Michelle and James pushed open the school door and ran into the corridor to meet Clare, Orla, and Erin.
“Did you get them?” Michelle asked.
Erin looked glum.
“Well?” Michelle asked.
Erin broke into a smile.
“Yes, I got the tickets! We’re going to Glastonbury! Orbital, Lenny Kravitz, Stereo MCs! Boys!” Erin shouted as she and all the group jumped up and down.
“What the heck will we tell our Mas? They don’t even like it if we go to Belfast,” Orla asked, before putting the lollipop back into her mouth.
Erin said: “Geography field trip to the Somerset Levels. I’ve got the whole thing planned out. Old O’Dowd the geography teacher has agreed for us to do a joint project on them and I’ve got him to write a note about it.”
Clare asked: “What about Sister Michael? Won’t she find out?”
Erin snorted: “Of course, but only AFTER we’ve been. We’ll get a month of detention but it’s Glastonbury! It’s totally worth it.”
James added: “I’m still not sure your mum will go for it, Erin.”
The girls shouted: “Shut up, James!”
Erin glared: “I have that handled, don’t you worry…”
****
At home, Erin and Orla sat at the table while her parents stared back at them, their eyes pleading for help.
Granda Joe had his head in his hands.
“For the love of God, Colm, you’ve told us that the Somerset Levels consist of marine clay ‘levels’ along the coast and inland peat-based ‘moors’. You’ve told us that 70 per cent is used as grassland and the rest is arable. We know now that the Neolithic people used the reeds and built wooden trackways there…” Grandpa Joe said.
Erin whispered to Orla: “It’s working. Uncle Colm has bored them so much there’s no fight left in them. They’re ready to say yes now…”
****
One month later in Sister Michael’s office, Erin sat defiantly, Orla daydreamed, James shuffled uncomfortably, and Clare babbled and threw Michelle and Erin under the bus as the trip organisers.
“Well, I think we all lost a little more respect for you there again, Clare,” Sister Michael said.
“Girls, you know the drill. It’s a month’s detention for absenting yourselves for three days on a made-up trip. You took advantage of Mr O’Dowd’s advancing years. Now, you’ll have plenty of time to contemplate that and complete the project you asked him to give you.”
They all groaned.
Sister Michael sat back in her chair and folded her hands in front of her.
“Now, what was Glastonbury Festival like? I used to organise the national under-12s hurling festival in Galway and it was no joke. Left me shattered. All that paperwork and the permissions you need. I jumped through all sorts of hoops,” she said.
Erin looked confused: “It was great. We saw so many bands and had a fantastic time.”
Sister Michael nodded: “Yes, that must take a whole year to organise. Imagine the training logs, staff logs, the logistics…”
She waved the girls out of her room and talked to herself.
“Then there’s security and keeping everyone safe. We know a bit about that here, don’t we?
“This new computer technology will help, I reckon. One day, they’ll be able to keep all the records you need, from risk assessments and staff training records to health and safety certificates, on a computer.
“I bet they’ll even be able to access it from anywhere.”
She pulled a cocktail out of her drawer.
“I love the mango in this. You know, that’s a cracking name for computer software, isn’t it? Sure, it could be the just the software to help us organise a new festival of comedy in Kilkenny…”
Find out how Mango’s online compliance software could help events and festival organisers like you. Book a free demonstration which will be delivered via Zoom. We can help you achieve the ISOs you need, too. Call Penarth Management on 029 2070 3328 or email info@penarth.co.uk
Comments