Duncreggan House

Today was madness. I needed to be in Derry by 7:30 pm for a wine & cheese at Duncreggan House, the heartbeat of my high school, Foyle and Londonderry College. The school is moving to a new campus and leaving this lovely old shipbuilder’s mansion behind.

The day started with me leaving the car in (again) for repairs then cycling to Marshall’s for tee and buns (temperature in high 30s. I tend to cycle hands free, which is great because I kept my face covered with my gloved hands). I went home and answered e-mails until the car was ready at 2 pm. Cycled back to the car, drove home, and prepared for an interview with the Financial Times about the Missing55 report. Not at all stressful. The reporter had some questions about the embargo time on Dec. 5 (EST, GMT--I hadn’t given any thought to that) and she needed help with sources for an article she was doing on the future of oil. I spent probably a half hour getting what she needed then showered then packed then caught a bus into city centre. I wanted to be on the 4pm bus to Derry (with presents for the Browns purchased at the city market) but was on the 5pm bus with nothing (but an orange and some chocolate to keep me going).

I caught a cab to Julie’s son’s terrace house in Derry, which is near the high school, changed clothes quickly, then Julie’s husband Ian drove me to Duncreggan, only a half hour late. I wasn’t organised enough to take photos. I tell myself “someone else will take photos and I’ll have them send me copies” but it never works out that way. Here’s an internet photo of Duncreggan House:

It was weird walking around the house--into the headmistress’ study, for instance. Miss Christie terrorised us and it isn’t hard to conjure up an image of a 12-year-old squirming in her office as I envisioned entering what seemed more like a prison than a school.
Anyway, the highlight of the night was meeting Mr. Bogle, my maths teacher and my all-time favourite teacher. It was such a treat to see him. He taught at the school for 42 years and was head boy in his student days. He’s probably in his mid to late 80s and still tutors students who want to do advanced maths in high school. As I had in previous phone conversations, I let him know my success as a writer was down to maths skills I learned in his class. I let him know I had just published a report that required a month of data analysis and that the Financial Times was doing an article on the report. He said he’d go to the library to find it. Now I have to find out if the article is going to be online only or also in the print edition. I have no idea.
To anyone else, it would have felt like bragging to mention the report and interview. But he clearly relishes the success of his students so I was happy the timing was such that I could share my latest news.
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