TY TALK:With students of Presentation De La Salle, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, Katie Shaughnessy (16) Luca Lombardo (16) Sinead O'Kane (16) and Tommy Monaghan (16)
ON LIFE CHOICES
Tommy Monaghan: “You have to choose your Leaving Cert subjects based on your intended career or what’s going to give you the maximum points, but it’s very hard to decide what to do when you leave school. I’m only 16, so I’ve no idea, but I’m afraid of making the wrong choices. Young people need more advice to help them decide.”
ON RACISM
Luca Lombardo: “A few weeks ago, Nigerian teenager Toyosi Shittabey was stabbed to death in Dublin. It’s horrific when something like this happens, and I’ve had my own experience of racism in Ireland. My family moved here about four years ago from Belgium, and even though I know the language and the people, it was hard to integrate into a new country. It took me a long time to feel I fit in.”
ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES
Sinead O’Kane: “Facebook, Twitter, Bebo: it’s great to talk to friends and people all around the world. But it’s too easy to become addicted. Too many young people, including myself, can stay on it all day – even on the sunniest day in the year. We really need to strike a balance.”
ON MUSIC AND FESTIVALS
KS: “Oxegen is the biggest music festival of the year. Everybody wants to go or to play music there, but sadly we can’t go because we’re not 17 yet! I hope to go next year, though.”
ON TEENAGE DRIVING
Katie Shaughnessy: “There’s a lot of emphasis on driver safety programmes in Transition Year.
Young people cause the majority of accidents, but I think they’re benefiting from these programmes. Our class sees older students driving their own cars so the temptation to have a car is all around us.”
ON PARACHUTE JUMPING
SOK: “I’ve always wanted to jump out of a plane with a parachute, and later this year I’m doing it in aid of a local nursing home. I’ve raised half the money and booked the date. I’m excited and of course a little apprehensive, but a friend of mine is doing it at the same time.
Got something to say? Want to take part in TY Talk? E-mail transitiontimes@irishtimes.com
