Theme: 21st Century Pandemic Insights

Working with our Youth speakers this year, providing collaborative coaching and one to one support teaches us as much about the Impact of a Changing World as living through a global pandemic has taught them. As a percentage of their lives, the last 18 plus months has perhaps given them a super power we believe, which will stand to them well as their lives unfold. The team at TEDxYouth@DunLaoghaire are so very proud at the commitment they have given to developing their talks and the skills they will go on to develop as a result.

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Haigh Terrace, Moran Park
Dún Laoghaire
County Dublin, Dublin, A96 H283
Ireland

Ava Prendergast

Student

Ava Prendergast attends Scoil Chriost Ri, a secondary school in Laois. She works part time in a takeaway restaurant and a stage school. She coaches her local soccer academy. She is a member of Comhairle na nOg, which is a child and youth council which gives young people the opportunity to be involved with local services and policies. She will discuss how sometimes in our fast paced society we cannot help but feel a false sense of exclusion by our community. Ava Prendergast speaks about finding your tribe, your place of belonging and how as a human being that is the most important thing we need.

Kenneth Bracken

Student

Kenneth Bracken is a 17 year old student of Ard Scoil Chiarain Naofa. He has a passion for history and politics, and his talk will demonstrate his view of the need for youth participation in decision making within local communities and politics at local and national levels. He believes that the leaders of the future are created in present, however many young people do not know of the root to engage in the decision making process and how simple it could be to get their voice and concerns heard. His talk also aims to show older generations the importance of hearing the voice of young people and why they should be seen as equals with their opinions to be heard with the decision-making process.

Muireann Byrne

Student

Muireann Byrne attends St Fergals College Rathdowney, a secondary school in Laois. She is a member of Comhairle na nOg, which is a child and youth council which gives young people the opportunity to be involved with local services and policies. She plays camogie with Clough Ballacolla Club, which is an Irish stick and ball sport played by women, and ladies football with Shanahoe Football Club. She also plays camogie and football with her school. She is an active member of the student council, an organisation that arranges school activities, and she is very interested in art and reading.

Salim Kajani

Student

Salim Kajani attends St Michaels College, a secondary school in Dublin. He is a climate activist and is a member of Fridays for Future, an international climate movement led by youth, and the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union, the national representative body for school students in Ireland that is led by students for students. He is also a mental health campaigner. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, he has found the escape of running. He will be discussing the use of coping mechanisms when dealing with mental illness and how we can use them as a tool to overcome hardship.

Sarah Meacle

Student

Sarah Meacle attends Colaiste Naomh Cormac, which is a secondary school in Offaly. She enjoys being an active member of her community and is involved in her local camogie club, which is an Irish stick and ball sport played by women, where she is the Minor captain, and badminton club, where she became a badminton coach. She is also active in her school community where she is secretary of the Green School Committee, which is a committee that raises awareness about the environment in school. She became interested in criminology after her uncle became a victim of an aggravated burglary and wants to demonstrate the importance of community in helping victims recover. She believes that being willing to support one another through difficult times is vital in today’s society. Sarah’s talk will show how community support is essential in helping families affected by crime.

Saul Whelan

Student

Saul Whelan attends Colaiste Iosagain, a secondary school in Offaly. He is a member of Comhairle na nOg, which is a child and youth council which gives young people the opportunity to be involved with local services and policies. He has talked on behalf of Comhairle na nOg at Co-Op 26 and climate summits. He plays soccer with Arlington AFC. He has been getting help for his anxiety and depression for two years. But, his mental health always seems to creep up on him. He will discuss his struggle with mental health and how to be more of an asset than a liability to those struggling with their mental health.