During the Covid-19 global lockdown a number of Rosemont past pupils touched base with the school and shared their experiences. Here are some of their stories.
I myself was pulled from placement due to the pandemic as I am a student nurse. I had only a small amount of college work and assignments to be submitted so I volunteered to go on the front line as a health care assistant and have been working in Tallaght hospital for the past 7 weeks. It’s been a busy few weeks but I am delighted, because of what I chose to study, I was able to offer my help and Tallaght have looked after me so well! Fortunately for me I have gotten to see my friends as I work alongside them, so that has been a huge help in keeping the spirits up through the hard times! I’m 100% more excited now to qualify next year and would love to travel and experience everything Nursing has to offer! Tallaght has been an eye opener. I’ve been working on both Covid and Non-Covid wards, both as equally busy as each other. I did 4 nights in a row last week and will be back to the madness next week! I hope everyone in Rosemont past and present are staying safe 😊 Sophie Brennan, Class of 2017
During lock-down I’ve just been trying to keep sane! I’ve been going out on runs and I’ve been writing letters to my friends. I have just been accepted into a performing arts college in Edinburgh which is very exciting so I’ll be moving there in September hopefully when things are back to normal! I hope you’re keeping well and that everyone in Rosemont are in my prayers ✨ Sally Keenan, Class of 2019
I can imagine the online teaching has been difficult for all and is not ideal in this current situation. My heart goes out to all of the staff and students, especially the 6th years who haven’t gotten the opportunity to enjoy their last term in the school with each other. I graduated from DCU in November and began working for PwC as part of their grad programme in order to become a chartered accountant. I have been working from home for the last 10 weeks now. It hasn’t been too difficult work-wise as I have all the equipment I need, but it’s tough not getting to interact and socialise with your coworkers apart from sending messages and having calls every so often. My department are trying to keep morale up by sending out a short quiz at 3pm daily, and at the end of the week some of the winners get prizes. There is a also a department-wide team quiz planned for this week too. Possibly the biggest difficulty for me is that I am sitting my first set of professional exams this year. They were initially postponed from May until September, but we have just received the news that all the exams will in fact be held as online exams for the first time. It’s going to be a new and even difficult experience and there is still a degree of uncertainty as to the logistics, but we are trying to look at the positive side, like the fact we don’t have to travel to an exam centre! Hopefully we are starting to see an improvement of the pandemic and I for one am looking forward to meeting a few friends outside and playing some golf now that the first set of restrictions have been lifted. I hope everyone in Rosemont is doing okay and I’m sure all the girls will be glad to get back to school once it’s safe to do so! Niamh Egan, Class of 2015
My family and I are very well. We live in Madrid, and we have been stuck at home for 2 months now. We’re trying to be very patient about all this! I’m taking this as an opportunity to study more and be up to date. I am studying to become a Pilot and it’s very hard work. We also do classes online now. I just can’t wait for us to be let out so I can begin my flying. Carolina Aznar, Class of 2014
On Thursday 12th March I taught my current 6th year biology and chemistry students about concepts that have become all to familiar outside the classroom – ‘ionfabhtú’, ‘galair togálacha, agus ‘tionchar vireas ar chóras sláinte an duine’. At the time, I didn’t realise that Thursday 12th of March would be the last class I will ever have with my current 6th year biology and chemistry students – or, in any case, my last live class. From then on, like many teachers I have been using the internet to continue to do my job, still preparing my 6th years for their upcoming exams (or so I thought). My school, Gaelcholaiste na Mara, has always engaged well with online learning, and while it has many positive (and at the moment, irreplaceable) attributes, it also has its own difficulties. In particular, it is difficult to teach without being in the room with my students, able to observe how they’re engaging with their work, and seeing tell-tale signs of distraction or confusion that can be easily corrected if I can pick up on it. I have found new ways to communicate with my students using OneNote, Teams and making Youtube videos of myself teaching various concepts in biology and chemistry, in Irish. It is no replacement for the ‘real thing’, but it is much better than being cut off entirely from the classroom.I always love this part of the school year, when classes are winding down, coursework is recapped and consolidated and we all feel the excitement of our students moving forward, whether that’s to summer, university, or to the post-secondary stage of their lives. It’s a little sad that I will be finishing up classes in front of a computer screen, but I am hopeful that I will be back in the lab soon, even just to clear out the storage room! Aoife Ní Chéileachair, Class of 2010
I hope you are all keeping well. It’s a strange time alright. We are all working from home safe and healthy thank God. I closed my cake business temporarily until restrictions are lifted further and parties are allowed again. Since lockdown I have created a DIY at home cookie and cupcake kit as flour etc was hard to find during lockdown and they have proven quite popular for kids and teenagers. We’ve sent them to people who are missing loved ones or for students graduating from school as a gift. Thanks again for the message, it’s lovely. Mind yourself and say hi to all the staff for me. Margaret Keating, Class of 2008
I am living in France where we are coming out of lockdown. We’re hoping cases won’t go up again but to be seen. Trying to stay positive. It’s a horrible situation. I have fond memories of my experience in Dublin, especially of the school and the families I stayed with. As a foreign student from Tanzania, everything was a world from home! I am taking a career break as I am taking care of my baby. I am enjoying motherhood! I look forward to visiting Ireland and the renovated school. Warm greetings to all the girls from my class! Mary Mosha-Duschl, Class of 1995