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Hello Everyone,

For the past few weeks, a small group of fourth years were able
to work together to write articles, edit photos and collaborate on
different experiences. Under the guidance of Mr. Stanley, it was
our job to create a newsletter containing information and photos
of all the events in which we partook.

On the team this term were Guy Corson, Evan Dargan Hayes,
Faye Durkan, Laura Harmon, Ciara Moroney, Lucy O’Connell,
Isabelle Owens, Dylan Sheehan, Jenn Swan, Matthew
Thornton, Sean Treacy and Larina Yu. As well as this, a special
Vox POP section was run by Amelia Dolan and Murray
Sheehan.

We hope you all enjoy.

Contents of this Issue:

Committees 3
Trips and Activities 4
Extra Curricular 11
Social Awareness 14
Wellbeing 16
Sports 18
Vox Pop 22

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Student Council
The Student Council is truly one of my favourite parts of school life. The sense of
community is wonderful as we all join together in the hopes of creating a better school
life for all. The role of the Student Council is to come together on a regular basis
(typically once a month) to discuss any ideas or issues that have arisen in the past
term. We are also in charge of running multiple fundraisers to raise money for people
in need.

This year, the fourth year representatives are John Butler, Theo Costello,
Amelia Pierce and Jenn Swan.
Jenn Swan

Green Schools
On Thursday the 3rd October, four TY students (Faye Durkan, Isabelle Owens, Jenn
Swan and Evan Dargan Hayes) as part of a larger committee were involved in a
Green Schools meeting with the Headmaster. While all other students were watching
the RWC Ireland v Russia match, the four met with Mr. Geraghty in the new meeting
room in the South Wing.

The meeting was organised to discuss what the Green Schools Committee was doing
for our next flag ‘Global Citizenship, Litter and Waste’. Our main discussion point in-
volved the use of single-use plastics in the canteen. Also on the agenda were items
such as reusable coffee cups for the Sixth Years, reusable school water bottles and
an outright ban on single-use plastics throughout the school.

We all agreed that this would be a hard change for both the students and staff, how-
ever this is still definitely our ultimate aim. We will be having another meeting in the
coming weeks with Brien Hayes (Head of Catering), Mr. Dungan and Mr. Geraghty to
discuss these issues further.
Evan Dargan Hayes

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 As our first collective trip as a year group of TY, we all went camping to Lough Dan. This
trip is traditionally planned for our Junior Cert results, but this year due to certain events
our results were pushed back, but we were still lucky enough to be able to go ahead with
the trip.

We departed for our trip on Wednesday 11th, but the excitement regarding the trip really
began a week before. Between organizing all of your food, clothes and most importantly
tents with whomever you decided to share a tent with it was a hot topic throughout our
year group. This was a great opportunity for everyone in our year as it encouraged us to
rely on one another and work collectively as a team to bring together all of our essentials
to make the trip as effortless and as pleasurable as possible. Also, to make sure that
everyone was included and pulling his or her own weight regarding getting all of the
equipment organized and was included in all of the activities.

The trip was positive even from the very

start. We all had a lot of baggage between
us all and the teachers were concerned that
packing the bus would be a struggle as it
has been in recent years. Much to the
teachers surprise we managed to pack the
bus quickly and efficiently as well as suc-
cessfully fitting all of the bags onto the bus.
Due to this our departure from the school
was swift and stress free for everyone
{especially the teachers}

The bus ride was short and everyone was

giddy with excitement in anticipation of the
few days that lay ahead of us. When we
reached Lough Dan the bus parked up be-
side a beautiful green field with the sunlight
beaming down on it and the serene lake just
around the corner. Everyone was in awe
and the excitement throughout the group
grew even stronger as everyone’s nerves
where calmed with the assurance that the
next few days that lay ahead where going to
be unforgettable.

Our first challenge was to pitch our tents and make ourselves some lunch to fill us before
the walk ahead. Some people had no trouble setting up their tents and others were not so
lucky, but there was no need to worry as everyone on the campsite was willing to help, so
overall the setup didn’t take that long at all.

