TUS and the awful March weather

Jean''s Journal with Jean Farrell

The Athlone Regional Technical College, opened in 1970, more than 50 years ago. We called it the RTC for a long time. Maybe some people still do.

I did a night course there, one winter, in 1979, and I was never in it since then, until last week.

Now referred to as TUS, it is a marvellous busy place with young people from all over the world studying all sorts of subjects.

I stood reading the long list of the societies a student can join. A man, my age, joined me. We got into chat wondering what goes on when the animal society meet, or the graffiti one, or the occult society. Neither of us knew what an analog, anime, table-top or pass society could be about.

This man told me that he is a retired teacher. He went to college in St Patrick’s Training College in Drumcondra, many moons ago. The one and only society there then was The Saint Vincent de Paul.

“Imagine,” he commented, “being young here now. I could join half a dozen of those societies. Think of the interesting people I'd meet and how exciting it would all be.”

‘Ní thagann ciall roimh aois’ is a seanfochal I referred to last week. ‘Youth is wasted on the young,’ might that be another version of this. When one is eighteen, one is much more interested in frequenting discos and nightclubs, than joining societies. This is because a very basic human instinct is working away within us, at a subconscious level. It is directing us to find a mate and procreate, while our eggs and sperm are at their freshest!

The reason I was in TUS was to support the committee of the Saint Patrick’s Day Festival, called Croí na hÉireann. They were all attending an event in TUS, in relation to this. I was invited to come along, as one of the judges in the parade.

The Saint Patrick’s Day Parade was excellent, but oh, what dreadful weather we had for it. It poured rain on all those marching and on all those watching. What a great pity. You can plan for everything in Ireland, except the weather!

I hope, dear readers, that as you are reading this, the weather has improved. Throughout March we had some awful showers, as well as whole days that were dark and gloomy. I looked out at this dreadful depressing weather and thought of those new houses we see on television. I’m referring to the ones that have entire walls made out of glass. These are indeed lovely when one is looking out at the sun shining on a beautiful view.

However, these would not be so lovely when one is looking out at dull dreary rain falling, all day long. I watched some of these programmes during March and observed that most of these huge windows do not have any curtains on them.

During March I was very glad to close my lovely bright curtain, early in the evening, in order to banish the sight of continuous rain falling.

On one of those awful days, I ran into Dunnes Stores, holding my drenched, blown inside-out umbrella. A woman was standing at the door, looking out at the terrible rain. It was blowing sideways. The wind was so strong that the rain couldn’t land. “When I left my house, an hour ago,” she told me, “The sun was shining and I chanced hanging out three big duvet covers.” “They’ll be soaked by now,” I said. “Oh, I don’t care if they’re soaked,” she replied. “I just hope they’re not blown halfway to Moate.” I laughed as I did my shopping, imaging three huge duvets flying in the sky!

I meet readers regularly while shopping. One told me that she wished to disagree with a comment I made recently. I had written that I’d like to like gardening, as it involves exercise as well as relaxation. I wrote that when the work was done the gardener can sit and ‘smell the roses.’ Not so, at all, my reader told me.

She said that the work is never done, in a garden. If you do sit for minute you see that the hedges needs trimming, that the weeds need killing, that the grass need cutting yet again and that the flowers need dead heading. Gardening is all work she told me, and added, “It’s getting too much for me as I’m getting older.” I discussing her comments with my three gardening sisters and they reluctantly agreed. They do love their gardens but the work there is never ending.

In view of the fact that news nowadays is all negative I want to state that I went to Dublin on the train last week. The train arrived on time, it was clean, there were no rows taking place, no one had loud music playing and a pleasant employee walked up and down the train throughout the journey. I got the Luas into town and I saw no anti-social behaviour on it, either. My sister and I walked from a function held in Parnell Square in Dublin to a hotel in O’Connell Street at 10.30 pm – and we live to tell the tale!! We felt perfectly safe all the time. Don’t be put off travelling because of the bad experiences of a few.