Youth via Youth Press Issue 2 | Making History

Issue 2 | July 4th 2020

MAKING HISTORY

CONTENTS 3 MEET THE TEAM & OUR CONTRIBUTORS 8 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 9 ART ON LOCKDOWN 17 MAKING HISTORY 19 PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO INSPIRE US 22 A HISTORY OF PANDEMICS 24 HEROS CALL WITH THE DSCM 27 A VIEW FROM THE SPECIAL OLYPMICS 29 DIARY ENTRIES FROM HOME 32 THE INSPIRATION OF MUSIC 36 SERENITY OF QUARANTINE 39 HOW TO: FACEMASKS 42 LIFE GOES ON 45 SPRING AIR 46 SAVE THE POOL: PROTESTS IN PORTLAOISE 49 AN IRISH LGBT+ HISTORY 51 GAME, BOOK AND FILM REVIEWS

Heya, my name’s Aaron and I’m seventeen years old. I’m a writer for YVY Press and I’m very excited to write about the historic events going on at the moment.

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Hi! My name’s Niamh and I’m a writer for YVY Press. I’m the newest addition to the team and I’m really excited for you to read this issue!

Hi! I'm Mac McGrath. I'm seventeen years old and I'm from Portlaoise. I'm a writer here at YVY Press and I'm so excited for you all to see what we have in store for this issue!

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Hello everyone! I'm Bridget Reidy Dundon, and I'm 14 years old. I am a photographer for YVYP and I'm so excited for you to see more of my work on this issue!

I’m Katie, I'm 18 years old, I live in Abbeyleix, and I am a photographer for YVY Press. I am interested to see how the young people of today, and the actions we take, will be remembered in the years to come!

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Hey! I'm Anna Lee Dowling, Chief PRO of YVY Press.

I'm so glad you all loved our last issue, and I hope you enjoy this one just as much!

Hi everyone, my name is Nate Dowling and I'm the Junior Public Relations Officer on Youth Via Youth Press. My job involves communicating between our online newspaper and the public!

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THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Conor M. D., the artist of this issue’s cover, all of our fantastic interviewees and frontline workers who took the time to sit down with us, and, as always, the amazing staff at Youth Work Ireland Laois for supporting our endless ideas and crazy visions.

A special thank you to Simone Phelan for sitting in on meetings and forever being her entertaining self and giving our team endless support.

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I never grew up with grandparents as a young person. However, there was a cousin. Mary. A warrior, a master of sarcasm and sass, a woman who knew probably hundreds of people around the world and who was loved by them all.

She was one of the first people to support my writing. Subconsciously, she had always been my grandmother, though she would have killed me for giving her that title, being the young soul at heart she was. On the 8th of April, she passed away in her home after battling cancer for the third time in her life. In hospital since January, I could only visit her twice due to restrictions.

I saw her a final time the weekend before she passed, standing outside looking through the window where her bed lay on the other side of the room.

Due to restrictions, I could not go to her funeral.

This anecdote is not for sympathy, but rather because these are times of struggle, hardship, uncertainty, and pain. We are all suffering in our own ways, and instead of breaking apart in isolation, the young people of this county, country and world have banded together and risen up more than ever before. With a global pandemic, uncertainty about the Leaving Cert, growing attention in the Climate Change and Black Lives Matter movements, and the presence of a virtual Pride Month, uncovering this issue’s theme of Making History was not difficult for our wonderful team.

Now more than ever it is of the utmost importance to pay notice to what a young person in Laois is defined as, and to realise fully our impact on the society and history around us.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR In this issue, you’ll find interviews with frontline workers, students, teachers, photographers, parents, and, as always, young people. There are DIYs, intimate discussions on the impact lockdown has had on the mental health of our young people, and, above all, an inspiring story of our capabilities and strengths in a worldwide event that this generation has not yet seen for ourselves. We are all making history right now, and it’s up to us what each generation wants to be remembered for in the year of 2020. It seems as though the young people have made themselves clear; we want to make a difference, even if it’s just for one person somewhere in Laois. So, without further ado, I present to you our second issue; Making History.

