The trouble with Ireland is that it's a country full of genius, with absolutely no talent. -Hugh Leonard
" Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.Talent will not: Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not: Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not: The world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. What we do in life echoes in eternity "
- Calvin Coolidge
Kids I’ve seen here have an almost voracious curiosity, their eyes flash almost despite inquisitiveness (mixed with embarrassment for their bad haircuts). That curiosity seems to leave after a certain point, if only to revive in later life. The practice of continuing education (either professional or personal) is uncommon. There are far more bookmakers (betting parlors) than bookstores. There are more bars than cafes, and I swear the fact that I can’t get a decent cup of coffee here is a direct reflection of the level of intellectualism here. In terms of technology, few of us at work have yet to see a “computer store”, although there is a €900.00 Compaq at Tesco (on the shelf next to hair dryers). Cell phone stores are everywhere; CD and DVD stores are almost as common. “Software” consists almost entirely of video games. To get internet access at home, I had to complete an application and have it witnessed by a notary or a member of the police or clergy, who also has to be a customer of the same phone company.
Perhaps the best way to describe the educational system is from a booklet “Hint For Living In Ireland”:
School may pose the single most difficult adjustment for American families in Ireland. The standard of education is generally high, but it is not always parallel or transferable to the American system. One long-time American resident describes the Irish school system as a marriage of convenience between church and state; the distinction between private and public schools often seems fuzzy to outsiders. Both primary and secondary education are organized primarily on a denominational basis. Catholic or Church of Ireland authorities often own the grounds on which Catholic or Protestant schools are built. The church involved owns a percentage of the buildings but teachers’ salaries are paid from a government contribution made on a per student basis. In most primary schools the local clergyman or priest is the chairman of the Board of Management. Religion is taught as a subject in all schools. All Irish schools follow a national curriculum.
Children are rarely ability grouped; rather, the class tends to work together as a unit on most subjects. There is a very strong emphasis on English, Irish and arithmetic with very little time allocated to other subjects.
Results obtained on the Leaving Certificate Exam determine what Irish university a student can enter and what program of study he/she can pursue. University applicants are evaluated solely on the basis of points obtained on the exam; Irish universities do not see any transcript of their term-to-term performance in secondary school. In an Irish school, a C grade and numerical exam grades of 50-6-% are considered good grades. A grade of B is hard to earn and an A is rare indeed.
Personally, I think it is this co-mingling of religion and education that has the biggest effect on the intellectual life here. People mentally reject the religion because it was mandatory study, but accept the anti-intellectual bias of religion. In an effort to reclaim their Irish “roots”, Gallic was made mandatory in public schools. Adults will say they spent 8-10 years studying the language but can’t remember more than a few phrases. They didn’t choose to learn it, the study of it was forced on them, and so they mentally reject it.
But none if this explains why I can’t get a good coffee here. This was at Bewley's Cafe on Grafton street. Nice presentation, but the same disappointment.
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