GOD, I'M NOT SURE you really want to hear about my school days. I mean, I had a terrible time at school and I ended up being thrown out.

Initially though, I loved school. Our teacher at Scoil Bhride in Galway was Sister Pins, and she was the loveliest person. We all loved her and wanted to be nuns just like her. But in third class we had a teacher I didn't like and I started to get into trouble.

Life became intolerable. The school was very strict and controlling people like me who asked questions were called trouble makers and were constantly slapped.

I think it's different now, and if I were at school today I would be more accepted.

Second level, at Presentation Secondary School, was the pits altogether. We had to wear an awful maroon and grey uniform with brown stockings, which I hated. I used to make my own clothes and tie dye everything.

When I turned up to school in fantastic yellow socks, I was sent home to change and came back wearing purple ones.

At that time I was more interested in boys and going to hops; we didn't have discos then. In summer I used to mitch and go boating on the river.

My mother's heart was scalded. She didn't know what to do. With hindsight I realise that I had problems with authority, but it seemed that all my life people were saying no and I couldn't handle it.

I did my Inter Cert and got a good result, which surprised the nuns whom I always felt disliked me. That's when I got kicked out - they refused to allow me back to do the Leaving.

My mother persuaded the Dominicans in Taylor's Hill (the posh end of town) to take me in. They said I must work hard and pray that God would direct me. I met up with a great gang of girls there; I remember one morning the whole lot of us being marched out of a pub by one of the nuns. It was the early 1970s and we were questioning everything, including the power and wealth of the Church. Towards the end of school I dabbled in drugs.

I did get my Leaving Certificate though. I dearly loved English, Irish and history, and while with the Dominicans I became involved in music.

I know I didn't give myself a chance at school, but I couldn't bear the whole thing about being beaten into submission and I lashed out. There's no way, though, that I regret not having a more normal school life.

We're all shaped by our experiences, and I wouldn't be the person I am and have the insights I have without them.