St. Andrew’s Resource Centre and the Watson family hosted a very special evening last November to celebrate the life of Betty Watson and in recognition of her major contribution to education in the community. A beautiful tribute night was had by her family, friends and neighbours who all turned out in love and support to mark this wonderful, yet bittersweet occasion. It has been 20 years since Betty received her honorary master’s degree from Trinity College.
Betty, who hailed from Markievicz Flats, always had a passion and an unwavering commitment to help those that were educationally disadvantaged and believed that education was a pathway out of poverty, enhancing the quality of life which included self development, self growth and confidence in the young people, women and the very few men at the time who needed an education. Having left school to work at age 14 like many of her generation, she then married and had six children but returned to education in her later life. Betty was definitely ahead of her time and along with other women in the community was very active and dealt with the challenges of that era with steely grit and fierce determination. She worked very closely with local communities in Pearse Street, City Quay and then across the bridge into Ringsend and Irishtown. Thanks to Betty’s driving force attitude and her dedication to helping others so many people from those areas have now been through third level education, and that has had a huge significant impact in their own lives and to their own children as they value how important education is and that value has been passed down the line.
Betty founded the Adult Education section, as well as managing it in St Andrews Resource Centre, and she also set up Greenore Centre which is now 35 years old and still going strong. It is run by the community for the community on a totally voluntary basis. It provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere where those active and over 55 can come and socialise, learn, have fun, make friends and enjoy a host of different activities.
Betty also founded one of the most influential policies in Trinity College, the Trinity Access Programme (TAP). This was a gateway programme for so many people who never would have been able to go on to third level education and do what Betty achieved. While it initially started being about the barriers faced for those with economic disadvantages, it has evolved over time incorporating mental health challenges and disabilities which is exactly in the spirit of the programme. TAP was rolled out in Oxford University in England last year and having a college as renowned as Oxford taking on a concept like TAP is really incredible.
Betty was also the catalyst and the driving force behind developing “one-one” where Trinity students were matched with local school kids, which developed into the inspiration for the Voluntary Tuition Programme, a partnership between St Andrew’s Resource Centre, Trinity students, parents, and volunteers from the local communities of Pearse Street, Ringsend and Irishtown. Every year over 300 Trinity students, graduates and staff members are matched as tutors of children and teenagers studying in local schools. This is an important initiative and a great resource for the children of the local area. Betty’s ultimate aim with this programme was to inspire and encourage the participants and to show that with a solid education anything is possible.
Betty, who overcame breast cancer three times in her life, sadly contracted Covid and passed away in March of 2021 age 79, but not before a young doctor came to visit her in the ward a few days before and told her he had achieved his dream of becoming a doctor through the Trinity Access Programme, and he looked after Betty in her final days.
Liz Watson, the youngest of Betty’s family is a community activist, a senior social worker, local historian and a local area representative for Fianna Fáil. Liz is following in her mother’s footsteps, working for the community and is committed to her mam’s legacy because she shares the very same passion about education as Betty. Liz is an advocate for women and she mentioned that it really was women in the community, like her mum, and other women activists who were the impetus in getting people back to education, but they didn’t realise it at the time, they just had a shared passion and shared ideas. Betty just got it done without a fuss, she had so much life and energy and got stuck into any job that she felt passionate about. Her husband Peter was always there behind her quietly, and they both shared a strong devoted Catholic faith and believed in helping others which created a sense of connection, empathy and satisfaction in their daily lives.
Even though Betty had the knack of drawing out the best in people, she herself was an ordinary woman who accomplished extraordinary things which made her an extraordinary woman and a fantastic role model for future generations.
A big thank you from Liz and the Watson family to St Andrews’s Resource Centre, and to everyone who made it happen and showed up for Betty in remembrance of all her Trojan work for all the women, men and young people in education.
