so much here. I have improved my writing and spelling. I can now help my younger brother with his homework. The tutors are very nice and friendly and they make me feel welcome. I like meeting the other students every week. I enjoy playing basketball and football at the weekend. When I am finished in the VEC, I hope to find a job. ******************************************************************* My name is Eamon and I am from Roscommon. I am a student of Roscommon VEC and during the year I did literacy, communications, computers and maths. At Christmas, I did a PhotoPeach slide show and I was very proud when it was shown on our Party night. We went on a trip to Lough Key Forest Park and visited King House. We also went to Boda Borg. My hobbies are cycling, running, football and going on trips around the world. ******************************************************* My name is Yola. I am from Poland. I was born in Szczawnica. I am studying communications and literacy in the Adult Education Centre in Roscommon town. I am married and have a son, Jacob. I like Ireland because the people are friendly. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the Irish weather because it is very mixed and cold. The classes have helped me improve my English and I love coming to class. Improving my communication skills is essential for my job. My hobbies are dream job would be working in an animal centre.

gardening and skating but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have much free time. I love animals and my

1. It tells you that everything you do will always leave a mark. 2. You can always correct the mistake you make. 3. The important thing in life is what you are from inside and not from the outside. 4. In life you will undergo painful sharpenings which will make you better in whatever you do.

5. Finally, to be the best you can be, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the hand that holds you.

Our Sponsored Walk

A MOTHER”S TONGUE

A Short Story by Colette Ryan “What on earth is that thing?” cried Sarah. “That thing” Robbie laughed. “Just a scarecrow.” “But why is it standing at the gate? Aren’t they supposed to stand in fields?” Sarah shuddered. There was something sinister about the still figure standing with one hand on the fence as if it was keeping watch on the street. Robbie stopped the car next to it. “Oh no”, Sarah said, “don’t say this is where your parents live.” “What’s wrong with it?” Robbie looked genuinely puzzled. “Most girls I bring here think it’s lovely.” “Most girls”? How many have you brought back then?” “Dozens” he grinned. “I’m the most eligible guy in the village.” She laughed and relaxed a little. The cottage was actually lovely with a thatched roof and coloured lanterns strung round the front porch. It was getting dark, but she thought it would look beautiful in the daylight. Except for the scarecrow, that

was. It was dressed as a scruffy old woman.

“Most people settle for gnomes in the front garden”, she said as she got out of the car and stared at the hideous object. She felt if she took her eyes of it, it might move. “Wait till you see the rest”, Robbie said. What do you mean - there are more of them?” She asked. “Loads. It’s a village tradition. During the winter everyone makes scarecrows. It raises money for a local charity.” “You mean people pay you to hide the things away?” Robbie’s smile thinned. “You’re a city girl Sarah; you just don’t understand the importance of community.” “Hey”, she cried. “I give to charity, my time and my money.” He slung his arm around her shoulders and smiled. “Let’s not argue, come in and meet my parents.” As she passed the scarecrow she thought she saw the eyes gleam in the moonlight, as if it was watching her. But it didn’t have eyes, just a sacking face. Once they passed it and were walking towards the front door, Sarah heard a rustling sound and spun around. “Did you hear that?” Robbie laughed. “Probably mice in the stuffing”. Mice! “Don’t tell me you’re scared of mice as well?” “No I don’t mind mice”, she said, keeping her eyes on the scarecrow, which she could have sworn had moved. “I think mice are cute”. Cute, she scoffed. Typical townie. “Stop it Robbie” she said. “That’s twice you sneered at me for not being a country girl. If I’m not good enough for you then you can take me home right now.” “I was only joking, he said. But the night had turned sour and the sight of the moon shuddering behind the bare branches of the trees was just sinister. The front door of the cottage opened and a small plump woman rushed out. Robin, she cried, you have lost weight. Have you been eating properly? Did you have a good drive here? “When did you last get your hair cut?” She stopped mid flow and stared at Sarah. Where are my manners? “You must be Sally.” “Sarah”, Robbie corrected her. “I told you Ma”. “So, you did”, she giggled and rolled her eyes. “Silly me, memory like a sieve I’m Beryl”. She threw her arms around Sarah and hugged her. “You are freezing”, she said. “Come in and get warm. I see you have

already met Fiona”. “Fiona”, Sarah said, turning around. The Scarecrow was

standing right behind her. She screamed and hid behind Robbie. “Only me”, a grinning red faced man said, holding the Scarecrow to one side. “Didn’t mean to give you a fright.” “Who the hell is that”, Sarah demanded? “Meet my Dad” Robbie said, laughing. “Stop messing around, Joe”, Beryl said. “What’s the poor girl going to think of us frightening her straight off like that?” “I was only having a laugh”, Joe muttered and dragged the Scarecrow back to its place by the gate. Some people have got no sense of humour. “That wasn’t funny”, Sarah said. She couldn’t make her teeth stop chattering. She should have known this would be a nightmare. Coming out to the wilds where there were no street lights. Now it had started to get dark. Everywhere was as black as pitch. The country was alright for a day trip, a picnic or maybe a stroll in some woods but Sarah was beginning to have second thoughts about sleeping out here. She half expected to see chickens on the kitchen table and a goat foraging about in the vegetable rack, but the kitchen was warm and homely. The cottage was a lot bigger than it looked from the outside. “I can see you’re impressed”, Beryl said to Sarah, as she poured two mugs of tea from a huge brown pot. “Robin’s friends usually are.” “Of course she is”, Robbie said, squeezing Sarah up against him. “This is a lovely place. You wait till you see it in daylight”, Beryl said proudly. “You’ll love it, won’t she Robbie? You’ll take her round to see all the scarecrows tomorrow, won’t you?” “I’m not sure I want to see them”, Sarah said. “Nonsense”, Beryl said. “People put so much work into them and all they ask for is a little donation in return. Mr Pickles has got his dressed up as a chimney sweep sitting astride his roof.” “Trust him!” Robbie laughed. “And Dorothy has got hers dressed up as her late father with a shovel in his hand digging the garden”, Beryl went on: “it gave me a right turn when I saw it. I thought it was her Dad standing there.” “Sounds fascinating”, Sarah said. Her tea was like treacle. She could barely swallow