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That evening we set out for our first and shorter of the two walks. The
sun was still splitting the stones and it gave everyone a taster for what
was in store for the walk the next day. As we returned from the walk
everyone had a shower, changed their clothes and proceeded to make
dinner. During this time the first sense of a strong bond and comradery
was displayed through the group as everyone helped each other make
meals, help wash up and as everyone sat together it was evident that
each and every person was happy in each others company.
The next morning everyone got themselves ready, had a bite to eat
and then we departed on our 22K hike. The scenery was fascinating
and with the great weather, that we were lucky enough to get two days
in a row really highlighted the beauty of the area that we were in. We
surprised the teachers again on the trip as not one person complained
on the walk, which proved demanding at times. Again, everyone was
full of smiles and laughter. I think one image that will resonate in every-
one’s mind after the trip will be the rainbow that cascaded over the lake
as we walked across the mountains.
When we all arrived back to camp after the hike everyone was warm,
sweaty and fatigued but it didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits as we all
went for a swim in the lake. We all dropped our bags from the walk at
our tents and sprinted towards the lake. Everyone submerged them-
selves in the icy water, it was cold but refreshing. As we all swam out
towards the pontoon in the middle of the lake not one person didn’t
have a smile painted across their faces and that was my favourite
memory of the trip and one that I hope sticks with me forever. We
spent the next 20 minutes or so jumping off the pontoon before the
teachers called us in for our burgers, which they had very kindly pre-
pared for us before we all had a shower and got changed into warm
clothes before enjoying the evening ahead. During those twenty
minutes there was a strong perception of the freedom that we are now
being given. Now that we are in fourth year the teachers trust us more
and give us more responsibility. This made us all feel trustworthy and
independent as a year group.

On the last evening we all sat around the campfire, roasted marshmal-
lows, shared stories and listened to music. The bond between our year
group continued to develop stronger every minute, and I think I speak
for everyone when I say that I would go back and do the whole trip
again in a heart beat.

Faye Durkan

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 Eagles Flight
On both the 19th and 20th of September,
the various forms trooped into the multi-
purpose room, excitedly looking forward
to the activity known as “Eagles Flight.”
None of us knew quite what to expect, so
we were all greatly enthusiastic when the
time came for our form to complete the
challenge. Form 4A commenced the chal-
lenge on Thursday morning, and form 4B,
on Thursday afternoon, with the following
classes taking part on the next day in a
similar fashion.
Upon arriving, each form was split into
groups of four or five and each one was
handed a wide variety of items, including
cards, instruction leaflets, and a board
game, set in the era of the Wild West.
The activity manager explained that each
group was going to play the board game
they had been given, in the hopes of re-
ceiving the most gold in order to win the
game. The gameplay consists of moving
your piece around your board, choosing to
go down one of three various routes, in
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the hopes of reaching the mines, where
gold could be collected.
The aims of the game became more evi-
dent as the activity progressed. It encour-
aged each and every person to put each
other first, instead of simply fulfilling our
own agenda. If a group did not help an-
other, it resulted in a team being unable to
return home within the allotted time, caus-
ing the amount of gold that particular team
had mined to be split in half, thus lowering
the entire class score.
Although 4D had collected the most mon-
ey out of all the four forms, we all felt that
this was not the most important part of the
exercise. Eagles Flight was our first ‘in
school’ activity as a year group, and it was
a great way to discover our leadership
skills, as well as our collaboration and
planning skills. The attributes that we
learned through this workshop can be car-
ried through not only the rest of fourth
year, but adulthood as well.
Jenn Swan
On the 9th of September, 40 transition year students were given the opportunity to
attend Microsoft’s new educational hub named Dreamspace, a facility built in an
aim to equip Irish students across the country with digital thinking skills.

The Dreamspace room was built as part of Microsoft’s new building ‘Microsoft One
Place’. When we arrived we were given name tags with our group number on it.
Then, our facilitator gave us a small tour of the amazing building. The building is
inspired by nature so we saw some stunning architecture designed to resemble na-
ture through technology such as an LED lake and a waterfall.

We were then given a short presentation on the importance of technology in future

career paths. We split up into our groups and were thrown into our first task. Skills
such as creativity and teamwork were important for this activity. After this task we
were given a lunch break.

The second activity we completed was coding. We were each given a computer
and a small machine called a ‘Micro:bit’. The Micro:bits were then connected to our
computers where we were able to complete some block code. After this, we were
given a ‘swag bag’ filled with Microsoft merchandise.

Microsoft Dreamspace taught us all about the importance of technology in our soci-
ety and key skills such as critical thinking and creativity.

Laura Harmon

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 Skill Zone

As the big day started to creep around the corner excitement began to
build up. This was the day that we would get our results for our junior
cert exams that we had all worked so hard for during the past twelve
months. Annually this day is marked by the TY camping trip that the
students would go on immediately after receiving their results, but this
year due to certain circumstances our results date was pushed back.
Luckily, we still got to go on the camping trip on the date that we were
supposed to get our results on and we had a ball, but what was in
store for the actual day of our results was completely unknown.

We all received our results on the morning of the 4th of October. After
this we got to spend a few minutes with our parents and then we pro-
ceeded to make our way onto the bus where we went to Skill Zone in
Sandyford, which the school had very kindly organized for us.

