Too Mature for College?

Article published in Irish Independent Supplement, June 2010

by Irene Brayden

Like many people, I found myself staying at home to raise my children, not necessarily as a life-style choice but as the result of a career move by my husband. During those years, which were immensely rewarding, I did manage some part-time work and even managed to update my skills somewhat.  I faced my demons with IT and did an ECDL – not without much anguish, I might add. In fact, in relation to computers, my motto soon became ‘if it can go wrong, it will’ – I lost files, deleted content, sent emails to the wrong people – you name it – it happened to me. It did, however, keep me in part-time work.

So when the time came, it was quite a shock to realise that my CV was not nearly strong enough to get me a job interview, let alone back into the workforce. This was very diplomatically confirmed in replies to job applications – apparently candidates with a minimum 3^rd level qualification were now desired. A relevant degree was a criterion which popped up more and more on the person specifications in jobs ads. I suddenly found I was out of the running for the type of work I wanted – in the communication, PR & Marketing fields.

Not one to like being be passed over, I realised I needed to update my skills - or at least package them in a currently recognised and acceptable format (a degree). Like lots of people, I had often toyed with the idea of going back - though I prefer the term ‘going on’ - to college to pursue academic interests. So when I saw the advert for an honours degree in Public Relations, I thought – this is right up my street - everything I could have wished for and more!  The course content seemed exciting - Computers (well no harm in brushing up), Communications 9Traditional) Web Design, Photography, Graphic Design, Business Law, Social Psychology,  Politics, Online Communications and Marketing, , Marketing, Advertising, Business Accounting, Entrepreneurship, plus all aspects of in-depthPublic Relations – the modules (subjects) sang out to me. What’s more, this course was at my local college, Dundalk Institute of Technology.

A quick phone call told me how simple it was to apply – just fill in a CAO.

Now that scared me – the CAO was something my children would soon be thinking about – not something I thought would ever apply to me.  Would my paltry few ’honours’ from 1975 be on a par with today’s high points achievers?

Nervously, I went ahead with it and although I seriously thought about withdrawing my application by summer – having a severe case of the dithers –for some reason I didn’t.  Then followed a short - and friendly – interview, before being formally accepted.

When I went to the ‘welcome day’ for first years –some of the parents asked me whether I had a son or daughter starting that year – they tried very hard not to register surprise (shock) when I answered no actually, I’m starting myself.  Some friends thought I was mad – signing up for a four year course at my stage in life!

While queuing to register I sat beside a young lad who said he was 17 (OMG seventeen!). He was so nice and friendly (‘well brought up’ I could hear the ‘mammy’ in me saying).  I collected my welcome packs – filled with free passes to the local night clubs – offering free drinks – and info on contraception. Nice, I thought - I can leave this surreptitiously around the house for my teenagers to check out. It was also quite reassuring to know that when they get to college, they might get this info too. The night clubs and free drinks – I haven’t yet availed of – for some things, I really am too ‘mature’!

The first day, I have to admit, was daunting. But my ‘friend’ from registration said hello (so well brought up!) and I sought out a girl who had babysat for a friend of mine, insisting to myself ‘we’ had something in common! It was a start.

The lecturers were great, they didn’t bat an eyelid – outwardly anyway - and I fell into the routine of answering their questions about why are we here etc, as openly and honestly as my cautious maturity would allow.

Now, three years on, the whole process has been a real eye opener. I’m currently finishing a work placement, back in the land of ‘real work’ for a while.  However, I really miss the camaraderie of my fellow PR classmates. I mean, who else of my friends (of my generation), gets in excess of twenty ‘happy birthday’ messages on Facebook?

I won’t go into the detail of the three years of class life.  We’ve all come a long way, our personalities and confidence have developed – we have established by now who we all are as individuals and that we don’t all have to be the same to get along and work together (Social Psychology module definitely worked).  Group projects provided some interesting situations as tensions mounted and personalities sometimes clashed. However, I would recommend this as a valuable learning experience for anyone.

At this stage, I can’t wait to finish – and that’s a testament to the course - as I believe I will get work out there in spite of this damned recession.

My message to all - whether unemployed, recently made redundant (either from a paying job or as a mother) or just fed up with others passing you over for promotion – get to your local college and find out what’s out there for you.  ‘Up skilling’, ‘knowledge economy’ and ‘smart economy’ are terms which can apply to you too.

It’s really easy to access the information and there has never been a better selection of education and training opportunities. New, Government schemes are available which allow unemployed persons to keep existing benefits if you do go to college, either part-time or full time. Check them out at individual colleges or the local social welfare office.

