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I LEFT SCHOOL at 13 years of age, and I’m 56 now. When I left school I couldn’t read or write, I had very little education whatsoever. I tried to teach myself over the years, but I just didn’t seem to be able to keep the words in my long term memory. So when it came to writing I found it very difficult.
It was a constant problem in my life. I found it very difficult to get work at times, and there was always this constant fear going for jobs – because a job could mean reading and writing. And then when you did get a job there was always this fear and anxiety that you could be found out. So I went through most of my life hoping and looking for ways to get around things that I had difficulty with.
I grew up believing that I was only one of a few; there was always the embarrassment of being found out, or being looked upon as stupid. It was drummed into us at school that we were stupid, thick, dunces. And that sort of lived with us, being told that in the early days. Before I went back to adult education, I only told one or two people. I kept it away mostly from my family, my friends and so on.
When I started telling people I was amazed to find that a lot of my friends and family had problems too. And they too were keeping it a secret. It’s very widespread. It was estimated a few years ago that nearly 20,000 people in the greater Dun Laoghaire area have problems reading and writing. The figure that the government has is that half a million people in Ireland have difficulty reading and writing. So when you see those sort of figures you say ‘My God, I wasn’t alone.’
When I went back to adult education ten years ago or more, I could read most things that were put in front of me, but when it came to spelling or writing I found it very difficult. After about a month, I was about to quit. I was finding it too difficult, and I told my tutor that I was going to leave. So we tried a few things, and it basically turned out that I was a visual learner.
So we played around with putting words in 3D form. The tutor brought in some plasticine, and we made up the words, some of the ones I was having difficulty with. And when the word was in 3D form, it was sort of like it was jumping up at me, I could see it sort of forming a picture.
I also used to draw the words on the computer in graphics, making them 3D and different colours. And I found that once the tutor would say the word, I would see it as it was on the screen. The words seemed to be going into my head and staying there.
I became a tutor six years ago, and I now teach literacy. Every now and then I have to pinch myself and say, I became the teacher. And I got the confidence to start writing; I write a lot of poetry now and a few short stories and so on. It’s all new to me, because I’m just constantly writing now. It’s a new world. The fact that I’m talking to you – a few years ago I would never have done that, would never have exposed myself to that.
I do a lot of things now that I would never have done before. I’ve talked to a lot of people who have had literacy problems, and one thing that none of us ever did – we never put ourselves in any situation where we could be embarrassed. So we would have shied away from anything like going into a restaurant, ordering a meal. Because of the menu. Or going into a bank and setting up a bank account. These are the things that came new to us later in life, when we got the confidence to do them.
There is a problem out there and it needs to be tackled. A lot of people with literacy problems are still out there, and they’re still hiding it. There are still children leaving school today with literacy problems. Even with one of my own students now – when I first met him, he was in the same situation as I had been. His head was down, he shied away from the fact that he had a problem. Now, five years on, his head is up. His life has changed in front of me. And I see myself in him. It’s amazing how much people change.
It takes an awful lot to lift the phone in the first place, and to go in. And even when a person does go in, it takes a few months for them to settle in. To convince themselves that they’re doing well; that their life is going to change.
Chris Potts is a literacy tutor in Dun Laoghaire, working with the National Adult Literacy Agency. As told to Michael Freeman.
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I recently used the express system and collected it in Dublin. They were brilliant in the passport office. I hear bad stories now and again but in my experience they’re great.
How long did it take you to receive the passport. I’ve to do one this week but am travelling in 3 weeks.
Took just over a week for me . But that was in February.
I just used it and sent it via passport express in the post office and it was back to me (delivered) two weeks to the day as promised. I’d get it in the post today if I were you.
I had to get a new passport recently and used the Passport Express service. It took 5 mins in the local Garda station, 5 mins in the Post Office and had the passport back in exactly 10 working days.
I plan in putting it through passport express tomorrow. Fingers crossed it’s back on time.
Same here, had sent it in via express but had to collect in office as i left it till last minute.have to say, the help from girls in office was great, i even emailed after collection to say thank you for all the help as i was truly impressed with the overall experience!
Ten working days from date that they receive it in office..dont forget to factor in bank holiday, and it’s sent back on the 10th day so ur looking at 2weeks from ur sending it to receiving it..id get cracking!!!
We got ours in exactly ten working days at the begining of this month but Id get it sent sharpish because it will only get busier and if there is a problem with the application it will take even longer.