it.

“Would you like to see your room Sally?” Beryl asked. “Sarah”, she said. “My name is Sarah.” “Course it is”, Beryl laughed. “Come on up.” “Are we in Robbie’s old room?” Sarah asked as they went up the narrow staircase. “Well, Robbie is”, Beryl said. “And it’s not his old room. I’ve kept it just as he likes it and he knows it’s always there for him if he wants it. I think it’s important that children know they always have a home to go to, don’t you?” Sarah thought of her old room. She’d barely been gone two days before her Mum had cleared it out, redecorated it and started using it as a study. No bolt- hole for her. If she stayed over at her Mum’s house, it was the sofa bed or nothing.

“Here we are”, Beryl pushed open a door. “You’re in here.” Sarah squeezed into the tiny room. There was a narrow single bed against one wall. It looked more like a cell than a bedroom. “Cosy, isn’t it?” Beryl beamed. Claustrophobic more like! Sara thought! “Isn’t there a window”? She asked. “You don’t need one, do you, in a bedroom? I mean what do you do when you go to bed but shut the curtains”?. Back downstairs, Sarah pulled Robbie to one side while his mother fiddled with something on the stove. “She has put me in a room on my own”, she whispered. “I thought we would be sharing”. “Mum is a bit old fashioned”, Robbie said. “You don’t mind, do you? It’s only for a few days”. “Yes, I do mind, as it happens”, Sarah said. “We ‘re not children, Robbie. We are consenting adults. I take it she knows you moved in with me....? “Have you told your mom”? “No, but”.. “then don’t tell me what to do about mine”. “But mine is away in Australia. She has never even met you”. “Oh, that’s right, you are not even speaking to your mum”, Robbie said. “We will patch it up” Sarah said. She hoped they would anyway. It seemed that ever since she left home, her parent had been going mad. Travelling all over the place. She hardly ever saw them. It was as if she ceased to exist. “Are you all right there”?, Beryl asked. would be sharing a room”. "Did you now"?, Beryl asked calmly. “Well, it wouldn’t be

“Can I get you anything”? Sarah forced a smile. “Actually, I though Robbie and I

very comfortable. There is only a single bed in Robin’s room. Best just sleep in the guest room, dear. You will be nice and comfy in there”. Honestly, the woman was like a steamroller. A steamroller with a big fake smile on its face! “We will manage”, Sarah said. “No”, Beryl said, “you won’t. The beds are all made up now. You will be fine in the guest room, wont she Robin”? “For God’s sake Sarah”, he muttered. “Stop making such a fuss! You are so damn rude!” Sarah stepped away from him, stung... He had never snapped at her before. “Don’t be so harsh Robin”, Beryl said and slipped an arm down to Sarah’s waist. “People like Sally don’t understand our ways, that’s all. Probably like a different world to her.” “Sarah”, Sarah said, clenching her teeth. “My name is Sarah”. “Course it is”, Beryl squeezed her. “Take no notice of Robin. He always gets a bit tense when he comes home. Isn’t that right love? Takes a while to slip back into his own skin.” It made him sound like some kind of lizard. “Maybe we should book into a hotel”, Sarah said, and the smile on Beryl’s face froze. “A hotel?” “Sarah”, Robbie said, “give it a rest”. “Mum’s doing everything she can to make you welcome and you’re throwing it back in her face.” I’d hate to experience her unwelcoming, thought Sarah glumly. At that moment, Robbie’s Dad walked into the room. “I’m sorry I scared you earlier Sarah”, he said apologetically. “I didn’t mean to.” Sarah softened at once. At last someone seemed to know how she felt. “That’s ok, she said, it was just me being silly. “Not at all”, he said. “Scarecrows can be a bit creepy. I don’t like clowns myself. My parents took me to a circus when I was little and I had nightmares for years after.” “I don’t like clowns either”, Sarah said, warming to him even more. He ushered her through to the sitting room and they sat down and chatted. He’s so much nicer

than Robbie’s mum, thought Sarah.

