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Big School

They grow up so fast: It's the first day of school for Ireland’s infants

It’s an emotional day.

WHILE SOME CLING to their mother’s leg, others rush in to the classroom to play with their new friends.

Every child has a different reaction to the momentous and emotional first day of school. Sometimes it actually seems to be tougher on the parents as they send their little ones out into the world.

Photographer Sam Boal from Rollingnews.ie was there to snap some photos of the new junior infants class in St Catherine National School and Gardiner Street Convent School.

They grow up so fast: It's the first day of school for Ireland’s infants
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    Source: Michael O'Reilly from Lusk Co Dublin heading off on his first day at school.
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    Source: Michael O'Reilly after his first day of school. Not impressed.
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First Day of School

    Source: Sam Boal
  • First day of school at Gardiner St School

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • First day of school at Gardiner St School

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • First day of school at Gardiner St School

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • First Day Gardiner St School 18

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • First Day Gardiner St School 14

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • First Day Gardiner St School 16

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • First Day Gardiner St School 15

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • First Day Gardiner St School 19

    Source: Mark Stedman
  • First day of school

    Aedan Conroy at the Heath N.S, Portlaoise

The Benhaffaf twins, who were formerly conjoined, were among the children starting school at Midleton’s Educate together National School in Cork. RTÉ reports the two boys normally walk with the aid of a walking frame as they each have a prosthetic leg but they made their first walk to school unaided this morning:

Did you have a little one starting this year? How was it? How are you feeling? We’d love to hear your stories in the comments section. Or if you want to share some of your own memories of your first day in school, fire away.

Here are some of our own memories of that day to kick it off.

I had recently chopped the top off my finger and had an enormous comedy bandage on the middle finger of my left hand. In all the pictures I am just standing there, giving everyone the enormous middle finger. Also, I was only three and my mother lied and said I was four because she couldn’t be arsed keeping me at home for another year.
My mam told me I walked into the classroom, took out a copy and pencil and just sat there waiting for someone to teach me something. She stuck around for a bit and was talking to me but I just looked her dead in the eye and said “It’s ok Mam. You can go now”. (Random aside: eight years later, she drove me to my first day of secondary school. She was sitting in the car talking and I just look at her and said “It’s ok Mam. You can go now”. I don’t remember this but she said it was pretty uncanny).
I thought you only had to go to school for the one day, and that was it. When mum asked how the day went, I said it was okay, thinking I had done my one day and that I was all done. Then she told me that I had to go back there every day. I was devastated.
I cried my tiny eyes out until at least 12pm, or whenever they started stuffing us with cookies.

Send us on your photos from today to tips@thejournal.ie

Read: Planning a trip to Dollymount Strand? You’re not allowed to swim there today>

Read: ‘The finest young man’: Tributes paid to teen who died in tragic farming accident>

 

 

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