When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Chloe Browne

Maggie’s Birthday Bus Growing up in a rural area on the Westmeath/Meath border, I was no stranger to a school bus. The bus acted as the bookends to my day, and was the social highlight of every schooling stage from four to eighteen. The very political hierarchy of seat selection, the sharing of snacks, the… Continue reading When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Chloe Browne

When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Leo Cullen

Journey to School My father, who was never quite sure of dates, always being far too busy, told me I started school in September 1952. Because of that I’ve always believed that in January 1955 – when a most important event in my life occurred – I was in first class at the Brothers, taught… Continue reading When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Leo Cullen

When We Were Kings And Queens of the Road: Bridget Goulding

Growing up in mid-Cork, we were lucky to live close to Kilmurry National School which was about a mile away. It was a four roomed school with four teachers. Two for boys and two for girls. Blackboards and chalk were the only learning tools and for the first few years I used a pen and… Continue reading When We Were Kings And Queens of the Road: Bridget Goulding

When We Were Kings And Queens of the Road: Katy Cox

My first walks were to and from Crane Infant School and Crane Junior School, Norman Avenue, Hanworth, Middlesex 1957- 1963. I must have started at Crane Infant School in 1957, but I don’t remember my exact age.I have no memory of the walk to school when I was an infant. Any memories I have about… Continue reading When We Were Kings And Queens of the Road: Katy Cox

When We Were Kings And Queens of the Road: Alice Taylor

Photo: O'Brien Press

To School through the Fields Going and coming from school was so varied, interesting and often challenging that it made school itself almost fade into the background. I did not venture on that school journey until I was seven years old, as the safari across a dozen fields of hills and hollows was deemed to… Continue reading When We Were Kings And Queens of the Road: Alice Taylor

When We Were Kings And Queens of the Road: Aidan Herdman

Photo: Aidan Herdman on a Camino cycle from Seville to Santiago de Compostela

My most memorable journey to school was when I was six years of age. Walking to Stanhope Street primary school I  encountered herds of cattle! It wasn’t a rural area, Stanhope Street is in Stoneybatter near Dublin’s city centre.  The reason why was because of the cattle market in Prussia Street, which was on my… Continue reading When We Were Kings And Queens of the Road: Aidan Herdman

When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Jin Yong

Photo: P3b Photography, reproduced with permission from the artist.

I was born in a small Korean town WangQing in China 1981, all my family are Korean by blood but we were born and raised in China.  The school was located about 2 km from our home, a small house with many neighbors and none of us locked the door. It was a very safe… Continue reading When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Jin Yong

When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Angeline Ball

I never thought I would say it but I miss my school days when the only thing you had to worry about was not missing Dallas on the telly because ’Who shot JR?’ I tell my children that I was walking a full mile and a bit to school on my own from the age… Continue reading When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Angeline Ball

When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Ciaran Cannon TD

I can confirm that the distance from our home to Kiltullagh NS is exactly three miles. I know this because I have travelled that road thousands of times, and as an adventurous child I couldn’t wait to make that journey by whatever means possible. My first attempt now forms part of our family’s history. It… Continue reading When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Ciaran Cannon TD

When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Vicky Twomey-Lee

I grew up in Limerick and am the eldest of four. When I was 7 years old, I went to Mary Queen of Ireland primary school in Caherdavin, a suburb in Limerick. Walks were only 10-15 minutes to and from school, and initially my mom walked me to school until I was old enough to… Continue reading When We Were Kings and Queens of the Road: Vicky Twomey-Lee