“I’m sorry about Beryl putting you in the box room”, he said. “If I’d had my way we’d have done out Robbie’s room after he left home and turned it into a decent spare room with a double bed. It’s really stupid keeping it as it is.” “I expect she misses him”, Sarah said. He rolled his eyes. “Centre of her universe, that boy. She holds him in the palm of her hand and whichever way she turns her palm, he turns with it”, he said with a sigh. “She lives in hope that he’ll move back to the village one day. It’s a nice enough place but no good for the young people”, Joe said. “Even the little kids have the go to school on a bus or by car. We have no shops, no Post Office and the Pub closed a year or so ago and has been boarded up ever since. It’s as if the village is dying. That’s sad. Well you can’t halt progress. Isn’t that what they say”? “I hope you are not boring Sally, Joe”, Beryl said as she breezed into the room. “He is not”, Sarah said. “And its Sarah”! “Of course it is”, Beryl said. “Dinner is ready if you would like to come through”. She might have been overbearing and annoying but there was no denying that Beryl was a great cook. Sarah felt tired after the big meal and homemade wine and went to her cupboard to go to bed. She was starting to feel like a 26 year old Harry Potter. The room was pitch black when she woke up and she felt as if she was suffocating. She fumbled for the bedside light but it didn’t work. Then she heard a rustling in the room with her. It sounded like the straw in the Scarecrow. “Robbie, is that you”? “Help us”, a voice whispered. “Please, you have to help us!” Sarah screamed and moments later her door opened and light from the landing flooded in. The room was empty. “Are you ok?”, Robbie said, rushing to the bed. Sarah looked around her frantically. There was absolutely nowhere in the tiny room that anyone could be hiding. Then Beryl and Joe appeared. Beryl looked annoyed while Joe looked concerned. “What’s all the noise about?”, Beryl said. “It’s the middle of the night”. “I heard a voice”, Sarah said. It sounded as if it was right in the room. Beryl glared to her and turned to Joe. “See”, she said, “she’s just like the others. They think if they pretend to have nightmares, they’ll be able to go in and sleep with Robin. Well, she’s not getting into “Beryl”, Joe muttered, “she’s genuinely upset.”

Robin’s room while I’m around.”

“Only because she’s not getting her own way, “Beryl sniffed, and went back to her bedroom. “What others?” Sarah said to Robbie, her uneasiness growing. “I’ve brought a couple of girls home in the past”, he said. “Nothing serious.” He turned to look at this father, who was still standing in the doorway. “Go back to bed, Dad”, he said. “No”, Joe said. “I’ll take Sarah downstairs and make her some hot chocolate. It might help you sleep, love.” “Fine, I’ll go back then”, Robbie said grumpily. “No point in all of us losing sleep.” In the kitchen Sarah watched as Joe stirred chocolate powder into hot milk. “I’m so sorry”, she said. “Don’t be”, he said. She noticed his hand shaking as he spooned sugar into their mugs. “There’s something about that room, the girls....” “I think I might sleep on the sofa”, Sarah said, when he didn’t finish his sentence. “Good idea”, Joe said. “But an even better idea would be for you to go home. You wouldn’t be the first girl Robin’s brought home that’s cut her visit short. They usually only last one or two nights, then they’re gone.” Sarah gasped and wondered just how well she really knew Robbie. They’d only met a couple of months ago, but he’d felt like a soul-mate, as if she’d known him forever. “If you like I can drive you to the town so you can get the train back”, Joe said. “Beryl would kill me if she knew what I was saying, but I offered the same to the other girls. They turned me down, but they left anyway. I suppose they must have hitched a lift out of the village”. “But I love Robbie”, Sarah whispered. “Do you?”, Joe asked. “Do you really know him Sarah?” “Joe!” Beryl had appeared in

the doorway. “Think about it”, Joe said and got up.

“Just coming, Beryl. Did you miss me?” “What were you talking about?” Beryl asked. “Oh this and that”, he said with a wink at Sarah. “Sarah’s going to sleep on the sofa.” “No, she’s not”, said Beryl. “Not when there’s a perfectly good bed upstairs. Stop being so silly Sally. There’s nothing here to hurt you.” This time Sarah didn’t bother correcting her. She was certain that Beryl was getting her name wrong on purpose. When she went back up to bed, she left the door of the box room opened a crack, and left the landing light on. “Don’t scream, Sarah!”, a voice whispered as she was drifting off to sleep. She opened her eyes wide. “Who are you?” she said. “What do you want”? She could smell straw, damp hay and old clothes. “I’m Fiona, please help us, we’re trapped.” Sarah’s heart was thumping. Her stomach was in knots. She’d never been so scared in her life. “Where are you?” “We’re the scarecrows”, Fiona said. “There are three of us, you have to release us.” Sarah buried her head under the pillow and began to cry silently. She felt as if she was going mad. Beryl brought her a mug of tea in the morning. “Feeling better now?” she asked. “Yes, thanks”, Sarah said. “That’s good”, Beryl smiled at her. “I’ve been thinking you’d be better off in Robin’s room with him. I’ll get Joe to move this bed in there for you, how does that sound?” Sarah sat up and rubbed her eyes. Was this the same woman as yesterday? “That would be great”, she said gratefully. “Good”, Beryl patted her on the shoulder. “Robin would be so upset if you tried to run out on him.”

“Who’s Fiona?” Sarah asked as Beryl was leaving the room. Beryl spun around.