Enjoy, Charlotte McNulty Editor-in-Chief

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ART ON LOCKDOWN

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better, more reliable icon.

This, however, is no longer the case.

Florence Nightingale, Michael Collins, Marsha P. Johnson. When we think of historical figures, these are the names that usually come to mind. War heroes, politicians, revolutionaries - people you want to grow up to be.

In the past it was always assumed that education and status were needed to create social change and make history, but today we’re beginning to realise that that’s not the case.

Up until recently the power, influence and potential that young people have has gone largely unnoticed. People are only beginning to realise the impact young voices can have, and how driven and inspiring we can be. Our fight and drive for Climate Justice, our impact on the Black Lives

Matter Movement, and the steps we’ve made in the Disability Rights Movement are all prime examples of young people just like ourselves fighting to save the world we were raised in, reversing the damage and pain that history has caused.

The recognition is new, but the ability has been there for longer than you’d expect. What if I told you that Braille was invented by a 15 year old in the 1820s? Or that Claudette Colvin, a 15 year old girl, was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus, nine months before Rosa Parks, in the same city, under the same bus system, with the same consequences. The reason why Colvin is so little known is because, as an adult, Parks made a

We can see things start to change as early as the 80s.

Samantha Smith, a 10 year old from Maine, is credited with giving young people a voice during the Cold War. She wrote a letter to the leader of the Soviet Union, basically putting him in his place; “Please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war... I would like to know why you want to conquer the world”. This letter impressed Andropov so much that he invited Smith to The Soviet Union.

She went on to speak all over the world, even suggesting that U.S. and Soviet leaders exchange granddaughters for two weeks a year, because who would want to bomb a country that their granddaughter was visiting?

This 10 year old girl prevented nuclear war with a handwritten letter. Does that not single-handedly prove the power we hold?

Nowadays, this can be seen wherever you look. Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg, Emma González. We fought to make our voices heard, and we’re finally being taken seriously. We’re fighting to save the planet, for human rights, and sharing our own stories and opinions with the world, all while trying to make it through the Leaving Cert.

Recently, I had the pleasure of chatting with two such 17 | Making History

young people who are making a huge difference for students in Ireland. Lorna Fitzpatrick, president of the Students Union in Ireland (USI), and Ciara Fanning, outgoing president of the Irish Second-Level Students Union (ISSU), who both sat down with me to talk about their work and the differences they hope to make for young people.

Ciara, who is only finishing her first year of college, was the face and leader of an organisation that is changing the game, not only in Irish secondlevel education, but also in the perception we have of Irish youth. Ciara told me about the positive change she has seen, and that young people are viewed a lot more constructively than in the past.

She hopes to see more young people taking part in representative groups like youth work and student council, and understanding the power that it gives them; “I’m so proud of the students of Ireland for not letting themselves be used as pawns and making themselves be seen as partners”.

Lorna Fitzpatrick is busy doing

a similar job for students in third level with her wonderful team at the USI. During our chat, she made a brilliant point about how the things she and the USI do can spark up a huge national conversation and how that has greatly affected the level of respect young people are receiving in politics and professional environments. When I asked her what difference she hopes to make in the future, her immediate answer was “I want to change the world.” She wants to “make Ireland a supportive, welcome and inclusive society for all”.

She believes that young people have been at the front of social change for the last few decades, and that needs to continue.

Think again about the historical figures you idolise. Think of the war heroes, politicians and revolutionaries you want to grow up to be. Now look at your peers. Look at your friends and classmates, signing petitions, going to protests, challenging policy makers.

These are the people changing the world, the people we can look up to who look just like us. We don’t need to wait until we’re older to start making a difference; we already have the potential to change the world, and together we will make history.

Learn more about the USI and their work here: http://usi.ie/ Learn more about the ISSU and their work here: https://www.issu.ie/ Thank you to both Ciara and Lorna for sitting down with us.

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How did you get into photography?

I have always been in and out of the music scene since about third year of secondary school. Going to see friends bands locally, then onto actual shows as a fan. In 2016, my friends in Fangclub began to take off and I offered to help them any way I could.

