Dozens of students, past and present, gathered at the Sacred Heart of Jesus National School in Huntstown, Dublin last night, to review the contents of a time capsule that had been sealed for over 25 years.
Over two decades ago, former principal John Lynch, who has since passed away, asked students at the school to contribute letters, drawings or pictures to the time capsule, which was sealed in January 2000.
The capsule was opened last November and an event was held yesterday, inviting the pupils of the time and their families to review the letters and drawings.
Many of the letters contained predictions about what the world might look like and what pupils thought they would do when they were "old".
In the letters, there is much talk about the future of technology - how phones might be smaller, internet quicker and the use of card over cash.
Jason Nicol, who wrote his letter at age 10, said his favourite TV shows were South Park and the Simpsons, and that he had "loads of games for [his] PlayStation".
Looking back on the letter, he said: "It's eye-opening that your circumstance change as you go through life and your wishes change, you're not just wishing for materialistic things and games, and then you've young sons and family is what really matters at the end of the day."
Laura Heagney also opened her letter last night and in addition to her wishes to become a nurse and have a baby girl, she found a more unusual comment.
"I said I hope that God comes down again, he hasn't yet," she said, adding "I don't know what I was thinking but happy with it".
The occasion was also nostalgic for staff, particularly school principal Kieran Lyons.
Mr Lyons taught third class 25 years ago when the capsule was sealed.
While excited to see all the letters emerge intact, there was one that really stood out to him from Monsignor Dan O'Connor, who was the Education Secretariat at the Archdiocese of Dublin.
He wrote of his desire for peace on the island of Ireland.
Mr Lyons said: "I think we often forget all the way back in 2000, we were post Good Friday Agreement.
"But we were still navigating a difficult time.
"Now to have peace on our island, as he wanted, it's an important thing and we shouldn't forget it."
There was also a special contribution from Taoiseach Micheál Martin, which he wrote long before he held the role.
Mr Martin, who was Minister of Education at the time, wrote a letter in which he outlined his vision for education by the year 2025.
Some of the things Mr Martin said he wanted in the letter were respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, languages, and traditions in Irish society, to overcome social and economic disadvantage, provide for second-chance education for those who wanted it and to see quick and seamless adaptation to change.
While school is out for the class of 2000 and their time capsule, this project lives on because the current students at the school are now creating their own capsule that will not be opened until 2050.
Isabelle Sheila Caulfield said she had included a drawing in her capsule note so that she can compare her art style in 25 years time.
Bobby O'Reilly wrote about his hopes and predictions.
"I'll be a footballer because I love it and I think there will be more AI," he said.
And of course, no 2025 capsule would be complete without Mila Fitzgerald's entry: "I wrote people are always saying six-seven and there is a hand signal that you can do where you move them up and down."
