We’ve brought you memories from many schools around Laois.
This week we go just over the county border into Carlow but St Leo’s College have educated a number of Laois girls over the years and this list will bring memories flooding back for anyone who attended the famous school.
- Catherine Smyth rolls
We’re not sure where she sourced them from but they were the freshest rolls going! You could pick up a packet of cigarettes and a roll without as much as a single question and that’s why we loved Catherine!
- Sambodino’s Sandwiches and Rolls
On the odd day you decided to venture further, the queues at Sambodinos were ones to behold and boy was their coleslaw and potato salad incredible!!
- The Fountain
No one knew why, but time flew at ‘the fountain’ located outside Dinn Ri. This was the ‘go to spot’ when you were mitching! - The jealousy surrounding persons from other faith
It sickened every Roman Catholic that the Protestant girls got free classes during religion! If one didn’t convert then, they’d never convert!
- Summer Rounders
This was by far the most competitive competition within the school. Every class had at least one team and it was kill or be killed! The most unlikely of candidates had the greatest strike.
- The intercom
I’ll say it here and now, the school got great use out of this investment - The track
When we were marched to the track during PE class, we knew it meant torture. Ukkkk, wet and miserable is how one might remember ‘the track’. - ‘Outside classrooms’
Every class wanted to be placed in a classroom outside of the main school. It meant freedom! Little did we know at the time, that all the classes were streamed and looking back, they only allowed the ‘good classes’ be placed away from the main building. Those nerds! - The History room
Mr Nolan’s ‘hide out’! We longed to sit there for hours and hear Mr Nolan bring history to life! What made it better was the fact it was an ‘outside classroom’ and was once inhabited by boarders. That little bit of ‘history’ made it all the sweeter!
- The chamber choir
The chamber choir was an instant success from the beginning. Those long cloaks made the members feel they were part of Anuna and any day they’d make it real big!! They didn’t.
- The language lab
It was mentioned at every parent night like it was something to behold. Realistically it was a room with 30 headphones!
- The slope into the staff room
If you stood at the staff room door it felt like you were in Grand Central Station, the busiest spot in the school. It almost needed its own receptionist and only the new teachers or good old reliable Mr Cullen, would attend to your needs!
- Summer days on the football pitch
This was where we worked on our tans and made daisy chains!! The epitome of everything ‘girly’!
- The detention room
You weren’t anyone until you’d visited the detention room at least once in your life! Three occasions and it was time for the parents to be called in! Did anyone ever check that book?!
- Micky Buggy’s Bus
Why travel on the conventional Kavanagh’s bus from Stradbally when, for just a couple of euro extra, you could experience the legend Micky Buggy! Not only that, but in later years you got to mix with the Knockbeg boys! Ahhh, on the odd occasion he’d stop at Pedigree Corner on the summer days and allow you pick up a punnet of strawberries, or a bag of potatoes!
