Matthew Kennedy, NUI Maynooth

Matthew Kennedy speaks about his experience of being a mature student at NUI Maynooth. Transcript

My name is Matthew Kennedy. Im a mature student in Maynooth. My background is I was a Marine Engineer for many years and I took early retirement from my job. I had a passion for history long before I came to Maynooth and I decided to pursue it through Maynooth. They suggested I did an essay writing course prior to coming here and it was the single most beneficial item I had done prior to coming because it set me up; I hit the ground running on how to do essays, which was the major part of the first years assignments.

Since coming to Maynooth I have absolutely thoroughly enjoyed it. It is completely different from what I was doing. I had a love for history before I came; I now have a passion for history, resulting from my experience here. I have met other people who are interested in history to the same extent that I am so there are a number of us who now sit over coffee discussing history instead of discussing marine engines.

I am in my second year. I have to say it is tough, but we will get there, I think I will get there. We all feel the same, the second year is tough and we are looking forward to a rest at Christmas and in the summer.

People ask me why did I go back to College after I retired and I tell them that I had two options; go back to College and study history or do a PhD at home, but that was painting, hoovering and decorating, which I wasnt too enthused about. Also, I feel that if I hadnt come to College I would have had to go back to work and I would have gone back to sea, which I wasnt too enthusiastic about.

My prime subject was history, and I just looked around at sociology and anthropology. Anthropology really was the filler, sociology because I was involved in the trade union movement within my job and I was interested in sociology from that point of view. Last year I did extremely well in anthropology and its a fascinating subject so I kept it on and dropped sociology instead.




I would recommend Maynooth because its a small town, a little bigger than a village. Theres a fantastic academic atmosphere about the place without being aware of it. Just on the main street of the town or anywhere, everything is within easy reach, the pubs, restaurants or whatever you need on the main street, plus all of the facilities on campus itself. The friends who I have made since I came here are living on campus and there is fantastic accommodation, they are absolutely delighted with the accommodation on campus.

What I have learnt here, I was getting 75/78s last year and all of the comments were well structured essay. So it came from I tried to think back what it would have been like if I had arrived here without having done . [recording tails off]


END.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• NUIM
• Mature
• Student
• MAP
• Access
• National
• University
• of
• Ireland
• Maynooth
• Emer
• Sheerin
• Matthew
• Kennedy

[aseohosting]

cool !! .. great reporting congrats

[66845614]

Hi Sari fromFinland, Thanks for the comment

[Tiina858]

Hello Matthew, nice video. Regards from Finland :) Sari

[ismellREALLYBADtwice]

ha in my tutorial in first year!

[TLHobo]

I see this man on his bike ever time we have history. And he was in my tutorial last year.

And now I find him on youtube! Matt is everywhere!

[dadspens]

Go granddad. Molly and Morgan think this is the best thing on you tube.

[dadspens]

What a man. I bet he has a lucky rabbits foot stashed away that helps him get through!