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Marty Barrett arrived at St. Peter’s in September 1981 to begin another
new phase in his career. Little did he believe he would stay for twenty
six years. It was supposed to be a short-term move for a man who was really more of an “Irish Rover”. However, stay he did and became an integral part of the community at S.P.C. |
| Father John Gahan was the principal who signed Marty. He had been looking for a teacher to develop and nurture a subject which was close to his heart – Agricultural Science. Having trawled the country he eventually heard about this blonde bombshell from Ballymacward in County Galway – a young energetic livewire he remembered seeing playing against Kilkenny in the 1975 All-Ireland senior hurling final. Following long, tough negotiations a fee was eventually agreed, and Father Gahan got his Agricultural Science teacher. The rest is history. |
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young Barrett did not disappoint. Agricultural Science became one of the
most popular subjects in the school to the delight of the principal. There was no limit to the knowledge of the Galway legend regarding matters agricultural – liver fluke in sheep, rinderpest in cattle, IBR virus in bulls, molybdenum in cows, bacteria, fungi, weeds – normal terms in his vocabulary. It must be acknowledged that no student was ever left without an answer. Indeed he was also a mine of information for the farming teachers on the staff. When a worried young Caulfield from Saltmills was tormented by a plague of strange weeds he turned in desperation to his colleague Barrett and was advised to bring in a weed for laboratory analysis. That he did. The weed was studied carefully. Back and front, up and down, put under the microscope. Eventually, as Caulfield waited for an answer to his crisis, Barrett proclaimed with great certainty that there was no need to worry – the weed was already dead. . Marty also had a great rapport with his students. Good humoured banter was normal in his classes. When a first year student slagged him about the mountainy nature of his native Galway, Marty made a quick retort – we had so much land in Galway the county was bursting at the seams, so we had to heap it up into the hills and mountains. The young student went away believing it to be true. . Marty is a man with many talents – a genuine Renaissance figure. Hurler of renown, talented golfer, skillful at squash (he won the “F” section of a squash league in the Farmer’s Kitchen) dainty dancer and a fine singer. His version of Galway Bay after a few pints is unmatched. At one party night as he sang the line “and watch the sun go down on Galway Bay” he decided to go down with the sun, such was the passion of his singing. The following morning, though, the sun rose but it took Marty a little longer to rise again. . Marty also played a large part in sport in the college. His experience of playing at the top level was obvious from his knowledge of the game. His great claims to fame include the three goals he scored for Galway against Tipperary in the league final of 1975 – Jack Bergin his marker for the day retired immediately and made a comeback when Barrett retired. Perhaps the second claim is even greater – playing corner-forward for Galway in the All-Ireland Final he held no less man than Brian Cody scoreless from play – quite an achievement indeed. His motto in training teams was simple – play hard and play fair – pull three times on every ball: before it comes, when its there and after its gone. If you can’t see the ball, pull where you think it might be. . As this tribute goes to press, Marty is recovering from serious illness and we wish him well in his battle. His steely determination, strength of will and positive approach to life will stand to him. Never one to shirk a tackle and never one to go down easily (except when getting carried away singing Galway Bay) Marty will take on the challenge of illness and will overcome it, le cúnamh Dé. . In June 2007 Marty Barrett decided to call time on his teaching his career and to end his active participation in the workings of the College on the hill. Those who were privileged to know him well will remember him as a loyal friend, great company and full of the joys of life. We wish him many years of healthy and active retirement from teaching and every success in the next phase of his career. Especially we wish him a full and swift recovery from illness. |