An ice cream van giving out 99s and troop dressed as Peppa Pig and Minnie and Mickey Mouse helped to ease the nerves of junior infants embarking on their first day of school in Bishopstown, Cork on Thursday.
Principal Brian Cuthbert greeted his new arrivals at the gate of Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh Boys School and pumped a little drop of sanitiser into the hands of the children before they said their goodbyes to their parents.
Mr Cuthbert joked that the the meet and greet with the cartoon characters was part of a deliberate attempt to “cajole” the kids into school.
Tomás Kenny, who explained that he was “5½”, lined up outside with his mother Norleen and said he was looking forward to making new friends.
“I am excited. I went to playschool (in there). I want to be playing and going outside (with my friends),” he said.
Tomás, from Grenagh, said he wants to be a farmer when he grows up or else a Gaelic football referee so he can give out red cards. Norleen said that it had been a big week for family.
“His Daddy teaches inside and Tomás’ brother started playschool inside yesterday. His Daddy is teaching sixth class,” she said. “You would be worried but excited. Covid has made things very strange for kids but they are resilient and delighted to be in school.”
Mixed emotions
Llewyn Watkins was holding the hand of his mother, Niamh, as they arrived. Niamh admitted that she had “mixed emotions” but was mainly happy to see him start school.
“Covid has made a huge difference. We haven’t had as much preparation as we could have done. But we are all happy. Us adults have to rise above it for them,” she said.
Jane Burke was in the queue with her son Charlie, who was visibly excited when he spotted friends from creche. Jane, from Ballincollig, said that Charlie was really looking forward to his first day at big school and that having friends there would be a big help.
Eileen Drislane, from Douglas, was nervous for her son Tommy but delighted with the “fabulous principal” and the return to routine.
“With playschool being cancelled, they didn’t have a routine. But when they went back he settled in well. Once he is happy, we are happy,” she said.
Virtual tour
Austyn Biju (5) from Wilton was initially shy but came out of his shell when he saw Peppa Pig at the gate. His mother, Anu, said her son was her “one and only.”
“We got a virtual tour (of the school) on video because of Covid. Austyn has a little bit of a problem with English, but he will pick it up.”
Mr Cuthbert said he was hoping for a more settled school year after the impact of closures and remote learning brought about by the pandemic over the last 18 months.
“Covid has been been brutal,” he said. “The up and the down. You are in one day and out the next. We had to do a virtual tour to give people an idea of the school. But the weather is lovely and it’s a good morning for us.”
