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Killarney students join worldwide  climate change rally

By Sean Moriarty

Students from the three secondary schools in Killarney joined millions of their peers worldwide when they took part in what has been described as the largest global climate protest in history.

On Friday last (September 20);  first, second, third and transition-year students from St Brigid's Presentation Secondary School, St Brendan's College and Killarney Community College united to spell out the word ‘Now’ in the grounds of St Mary's Cathedral in a call to politicians to take action to prevent further climate change.

The strike was organised by three student groups nationwide - Fridays for Future Ireland, School Strikes for Climate Ireland and Schools Climate Action Network - with adult organisations including Stop Climate Chaos, SIPTU, The Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Fórsa, the Union of Students of Ireland, Extinction Rebellion and many more groups as organising partners.

The students claim the Irish Government has been inactive on environmental issues and that this inaction has led to a rise in emissions and damage to in environment.

“During the final period [on Friday]  the students gathered in the Bishop's field and created a powerful visual demand statement regarding Climate Action,” said St Brendan’s principal Sean Coffey.\

“Marshalled by Mr. Declan O'Donoghue and his Politics and Society Class, the 1000-plus students created the NOW image. We are most thankful to fifth year student  Iuvali Cazacu and Mr. John C. O'Shea for their drone expertise and their work in capturing this statement image.”

Later the day the same students gathered to hear a highly informative input from Dr. Aidan Forde, of Saorgus Energy Ltd., the firm behind the wind farms in the Stacks Mountains outside Tralee, on the impact of carbon loading on our climate.

“A huge thank you to our past pupil for his insightful presentation,” added Mr Sean Coffey.