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GROWING UP IN 1950s and 1960s Wexford, I hated school. It filled my stomach with dread, and I couldn’t wait to get out of there. I had dyslexia, a learning difficulty, which wasn’t understood and certainly wasn’t treated with patience at school.
At 14, I left school, and went to work in a local supermarket. I got married and then children came along.
My life was filled with dinners, school runs, and working. My only hobby was watching television from the safety of my sofa.
I realised I had no hobbies
Just over 12 years ago, the local shop where I had worked for years sold up. I lost my job. My children were grown up. I was at a complete loss; I felt vulnerable and scared.
My whole life to that point had revolved around working locally and providing for my family. This was the first time in my life when I looked inwards and realised I had no hobbies and a very limited social circle. I realised I didn’t really know myself at all.
What was I interested in? What were my talents? Was I even good at anything? When you’ve never been told you’re good at anything, it’s hard to find any confidence within.
Taking that first step
I live down the road from a centre called Access 2000, and for years I saw women coming and going - I was curious. I knew it was a community centre of sorts but assumed it was for older ladies.
One day I saw a sign that they were holding an open day for people interested in what they do, so I bit the bullet and went along. Some of the women attending Access 2000 spoke about their experiences, and I realised they had gone through similar difficulties in life to me – difficult childhoods, a fear of school and a lack of self-awareness.
Inspired by what I heard, I signed up to a computer course. Despite my positive introduction the thoughts of going to a course brought back the nightmares of school. I needn’t have worried. The tutors were patient and I didn’t have to do anything I didn’t feel comfortable with.
The learning bug
That first computer course gave me the bug for learning – I wanted to learn more, and to find out more about myself in the process.
I had always enjoyed maintaining my garden, so I decided to take a horticulture course. As the course progressed, I started to see small but positive changes in myself. I started piping up in class, asking questions, sharing my experiences and thoughts.
My new-found confidence stretched to my work life. Just before I took that first step into Access 2000, I had started a part-time position at a local shop for the National Council for the Blind. Buoyed by my new-found confidence, I suggested that we decorate the window as part of the Festive Windows Competition as part of Wexford Opera Festival. I modelled the window on one of the operas, and the shop won the ‘Best Dressed Small Shop’ award.
I know now that I am good at something
Since I stepped into Access 2000 that first day, I am unrecognisable from the woman I was. I know now that I am good at something.
I’m good at communicating. I’m artistic. I have a skill for listening to and identifying with others in similar situations. This is thanks to the wonderful tutors and staff who treat every person who steps through their doors with respect and dignity. They are always encouraging us.
No matter what your experience of formal education, or your age, it’s never too late to return to learning. Take that first step and pop into your local community adult education centre – it could change your life.
Anne Redmond is a native of Wexford, and is a learner, volunteer, and member of the board of management of Access 2000 in Wexford.
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Lucky them saving their ears from that torture.
@Andrew Kenny: OK Boomer, are Crosby, Stills and Nash not touring anymore? Is that why you’re lashing out at young folk just having fun…
@Sea Point: Young, you forgot the most important one
@Sea Point:
In all fairness though, her music is shyte…
@Regular John: it keeps me up all night…
What is it with powerful outspoken indecently thinking young women that , triggers so many men
@Robert Halvey: its because they are snowflakes and get easily upset with anything to do with Taylor Swift
@Robert Halvey: in this case, because she is none of the things in your list. I think it is the ridiculous hype that winds people up. Swift is a prototype for a certain business model in the music industry. That’s her real significance. It began with Presley and the Beatles and is now at the stage marked by swifts marketing,merchandising machine. Worth studying but the music itself ,though popular, is nothing to write home about.
@Robert Halvey: Just one of many things that upsets them I’d imagine. They spend their days complaining and accusing everyone and everything of being “woke”, constantly angry.
@Robert Halvey: i don’t like her music. I don’t like Ed Sheerans music does that mean I’m triggered by him?
@Alan: That’s fair, I think her music is the blandest type of pop that would never interest me. Very little pop music has any interest for me, at the best of times.