When we arrived we were all split into random groups and the rules
were explained to us. During the course of the day we had to accumu-
late as many points as we could from all of the sporting games provid-
ed, this included football, rugby, basketball, tennis and many more. It
was evident that everyone was having a marvelous time and the re-
sults were shortly forgotten about as everyone worked collectively to-
gether in their groups, encouraging their teammates on in order to ac-
cumulate as many points as possible.

Faye Durkan

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Music Festival

The October Music Festival is such a special event. It provides a wonderful op-
portunity for any student to perform a piece of their choice and to try something
new, a common theme for Transition Year. It was carefully organised by Ms.
Olohan and Ms. Owens, and their hard work truly paid off as so many people
took to the stage to sing or play an instrument.

This year, the talent was tremendous and many of the TY’s partook and lots
coming to watch the show. Many won prizes, including Amelia Opperman in the
Senior Vocal Category. It was a really wonderful night and many wonderful
pieces were performed, congratulations to all who took part.

Jenn Swan

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 Kairos
Kairos is an exciting activity that TY
students are allowed to take part in. It
is an interesting activity as we are
allowed to learn in an unorthodox way
for we are able to express our
creativity rather than learning
information.
Kairos is an activity in which TY
students make a small television
show. It is a quite complicated activity
as it has to be prepared before the
activity. In order to make the most of
the activity you have to write a short
script as well as giving people roles in
the production of the program. It is
quite similar to a real television
program as there are assigned
directors, producers and actors to
make an idea into a real program.
Kairos Communications which is in
Maynooth made for a short bus ride.
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After arriving the script had to be
perfected by the actors before the
program was filmed. The programs
tend to be around ten minutes with ad
breaks scattered between various
scenes. It proved to be quite a
challenge to film for everybody had to
work together in order to complete it.
Luckily we were able to cooperate
with each other resulting in everything
going smoothly.
Each form group was able to
participate in Kairos separately for a
day. Some of the forms were more
successful for they had already
planned a plot and script in pretence.
Kairos was a rewarding experience
for we were able to come up with an
idea and then turn it into a finished
product. It was very rewarding to see
the fruit of our labour after working so
hard.
 MUN

Model United Nations, more commonly known as MUN, was truly one of the best
experiences of fourth year so far, as dramatic as that sounds. The process began
approximately one week before the 27th of September, when our teacher gave us
our allotted delegations. Our delegation consisted of Jenn Swan (Ambassador),
Murray Sheehan, Laoise Kiernan, Sam Cummins, Matthew Thornton and Niamh
Burke. We had the privilege of being the delegation of North Korea.

Everyone did so well, with many receiving awards, including Matthew Thornton. It
is not easy to stand up in front of a huge group of people, however, every single
person on the team truly gave it their all. We would like to thank Ms Kavanagh for
her great help and we are all wholeheartedly looking forward to our next
conference.
Jenn Swan

Steer Clear

This term we focused on the hazards of driving, as well as risk taking and how to be
safe on the road. Through various Kahoot games, we learned all about the different
reasons for car crashes, the meanings of different road signs, as well as how roads
are built. This class occurs every Tuesday evening, and provides the basic
foundations necessary for safe driving.

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 Barista

So far about half of the interested TY students have completed a Barista

course, my group attended on Tuesday the 24th of October. It took place in the
kitchen of the sports hall and was run by the Dublin Barista School. This course
got us our Level 1 work licence. We split up into three groups with an espresso
machine each. In turn we made lots of espresso shots, which was challenging
to remember all the steps. After this we made hot chocolate, which we were all
very happy with as they tasted very nice. Definitely one of the best hot
chocolates I’ve ever made.

After the break we started making coffees. We started by going through the
menu and making at least one of each coffee type. Some of the more
advanced drinks were hard to make, such as the mocha, when trying to get the
best amount of each ingredient. The best part of the course was after lunch
when we invited our year group and teachers down to drink some of our
concoctions. Most of our year group showed up for the samples, along with
sixth years and teachers.

It was quite difficult but very enjoyable to create the latte art. We all
experimented and then tried to guess what each other had produced.

It was a really enjoyable experience that we wished went on for longer. We are
all looking forward to using these skills to help us get a job in college or over
our summer break.
Evan Dargan Hayes

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 Photography

On the 14th and 15th of October, a small group of fourth years were able to
partake in a photography course run by a very talented photographer by the
name of Una Armstrong. This experience was really eye-opening as we truly
developed our talents and expanded what little knowledge we already had. The
first thing we were taught was the different types of cameras and how each one
had different function buttons.

