Poetic memories for teacher and student
50th anniversary of Mary’s winning poem
This photograph was taken in 1973 by William J Heaney on the occasion of the winning of a poetry competition at the Lough Gur Literary Festival (Co Limerick) by Mary Kelly, originally from Bawnmore, Borrisokane, who now lives with her artist husband Pete Pooley and children in Killaloe.
The story behind the photo began when Cyril McLoughlin, then of Ormond St, Nenagh, was teaching mathematics to the Second Year students of Borrisokane Vocational School. As a reward for his students' excellent results, Cyril decided to make time for the class to write a poem.
He entered their poetry in the Lough Gur festival. Mary won first prize for the poem she wrote, titled ‘Look Around You’. She was presented with the U15 trophy by Donncha Ó Dúlaing of RTÉ.
Writing in the Nenagh Guardian at the time, WJ Heaney said the “feelings of delight and joy shared by Cyril and his pupil, Mary, were beyond measuring”.
The reaction of teaching staff and pupils at Borrisokane VS was summed up by headmaster Dermot J Dunne: “This is an example of success achieved by teacher and students through engaging in extra mural work above and beyond the call of duty. If everybody in every vocation in this country simultaneously decided to put in that extra effort, the face of Ireland would be changed overnight and the impact on the whole economy would be staggering.”
Subsequently, the poems of students were used in the development of the Educational Woodwork curriculum, at the behest of the Department of Education, titled ‘Creative Works in Woods and Words’, for the Transition Year programme and special needs education in Borrisokane Community College.
REUNITED IN WRITING
Mary was reunited with her former teacher in November 2014 when the Rosetta writers group was founded in Nenagh. The writers adopted the name ‘Rosetta’ (key to understanding) after the space mission of that name that was operational at the time of their inaugural meeting.
Cyril and Mary continue to enjoy writing and reading their poems and stories with others in the group, who have achieved enjoyment and success with publications and awards.
‘Look Around You’
What's going on around you?
Have you ever stopped to see
Or are you blind like everyone, including me?
We don't want to be reminded
Of the hungry left behind
These people are always the last ones on our minds
We say ‘what can we do’?
Our money we do share
A penny here, a penny there
But really we don't care
All we think about is progress
And making money every day
As for wanting children
Let them keep out of our way
I don't want them begging down my street
Nor takers round my feet
Now we go on living
While hungry children die
And when we see a mission box
We only give a sigh
More money to be given away
Why do we have to pay
To feed black people's children
To let them live just one more.
Mary Kelly, 1973 (with edits)