You won’t regret it.

And yes, all the clichés about ‘going back’ to college are cheesy, but true – ‘life changing experience’, ‘I didn’t know what I was missing’ and ‘best thing I’ve ever done’. For me, it’s not the best thing I’ve ever done – that will always be reserved for family – but it is the very best I could possibly do for a future career.

And I am so looking forward to our class end of year night out – shh… can’t tell the details...

Red Shoes - Christmas Party Season - Book Clubs and Friendships

Have you ever bought a pair of shoes that you just wanted to wear to everything? What  to wear with them - is almost irrelevant. Well, I did -  this summer  - in the sale I might add.

Which brings me to my point - our Book Club just had our Christmas night out and of course, I wore my red shoes!


Never has there been a book club so concerned with hair, shoes, and the feel-good factor of women's lives. And every time we meet  - which is monthly - we always leave wanting more.

We've forged such friendships over the ten or so years since we formed. We rarely miss a meeting - it must be a really serious reason if we do!

Together, we've been through numerous births, marriages and sadly, even deaths of our extended families. We've had lots of Communions and Confirmations and of course, significant birthdays.

The various family crises of the combined group would be unbelieveable if written as a book. We sat through the evening of 9/11 together - one of the group had a son in New York at the time - and we waited with her for his call. We've had many belly laughs together and quite a few tears too. Yes, we could write a bestseller - but I suspect, this is one book which will never be written.
A year or two ago we started keeping a record of our meetings - for ourselves - and it makes for a great read - a real social history.

We've been through numerous bottles of wine, countless chocolate biscuits and lots of other goodies during our nightly get-togethers. And someone only has to suggest it's time for a meal out - could be summer, Christmas, or even just for the fun of it - and we're off. We've been to most of the eateries in Dundalk and Balckrock and a certain one in Carlingford. Along with hairdressers, we've discussed, praised and often recommended  many and yet still we try all the new places.

So what about the Red Shoes? Well, you see, the Christmas Party Season officially started last Saturday with our night out (in the Ballymac, this year) and funnily enough, there were no complaints. (Although, I still hate big screen TVs in hotel bars - but we won't go there!) We were treated royally and we thank the management and staff and of course "Mr. Oliver" for his round of drinks. And there was someone else who bought us a round of drinks - who could that have been?

We talked and laughed our way through the night. The Kris Kringle pressies were distributed with much oohing and aahing- and as for the Red Shoes - well they got plenty of attention.

Now that's all I'm saying.

Watch this space -I'm working on a list of the books we've read

Panel Poet (RTE 2 Mon 26th Nov 2007)

The Panel can be very funny sometimes... though not as often as it used to be. I think Andrew Maxwell has come on in leaps and bounds - or maybe he was just hiding his talents?

Their guest, Murray Lachlan Young, (Nov 26th) poet, writer, performer - well,I have to admit - I'd never heard of him. Nor was I terribly impressed at the start of his interview.
But his poem "If you gonna go, Keith, (don't do it like that)" was a revelation. The cleverness is in the telling. So go on, have a listen!

And for more about him.

Dundalk -Things don't happen Overnight! DkIT, Ice Dome, Dundalk Stadium & Dermot's Road

I was lucky enough to attend the recent launch of the new DVD to promote Dundalk as a place to live, work & invest and visit. It marked another stage in the strategy to create a favourable image for the town which has previously suffered fron some bad press. (If I hear the term "El Paso" again I'll scream!)

Many of the town's "movers and shakers" were there. Even our very own Jim Corr!
The County Manager called on one and all to become an "ambassador for Dundalk" promoting the town in a positive way at every possible opportunity.

Very timely indeed, you might think, seeing as our next assignment is on, yes, the very thing, Dundalk - the brand!


So these are my thoughts: sure, Dundalk has suffered from a serious negative image. And yes, it did suffer in the 70's and 80's from the death of many of the indigenous manufacturing industries for which it was famous: we no longer manufacture Guinness, Cigarettes & shoes.

Of course nobody wanted to invest in an area where their buildings might be blown up. Were there really more bombing incidences here compared to Dublin? I haven't got the figures to hand but whatever the statistics, there certainly was a lack of belief in the town's future.

Either this perception was craftily manipulated, or was the result of a general apathy caused by the recession and the disruptive political situation north of the border.

Luckily, we've moved on. And just in case anyone thinks it all happened overnight, because of the "celtic tiger" (another term I want made extinct) well no, it didn't.