The main focus of our session was learning how to take classic portrait photos.
After a brief explanation, we were able to experiment with our own pictures. We
could decide what lighting we used, what angle, what colour, and what propor-
tions. I found this really interesting as it was up to us to see what lighting
worked best for the situation.

At the end, we all got to dress up in costumes and portray more adventurous
characters, working on our drama skills as well as our photography. This expe-
rience, unusual yet fun, was a great way to end the day, topping off what was a
wonderful experience.

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 SVP

One of the most important parts of transition year

is participating in community service. This is why
so many people were willing to volunteer for the
Saint Vincent de Paul. People were very
enthusiastic when they found out they would be
bag-packing for they would be giving back to their
community.

The transition year students were given a quick

lecture on what they would have to do when bag-
packing. This included the appropriate etiquette
and the methods of bag-packing. The bag-packing
itself was not particularly challenging. Dunne’s
stores in Newtown and Cornelscourt were where
we were volunteering.

The people were always gracious towards us and

even if they did not wish for their bags to be
packed they would still be kind. The people were
generous in their donations for the SVP is such a
worthy cause. Volunteering for such a good charity
is a very rewarding experience and is not a waste
of time.
Dylan Sheehan

Bin It!

It’s very important to bin your gum when you’re done. The talk on Monday 30th September
commenced with ‘Doc’ and ‘Taylor’ acting with a clever presentation. The presentation
revolved around the importance of binning your gum and other litter. They took on characters
and personas to portray the different scenarios where and when people litter.

The play was intended to get us to think about the effects of committing these acts. Doc and
Taylor got us to think, through comedy, the importance of disposing of your litter appropriately.
They used many props in their short skits which greatly improved the presentation. The
convention room proved to be an excellent spot to host the presentation.

Matthew Thornton

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Shoebox Appeal

To debut our TY social awareness group we decided to

get involved with the charity organization Team Hope.
We chose this group as a past pupil is an ambassador for
this organization and after doing some research we were
all very impressed and moved by the work that they have
done for others around the world.

As part of our involvement we took part in the ‘Shoebox

Appeal’. This entailed us bringing the school community
together and encouraging them to fill a shoebox
{preferably wrapped in Christmas paper} and to fill it with
desirable objects for a child to receive at Christmas time.
These boxes are posted all over the world from Eastern
Europe to Africa.

The YSI committee put so much work in. From creating

posters to hang up around the school to remind people of
the cause and to give them ideas of what they can put
into the boxes, handing out leaflets and making
announcements. We also had some instrumental support
from our teachers.

The appeal was an overall success. Almost every student

contributed and some students even brought in more
than one box and the table that we had at the front door
for people to leave their boxes was completely full by
Wednesday with boxes mounding high.
Faye Durkan

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 Wellbeing Week
Meditation

On Monday the 23rd of September, we began Wellbeing week. During that

day all of the TY’s took part in a Benediction/Meditation during our last period.
This was so we could reflect on our past year and clear our minds if they were
particularly clouded with worry about anything important coming up in the near
future.

Mr Jennings began the meditation by telling us that many people find their
faith or religion an outlet to pray by. We played gospel music in the
background to set the atmosphere and make us feel calm. We lit candles in
memory of loved ones, we stayed in silence for ten minutes to look back and
reflect on our lives and if there were any people we had argued with, or fallen,
or if we had any regrets.

Mr Jennings then lit the incense on fire inside of the thurible, which he then
began to swing down the aisle of the chapel. We all felt calmer and our heads
felt more clear after meditation.
Larina Yu

Samba

During mindfulness week we had a Samba drumming session in the Pavilion. We sat in a
circle around many different types of drums and made beats. Some wore headphones
Each drum had a different pitch and tone to it. We coordinated our drums to create
rhythms. After playing for an hour or so, everyone had a smile on their face. Playing with
friends lifted the spirits and we all went about our day with positive feelings.
Matthew Thornton
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 Eamon Ryan

On September 23rd, all of fourth and fifth years

attended a talk from Eamon Ryan, the leader of the
Green Party, as part of Wellbeing Week. He spoke to
us about Global Warming, and how we can help to
slow down, and even stop its impacts on our world.

Eamon Ryan helped us to see the impact that our

actions have on the future of the world as we know it.
He explained that over half of the insect populations
have become extinct in the past forty years alone, a
truly shocking statistic. Ryan taught us that John
Tyndall, an Irish physicist, was one of the first people
to prioritise climate change in his work. He worked
greatly on the absorption of heat by gases such as
water vapour and carbon dioxide. Ryan spoke of what
he plans for the world and what he sees happening in
the future. He stated that in the next forty years or so,
central India’s temperature could have increased so
greatly that it may no longer be actually safe for
humans to live in. As well as this, Ryan explained that
he hopes to see combustion cars eradicated by the
year 2050, and instead we’ll rely on public transport.