Applied for mine via express 10 working days meant I should have had it Monday I got it Tuesday so not too bad really just get the application in as soon as you can!
Sharon get a letter from your employer & say you need it for work & it takes 2 days but its €150 if your really worried about how long it takes.
@sharon. 10 working days is the general process and delivery time unfortunately during the summer months you can expect delays, 3 weeks is cutting it very fine.
@Sharon O’Brien A friend of mine applied for her passport through passport express last Thursday week. She will be travelling in two weeks time and is now afraid she may not have it in time .She has tried to contact the office via phone but to no avail? Did you get in contact with them before you went in person to the office ? What documentation etc did you need to have with you? Many thanks
If people didn’t wait till the last minute there wouldn’t be a problem now would there??!!!! I sent mine in for renewal months before it expired and had it back in 6wks and plenty of time before my holidays!!
How can an express service be such if there’s no alternative?
Never had a problem with the passport office. Always received mine quickly. Usually before I was expecting it.
Apparently the system is so back logged right now that international people are waiting up to 15 weeks+ for a new passport.
How can it take so long?
Because around this time year the world & his wife seem to wait until the last minute to renew out of date passports & apply for the kid’s ones.
Eh, that would be the summer holidays, I reckon.
Amazing deduction Sherlock!
Be prepared for a long wait if you go to your local Garda station with forms and photos to be signed, especially if bringing children!
Took two minutes for us.
We weren’t so lucky. One man reporting stolen bike and when that was done the hatch was promptly closed. Rang bell and waited 10 min. Then all 6 forms signed, and then photos and forms signed and stamped elsewhere in station while we waited 20 min. At that stage the public office was busy with irate people waiting. When we eventually returned home discovered wrong numbers were put on two photos and had to return.
The Gardaí working in stations have to deal with prisoners, telephones and radios in addition to the public counter. When you get a load of people all coming in for the same thing at the same time things get even busier.
The Garda who attended to my forms was just learning as he went along and he was a senior Garda. He damaged one of my photos in the stamping press (lucky I had an extra one) and he took ages to get finished. In the end a junior female Garda had to help him out. Doesn’t say much for intelligence of our Gardaí (a sixth class child would have done it no bother in half the time).
Yes as I am very very aware of the activities of the Gardai.
I don’t need to be informed about the job description of the Gardai as I know it first hand. What irks me is that fact when you are left in the station with no one else there, a hatch is closed in your face with a thunderous scowling face of a Garda. Perhaps “I’ll / someone will be with you in a few minutes” would have been a better public relations exercise. Respect works both ways.
I have the utmost respect for the Gardai but what I witnessed first hand was shoddy. Not all Gardai are stationed in stations and it is embarrassing when they witness first hand poor public relations. All it takes is one ‘bad apple’ as well we know.
It’s a great service once you don’t leave it til the last minute, I applied in February and it was back in 10 working days exactly. Summertime it’s always longer.
The midwest, with a population of over 400,000 does not have a passport office, what a joke.
The country has 4.5 million people. How many offices do you want?? 2 is more than enough!
Do you not have post offices down around there??
And yet people in the Midwest manage to go on holidays too. Are their passports forged? Or have they mastered the art of posting?
The UK has 62m people and 6 offices. That’s one per 10 million people. What a joke!! :)
Every post office in Ireland is a passport office for your one every 10 years application.
You can also use post offices in the UK or apply by post. AND no traipsing down to your nearest police station to have the form/photos signed by someone who never saw you before.
Still beats the Irish system!
Thats all well and good but I’m in Australia and its taken since mid-april to get my passport as I went theough the Irish Embassy in Canberra.On the passport tracker it states that it has been posted but I still dont have it.Ended up having to get an emergency passport from the embassy for the Department of Immigration.Way too long to wait for a passport when theres an express option.Its more or less the same paperwork.
I was surprised to read that it would ‘of course’ be possible to submit an application in person. Even though I’m fond of the idea, having applied for a passport while living in central Dublin, wouldn’t it be more efficient to get rid of this service altogether? Better still would be to make as many people as possible apply online, for at least part of the process.
I’m still waiting for mine, sent away for it at the end of April… Would need to show up soon!
28th June apparently! Cutting it fine…
Wait till CPSU go on strike :)
My daughter was born here In Spain last year. When we wanted to bring my daughter home to Ireland we brought all the relevant documents to our local police station and had a passport for her within 30 mins. I couldn’t believe how quick it was.
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