Podger and Tony

Not many people know this , but school teachers have a secret benefit-in-kind , especially primary school teachers . Most children remember all their lives , their first teacher . The first person they came to know after their parents and immediate family .
Larkfield School on Clareville Road in Dublin was my primary school , between 'babies's' school and the Primary Cert.
Our Headmaster was Mr. Sheehan , and of course , as all headmasters have , he had a nickname ....Podger . He would stand in the entrace hall , underneath the school clock each morning as we arrived , dressed in a neat three-piece suit , his waistcoat straining against his pot-belly , checking his turnip warch against the school clock for accuracy .
He had neat glasses , a pork-pie hat with front brim turned up slightly , balancing on his heels , ocasionally flexing the bamboo cane behind his back as he rapped out instructions on behaviour and appearance to each of us as we trooped in . He had a tiny trimmed moustache and rolling eyes . For all the world like Agatha Christie's description of her famous detective Hercule Piorot .
It was a well run school and although Podger was easy to characture , he was well respected .
My class teacher was a Mr. Taaffe , nicknamed 'Tony' ( it may have even been his true christian name ). A brilliant teacher , dealing with a class of about 40 ,twelve or thirteen year old boys , and still finding time to encourage youngsters to advance their education to second level ( which was by no means the norm at the time ) and even to consider third level which was unusual at the time except for the very well off .
He ran a 'tight ship'and although corporal punishment was order of the day , he seldon had to use his bamboo cane ' although I clearly remember a daywhen a note was being passed around the class with a rude word on it , the note was unfortunatly in my possession when Tony swooped . Outside , in the corridore , a few serious words of censure from Tony followed by a few 'biffs' from the bamboo cane , I seldom used rude words following that ( however with the chaos in our society at the moment I have started to use those words again ) He used tecniques well ahead of the times to encourage and motivate his pupils and advised myself at the time of the Primary cert to consider teaching as a career ( advice which I did not take , however ).
Tony often charactured Podger , but in very good humour ( Podger's son was actually in the class ).
I remember these men very well and appreciate the interest and guidance they gave all of us .
They are both probably long gone now but men like these have given a legacy to the country that is beyond measure . God Bless them.....