I felt that this talk greatly raised awareness for the

topic of Global Warming, as it helped us truly come to
terms with our actions and how they impact nature. I
already was aware that Global Warming was a huge
problem, but I wasn’t aware of how quickly it could
accelerate. I hope to use this knowledge in the future
to help to slow down this tragedy.

Life Coaching

During well-being week, many activities took place. On Friday, the Transition years took
part in a well-being workshop with a past pupil of St. Gerard’s. He told us his life story
which was very interesting. We had to list some characteristics about ourselves to en-
sure we were all thinking about ourselves positively. He talked about what caused
stress, the symptoms of stress and how to prevent stress which is important in school
life. He also talked about how we should all be unique and not to copy others as it may
stop us from reaching our full potential. All in all, the talk was very good and there were
many important tips that I will now use.
Ciara Moroney

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 Boxing

On the 23rd of September, we had our first lesson of our 6 week boxing course.
Boxing is an activity that is available to all TY students each year. It happens on a
Monday evening with lots of people choosing to take part this year. All the students
taking part were really looking forward to it.
We start all our classes with a warm-up to avoid us pulling muscles and to stop the
pains from occurring for the rest of the week. Our coaches are really talented and
some of that skill seems to be transferring to us, the students, as we attempt to mimic
them.
In week 1 we started learning by doing different punches and avoiding or “slipping”
punches. We also began some drills to improve our reactions. In these drills our
partners threw tennis balls at us and we had to duck to avoid them.
In week 2 we continued learning punches and dodges. At the end of the session, we
started throwing jabs at each other in a game where we aimed to hit our opponents’
elbows, without our elbows getting tapped ourselves. This drill helped us to throw a
punch and then dodge the returning punches.
Boxing is an important after school activity to TY students as many get involved and
students are allowed to blow off steam. I wish all the best to the students trying to do
their homework afterwards with their shaking hands!
Evan Dargan Hayes

Sailing

On Saturday 28th September I headed off to Sutton to take part in the 2-day All Ireland
Schools Sailing Championship. It wasn’t to be! After arriving at 8am, setting up my boat
and getting dressed, the start was delayed due to heavy winds so we did not head out on
the water as planned. This continued all morning and eventually at 1pm the race officer
decided that it was too risky and the entire weekend of racing was cancelled. I was very
disappointed as I had not taken part in MUN so that I could represent the school here.
Hopefully next year the weather will be better behaved.
Evan Dargan Hayes

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 Golf

On Monday 23rd of September the Senior Golf team

played in the Leinster senior schools qualifier in
Greystones Golf Club. The team was made up of Tom
McGovern and Brandon St. John in 4th year and Sam
McCarthy in sixth year.

With an ominous forecast for wind and rain the team

were happy to be going out on the course early. Calm
conditions and some easy pin placements allowed for a
steady start for the team. Heavy rain and wind made
conditions tricky on the back nine. All players managed
the conditions nicely with the heavy rain slowing the
greens down. McGovern and McCarthy carded a pair of
81’s, St. John finished with a one under 68.

By the end of the day all the schools were finished and
St.Gerard’s came out on top with 230(81,81,68 - +23)
with Blackrock in second place also on 230 however
losing on countback. The team progress to the match
play stages in November.
Brandon St. John

Showjumping

Interschools showjumping is an important aspect of sport at St. Gerard’s with previous

teams representing the school at Balmoral show in Lisburn and the prestigious All England
Jumping course in Hickstead. Pupils from all different age groups compete in the novice
(80cm) and the open (1m) competitions. There is no specific competition for TY students
but many represent the school on teams alongside other year groups. This year we have
had two very beneficial training sessions with our Chef d’equipe Lyn Clements.
Competitions are held on most Sundays. It is a league with points going for winning and
placing in shows. Both teams have had a great start with a win for the novice team in JAG
equestrian and a win for the open team at the St. Gerard’s Show.
Isabelle Owens

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 Hockey

Unlike the rugby in St.Gerard’s, the Transition Year girls don’t have a
specific team. All girls are spread across 6 different teams, SCT, Senior 2,
Senior 3, JCT, Junior 2 and Junior 3. So far this season, each team has had
a respective win.

On the 14th of September, we were lucky enough to have the Irish Women’s
Senior Coach, Sean Dancer come to St.Gerard’s to do an elite workshop
with our Junior and Senior teams. The session had a high intensity and has
set a tempo for our future training sessions.