After some encouragement from friends, I began to bring a GoPro to small gigs, then I eventually upgraded to a proper camera. A month later I managed to secure a photo pass to Forbidden Fruit festival and I have not looked back since!

What is your favourite thing to photograph?

Glen Bollard, an Irish photographer whose work focuses heavily on music and concerts, speaks a little bit about his career, who he is and how his work has been affected by the pandemic, answering questions written and developed by one of our team’s photographers, Katie Dunne.

I love live gigs, concerts and the whole atmosphere. Being able to capture those moments and memories is something I never thought I would be in a position to do. And it also gives me an excuse to nerd out over guitar gear as well as attend gigs which is something I did on a weekly basis anyway! Being able to combine a creative outlet with my usual night-out activities, it was a no brainer.

What is the best gig you’ve photographed?

There’s so many! Some would be Metallica Slane Castle 2019; they were the first band I ever saw in concert and one of my all-time favourites. To be allowed photo them at their biggest ever Irish show, as well as seeing my pals in Fangclub supporting, was a dream come true.

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At Six at Gunnersville, All Time Low in Leeds, Foo Fighters in Belfast, Slipknot in Dublin and countless others. I would be murdered if I didn’t mention the Coronas guys, every show I cover with them is literally a gang of mates getting together and an absolute blast.

What inspired you to hold a draw for a photography print for those who donated to the ISPCC during the Instagram livestreams?

Over the last two years I have had the chance to work with a huge range of Irish artists, and, like everyone else, when the pandemic hit I spent a couple days wondering ‘how the hell do I occupy myself?’. I have always wanted to give back where I can after what was a great year, and when I saw MCD announce the line-up, every single artist on the list was someone I had worked with. I saw my opportunity to give back and occupy myself with something fun still involved with music.

How have the current restrictions during the pandemic affected your work?

Unfortunately, my photo business has taken a huge hit as all upcoming concerts are on the back burner for a long time to come.

Thankfully, I still have a 9-5 job which means I’m not as badly affected as other colleagues.

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Many musicians I work with, both from Ireland and abroad, have lost their livelihoods completely.

It’s also hard to watch some friends who are fulltime photographers and videographers losing out on so much.

You can contact Glen on socials @gbollardphoto or visit his website glenbollardphotography. com.

All pictures were taken and sent in by Glen.

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A History of the Spanish-Flu: Where are we 100 years later?

Aaron Mitchell We are living through history at the moment due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. As of me writing this, Covid-19 has infected 5.23 million people worldwide. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Covid-19 is the sixth pandemic in recent history, the first being the 1918 influenza Pandemic.

The 1918 influenza Pandemic of the H1N1 virus (more commonly known as the Spanish Flu) is known as the most severe pandemic in recent history. The Spanish Flu pandemic was caused by the H1N1 virus, which occurs in birds. The Spanish Flu got its nickname due to where it was originally thought to come from, however it was actually from New York, USA. It came in three waves, the first was in the Spring of 1918, the second in the Autumn of 1918 and the third in the Winter of 1918. The Pandemic wiped out 50 million people worldwide.

Similarly to Covid-19, there was no medicinal response as there was no vaccine or antibiotics available to fight

the virus, resulting in people doing things that we are currently doing due to Covid19 such as quarantining, isolation, use of disinfectants and limitations of gatherings.

The Spanish Flu was unique due to the fact that mortality was high in all age groups; it had the ability to kill people who were perfectly healthy and in the 20-40 year old age group. Due to the fact that there was no WHO (World Health Organisation) and that it occurred in the middle of World War I, reporting on the pandemic was slow.

WWI greatly impacted the spread of the Pandemic as many newspapers were

censored.

Many newspapers had begun censoring in an effort to keep the public patriotic towards the war effort. In the UK this was due to the Defence of the Realm Act, 1914. This Act prevented news that may damage the general public, the King or the war effort.

Other countries had similar acts such as The War Measures Act in Canada and The War Precautions Act, 1914 in Australia.

