Gerry Adams looks back on the Christian Brothers' education that seemed to map a route out of the working class

IT WAS A SOURCE of great pride to both my parents and grandparents that I passed the 11 plus exam and gained a place at St Mary's Grammar School in Belfast.

As far as I know, I was the first member of the family to attend grammar school. I remember going with my grandmother to a school outfitters on Divis Street, where she bought my uniform.

Initially, I found St Mary's a bit daunting after primary school at St Finian's on the Falls Road and St Gabriel's on the Upper Crumlin Road. Although there were many working class students like myself, the school was full of the sons of professional middle class Catholics publicans, doctors, lawyers and the like.

It was a Christian Brothers' school, and quite quickly I had an acute sense that we were being equipped, as young Catholics, to find places within the professions.

The curriculum was exam driven, and in third year I found myself becoming disaffected. We did a lot of English history to which I didn't object but very little Irish history.

Dick Dynan, our elocution teacher we called him "Dirty Dick" gave us a local history lesson on one occasion, and that kindled in me a lifelong interest in both local and social history.

I wasn't a diligent student, but I did well enough in my O levels to put me on track for A levels. I had read from an early age thanks to my grandmother, who used to borrow books for me from the local library. I loved English and geography at school, but detested maths, and after five years of Latin and French I can barely remember a word.

When I was about 17, I opted out of school and became a bar man to the great disappointment of my parents, who had made great sacrifices to send me to grammar school and who tried to persuade me to stay on. They believed that I was passing up an opportunity that they had never had.

My decision to leave school was prompted partly by the fact that I had become caught up in the republican movement as a result of the Divis Street riots in 1964, and partly because a lot of my friends outside school were working and I felt, the odd man out.

Although I come from a republican background, I wasn't reared in an overtly political atmosphere. It was only after I became involved in Sinn Fein that I learned about discrimination against Catholics in the North of Ireland, for example.

At the back of my mind I have always wanted to be a teacher, and I do feel the odd twinge of regret that I didn't go as far as I could have done (educationally) especially when I meet former classmates who are now senior barristers, architects and psychiatrists.

But I don't dwell on it. I firmly believe in education, but feel that my entire life has been an education.