Knock
Guest Speakers: Fr. Peter Mc Verry SJ, Joanne O’ Riordan, John Lonergan and Dr. Cara Augestenborg
We went to knock on the 14th of september, the day after we got our junior cert results. We had to be at the school for 7:30 and from here the bus went straight to knock. We were travelling for 2 and a half hours. When we got there we were put into groups with different schools. Helen Ralph and Paddy Daly supported this. It was very powerful and we all got engaged. The speakers were also very inspiring. Up to 300 participants attended. We had many round table discussions. i think Joanne O Riordan was very good she was uplifting, funny and inspiring . She was born with a rare condition known as Total Amelia and has no limbs. She is only one of seven people in the world living with this disability, but she never looks at herself as being different. Fr Peter McVerry, who is well known to many for his work with the homeless. He gave us the practical suggestions about how to help the homeless including stopping to talk to someone begging on the street. He also told us personal stories of homeless people. Dr Cara Augustenborg is Chairperson of Friends of the Earth Ireland, and an environmental scientist who lectures on climate change. She spoke about the recent Electric Picnic in Co Laois and how her organisation tried to help reduce waste. However, many just walked away and left tents and lots of rubbish behind. She emphasised that as an American she can see how beautiful Ireland is, and cannot understand how people can destroy that. John Lonergan was Governor of Mountjoy Prison until his retirement in 2010. He has written a memoir, The Governor: The Life and Times of the Man who ran Mountjoy. He spoke about pride in one’s place and community especially as Mayo was to play in the All Ireland.
We went to knock on the 14th of september, the day after we got our junior cert results. We had to be at the school for 7:30 and from here the bus went straight to knock. We were travelling for 2 and a half hours. When we got there we were put into groups with different schools. Helen Ralph and Paddy Daly supported this. It was very powerful and we all got engaged. The speakers were also very inspiring. Up to 300 participants attended. We had many round table discussions. i think Joanne O Riordan was very good she was uplifting, funny and inspiring . She was born with a rare condition known as Total Amelia and has no limbs. She is only one of seven people in the world living with this disability, but she never looks at herself as being different. Fr Peter McVerry, who is well known to many for his work with the homeless. He gave us the practical suggestions about how to help the homeless including stopping to talk to someone begging on the street. He also told us personal stories of homeless people. Dr Cara Augustenborg is Chairperson of Friends of the Earth Ireland, and an environmental scientist who lectures on climate change. She spoke about the recent Electric Picnic in Co Laois and how her organisation tried to help reduce waste. However, many just walked away and left tents and lots of rubbish behind. She emphasised that as an American she can see how beautiful Ireland is, and cannot understand how people can destroy that. John Lonergan was Governor of Mountjoy Prison until his retirement in 2010. He has written a memoir, The Governor: The Life and Times of the Man who ran Mountjoy. He spoke about pride in one’s place and community especially as Mayo was to play in the All Ireland.