THE NATURE TABLE, the projector, the bosca bruscair… these all ring a bell, right?

There was such a great response to our nostalgic look at schoolbooks that it got us thinking about things that everyone (well, most people) did in primary school.

Now, I’m just going to take the roll, and then we’ll begin…

1. Covered their books in brown paper or wallpaper, often woodchip

Image: AbhiSays

2. Obsessed over the Trócaire box

Photocall Ireland

3. Drank from tiny milk cartons (and usually struggled with the straw)

Julien Behal/PA./File image

4. Groaned when the projector was brought out

Images: Seomra Ranga

5. Rejoiced when the telly on wheels made an appearance

6. Learned to sing Zacchaeus, Growing Up, Here I Am Lord, Jesus Sat Down in the Shade of the Tree, Children of the Universe etc etc

YouTube/YGKids

7. Read Ann and Barry, or maybe Tara and Ben, Busy at Maths or Spórt

All images provided by Audrey Cunningham

8. Longed to graduate to ‘joinedy-up writing’

9. Asked “an bhfuil cead agam dul go dtí an leithreas” and called the bin the “bosca bruscair”

Image: School4Cabra

10. Wrote in one of these

Image via Boards.ie

11. Brought something in for the nature table





12. Played some form of chasing, elastics, skipping or football

Image: Mcq.org

13. Awaited the Christmas annuals with bated breath

Image: Suzanne O’Connor

14 Carried a HUGE bag

Eye Ubiquitous/Press Association Images

15. Played with marla (and called it ‘mála’ )

Image: RetroDundee