Nun helped Healy-rae read
MICHAEL Healy-rae has revealed he was unable to read or write because of dyslexia but was helped by a kind nun in primary school.
The 51-year-old Kerry TD, who has just released book Time To Talk: Stories From The Heart Of Ireland, said even though he struggled his mum was able to speak seven languages.
He added: “I am profoundly dyslexic. But I had a very nice nun when I was growing up that helped me. I could not read nor write and she helped me before going to secondary school.
“This young nun starting out, she was very smart and very educated, and she was excellent and she helped me an awful lot.
“She said at the time my mind was full of small little padlocks and there was no key but she could work on it and she told me she could help me and she did. She got me going and told me I would find I was capable of a lot but needed encouragement. “She gave me a lot of encouragement and I was so grateful for that.” The Independent politician said he did not blame his school in Kilgarvan. He added: “It was no fault of the teachers. They were excellent people but class sizes were very big.”