Dungarvan CBS - you've got mail!

`Forget Ennis!" says Kevin Kiely, with a brazen grin. "We have fellows popping in at 11 in the morning to check their email." And, sure enough, they do.

The whole population of the 360-student CBS Dungarvan, Co Waterford, is surfing the net, downloading data, scrolling pages, using search-engines and navigating happily through cyberspace. The school has been on-line since last May and the principal, the staff, the secretary, the guidance counsellor and the students are all using the Internet.

Kiely, IT co-ordinator and business studies teacher at the school, is delighted with their interest. "We've had computers since 1985," he says. Today there are over 26 computers in one room and "it's the busiest room in the school. The computer becomes like a biro or a pencil. Email is now more common to the lads than writing a letter. I'm amazed at how it's taken off."

CBS Dungarvan could well be the first school in the State to have access to the Internet via a public cable system. Last May it installed Cablesurf, a new service developed by Pat Casey, a former past pupil, who now runs Casey Cablevision Ltd. The system doesn't rely on phone lines but on a fibre cable system. It's cheaper for the school, all the computers are connected to it and everybody at a terminal can access the Internet simultaneously and go to different sites.

"They can go to any site," says Kiely. "You can get guards - net nannies - which prevent access to some sites but all I have to do is click a button and see what sites have been visited. So, they have free access, but if a lad visits a site he's not supposed to, well then he's out."

The principal, Jim Ryan, says: "We trust the lads and they repay our trust."

Through the Internet, the school has twinned itself with a school in Newfoundland in Canada. They hope to do video-links in the next couple of months when the students will learn more about the historic links between Waterford and Newfoundland. Despite the very modern approach on computers, there is a timeless atmosphere about the school, which was founded in 1807. The playing fields slope down towards the waters of Dungarvan Bay. Inside a number of the original features from the early 19th century still grace the school, especially the beautiful wrought-iron staircase.

Eamon Connors (13), a first-year student, is sitting at a computer screen, scrolling through some pages. "We come in here whenever possible and we've classes in it as well," he says. The computer room is open from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., from 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. and on Saturday mornings.

Another first-year, John Ducey (13), has no problem explaining what happens. "You go to a search engine and you type in what you want to find out about - cars, sport, football, soccer, TV programmes. It's easy.

"At the moment I'm looking up local history on Dungarvan. There is a lot of information on newspapers and the museum there."

Kiely says that adults approach the computers "with some trepidation. They're can be afraid to even touch them but to young people it's a toy - there's no fear.

"Everyone who wants to have an email address has one. They get onto the Internet and then they can download their email. Some would have relatives abroad."

Kieran Lennon, a PLC student at the school, says: "I'm enjoying it down to the ground." There are 15 full-time PLC students at the school, which took in its first PLC class this year. Lennon, who was made redundant after 29 years with Waterford Foods, decided to study computers rather than go on the dole.

"I always had an interest in computers," he says, "and, hopefully, something will come of it." He is going to do a work placement with Data Systems in Abbeyside, Dungarvan.

Michael Hughes (19), a repeat Leaving Cert student, and Paul Twohig (18), who is in sixth year, are both in the computer room, calling up files and generally surfing the net. Hughes wants to do primary teaching and he's looking up training colleges. "This has put us on the map," he says. "We're the only school in the south that has it. We have access every day. It's giving people an interest earlier."

Twohig has the Internet at home. He believes more and more people are interested in computers now. "Before it was just a double class, but now you can go in at lunch-time or after school. We can come in any time we want it." John Murphy, who is in Transition Year, has information about Kurt Cobain up on the screen. "We've always had a computer room," he says. "When you're in here you can look up whatever you want. I like finding out about Nirvana, Hole, Fighters, all the indie bands." An acoustic guitar player, he can call up the guitar chords of various songs on the Internet, get a print-out and play them at home.

"Computers are better than books," says Victor Murphy, a second-year student. He has two computer classes a week but he also comes in at lunch-time.

Colin O'Mahony, a classmate, doesn't agree that the computer is better than books. "I use the Internet to look for books, I love books as well as computers." He lists "other stuff" he's interested in - the Corrs, the X Files and the cinema. "But I love computers - you can find anything on them really. They're a lot easier to work with than other things."

Kevin McCarthy, teacher of history and English teacher, sees benefits in computers. "They will have done spell-checks. They makes you more aware of sentence construction and syntax."

Principal Jim Ryan believes the Internet and use of the computers has added "a new dimension to the school. It's the way the modern world is going. Wherever you go it's a fact of life."