Mayo man Ernie Sweeney's literacy booklet is 40 years old

By Tom Gillespie

FORTY years ago literacy campaigner Ernie Sweeney, having learned to read and write, at the age of 24 years, wrote a booklet, ‘Did You Know’, which was published by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) in both English and Irish.

McHale Road, Castlebar, native Ernie has the distinction, 25 years ago, of having successfully campaigned for the inclusion of photographs of candidates on election ballot papers in this country.

In the booklet, Ernie wrote: “You just can’t imagine what it is like not being able to read and write. You are cut off from everything.”

The booklet was aimed at adults learning to read by other adult learners.

He continued: “I was born in 1950 into a poor family. I started school when I was four years old. I went through the school system in the 1950s without being able to read or write.

“I was a victim of the system like many other children of the 1950s. There were 50 in my class. St. Patrick’s National School was burned down (on Thursday, February 28, 1957) and we were moved to temporary accommodation in the military barracks.”

Then Ernie had an accident when he was nine. He was walking on the wall of the county council machinery yard - now Áras an Chontae at the Mall. He jumped off the wall into a pit of hot ashes and unfortunately he was wearing wellingtons at the time and both his legs were severely burned.

Ernie continued: “After 18 months in hospital I was lucky to be able to walk again. After the accident I was so far behind that I could not cope or keep up with the other students.

“When the Primary Certificate came (in 1963) I stood in for the class photograph (pictured) but there was no point in my going into the classroom as I could not read the exam paper. I felt left out somehow - I knew I’d failed.

“I started work in a local factory. I worked there for two years and then I changed into another job. I worked there for another 12 years.

“In those days there was not much need for the written word - what was needed most was the strength of your hands - long hard hours and badly paid.

“The reason I worked there for so many years was because I was afraid of going anywhere else because of my literacy problem.

“When I was about 17 I began to realise that reading and writing was very important. I got hurt many times because I could not read or write and I found myself in many embarrassing positions.

“When you get to the stage where you have to get someone else to read a letter from your girlfriend you feel pretty bad.

“There were no schemes then to help people like myself. I put my eye on this De La Salle brother, Brother Augustus, and I trailed him for years before I got courage to approach him.

“I knew he was a nice man and I felt he could help me but the courage to go up and say ‘I’m illiterate’ failed me for a good while.

“Eventually we worked together for many years. We both found it hard to do but the end result is that now I can cope very well.

“Although I could not read or write I had many other talents in all aspects of life. I am an international walker and I have represented Ireland abroad.”

Ernie was one of the founding members of the Castlebar International Walking Festival and for many years he was the press officer for the festival during which time he hid the fact he could not read or write.

Forty years ago he wrote: “I am now a professional upholster and learned my trade through practical work and reading about it. Reading and writing only help to complement all the other talents a person has.

“There are many people around Mayo - and in every county - in the predicament I once was in. Most people are too mortified to admit their problem. The stress and tensions that can result, the blighted lives, that’s terrible.

“Adults who can’t read are being deprived of their basic rights. For a start a person who can’t cope with the written word is deprived of the right to vote.

“But I am the living proof that it can be done. If anyone doubts it they can come and talk to me.”

Ernie was 34 when he wrote ‘Did You Know’. He was married with two children and at the time owned his own upholstery business.

A NALA spokesperson said: “In this booklet Ernie describes his struggle to learn to read and write as an adult.

“Ernie has done a lot to help other adults in the same position as he was once in.”