“She was the last one that Robin brought home. She ran off and broke his heart. That’s why we named the scarecrow after her – revenge of a sort. Childish, I know”, she smiled. Maybe I was just dreaming, Sarah thought, but when she got out of bed she saw bits of straw on the floor and shivered. Robbie seemed different this morning, more relaxed. They went for a walk around the village, just the two of them, and she was impressed by the scarecrows adorning the front gardens. She still thought they looked sinister, but some were funny and she could appreciate the enormous amount of work that had gone into them. She had almost forgotten about the dreams of the previous night until they got back to the cottage and she saw three scarecrows standing by the front gate. “Why girls?” she asked with a shudder. “Mum’s idea of a joke”, Robin said. “They’re all modelled on ex-girlfriends.” “So I might be there one day?” Sarah said. “Why? Planning on becoming an ex are you?” he wasn’t smiling. He seemed different again. Like a different person and not the Robbie she knew and loved at all. “Of course not”, she said. This one is Sally”, he said, touching the straw hair with his fingers. “She was a holiday rep, liked the good life, did Sally. Haven’t got such a good tan these days, have you Sally?” Sarah stared bug-eyed at the scarecrow, then at Robbie. He spoke as if it was really Sally standing there. And she was sure the thing was shivering. “Your Mum keeps calling me Sally”, she said. “She doesn’t mean anything by it. Sally was my first proper girlfriend. We were engaged, but then she took the job as a holiday rep and suddenly I wasn’t good enough for her anymore. I think Mum was more hurt than I was.” He moved along to the next one, it was smaller than the other two. “And this is Lucy”, he said. “Another one who thought she was too good for me. She used to work in a department store, on the perfume counter. A glorified shop Well, you aren’t smelling so sweet now, are you Lucy?”

assistant!.

The last scarecrow was the one Sarah had seen the day before. “Fiona”, she said. “That’s right”, Robbie replied darkly. “Fiona, a model... Not big league, but she used to model for clothing catalogues. You’re not modelling new clothes any more, are you Fiona? How does it feel to be dressed in rubbish that no one wants?” “You talk to them as if they can hear you”, Sarah said. “And yet you also talk in the past tense as if they’re dead”. “They are dead to me”, he said coldly. “Let’s go in, it’s freezing out here.” Sarah couldn’t shake the feeling that the scarecrows were watching her, silently pleading for help. She reached out and touched the arm of one of them. It felt stiff and cold. “Are you in there?” she whispered. “Sarah, come on”. “I will help you”, she said softly, “I promise”. Back inside the cottage she felt guilty about the scarecrows standing out in the cold. Maybe Beryl had poisoned the girls to stop them leaving her precious son, then mummified their bodies and hidden them inside scarecrows. “Why do you keep looking outside?” Beryl asked her. “Every time I turn around you’re at the window”. “I’m looking at the view”, Sarah nearly choked on the words, and “it’s lovely.” “Yes it is, I knew you’d like it here. I haven’t had time to sort out the bedrooms yet”, Beryl said. “Will you be alright to spend another night in the guest room?” “Of course”, Sarah said. It suited her well enough. She was going to look at those scarecrows once everyone was asleep and find out what was going on once and for all. “I’m going to give Robin a haircut while he’s here”, Beryl said. “Would you like me to give you a trim too”? Sarah’s hand went to her head. She’d only just had a haircut. running her fingers through it. “So silky”. “It’s shorter than yours”, said Sarah,

“I don’t need a haircut thanks”, she said. “But it’s such pretty hair”, Beryl said,

nervously. “Well if you won’t let me tidy it up for you, perhaps I could just take a lock. I’m going to make you and Robin a lover’s knot with your hair which will bind you to each other forever”. She opened up a wooden box and took out a pair of pointed scissors. “I don’t want much”, she said. For one awful moment Sarah thought Beryl was going to plunge the scissors into her chest but she just took a section of hair and snipped it. “There”! Beryl said happily. “That didn’t hurt, did it and it hardly shows where I took it from”. She put the hair in the box and closed it. “Tell me Sally, what is the most important thing in the world to you”? Sarah didn’t have to think about that. “My parents”, she said. “We’ve had a bit of a falling out. I couldn’t bear it if I never saw them again”. Beryl’s eyes gleamed. “I see”, she said. “Well, hopefully, it will all work out well for you”. She patted the box and placed it in the sideboard. Then she sat down in the rocking chair and picked up her knitting. “Forgive me if I drop off Sally”, she said. “Knitting always makes me sleepy. Robbie’s helping Joe to do something out the back but if you want to watch telly you won’t disturb me”. Sure enough, Beryl was asleep within a few minutes, her knitting resting in her lap. Sarah got up and went to the wooden box, taking the scissors out, she looked at her hair curled up in the bottom of the box. A lover’s knot to bind her and Robbie forever... She wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. Then she slid open a drawer and took out a sharp knife. That night Sarah left the bedroom light on and waited until the house was silent except for Beryl’s snores before getting up and creeping downstairs. The scarecrows were standing at the front gate and as she walked towards them, she heard the faint rustling sound again as if they were turning to watch her approach. They seemed to shiver with anticipation. The night was clear and the moon was bright. “Are you ready girls?”, said Sarah. “I’m going to set you free”. She took the kitchen knife from the pocket of her dressing gown and went to work. Her biggest fear had been that she’d cut through the rags and straw and find bones underneath, but the scarecrows were straw all the way through. In all the tangle of shredded clothes and straw, Sarah didn’t notice the strands of the cool night breeze.

hair coming loose as she worked and she certainly didn’t see them blowing away on

