'I had no plans for what I was going to do in Dublin'

'I had no plans for what I was going to do in Dublin'

Frank remembers returning to Dublin in the 1990's.

Frank Gaynor

Trinity College Dublin

1992

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Frank Gaynor

Work and Employment

Life Story

Dublin, Ireland

1990's

I had a distinct 'Africa Addio' feeling as I left Malawi in September 1992. It was the end of an era in Africa for me, and I did not expect to be back there again. I had no plans for what I was going to do in Dublin. I worked as a supply teacher for a short while, and found it totally unfulfilling. I was not expected to teach. I was only expected to be present in the classroom while the regular teacher was out sick. My next venture was as a salesman, travelling around parts of north Dublin trying to sell World Book. After I sold my first, and last, full set of World Book there was a surprise party to celebrate my great achievement when our team got together the following Monday morning. This inflated reaction completely turned me off.I then moved to Canada Life where I became a Tied Agent, selling life insurance policies to my best friends. Even though my only income was bonus money for policies sold, Canada Life acted as though they owned me. When I informed them that I was taking a day off training they told me that I was obliged to attend. I took the day off and travelled with Monica by car to Rosslare, and by ferry to Fishguard, and on to Cardiff to be interviewed for a job in Jamacia. The interview was a disaster; the trip was memorable and enjoyable. We were back in Dublin within 24 hours. I had the feeling that there was some element of dishonesty involved in talking a person into buying a policy that he or she did not necessarily need. For that reason I was uncomfortable in the job. I need not have worried. When a number of the policies I sold matured ten years later I had the owners coming to me to thank me for the good turn I had done in selling the policy to them. One day I was asked to visit a couple, with three young children, who had a Canada Life policy. The husband was well insured in case of death, but his wife had very little cover. When I called the husband saw me as interfering in their private affairs. He was not prepared to consider increasing the cover on his wife's life. About six years later, through a chance meeting with her sister, I learned that the young wife in question had died of cancer.

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)