Lenny represents Ireland at european Youth Parliament

COLáISTe Chú Chulainn 6th year student Lenny Nyoike was in Tromso, Norway last week representing Ireland at the european Youth Parliament.

The european Youth Parliament is one of europe’s largest youth platforms for civic education, intercultural encounters, and the exchange of ideas – run by young people, for young people. Its mission is to inspire and empower a young generation of informed, open-minded, responsible, and active citizens that shape society and drive impact.

Ó FIAICh College are delighted to partner with LIDL Ireland and to acknowledge their support of the Girl’s Gaelic Junior football team. The team were presented with their new jersey’s, kindly provided by LIDL Ireland, by teacher and coach Ms. Carla Rowe. Ms. Rowe is a Science and Biology teacher in Ó Fiaich but is probably better known as the Dublin Senior Ladies

Football Captain. As a LIDL ambassador for the Serious Support Schools Programme she knows only too well how important it is to keep young girls involved in sport.

This very generous support and sponsorship by LIDL Ireland has proven to be a real boost for the girl’s football team and will hopefully get them off to a winning start next season.

Lenny, from the Armagh Road in Dundalk, got involved through his Politics and Society teacher Mr Slowey and entered the Leinster selection process last year which consisted of a five day course working on a motion to protect journalist rights. Lenny had to present his case to a mock assembly and he impressed the judges sufficiently to get through the rigorous process and go forward to the nationals. According to Lenny he really enjoyed the whole process and was shocked when he was chosen to go forward to the national finals.

“Only three students from County Louth were chosen to go forward to the nationals and I was delighted but shocked to be one of them. Most of us were

16 or 17 and I think that is a wonderful thing as it shows that my generation are willing to shape the future of the country. We travelled to Cork for the Nationals and there were 400 students in the room debating various motions in conditions identical to a regular european Parliament Conference. My committee dealt with a motion asking if youth voting age should be reduced to 16. It was a very interesting debate and we got to meet Micheal Martin who was An Taoiseach at the time.

“After the conference in Cork we were left in suspense knowing that only six of us would be chosen to go to Tromso. Towards the end of last summer I received an email saying I was one of the chosen six people which absolutely left me stunned. I was at the square in Dundalk when the email came through and I froze! I couldn’t believe it. I’m the type of person who always thinks I can do more so I was surprised I was considered good enough to be chosen to go to Tromos for the european Youth Parliament. I’ve always been interested in politics and being a part of the decision making process which is why I served on the Student Council in my school in various leadership positions.

If there is a problem regarding how something is run I like to put my word in and try and improve things rather than sit back and complain about it. That sort of stuff doesn’t seem like work to me. I am by nature an introvert but I love making things better and making ideas a reality. I will be doing my Leaving Cert later this year and after that I will probably do a course in the field of Law, Politics or Psychology. I head to Tromso this week for the european Youth Parliament and I am so excited. It’s the chance of a lifetime and I’m going to make sure I enjoy it,” stated Lenny.