She woke in the morning to a scream. When she got downstairs, Beryl was hysterical. “Someone’s ripped them all to pieces”, she sobbed in anguish. “My scarecrows, my girls. They’ve been destroyed.” Sarah arranged her face into an expression of sympathy. “I’m so sorry Beryl. Who on earth would do such a thing?” Beryl stopped sobbing and glared at her. In a village ten miles away, Sally woke with a start and immediately cringed back under the covers. But this morning she felt different. She got out of bed and crept over to the window, tentatively pulling back the curtain so she could look outside. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t scream and cringe away at the sight of the outside world. “Mum”, she screamed. “Mum!” Her mother rushed in and saw her at the window and burst into tears. “Mum”, Sally wept, “I feel like me again. I think I want to go for a walk.” “What happened?” her Mum cried. “I don’t know”, Sally laughed, “I just woke up and felt like me again!” Ninety miles away, Lucy woke up and wrinkled her nose in disgust. The smell was awful. She let out a wail of dismay. The door opened and her flatmate looked in. A “Are you all right Lucy?” “The smell in here, it’s awful, I must have a shower and get all my clothes washed!” she cried. “Really?” Geraldine said in disbelief, “you’re not scared of being clean anymore? What’s happened?” Lucy didn’t know. All she knew was that for the past couple of years she had lost first her devotion to personal grooming, soon followed by any desire to keep Geraldine rushed into the room and hugged her even though she reeked!

herself clean. She’d lost her job and her friends. Only Geraldine had stood by her.

“You’re back”, she cried, “the old you, I’m so happy!” Fiona woke up cold and hungry as always. She pulled the old ragged duffel coat more tightly around herself and looked around the park at the early morning joggers and dog walkers. They gave her a wide berth as they passed and she didn’t blame them. She was wearing every stitch of clothing she owned and looked like a walking jumble sale. A year ago, she’d walked out of her flat, leaving everything behind. She’d been living rough ever since, existing on charity and handouts. The clothes she was wearing came from old clothing recycling bins. Her Dad had tracked her down but she’d sent him away, telling him she wanted nothing to do with her old life. She didn’t know why she’d done it. It had been a compulsion, as if she’d been taken over. At some level she knew this wasn’t her but she had been powerless to stop it happening. She also knew it had something to do with that evil old witch, Beryl. She found a phone box and made a reverse charge call to her father. “Will you come and get me Dad?”, she said. He choked on his sobs. “Oh Sweetheart”, he wept. “Where are you?” I’ll be right there”. “I’m back, Dad”, Fiona said, “the real me is back”. “You did this”, Beryl screamed as Sarah at the cottage. “You’re crazy”, Sarah said, but she was frightened. Beryl was almost foaming at the mouth with rage. “Steady on, love”, Joe said kindly, putting his arms around his wife. “Calm down, Mum”, Robbie added. But she shook them off and glared at Sarah. “I’ll get you for this Sarah”, she spat. “Just you wait and see, you want reconciliation with your parents don’t you? Well, that will never happen.” Joe and Robbie were so busy trying to soothe Beryl’s ruffled feathers, that they didn’t notice when Sarah left the cottage. She passed the shredded remains of the scarecrows and smiled. Whatever had possessed these unfortunate up to now had gone. She walked into the village, head

held high, somehow she’d make it home and she would never come back.

That night Beryl started work on a new scarecrow. This one she called Sarah. She took the hair she’d cut from Sarah’s head and wound it into the fibres of a scarf with some herbs, which she wrapped tightly round the scarecrow’s neck. “Your family will never be complete”, she said. “Parent and child will never see each other again. Your parents will split up as well. You will never know a happy home life for as long as you live.” She dragged it out to the front gate. It wasn’t quite as well done as the other girls, but she was in a hurry. When she turned to go back in, Robin was standing at the open front door. “What are you doing up?” she said, “would you like me to make you some cocoa or something to eat? Are you hungry?” “Stop fussing”, he said coldly. “You don’t fool me with the caring mother act. You only care about yourself and your stupid scarecrows.” “What?” “It’s not me girls run away from, it’s you. You scare them all away. Well not anymore. I’m leaving here and not coming back. If I’m to have any kind of life of my own, it has to be without you in it.” He hurried to his car. “No!” Beryl screamed, “Come back, Robin.” “What’s all the noise?” Joe said and she ran to him. But as she tried to hug him, he pushed her away. “You’ve finally driven our son away, haven’t you? Well there’s little point in me sticking around anymore.” “What are you talking about Joe? What do you mean?” “I don’t love you Beryl. In fact, I despise you. I only stayed here for Robin’s visits. There’s no point me being here anymore.” The next morning, Beryl woke in an empty house. She could still hardly believe that her men had deserted her. Then she looked out of the window and smiled. She still had Sarah. As long as the scarecrow was there, she could comfort herself knowing that Sarah’s life was in ruins. And she was going to keep this forever. No one would be allowed destroy it the way Sarah had destroyed the other three. Her smile wavered and a tear slid down her

cheek. She rubbed it roughly away with her hand.

