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'My teacher told me not to get my hopes of an A in the Junior Cert up - now I'm on the syllabus'

Poet Hazel Hogan’s Grangegorman has been added to the recommended list.

DublinCityLiterature / YouTube

A DUBLIN SPOKEN word poet says that being added to the recommended poets list for the Junior Cert is “amazing”.

Poet Hazel Hogan’s poem Grangegorman has been added to the recommended list sent to Junior Cert teachers this week alongside other young poets Kerrie O’Brien and Colm Keegan.

The poem had been chosen as one of 12 poems to represent the Dublin Unesco City of Literature.

The achievements are not lost on Hazel, who was told that an A in Junior Cert English was not within her grasp.

Tweet by @Hazel Hogan Hazel Hogan / Twitter Hazel Hogan / Twitter / Twitter

However, she tells TheJournal.ie that the widely-spread tweet was more a personal reflection than an indictment of the education system.

“Well, it was realistic for the teacher to tell me that. It’s quite hard to get an A but I was eager and English was my favourite subject and I really liked that teacher, so I wanted to do well so I suppose it’s quite disappointing all the same. I think I got a B in
the end.

But I remembered it because of the Leaving Cert. I was just thinking about how things have changed. It’s funny looking back on that and seeing how different things are. The fact I didn’t get an A doesn’t matter now. Exam results don’t define you.

Hazel says that getting on the recommended list was a shock, but an honour.

14963351_10211531693474767_6716222499402731383_n Hazel Hogan

She says she awoke to a text message saying the poem had been picked.

“I was in shock. I’m on the list beside the likes of Sylvia Plath and other poets that I’ve looked up to.

“I feel very lucky. Dublin has a lovely thing going on with poetry at the moment and the fact that they picked us is amazing.”

The selection comes as Hazel prepares to release a book of poetry and street art with the collective OutStraight. That book will launch with a block party event on 9 September in A4 Sounds, St Joseph’s Parade, Dublin 1.

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    Mute Tony Stanley
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    Nov 8th 2011, 4:23 PM

    At last, I can afford that additional ivory back scratcher!

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    Mute Gearóid Ó Murchadha
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    Nov 8th 2011, 6:40 PM

    Haha, that’s exactly what they increased the interest rate by last month and that was their sixth increase since may 2010!

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    Mute Derek Mc Greevy
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    Nov 8th 2011, 6:33 PM

    wont make much of a difference to my mortage tha.k god 5 more years left bring it on

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    Mute Dermot Browne
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    Nov 8th 2011, 6:17 PM

    Additional?! Posh or what….

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    Nov 8th 2011, 7:40 PM

    These people have bumped up repayments a number of times in the last few years. This is just a PR stunt and when no ones watching bang another increase.

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    Mute Lou Brennan
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    Nov 8th 2011, 7:35 PM

    Too little too late.

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    Mute Johnny Zillion
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    Nov 8th 2011, 7:01 PM

    Not good, we need to pay these higher interest rates to keep the EBS solvent

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    Mute paul daly
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    Nov 9th 2011, 2:52 AM

    they’ve only dropped them because they know if they dont the Government will step in. the only reason aib wont drop theirs is because they didnt get a chance to rise it the last time before the regulator stepped in and warned them if they rose the interest rates again hed have a good look at their books. listen this would not have been passed on only for the pressure from the government. its not enough though. more is needed

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Nov 9th 2011, 1:41 PM

    Woooooohooooo!!!

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