The Irish were renowned for their love of education and embraced the opportunity to have their children educated only to discover that their native language, if still spoken by the children, was banned from the classroom. The introduction of the notorious ‘tally stick’ ensured that the students did not speak a single word of their home language in the hearing of newly appointed teachers who had no knowledge of Gaelic. A ‘tick’ was notched on a stick for every word of Irish that the children spoke during the school day and then received a corresponding punishment at the end of the day for same. Little wonder that they quickly decided to forget their native tongue. The patriot, Padraig Pearse, later described that same National School system as, ‘The Murder Machine’. The Truth Behind The Irish Famine’ by Jerry Mulvihill. 72 paintings and 472 eyewitness quotes. http://www.jerrymulvihill.com