Being part of a hockey team myself, it has allowed me to form bonds with
girls from the years above and below. We have all become so close and this
has helped us play to the best of our ability. Having Strength and
Conditioning sessions has also brought out the potential in each and every
player and now, we all strive to be on the SCT for the next few years.

The SCT opened their league campaign with a win against Kings Hospital,
the score was 1-0. Sadly, the JCT lost their first league game against a very
tough Newbridge team. I have no doubt that they will do great in their next
few games. I wish the best of luck to all the other teams who will start their
league campaigns in October. Also good luck to the JCT and the SCT who
will start their cup campaigns this month.
Ciara Moroney

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 Rugby

This first term of the TY year marked the beginning of the TY rugby
programme. During the term, the players were given a brief introduction to
how the rugby season would be structured and how our league would work.
Throughout the weeks of rugby, the squad mixed in with the senior first and
second squads. This was to ease the squad into senior rugby before we
would be training with them following the conclusion of our league. On
Mondays, the squad took part in strength and conditioning with the S/C
coach, Sammy Dowling. In the first term of the season, the team played two
league matches, beginning with a loss against Terenure but later fighting
back with a win against CUS.

Due to our lack of size, our coach Dan Power is focusing on improving our
skills on the pitch. This is in hope to win our matches using high-skill plays
over using players’ raw strength. We train hard four times a week to iron out
the creases in our game. We are encouraged to talk to Dan if we feel that
our training sessions are missing anything which has allowed us to better
aspects of our game that we feel needs improving.

This first term has provided the staff with a lot of promise and the team looks
forward to play the rest of the league matches and continue our training with
the seniors.
Guy Corson

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 Vox Pop is short for Vox Populis which in the latin means Voice of
the People. We believed it was really important to include one of
these segments in the Transition Year newsletter as it’s very
important for people our age to use our voices and know that they
have value.

Vox Pop For our first Vox Pop we wanted to cover Activism in general and
how this is very prevalent among our generation. We asked six
fourth years and a teacher what their opinions were on the topic.
They are all anonymous.

Amelia Dolan and Murray Sheehan

A) What do you think Gen Z will become known for?

“I think we are a very entrepreneurial generation, I think we will make changes, we are
growing quickly so we are very adept at filling needs. We are also a very educated gen-
eration, we know about issues like climate change.”

“I think our generation will become known for spearheading the talk about global warm-
ing, I know this is a recurring topic but it really is a pressing issue. We are seeing the
likes of Greta Thunberg and online activism, people are taking part more. We have
more vegetarians and vegans now, there are large advancements in renewable forms
of energy, to be honest it’s being pushed, a large majority by the younger people.
That’s what I believe gen z will become known for.”

“I think that your generation is wonderful at taking interest in the environment, they will
be the turning point of many changes that will positively impact our environment.”

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 A) Do you harbour any resentment towards past generations (i.e. baby
boomers and their exploitation of fossil fuels) do you feel they are to be
blamed for the problems we face today?

“Blame might be the wrong word to be using. Past generations may have
believed they were doing what was best, they weren’t intentionally hurting
other people and I think we should be more forgiving.”

M) Do you think that our generation is more involved in activism covering a range of
topics like the Sudanese genocide or climate change? Which topics are, do you think
the most important?

“Yes, I would say compared to some generations in the past we have had more of an influence,
we are more educated so we know more about these issues because of media and news, so,
we have more concern for them, activism is the way we believe we can solve them, because
when we were younger we did not have a political voice so this is really our only way to make a
change. I do have to agree that climate change is probably the biggest at the moment because
if we do not solve they issue than we really are faced with a terrible issue.”

“First of all, I do believe today students are more involved in activism, partially because they
have been more exposed to it, they have more access to media, the world is much more
transparent now and also there are also more organisations out there calling more students to
action, who may be interested. There is a reason why global warming is coming up as our
biggest issue, it has been discussed since the 1980s but it is only really now we begin to see the
dire effects and I think it is fantastic our generation is getting more involved. I haven’t taken part
in any activism, but I would like to partake in some of the environmental marches or
demonstrations, unfortunately I have not had the time. If you are a supporter of the cause, that’s
what truly matters, but of course I would like to get involved in some way.”

“I think we certainly have a voice more so than in the past, I think social media is playing a
huge role in that... I am of course result interested in the environment, brexit because our
location plays a huge role in it.”

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 M) Do you think we, as a generation are ignorant about the activism of
previous generations such as the civil rights movement in the sixties
or other historic events?

