Anyone who was at secondary school in Ireland in the 90s...

[AppropriateAdult]

Were there tampon/pad dispensers in the bathrooms at your school? And if so, were they coin-operated or free?

(I'm writing a piece for which this is relevant and can't for the life of me remember what the situation was at my school. Any info much appreciated.)

Hmm. I think so. Coin operated. Rusty. Never used them and never saw anyone else use them.

Just thought as it posted. Yes definitely, because during the period talk we were brought to see them.

Rural school 1993!

Yes there were. As pp said, Coin operated and rusty. I personally never used them and can’t remember seeing anyone else use them either

I don’t remember there being one. I definitely never used it if There was. Most teachers carried spares in case anyone needed them.
That was in a big school in a large town.

Ha, ha. I really had to think about this. Coin operated, looked out of order and I never, ever saw one being used.

Secondary school from 1995-2000... Fairly sure there weren't any at all

I did my Leaving in 85, and they definitely weren't there.

Coin operated, never used. And no sanitary bins allowed as they were ‘dirty’ 😱

Did LC in 1990 and no tampon dispensers in mine. The nuns weren’t keen on tampons at all.

Nothing in 1988 but you could just go and get a pad from the office. No big deal. You'd be allowed to use the teachers' loo beside the office then as well. With a bar of imperial leather soapstone your disposal. No tampax though.

Don't think we had any in our school either. Always brought our own or for some from a friend of stuck. Cork city school

None in ours. Southside convent school.

School in the 90s, as others said you might have the odd machine in a toilet block, but they looked ancient and were presumably empty.

Coin operated, pads and tampons, worked fine, had to use them a few times. Supplies also available at the staff room but you'd have to hope that the teacher you wanted was there, otherwise you could end up explaining to the metalwork teacher or something! so definitely a distant second choice!

Yes and coin operated

Convent, all girls South Dublin, yes, definitely in the 1990s.

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful!

Convent, South Dublin, '90s.

I don't think so - as I remember the RE teacher telling us she had spare pads that we could get from her if we needed them.....but I really can't remember!

There were definitely sanitary bins though.

Nope rural convent school early 90s- had to see the nun at sick bay to get one (who would later track you down and demand 20p in payment)

Coin operated and shite. Told in primary to bring your own always because teachers weren't allowed hand any out. Which seems off..

I can't remember if there were sanitary bins although I assume there must have been.

Coin operated and shite. Told in primary to bring your own always because teachers weren't allowed hand any out. Which seems off..

Coin operated ST vending machine. Tried to get one once, coin got stuck. My maths teacher tried kicking it to get it working. It did not.
My year head found one of those mattress like Dr White ones.

Coin operated. Never knew if there was stock in the unit as it wasn't possible to see behind the metal drawer thing, so didn't know if your money was going to be wasted or not.
Always brought from home. Never used them for the above reason.

I think we had to ask at the office? I'm not 100% certain, to be honest, because I would never have dreamed of asking and if caught out, went with the utterly useless wad of loo roll solution.