She gets a particular level of venom directed towards her that is just not justified though. She is extremely successful and worked hard to achieve that success. She has shone a light on how artists can take control of their music, via the Taylor Versions (which, regardless of what genre or artists you or I like more, benefits from).
Pretty sure that the most vitriolic types that attack her for doing her thing, are the same types that follow people like Andrew Tate or Trump.
@Robert Halvey: That’s an interesting point. Why do males react so negatively to successful women?
@Patrick MC Dermott: ‘Males’ may, Men don’t.
Male Taylor Swift fans getting their knickers in a twist over comments and calling other men snowflakes ?? … LOL, you couldn’t make that up !
@ben wu: but then these records come out in multiple formats and the fans buy them all. Extremely cynical marketing? Plus she doesn’t write all the songs herself, so the image is a composite of various other peoples ideas. Which is fine if you make a point of indicating that. End of the line for me is her bringing her boyfriend onstage ffs lol liberation for women, that’s what I preach
@Patrick MC Dermott: So because she’s a woman we have to like her music and say she’s great?
@Alan: As far as I know, regarding the Taylor Versions for those 6 albums, she has always had a songwriting credit, or co-contributing songwriting credit on every song. It’s literally the reason she was able to re-record them when she got blocked from buying the masters.
There are not many major artists that can pull off that sort of move, Prince may have been one, but he chose a different road.
That her fans bought those records, is not really of too much interest to me, and from what I’ve heard, a significant number of people that are not her fans (people that write songs) also bought them just to send a signal to the types that are buying up back catalogues just to profit off of.
@Ger Whelan: same here too much hype about them and music is over played
@Martin Bishop: ha ha
@Martin Bishop: More like they are baffled over peoples obsession with her.
@James T.Kirk: Do you not find it a little odd, that the ones that post on every article about her and shout loud about how much they dislike her, are the same types that view every article and think their comment has value?
@ben wu: her music all same and as for blowing his own trumpet well the world would be better place without him in it
@Karen Marten: Music tastes are subjective. There are a lot of very successful artists for whom I have utterly no interest in. I don’t engage in disparaging them or their fans, since…why bother? Could also add that success is a metric that is objective, whether number of records sold, or number of concert goers.
I’m fine with liking a lot of artists that don’t have pop success or mainstream recognition, I just don’t see any point in just hating on ones that I wouldn’t listen to. It seems very much like a waste of time.
No idea what the rest of your post even means.
I’m sure mammy and daddy will sort it out for them.
No wonder the Hoteliers where giving out about the strike, they where fleecing all these people flying in for the concert.
Oh diddums so sick of hearing about her ans hearing her naff sings
@Karen Marten: ok Karen
@orb7eckn: and what exactly are you saying ok Karen to. Oh could it be you are calling me A Karen
@Karen Marten: I’m sooo not upset .
Back in my day, a swifty was a quickly rolled joint.
What is going on here? A person with an average voice and who puts together two and three-chord jingles is paid billions? Plato warned that the decline and fall of civilisation would be preceded by the decay of its music. Future looks grim
“Shake it off…..”!!!!!
She make a great golf club
When will this Swift nonsense end?
It’s going on for weeks, just do your concerts and get lost.
There are other things going on besides these First World problems
Great.. Might be a few cheap tickets available then.
I only ever seen her eye glitch but I’ve never heard her voice and there’s a reason for that.
Ahh boo and hoo too!
Dear Friends in Music,
As a Non-Touring Independent Artist, it’s difficult to grow a fan base.
I’m looking for your help in building a bigger following on Spotify.
I would be very grateful if you could open the link below and click the FOLLOW BUTTON and then click the follow button on my Spotify page.
Very much appreciated,
Thank you
Patrick
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/patrickwestman/all-my-colours-fade-to-blue
Oh, the Humanity!
Bought two tickets, not for me I hasten to add, but have listened to a few of her songs, and she’s not bad. More a Zep fan myself, with a bit of Mahler or Boulez thrown in for good measure, but now when she comes on the radio, I don’t turn the dial as they say.
have your say