“Looking into the past is fantastic if you want to change your viewpoints and
try and formulate something that can help bring about change into the future
but I also think that because there are many pressing issues in the world
today. some issues top others on the ‘priority list’, I personally don’t deem it
to be necessary to go in depth into past activism, the reason it is called past
activism is because largely, it has already been achieved, this doesn’t apply
to feminist, of course we have women in the Middle East under horrific
conditions in Saudia Arabia. The only way we can bring about meaningful
change is if we direct our resources into only a limited amount of topics.

M) Do you believe that a toxic masculinity systemically exists and has been
enforced by older generations like baby boomers? Do you think that gen Z
are changing this?

“In a way I would say we are trying to change this. Many people see the fault in
gender, a man can do some things while a woman can do others. This isn't
necessarily true, it is a part of their society which has evolved over time; a women
does x and a man y, in a way I don't think I have enough information to form an
opinion on it, but from what I know about it, the gender roles are too rigid and they
are not exactly healthy for society, they push people into categories and
stereotypes that may not always be healthy.”

“I would have to ask, does that mean toxic feminist also exists? You can look at the
issue from this perspective, in the society we live, both men and women are faced
with different issues and challenges, the emphasis seems to be put on women,
rightly so, however, I think the word toxic masculinity should be rephrased in order
to garner the attention of people because when you say the word toxic before
anything, you assume it’s the worst out there.”

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M) Do you think it should be the responsibility of older generations to fix problems like
climate change?

“I think it is their problem to solve, because they made the mistake yet they haven’t done anything to
solve it, which is like a second mistake. In a way they are indifferent towards these issues and are pinning
the responsibility on us, which is unfair because it should not be our responsibility. It does seem though
that it will be our responsibility, it should not be a problem that is passed on, rather we should be unified
in our approach. It does seem seem pretty bleak in that were told the earth only has little time left, our
species and plants face detrimental consequences. We all live on this earth and we can’t exact escape it,
I don’t particularly want to either, I think we should look after if because it is so incredible. It is just a
miracle, the nature, the people, we should try our best to help it.”

“I think, here, we would be referring to the global climate crisis, I believe that the people who caused it
should be trying to mitigate the issues they helped bring about in the world, but I also think in the area
they started to bring about those issues, let’s look at coal and fossil fuels for example, they grew up in
a time where it wasn’t an issue at that point, and essentially entire industries are built off fossil fuels.”

“The responsibility is actually upon those older generations, but the catalyst to help bring about this
change is upon the younger generations; to help older generations realise they have made a
mistake.”

“Is it possible to unify everyone to work towards a common goal? I definitely think young people could play
a part, we are seeing all these youth demonstrations in Dublin and around the world, but it harder to
unionise the younger groups with the older groups, because the older groups are the working class, they
own all the large companies and industries, and at this time in history it is very inconvenient for them to
give up fossil fuels and harmful ways of going about their industry, it is very difficult to get them to change
and to adopt the younger generations mindset.”

“There is a reason for this, it is simply not attractive for business producing large quantities of product to
try and switch what energy they use; oil and other fossil fuels are so cheap and efficient. You are only
going to change their mindset if you get them to realise that there will be other resources out there in the
future to carry out the same processes.”

“We need to tap into the corporate minds, and we also must be aware that we are the consumers, and
that corporations cannot function without us, unfortunately it is the consumers who are using these
harmful products.”

“There is a large growth in the amount of people who are campaigning for the ethical consumption and
production of products, but it will be extremely difficult to tap into the mind of big companies whose main
concern is profit, if we want to get home onto our side we must provide and incentive for the, to do so or
else it will be a result of radical change.”

“I think older generations have a lot to answer to, and world leaders in particular have a lot to answer to.
Should they be the ones fixing it? They should be playing a huge role in it, but I think the people
who are passionate about it are currently the only ones who will really make a change.”

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 A) Do you feel our generation has been left with a lot of responsibility to
solve the various crises plaguing our earth today? Do you feel compelled
in any way to help?

“I think that every generation has a responsibility to help, but sometimes we can
be selfish, as each generation becomes wrapped up in their own problems, but I
think we all have to look outwards and help others and solve these problems
otherwise we remain selfish beings. I feel that most people want a simple life, but
the issues are just too big to ignore, anything you whether it is small or big is
important, I think we can all help. I myself have not taken part in any activism, but I
do think it is important. However, Ido think some people take part in activism
purely because of their own ego and not out of real care for others.”

“I think it would be foolish to have a nihilistic outlook on an issue that will affect all
of us, I think we have all the responsibility put on our shoulders, certainly in the
generations going forward after scientists give us the horizon, we will need to look
at how to change the mindsets of those in power and those of the businesses
creating this mass destruction, we will need to take a multidimensional approach,
young people will have to find a way to further push our government to do
something to tackle these crises. The largest issue with this climate change is that
if we want to change we will have to change how our economies operate entirely
and that is what will be the most difficult.”

