Barry Swaine and Alan Swaine contributed their memories of Stratford for the 60th Anniversary book, '60 Years A Growing', which was launched in November 2014.
I am five years out of Stratford College and have completed a degree and a diploma at the National College of Art and Design. During my time in Stratford I was given the direction to figure out what it was I wanted to do.
Since leaving Stratford for NCAD in 2009 nothing seems to have gone to waste. Ms Donohoe’s Classics lessons have been used in Art Works. Ms Kenny and Mr Barry’s History classes landed me a job working as a tour guide of Dublin City. A special mention has to go to Tanya Twyford Troy, the art teacher who was instrumental in
getting me into Art College at the NCAD in Dublin, she and all of my teachers at Stratford are part of the reason that I also went on to complete my Professional Diploma in Education this year.
Barry Swaine, Hospitality Management
I graduated from DIT in 2010 with a BA in Hospitality Management. I then moved to London and worked for an Irish hotel group called Doyle Collection. I was only 21 when I was made a manager of that hotel. I was there until I moved to Australia in May 2010 and worked for a company called Accor, which is the biggest hotel chain in Australia. I was also a Hotel Manager there. I am currently working as a Front Office Manager with a company called Rydges Hotels & Resorts. This role is a senior management role, I am in charge of all front desk operations, concierge, maintenance and housekeeping department. It's quite a big job and I am the youngest Department Head in the company.
Alan Swaine, Art Teacher
Read the 60 Years A Growing eBook for more Stratford memories.
The 1st years completed a zombie lab today where they used their scientific methods and thinking to identify patient zero from the zombie suspects. Using measuring skills, pH, observation skills and much more they successfully identified the source of the outbreak!
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The TY Horticulture class were out in the Autumn sunshine planting Spring bulbs using the chaos planting method. This is when a multitude of different spring bulbs (Hyacinths, Daffodils, Tulips, Crocuses, Narcissi) are mixed together and randomly planted so that we have a mixture of flowers and patterns emerging in the spring. It mimics nature and so is more enticing to pollinators and native insects that need the food in Spring.
Stratford is celebrating Maths Week 2026 (12th - 18th October) with daily activities around the school, at breaktimes and in Maths classes! The tutor-time daily quiz is proving to be extremely competitive as each form group tries to solve it and then run to find Ms Matthews in order to win the box of chocolates!
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