Robin would come back and so would Joe. They were just upset, that was all. It was just a storm in a teacup... “Robbie”, Sarah said, when he let himself into their flat the next morning. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.” “I don’t mind if you want to throw me out”, Robbie said. “I wouldn’t blame you. I’m so sorry for all that happened. I hadn’t realised before what a nut job my mother is.” “I don’t want to throw you out”, she said, wrapping her arms around him. “That wasn’t the real you back there, this is the real you and I love you!” He kissed her and then went off for shower while Sarah finished unpacking. She opened her make-up bag, found her lock of hair inside and closed her fingers around it. She wasn’t sure if it meant anything, whether Beryl had meant to use it to do her harm, but she hadn’t been prepared to take the risk. So, as Beryl had slept with her knitting, she’d snipped a bit of Robbie’s mum’s hair and replaced her own with it in the box. There was so little of it that the difference in colour and texture didn’t show. She laughed softly at herself. Daft really, she thought as she threw her hair in the bin. What harm could a little lock of hair possibly do? She could hear Robbie singing in the shower as the phone began to ring. “Sarah?” It was her Mum. “Hello Darling. I’m just calling to see if you’re ok.” “Mum, it’s so good to hear your voice, I’m fine, never been better! Are you having a good time? I’m so sorry I was so moody before...” “We’re fine”, her Mum replied. “But to be honest, we’re homesick. I think we’ve done enough travelling to last a lifetime. We’re coming home in a couple of days. I’m so looking forward to seeing you again.” “I love you,

Mum”, Sarah

said. “ I love you too, Sarah.”

Those words were music to her ears!

What do you throw out when you want to use it but take in when you don't want to use it? What goes up and never comes down? What has a foot on each side and one in the middle? What has to be broken before it can be used? What kind of coat can be put on only when wet? What question can you never answer "yes" to? Which is correct to say, “The yolk of the egg are white?” or “The yolk of the egg is white?" Answers on page 21 *******************************************************************

Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards. Vernon Law A mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original

dimensions. Anonymous

My name is Rose Whyte, and I am from Donamon. There are many pleasant places to visit here such as Donamon Castle, The River Suck and the fishing bays. Every weekend I like to go to the football matches with my children and go for a walk in the evening around the castle. I enjoy meeting my friends and often like to go to town for a nice meal with them. My hobbies are walking, reading, and I am a member of our Church Choir. My favourite television programme is The Late Late Show, and my favourite film is The Quiet Man. My favourite actor is John Wayne, and my favourite actress is Maureen Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hara. I like to read books about Angels. In the summer I hope to go to the Canary Islands on my holidays. My favourite place is Lanzarote. I feel most confident when I am able to master any new task that I set for myself.

A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night and in between he does what he wants to do. Bob Dylan

Anchor

Age

Yardstick

Egg

Paint

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you asleep?

None. The yolk of an egg is yellow.

Answers:

Titanic Tales When the doomed Titanic began to sink, 38 year old Annie Funk, a missionary on her way home to her ill mother in America, was offered a seat on a lifeboat. She climbed aboard but a moment later, some children in the boat began crying for their mother who had been left on deck. Knowing that there was no more room in the lifeboat and unlikely to be another lifeboat leaving the Titanic, Annie decided there and then to make an incredible sacrifice. She stood back from the lifeboat and helped the children’s mother aboard. Thus, Annie ended her life as she had always lived it – in the service of others. When her family and friends later heard about her gallant act of sacrifice they declared, “she was one of those who modestly stood back and helped to put others into place of safety before thinking of herself.”

Rose Whyte

My childhood memories by Jacinta White My! What can I say about my childhood memories? I have so many and here I am going to share just a few. One thing I can say is I had one of the best childhoods ever. I came from a family of seven children, (three boys and four girls) and two loving parents and the best granny ever. From a young age I had glasses and not the classy glasses we have these days, well mine were ‘jam jar glasses’. Because I had a speech problem when I was a child, I was spoilt rotten. I really knew how to twist my parents around my fingers. I was also a daddy’s girl and got away with murder over the years and even in my twenties. My sister and me are close in age (one year and eight months exactly). We were and are very close and did everything together. My mum will always remind us about stories about what we did when we were younger. Thinking back now, I’m surprised how we survived. My Mum and I had a conversation recently and it went like this: “Remember Jacinta when you had long blond curly hair down to my backside? You went into the bathroom and you got your hands on a pair of scissors and cut your hair on one side up really short and flushed it down the toilet. When you went down to the living room your two older sisters were horrified and they made you put your hand down the toilet to retrieve the hair that you had flushed earlier? Oh yes! I remember it well! When my mum saw what I did, all I can say is, my older sisters were given orders to keep a close eye on me from then on. Another day, my sister Sinéad and I were out in the garden and picked what we thought was rhubarb, brought it in and started eating it with sugar, until my mum shouter “STOP! What are ye doing”? We replied “eating rhubarb”. “No”, said Mum, “they are dock-leaves”. We had many different food combinations such as weeds, ice-cream with perfume, custard with tomato sauce, cat and dog food and drinking shampoo and conditioner that’s just to name a few. But what kids will do, we will do and we were brave to do them. Another day while my mum who was minding my baby brother (who’s now 30) sent us all out to the garden to weed the garden, what can I say I left the weeds and pulled the vegetables. My mum was not a happy camper.

We were all sent to the bog during the summer to turn, foot and if the turf was dry enough it was then brought home. It was very hard for the older kids and my parents to keep an eye on Sinead and me, if we were not throwing peat balls at each other or to the older siblings, we

were playing in a bog hole or trying to jump over a large bog hole whether it was full of water or if it was dry. My sister and I would go to my best friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house who was a boy of our own age. We used to go into the field that is next door to his house and play horse back with the ewes and if the ewe fell down we would pick another one to play with. If my dad was doing a service on the car I was out there helping him and I enjoyed getting dirty and to this day I still enjoy getting dirty and greasy while servicing my car or the family car. These are just a few childhood memories and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

****************************************************************************** I live in the countryside with my family. I have two boys and one girl they are aged 9, 11 and 14. We have lots of animals and it is hard work looking after them. I am a student in the VEC. I do maths and computers. It is great to have the VEC to help me and other people out so that we can help ourselves and also our children as well. I enjoy the classes I do in the VEC and it also gets me to meet new people. There is great support for everyone in the VEC who attends.

