ASTI members stage a class act

It was one of the largest openair concerts of the year

It was one of the largest openair concerts of the year. Surrounded by banks of amplifiers and microphones, about 12,000 secondary teachers made their bid for pop stardom.

While their chosen song, The Fields of Athenry, may be a little timeworn, there is no doubt ASTI members know how to hold a chorus. Clapping and swaying together on the side of a lorry, their leaders led the crowd through a heartfelt rendition which would have made balladeer Paddy Reilly green with envy.

One of the song's lines - "Michael they've taken you away" - was sung with particular gusto for another Michael, the Minister for Education, Dr Woods, who wisely stayed away from the gathering.

While their song is unlikely to make Christmas number one, on yesterday's evidence this group certainly has enough ecstatic fans to fill some of the larger concert halls.

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Driving the message home that Government must pay them 30 per cent now, some mischievous people in the crowd suggested alternative songs the ASTI could have a go at, including It's Now Or Never, The Long and Winding Road and Money's Too Tight To Mention.

Earlier, a traditional folk group warmed up the crowd until about 2 o'clock when the ASTI leaders bounded onto the platform like middle-aged pop stars.

After the crowd re-enacted their own version of Beatle mania, the main act, former ASTI president Ms Bernadine O'Sullivan, who earlier this year headed their pay campaign, took the stage.

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, were accountants "who know the cost of everything, but not the value of the education system", Ms O'Sullivan said to thunderous applause. PPF, the new national pay deal stood for the Programme for Professional Failure, she said.