TY TALK:Coláiste Mhuire, Ennis, Co Clare
ON BULLYING AND BONDING
Sinead Collins:"Transition Year has disbanded the cliques. At the beginning, we went to Delphi Adventure Centre and everyone got to know each other.
This is an all-girls school, and girls can sometimes resent each other, but there’s none of that in TY. Bullying has gone out the window. Nobody says a bad word; we’re all laughing and joking.”
Jennifer O'Flanagan:"I moved schools to do TY, and it was scary as I didn't really know anybody. But between public speaking competitions, drama, and the Rotary Club, I've gained so much confidence in the last few weeks and months. I've made so many new friends."
ON DRAMA
Orla Killeen:"We've been taking part in a drama festival. With such a big class here we decided to put on two plays. One, An Triail, was in Irish and the other, Our Day Outby Willie Russell, was in English. We took the plays to the Transition Year Drama Festival and we were commended for the Irish play."
ON DEPRESSION
Amy Comerford: “For Young Social Innovators, we’re working on a project to help young people cope with depression. We’re putting together a 12-page booklet that will include information on healthy eating, exercise, knowing what makes you happy and what makes you stressed. It’s a topic that we’re all very passionate about in this class.”
ON COLLEGE PLACES
AC:"It looks like there will be a shortage of college places later this year as CAO applications reach an all-time high. The government says that education is the way forward but many people will miss out."
ON HEAD SHOPS
SC: "There are two head shops open in town and rumours of a third one opening. They're displaying signs stating that they won't serve anyone under 18, but these drugs are inevitably filtering down to young people. Nobody knows what's in them – I think cannabis is awful but at least people know what it is. Legal highs are dangerous and unregulated. It's madness that they're allowed to operate."
Got something to say? Want to take part in TY Talk? E-mail transitiontimes@irishtimes.com