Pauline Kelly

Hi, I am from Romania. I have lived in Roscommon for several years. I love Roscommon. I have two girls. They are aged ten and five years. They are very happy in school here. I attend Literacy class and Computers in the VEC. I enjoy meeting others in the class. Margareta.

The Journey This a piece, typed up collaboratively, meaning that as each of us typing could see what the others were typing at the same time. This was another technology we used in class. My name is John and I started at the VEC in Roscommon two years ago. When I started, I did not know how to use a computer and was not good at reading and writing but it has got a lot better. It has been an enjoyable two years. I found it very good, it was strange at the start to be back at school, learning how to read and write. The strangest thing I found was it was so relaxed, no fear and everyone was so helpful especially Geraldine. She is brilliant, so relaxed and easy to talk to. I found out I am not stupid as so many teachers told me years ago. We did a mime that first Christmas and it was great, I could not believe I could do anything like that, but I did and it was good for my confidence. This year, we did a sketch and I really enjoyed it and the preparations and rehearsals before it. When I was at school, I hated it. The teachers were not nice and my earliest memory as a five-year-old is fear of the teacher. She was always shouting at me and I found it very frightening. The atmosphere at school was always negative and it was not a nice place to be. I think the beatings in front of others were the worst. They were very degrading and made me feel ashamed when I was told so many times that “You are stupid”, or “You are no good”. Those teachers did a lot of damage to children. I am so glad I went back to adult learning as it has changed my life, my confidence and self esteem have improved immensely. I now feel able to talk to people in authority without being afraid. I have started a new hobby, dancing, and I love it. It’s a great way to exercise and meet new people. I am able to go on-line now and book my flight to England where I go to visit my son and grandchildren. Education has given me freedom and a voice and I thank God for nice teachers. _____________________________________________

September 2011 to present. On an Open Day I met with staff, they were and continue to be patient and very helpful and made me so welcome.

My name is Jacinta and I started here in the adult learning centre (VEC) in

In Personal & Interpersonal Skills classes, I gained a good understanding of how people communicate and deal with anxiety and other emotions. I got to understand myself better and to understand other people better as well. Everybody has their ups and downs and on a down day it good to try and cheer people up. It’s amazing that I have enjoyed the year so much and I have shared with my tutors and my classmates. I am going to miss coming back here in September 2011. I have learned the importance of keeping my CV updated and how to present myself for interview. I have also enjoyed learning computer literacy and digital media and learned so much. I never knew that there are free applications on the internet such as PhotoPeach. I put pictures or videos on to PhotoPeach as a presentation at Christmas. I learned also about Scratch and also about Word, Excel and the Internet. In literacy I became confident in reading and spelling and I am now not nervous to read out in front of people and now if I am unsure of anything I will ask question to understand things. I wish to thank everyone for the most enjoyable learning experiences I have had here in the Adult Learning Centre and to wish everybody the best of luck in everything that you all may do. It is so important to have respect and be respected and this has been my experience over the past year. The time has gone by very quickly. Two years ago I came into the Roscommon Adult Education Centre and was met by a lady called Geraldine. Right from the start she made me feel right at ease. I started doing subjects such as literacy, computers and maths. We’ve had four tutors, Elizabeth, John, Yvonne and Geraldine. They have taught us so much but more importantly is the confidence and self esteem all four of them gave to us all. I found the literacy a wonderful subject. I'd never been a great speller but this subject has helped me so much since I started. I've grown in confidence and low and behold I've even written a story. Sometimes when I think of the story I simply can't believe I wrote it by myself. Just to think I'd just been about able to write a letter before I started here. I now realise I love reading and writing. They and thinking of returning to education I'd highly recommend this course. I’ve grown in confidence and more able to communicate and we had so much fun and

say there's a book in everyone - well now I believe it. Anyone who is reading this

laughs along the way. I feel when people like me think of returning to education, we automatically think back to our school days, but returning is nothing like school days. We are now grown adults with lives of our own; the staff is so respectful and understanding. Not once in the two years have I felt stupid, thick or dim witted as teachers used to so love telling us. I do wonder sometimes if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d told us we were great and wonderful from time to time, how much more we'd all have got on in life. I was also in a mime last year and this year I was the mc for our night out I couldn't believe I spoke in front a crowd for two and a half hours. Not bad for someone who'd never done it before. Out of my two years here if I could repeat that night I would but time and tide waits for no man. When I started in September I looked at the time sheet and what subjects I could do from Monday to Friday. The subjects I did were Maths, Literacy, Digital Media, Computer Literacy, Personal and Interpersonal. Skills and Communications. It has been fun and I have made new friends and we all have had our ups and downs. This year I am finishing up and I am looking forward to putting what I have learnt into practice. I am communicating more and not bottling up any feelings and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great to relieve the stresses by communicating. Our Trip to Belfast by Carmel

