But when I looked at the old photographs, roll books and so on and talked to the friends and classmates who worked to put this re-union together I realized if I was a writer I could write a book.

Since it is fifty or so years since I went to Dreenan School, I can only speak for my generation and there has certainly been many changes. We will all remember bare feet, short trousers, milk warming in the stove on a frosty winters day, no water nor electricity.

The maps on the wall, the cane hanging on a hook (sometimes), `The Minstrel Boy` and Cuchulainn (he was the boy who slept with his head on his spear and his spear on his knee - maybe).

There was `In round the bunny hole right round the tree, in through the bunny hole and off goes she`. Plain and Purl. There were good and bad days, but mostly I only think of the good.

On behalf of the committee I wish you all a warm welcome to our re-union tonight and I hope you can all meet up with classmates and friends that you may not have seen for a long time, I am certainly looking forward to it myself.

Finally I would like to remember past pupils who cannot be here through distance or illness and especially those who have died during the years since.