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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.

First day of school
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  • First day of school

    Source: Michael O'Reilly from Lusk Co Dublin heading off on his first day at school.
  • First day of school

    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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47 Comments
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    Mute THE VOICE
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:05 PM

    Ive a funny feeling Santa will be coming earlier than usual in this house……

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    Mute Ivorpabst
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:56 PM

    Fnar, fnar.

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    Mute Jenster
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:03 PM

    Another nice news story. Congrats to them both.

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    Mute Ciaran R
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:06 PM

    Santas prob already emptied his sack!!!

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    Mute Stephen Barry
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:41 PM

    Ho ho ho ho good one

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    Mute Jim
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    Dec 21st 2013, 5:28 PM

    He can’t, he’s got snowballs.

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    Mute Ciaran R
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    Dec 21st 2013, 6:27 PM

    Haha love it Jim

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    Mute Harry Webb
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    Dec 22nd 2013, 5:01 AM

    She could have been a virgin, isn’t that the Christmas story!

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    Mute mary jones
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:05 PM

    Awwww.. Damn those onions I’ve been chopping! So nice to see something happy in the news. Congratulations and happy holidays to you both. May you have a long and happy life together.

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    Mute John Buckley
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    Dec 22nd 2013, 5:37 AM

    Nice story and all that (as the article doesn’t say it, I have to presume she said ‘yes’, but it’d be hilarious if she actually declined his proposal), but people crying over it is taking the whole thing a bit too far!

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    Mute Eadaoin Hogan
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    Dec 22nd 2013, 10:32 AM

    I agree…. How can u read the journal and chop onions at the same time is what is like to know…..

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    Mute Sharon Obrien
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:14 PM

    best of luck to both of you and many happy years together.

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    Mute Gráinne Duggan
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:46 PM

    I’m scratching my head trying to figure out how anyone could red-thumb this story

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    Mute Rubber Head
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    Dec 21st 2013, 6:07 PM

    Because we are men

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    Mute james cullen
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    Dec 22nd 2013, 12:16 AM

    I know it’s mad

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    Mute tmwtbc
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    Dec 21st 2013, 5:22 PM

    Lovely story. Santa is a very lucky man too!

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    Mute Tina O'Kelly
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    Dec 21st 2013, 6:29 PM

    awww fair play, and who says Irish men aren’t romantic? That must have taken some organising! Long life and happiness together to them!

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    Mute thomas the tank
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:59 PM

    Rudolph the red thumb reindeer

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    Mute Sir Charles Chattan
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    Dec 21st 2013, 8:02 PM

    What’s all this Mum stuff, surely in Ireland we say Ma or Mam.

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    Mute sean t bugger
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    Dec 21st 2013, 4:27 PM

    Home wrecker

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    Mute Maura O'Grady
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    Dec 21st 2013, 7:18 PM

    They are together for eight and a half years, and have a daughter, it can’t be that much of a surprise.

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    Mute Amy Croffey
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    Dec 22nd 2013, 3:46 AM

    Bah-humbug Maura!

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    Mute Hippocrateeth
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    Dec 21st 2013, 6:14 PM

    I’m still trying to get my head around how they got a sheuna pike, they don’t even have feet.

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    Mute Fiona O' Brien
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    Dec 21st 2013, 8:30 PM

    Lovely story but did her daughter get to meet the real Santa?!

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    Mute Janet De Hora
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    Dec 21st 2013, 10:39 PM

    I’ve got something in my eye… Lovey story, original, thoughtful proposal. Wishing them all the best!

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    Mute Just Some Guy
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    Dec 21st 2013, 7:30 PM

    The things people will do just to get attention. Pathetic.

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Dec 21st 2013, 7:34 PM

    Like troll.on the journal?

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    Mute Chris Cotton
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    Dec 21st 2013, 5:09 PM

    Awe cute

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    Mute Margaret Martin
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    Dec 21st 2013, 11:30 PM

    Ah that was lovely.hump the begrudges,!some jealous.

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    Mute Moccy Fondoo
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    Dec 22nd 2013, 6:45 AM

    - How do you turn a Fox into an Elephant…..?? – marry her…

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    Mute Spud Jones
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    Dec 22nd 2013, 1:52 AM

    Hmmmm! I see there’s a child involved, hmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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