Growing up in Ireland and attending an Irish school proved unique in many ways, leaving us with nostalgia and memories – both good and not-so-good.
Irish teachers always had a way of frightening the bejesus out of us, yet they had a lasting impact on us and gave us that push we needed to pay attention and do our best in class, although they had a funny way of showing it.
If you went to school in Ireland, there are a few things that might ring a few bells with you, so let’s take a trip down memory lane. Here are ten things Irish teachers always said.
10. Don’t even bother coming in tomorrow! − the biggest threat
This was a standard answer from many Irish teachers when someone either forgot their homework or their exam papers or was purely acting the maggot in class. We took it as a challenge, but this was a typical sarcastic answer from our teachers daily.
9. Are you going to share that joke with the rest of us? − the ultimate embarrassment
Irish teachers just loved to embarrass us, especially if we were caught laughing at something at the back of the class. God forbid a note was being passed because our teacher would almost always make us read it.
8. Can I go to the toilet? As Gaeilge! − the famous phrase we all know
One of the main ways of drilling the Irish language into us was to force us to say the Irish version of ‘Can I go to the toilet please?’ in Irish, which was “An bfhuil cead agam dul go dti an leithreais maith se do thoile?”.
We wouldn’t be given permission if we didn’t know this; it was as simple as that.
7. There are five minutes left! − we couldn’t wait to leave
If any of us were caught starting to pack up our bags when the lesson was still going and the bell had not yet rung, this is the answer we got, making it one of the top things Irish teachers always said daily. We just couldn’t get out of there fast enough!
6. No running in the hall! − a big no-no
We would be screamed at for being late for class, yet if we ran into the hall to make it on time, we would be screamed at anyway. There was no way around this regarding being a good student, and Irish teachers used to love catching us out.
5. CIÚNAS! − a terrifying sound
The Irish are known for having the gift of the gab; as you can imagine, it started in our early years.
We LOVED talking, and even if we were in the middle of an exam or our teacher was telling a story, we would always find a moment to murmur something to our best friend, to which our teachers always yelled ‘Ciunas’ meaning ‘silence’.
4. Do YOU want to teach the class? − a typical bout of sarcasm
If any of us were caught chatting while our teacher attempted to get their point across, they would lose the plot and use this phrase to get us to shut up, which always worked.
3. I won’t be there with you in the exam hall − we wish they were
One of the main things Irish teachers always said, which was a dramatic way of putting things into perspective, was that they wouldn’t be there to hold our hand when exam day came around.
While many of us ignored this, we regret not paying attention when we sat fearfully in front of the exam papers.
2. I am going to have a STRONG word with your parents about this – the worst situation
Irish teachers always knew that getting your parents involved was a guaranteed way to prevent you from misbehaving or at least trying. Things always appeared more serious when teachers mentioned this phrase.
1. You will use this in the future! − a little white lie
Whether it was algebra, the Irish language or a story from the bible in religion class, one of the main things Irish teachers always said was that we would use these skills in the future. Were they right, though?
So, how many of these things that Irish teachers always said do you recall from your days at school, and which ones have we missed?
