a cara......ironically 60 years ago ireland was in the final year of its first coalition government....the rationing of the ..."emergency"....was still with us but things were improving....and at home on mchale road the bacon factory was begiining to get into full swing......the old tar and stone footpaths were about to get replaced by concrete...perry como ....was on the charts with..."if"...nat king cole....swooned us with ....too young...and unforgettable....and ....johnny ray.....pulled ourheart strings with .....cry.....joe blowick was still a celebrity.....and ....at st geralds i was a student.....march '51 brought a breath of light and fresh air to the school.....tommy horkan...from spencer street fresh from his graduation at ucg...was appointed a temporary replacement teacher.....from his first day in the classroom....tommy eased the tensions that were part and parcel of the school.....he taught in a laid back....informal way....always injecting ...humour....and interest.....he was a great user of the blackboard....and in his enthusiams....chalked the board with power often sending pieces of chalk flying....he used the classroom like an entertainer uses the stage.....totally different style to his contemporaries....he grasped our attention ...because his approach invited involvement......i can still see his gold signet ring that decorated his little finger....often when he tried to make a point he would pound his desk...not in a hostile scary way ...but rather in a political gesture.....his classes were cherished and we looked forward to his lessons.....not long after ...tommy took up his position he introduced what was to be a most memorable extracurricular activity....he was a pioneer....in the launch of his novel experiment.....he introduced a debating society...and a cycling and historical club......these got mass support.....he organised debates...that were active and lively.....he had us form a committee.....however our most enjoyable activity....were the adventures of our cycling ...historical events......on one of our earlier trips our group cycled out moore hall.....this was an animated exciting trip as we headed off....we rode pass the station ...and off out the ballyheane road....tommy had a green raleigh bike ...complete with 3 speed gears....a dynamo...and pump nestled in the under frame.....spring was in the air....and smell of freshly blooming flowers filled the air.....blackthorn road hedges were alive with breaking buds ...and the wren and robin ...flitted in and out of the bush as the didi their dance of courtship....and house building.....as we got to ballyheane we stopped for a mineral.....and a slab of sharps toffee....off we rode again ....and soon we were riding up the road of the moore estate......as we rode up the road we could see .....the waters of lough carra to the left....the surroundind land was speckled in water holes as the winter and spring rains and frost had not yet dried up....i remember my first glimpse of this magnificent....wasted mansion.....it stood staely on the hill that overlooks the lake and surrounding fields.....the grand mansion was in a state of disrepair ...and i am sure was but a shadow of its former grandeur......we parked our two wheeled steeds.....and ...tommy gave us a little account of the history of the place....and the moores....avove the grand portal....was a plaque that read ....john moore ......first president of the republic of connaught......i remember my first impressions of this place....i looked at the grand portal....and ascended the steps ....i wandered into the grand hall.....some of the fine cornices that decorated the magnificent ceilings......myself and barry jennings explored as much as we could......i remember out in the stables....and the great wall the secured the orchards and vegetable gardens......i envisaged fine....elaborate.. horse drawn carriages drawing up to the house....as guests and noble folk perhaps came for an evening of recital.....tommy told us quite a bit about the moores....and how the home was torched ....by the anti treaty regime...aka....devs....old ira.....tommy showed us the castle island where legend has it ....the ghosts prowl at night.....incidentally one of the moores is buried in the mall......after some ham..and cheese sandwiches ...a bottle of lemonade ...we headed back to town.....later we debated our experiences at moore hall....another expedition that holds my memory fast...is ...a cycling trip we made to pontoon......and lake conn....i remember as we rounded clydagh bridge.....and palik brownes....and passed the bogs of ross....the wild barreness of that area.....with perfumes of turf and dailwas in toxicating.....on the left ....the ruggednes of the white mountain broke the landscape......soon we approached mary mcgowans ...and devanneys.....and more bog ...this whit mountain bog land produced ....black rock turf....that burned as warm as coal....the sods were short down cut....brittle to touch....and the bog was ....covered in scorce....low whin...and cotton tuffs.....on this sunny day....the sun danced on the kaleidescope of colour.....wafting an aroma of turf and wild flower......we came to the ball ally at pontoon....and we stopped at healys where myself and barry jennings bought a stones ginger beer....e refreshing tart drink.....we explored the area....and gazed out at the far shores of the lake.....and the estate at massbrook.....little ddid i know then that i was to live ...on that estate...during my ...lost weekend...we eventually headed home....and as we cycled towards castlebar....we watched the spirraling smoke....rise from the chimneys of the the many thatched homes that braced the hills of the windy gap....we rode effortlessly home.....and as we approached tuckers lake ...with loughrans quarry...breaking the multiple shades of green ...i got a flat tire....no repair kit so....i walked home the rest of the way....that was the way it was ...that march of '51....when a local guy....tommy horkan....infected the lower classes of st.geralds ...that march ....he breathed ...a new interest into his pupils....he inspired many ...and i have never forgotten one of his classic....qoutes....he's a bum.....never knew where or why he coined that expression....but ive never forgotten ..his time as a teacher.....later i heard tommy headed to texas....ah...for the joys of once upon a good time.....

......the only means of strenghtening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing.......to let the mind be a thoroughfare...for all thoughts.....not a select party.....

....tog go bog e......