“Growing up, I always wanted to be like my family. They’re very hard-working and very clever. I have three brothers and four sisters who all went to college. They’ve achieved great things. One of my brothers is in the movie industry. I also have a sister who is a medical scientist, and another who works in government. Watching them all go to college was a great inspiration for me. I was determined to go myself and wouldn’t let anything hold me back. I wanted to be successful.

History and English are great passions of mine. When I was young, I used to eat the books! I loved diving into them, learning and reading from cover to cover.

So, when it came time to apply for college, there was no doubt about what I wanted to study.  I was delighted to receive a place at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. For me, it was ideal. A nice number of people attend the college. It wasn’t too big and everyone was friendly. The accessibility was also amazing. Mary Immaculate College (MIC) has automatic doors, lifts and an online library. Or if I wanted to take out a physical book, I could go to the library, and there would always be someone to help. At MIC, everyone knew each other. You could speak to all the students and tutors on a first-name basis. It felt like a family.

The course itself was great and very interesting. There was a lot of work and a lot of reading, though! In History, we covered much of Irish history in the 1920s, as well as American Modern History. For the English part of my degree, we studied classic literature like ‘Wuthering Heights’ to more contemporary works like Claire Kilroy’s ‘The Devil I Know’. My favourite lecturer was a man named Eugene O’Brien. The way he spoke to you, the way he demanded focus, he used to walk around the room with an aura. He was very engaging. I’ll never forget him!

For my dissertation, I didn’t want to do what everyone else was doing. Everybody seemed to be writing about Seamus Heaney. But I wanted to do something different, something a bit crazy. My dissertation was on the “Social and Oral History of Billiards and Snooker in Limerick”!

I was inspired by an old snooker hall in Limerick. I like snooker and was familiar with the building, but I found that no one knew its history. So, I decided to research the historical significance of snooker and billiards in Limerick. I discovered that they were quite important socially. Because people had no money, the halls provided a cheap place to go and socialise. It was a big part of people’s lives. I wrote about how it became popular in the 1850s, up to its decline in the 2000s.

For my research, I wanted to discover where they played and what it was like to play. I had to find and read historical newspapers that reported on billiards and snooker. I also interviewed people who used to play.  My main man was Mr Morgan Hayes. He was one of the top snooker players in Limerick. He’s now about 75. I was invited to his house, and we spent a lot of time chatting. Without him, my dissertation wouldn’t have been possible; he gave me lots of information.

Derek from MIC was also a great help to me when I conducted interviews and wrote my dissertation. He was my scribe and mentor. The amount of support he gave was incredible. I really look up to him. Enable Ireland got behind me all the way, too. If I had a bad day, or if college was getting too much, like if I had a big assignment coming up, the hub at Quinns Cross was always there for me.  A visit to the hub and a cup of tea helped me to relax.  I could ring the staff and say I was having a bad day. They’d talk me through things. It was a useful coping mechanism when I was caught in the stresses and pressures of finishing my dissertation.

I felt a huge sense of achievement when my dissertation was finally submitted. When I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and English (first class honours) on graduation day, I couldn’t stop smiling!

Now I’m kept busy by my role with Enable Ireland. When I finished college, I secured a job with Enable Ireland’s Virtual Services. My role is to edit PowerPoint presentations and videos. I also give constructive feedback on webinars. The analytical and writing skills I developed through my degree have been useful in my new role.

In my spare time, I’m rereading the course literature for fun rather than studying. I miss MIC both socially and academically. So, I’m planning to apply for a Masters there soon. I can't wait to get back into the books! Watch this space.”