Because these things take time.


It has been a few years since the term "gateway town" was first mooted. Again, this hasn't just happened overnight. We're still waiting to hear if we will be awarded some funding from the Gateway Innovation Fund (GIF)
For sure, there are plenty of examples of the progress that's been made: infrastructure in the form of roads, the M1 - Dermot's Road - as Peter Malone, Chairman NRA and Chairman DEDG - Dundalk Economic Development Group)calls it - our very own Motorway. We can go all the way to Wexford in one direction or to Newry and beyond.(By the way, I'm sure I don't need to explain that the "Dermot" referred to is our very own senior Cabinet Minister Dermot Ahern)

And have we forgotten about the Enterprise - surely one of the first new transport projects to put Dundalk on the map as a "commuter town", back in the days when Mary O'Rourke was Minister for Transport. What luxury that new train service was - and still is. Today, we take it for granted. The twenty-somethings have practially grown up with it!

The slow but steady build up of the town around the Inner Relief Road with Shopping, Office, Warehouse and Leisure developments in its immediate vicinity has changed the face of Dundalk dramatically.

We have some beautifully re-developed town centre landmarks such as the Museum, the Library, the Court House and the Town Hall. The Corner of Market Square and the Demesne has been rebuilt, rejuvenating that section of the town centre. All these have been done to the highest architectural and design standards, taking their surroundings into consideration and enhancing the heart of the town.



New hotels, developments at DkIT, the Ice Dome, Race Track and Olympic-sized Swimming Pool are all further examples of the progress that has been made. These didn't just happen overnight. There are many more examples. And yes, there's lots more to be done.

But they are all proof that while many were bad-mouthing Dundalk (and sure, there were some unsavoury goings-on) many good, honest, hardworking people in the town were working quietly together on a voluntary basis, for the overall good of the town.



Let's hope they continue doing so because things just don't happen overnight!

Assignments & Deadlines ibid & op.cit.

The joys of assignments and deadlines, referencing and research. We're right in the middle of it and the deadline (already extended) is in a matter of hours. How come it always ends up being last minute?

With all the advice, guides and notes on how to write a report, why is it that there are always a hundred questions: like, what exactly are the "terms of reference"? What exactly should be in the primary research and, as for the referencing system - well - the questions are endless.

Does anyone know the difference between ibid and op.cit.? I dare you to try!
Some suggestions: Op.cit. - the answer to Mary Harney's prayers?
ibid - Ireland's version of ebay?

Every eventuality is covered. Or so it seems, until you go to reference say, a website. It's impossible! Surely all those clever Joe's (or Chucks or Dwanes) at Harvard could have come up with something simpler.

When I'm reading something and it refers to a website, I'm quite happy if the website is linked. It makes sense! Not everything on a website has an author/date etc. Sure, throw in the author's name if it's there.

You have to hand it to them though - with their love of detail and guesswork - if the Da Vinci Code hadn't already been written, they might have come up with that instead!

Maybe all that's missing is a bit of R&A (that's romance and adventure)
Who says a report shouldn't be a good read.

I think I'll start again!

Well Well Well! - What price a cup of tea?

The Well at DkIT. Now run by Campbell Catering.

One tea bag (standard quality), one polystyrene cup and boiling water = €1. Ok maybe, if you're having just the one!

But add another couple a day and it's a significant amount of money. Add to that, the huge queue at eleven and it's a recipe for not so "well-being", in fact, I'd go so far as to say ill-feeling, all round.

Now I'm not critizing the girls who work there, who are by the most part friendly and efficient. After all, I'm guessing they are only doing what is asked of them by the shortsighted management of Campbell Catering. CC take note - just because people don't complain all the time doesn't mean all is "well" in the the garden!

Firstly, the price - how can CC justify One Euro for this most basic of beverages? THe price of coffee I can understand. After all, we are in the land of lattes and luxury in this (post?) Celtic Tiger Ireland. But that's an entirely different issue! Some of us were practially reared on the cuppa tea!

Secondly, we actually have to queue to hand over this hard earned Euro. When we only have 15 minutes for our eleven o'clock break - is this not a "wee bit - well, crazy?"

Surely there's a better system? Could we be trusted to throw our money into a basket - just for the cup of tea? Well, probably not!

Let's go even further and suggest the price is reduced to 50 cent and any extra thrown into the basket goes to a chosen charity. That would be well good.

I feel myself "welling up" from their kindness already!

Nervous about an interview or presentation? - A lesson for the future.