We left Roscommon on Tuesday the 22nd May last in a large coach for Belfast. There were approximately 40 passengers aboard. We stopped at Dungannon en route and had a full Irish breakfast. We arrived at the Titanic Exhibition at 12.30pm. We were escorted around the museum at 1.00pm. It was fantastic with so much information and we spent several hours there. We were picked up outside the exhibition at 4.00pm. Then, we were taken by coach to the Holiday Inn Hotel where we checked in. After 7pm dinner, some went down town for a few drinks. I was in bed at 11.00pm but some people stayed up till 3.00am. Oh to be young! A most enjoyable time was had by all . After breakfast, we had free time so most went shopping downtown where we got a few presents to bring back home. We checked out of the hotel and

tour guide who took us to the places we had been hearing of down through the years such as

at 1.00pm we boarded the coach and went sightseeing round the city. We had an excellent

The Falls Road and Shankill Road, Crumlin Road Jail; we saw the Peace Wall and the Murals. Our last stop on the tour was Stormont and what a sight that was. We were so lucky with the fine weather. We left Belfast at about 2.30pm. We stopped off at Dungannon on our way home and had a lovely dinner. It was a very educational trip and we all arrived home,

exhausted but happy at 8.45pm. The trip was a great experience. I might go again some time.

Looking After Yourself You are what you eat and a balanced diet helps you manage stress and stay in a good mood. Stay clear of sugary and processed stuff. Sweets biscuits fast food and soft drinks. They might give your bloodstream a fast burst of energy but it’s only temporary-what goes up comes down again and this means your mood as well. Eat more whole foods. Foods that release energy slowly are a lot better for you. Popcorn jacket potatoes wholegrain cereals brown bread wholegrain pasta and brown rice. Move Any activity that gets your heart pumping like dancing running football walking or swimming will help your brain release endorphins a good mood hormone. This can help you feel less anxious calmer and may also give you a break from your problems. Express Apart from talking to others you can also express how you’re feeling in other ways like writing painting or drawing. This can help get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper and can make sense of them. Chill Find something that helps you relax. Exercise, writing, reading, watching a film listening to music or meeting friends that can help. This will help your mind rest and help you to unwind. It’s especially important to unwind before you go to bed as this can help you to get a good night’s sleep. If you’re in a situation that you find upsetting taking three slow deep breaths will help you lower your heart rate and feel calmer.

Julian Cunniffe

About Billy the Kid By Eamon Kedian William Henry McCarty, Jr., to the world known as Billy the Kid, was born in New York City on November 23, 1859. His father was Patrick Henry McCarty and his mother was Catherine McCarty. His father died in 1866. William Henry McCarty and his mother moved to Silver City, New Mexico and she remarried William Antrim. His mother died on September 16, 1874 of tuberculosis. He became an outlaw and a fugitive. On the run from Authorities, McCarty moved to Arizona briefly before joining up with a gang of gun- fighters called the ‘Boys to Fight’ in the Lincoln County War. Known as ‘The Kid’, McCarty switched to the opposition to fight with John Tunstall under the name ‘The Regulators’. He killed Sheriff Brady during the Lincoln County War. After being sentenced to death, he killed his two guards and escaped in 1881. He was hunted down and shot dead by Sheriff Patrick Garrett on July 14, 1881 in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. McCarty was buried with four of his gang. There had been a reward of $10,000 whether he was DEAD OR ALIVE.

McCarty was a teenage outlaw of the Southwest who is immortalized in American History. Legend has it killed 21 men during his days as an outlaw, one for each year of his life. No one would be more surprised than Billy the Kid that his autograph sold for $2.3million at auction on June 25, 1990.

This interview was conducted by students in answer to questions set by students. May 2012 Roscommon

NALA is an organisation that works to improve learning for adults. Adult literacy and numeracy teaching is different from teaching in schools. It is designed to meet each student's needs. Students set the agenda. We students decide our own goals, what we want and need to learn and how we do it. NALA ensures that we continue to have these choices even though our economy is not good.

They have a fund that is there to support learning outside of the classroom, this year, our centre applied and is to receive this to make our trip to Belfast happen.

Feedback from students

Have meetings in other places other than

Dublin

Question: What is the ONE big change learners would like the NALA student sub-committee to promote this year?

Reassure students that they are as good as others in the class

How can NALA do that? Have real students and not actors in adverts on TV

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget about farmers and rural Ireland. Base worksheets and books around activities that suit them.

More workbooks available to learners, should be available free with newspapers

How are literacy students using new technology and social media? Sending e-mails and checking FAS websites are the main things. Some of us taxed our car on-line, checked the opening times of the cinema and the library.

One man bought a dog on Done Deal

How has going back to education improved your life? Has it also helped your family? I can fill in forms without being full of anxiety. When I go to a meeting, I can give an opinion. Doing MC gave me a great boost at a social event. I ask to take the form home and then I am not under pressure. I know my rights better. I am much more confident and walk with my head held high. I am going to VTOS in September. I can discuss things like Facebook with my children. I can help with homework. I have got certification that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have No Grade or Fail.

I was treated as an equal by my teachers and it made me feel great.

What advice do literacy students have for the new SOLAS organisation? What can they do to help adults with literacy difficulties?

Don’t assume that we are all spongers. Don’t assume that we will all want to go to college. Don’t assume we should be treated as ‘different’ students who just need to learn to read and write, we need to be able to use computers but it takes us longer than others. We need to have a social club and a student committee Give the same recognition to basic education that is parttime as given to full-time students. Learning is more difficult for us and our experience of learning is mostly poor in the past. Give us longer courses. Help us get jobs locally.

Give us a chance.