“I think people are more comfortable in comparison to the past, our culture has
definitely improved, and our society is a lot more accepting. Even in Ireland there
has been a lot of attitude changes which should be proud of.”

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A) What are you feelings towards shootings in schools in the United States? Do you
have any ideas on how their government could possibly reduce the amount of armed
attacks occurring in schools

“The big thing in America, because of the last of their constitution regarding guns, I suppose
the reason for having them was originally valid, people had the, so they could avoid
oppression against the British, but it does not work in the modern day, because even the
founding fathers called for the constitution to be changed every decade to suit the needs of
the people. But now Americans have the idea that it is set in stone, they cannot change it and
that they absolutely must have guns and that America wouldn’t be America without its guns,
it’s just been taken too far, you can buy an automatic weapon just because you want to, even
though it is extremely dangerous. There really is no reason to have guns, it is a vicious cycle,
because they say they have guns to defend themselves, but they wouldn’t need the Defense if
it wasn’t so easy to purchase guns.”

“In the past there weren't as many shootings, if any, but nowadays have so many, we hear
about them at the time. Terrorism in America is really an internal threat because of this
issue. The only generations really obsessed with the guns are the older ones, they aren’t
willing to change the legislation regarding guns.”

“First of all, I think the shootings in general are completely ridiculous, and unfortunately the
gun companies lobby the politicians in the United States. Gun culture is so ingrained in the
US mindset, and in their economy, politics and public culture. It’s difficult to let go of that, I
would hesitate however to blame it purely on older generations because different
generations bring different issues. “

“I believe in the twenty first century, a modern country like the US should not have this kind of
access to weapons. I personally don’t see any radical change happening down the line until at
least 2020, if a democrat gets in, they have such progressive ideas with gun reforment
(background checks etc) I don’t think the American government will ever be able to ‘collect’
these weapons from the public, they are so divided and it is such as fractured political system,
it is so polarised that change is only going to be a result of small steps by progressive
candidates.”

“Definitely, I think the laws over there definitely need to be looked at. given the amount of
tragedies, I don’t think people should be allowed to just buy a gun and have this dangerous
responsibility with us even knowing their background.”

27
 What we saw while looking at the results:

The most obvious thing we noticed while interviewing our classmates was
how knowledgeable they were on the multitude of topics we asked them
about. They all agreed that activism is a key part of our generation’s core,
saying:

“Most generations seem to be more involved in activism as they grow up

but we seem to be involved from an early age”.”

“I wouldn't say we’re more involved than other generations but we’re more
involved in a range of topics.”

They also all had similar sentiments regarding climate change. They all
were very clued in regarding what needs to happen however many of the
interviewees were not very optimistic about the future of the planet.
Here’s what they had to say about it:

“We should be doing more to talk to older climate change activists about
the whole matter instead of just our generation because they have more
knowledge and wisdom.”

“The reason we are making progress now is because people now

are consciously saying hang on?”

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It was amazing to discuss how there has been a massive change
for good with our generation and how accepting people are of
different races, genders, sexualities and religions.

“Everyone’s a lot more accepting of different sexualities and

genders. Everyone’s a lot more open minded. I think it’s harder for
older generations to see that as they were brought up differently.”

“I think our generation will be the first one to truly embrace change.”

One amazing thing that we only noticed until we were going through the interviews
afterwards was how people of our generation were not resentful towards older
generations as a lot of the responsibility towards solving climate change lies on
their shoulders. In fact, they practically all believed working together was key to
help solve the climate crisis.

“It wouldn't be fair to leave it ( it being solving climate change) entirely up to us or

entirely up to them.”

“I’m trying to do my TY and then my Leaving Cert, like, I don’t exactly have the
time or resources to make a change by myself.”

“We can’t resent anybody”.

In summary, it wasn’t just interesting to hear about the opinions of the students in transition year, it
was inspiring. These people are so educated in a wide range of topics and they are willing to do
whatever it takes to make the world a better one for further generations to come.

Ultimately the viewpoints of everyone we interviewed for this Vox POP were hugely positive, many
of the opinions expressed were shared by more than one person, for example, pretty much
everyone shared the idea that we can only achieve ‘meaningful change’ by working in union, we
must not have the outlook that we are all against one another, older generations vs younger, baby
boomers vs gen z.

We need to overcome this petty blame game we all take part in and understand past generations
did their best they could at that time, and now is the time to revolutionise the revamping of our
earth.

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 St. Gerard’s TY Halloween Newsletter 2019

30 Designed and Produced by Evan Dargan Hayes