During the penal times although the Irish people were robbed of education they still kept up their learning.
My grandfather who lived in Kerry, told me how he was taught. The teacher who was called "Paddy the Master", visited the farmers' houses now and again to give the children a few simple lessons.
The children sat, with slates in their hands in a semi-circle round the teacher. They listened attentively from their seats in the grass to his encouraging words to speak Irish. "For", he said, "we will do more for our country that way than by voting etc.