Countries throughout Europe were extremely hesitant to expose the deadly virus as it may have caused worry amongst the public.

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Spain, however, was a neutral country, which meant that it could report the news fairly with minimal censorship. The flu wasn’t making news in the UK until July, a whole two months later after it had been reported in Spain.

The coverup of the flu’s existence has made it historically remembered as the forgotten pandemic, however each time there is another pandemic, people’s interest in the Spanish Flu is renewed.

Doctors really had no clue how to cure the Spanish Flu, and as a result many people died from aspirin poisoning. Doctors today now know that a dose of more than four grams of aspirin is toxic, but at the time this wasn’t known.

Many doctors prescribed a dose of 30 grams of aspirin daily to alleviate flu symptoms.

The overdose of aspirin caused hyperventilation or fluid in the lungs. These may have killed the patients or else due to the fact that like Covid-19, the Spanish Flu was a respiratory disease, it just fast-forwarded their deaths.

Over one hundred years since the end of the Spanish Flu

Flu pandemic of 1918, we live through the Covid-19 pandemic and we have learned a lot from the leaders and doctors of that time. We have learned much about what works and helps prevent the spread of the virus such as the limitations of public gatherings, but we have also learned from the mistakes of the past such as the aspirin poisoning.

With 500 million people infected during the Spanish Flu’s lifecycle, it is the worst pandemic in recent history and we must hope that we never see another of its scale again, but if we do, we now know far more to be able to deal with it far better.

HEROS CALL

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The children of the Down Syndrome Centre Midlands have let us use their pictures thanking our essential workers; our heroes. The Hero’s Call is our thank you. Thank you to all essential workers who are working hard to keep us safe – we appreciate you so much!

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The following interview is with two amazing parents and volunteers for The Down Syndrome Centre Midlands. Lynda Donoghue Murray, whose daughter Leah avails of the Down Syndrome Centre Midlands services, and Annemarie Gavin, whose son Liam also goes to the centre. Both of their kids have Down syndrome.

Lynda and Annemarie spoke to me about how lockdown has affected their families, without having the important resources they need.

How have things changed for you during quarantine?

Lynda: Things have changed a lot during quarantine. My parents and mum-in-law are retired and live in another county so not seeing them face to face has been hard. Not getting out to see friends for a chat or going to our usual clubs and places we like to go to get away is hard too. In saying that I'm grateful we are all healthy and safe.

Annemarie: Life has changed completely during quarantine. We have been cocooning for most of it because of health issues.

However, we have had time as a family that we would never have gotten and have grown very close as a result.

How has the changes in routine impacted you and your family?

Lynda: Times are certainly different throughout Covid.

Our daughter relies on routines and being out of routine has been hard for her to understand and can be very frustrating too. That has been a huge impact every day. We are now adjusting to new routines.

Annemarie: Our kids need routine, they miss the structure of school and the various activities they took part in. It’s hard for them to understand what’s happening out there.

Is there anything you would like to say to raise awareness or to open people's eyes?

Lynda: Treasure all the small things you have in life ..friends, family ,a smile ,a memory shared is so important. It can be taken away or changed in an instant.

Annemarie: I hope we all come away from this appreciating one another, family and friends and take time to enjoy the simple things and be very grateful for the sacrifice of many to keep us safe.

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Lynda answered the following questions for me about how The Down Syndrome Centre Midlands has been affected by lockdown and quarantine!

What has lockdown been like for you all as an organization?

It's been hard to suspend the services in the centre.

Our centre is a lifeline support for families of the DSCM. Is there anything you miss about being able to do? Such as running groups.

We have clubs and services that are vital for our service users. In the run up to Covid-19 we were ready to celebrate World Down syndrome Day on 21/3 every year which is a big celebration for us.

How have you all adapted? How have things changed?

Thankfully, there's been a lot of online help for a lot of our families in schools, clubs, apps that keep us all connected and support each other

What will have to change in the future, to abide by new government laws?

We have made lots of changes. We have a new perspective now on family safety and our services and how we can all keep connected to support the families of the DSCM. Change is so important as our children /adults are very vulnerable.

Leah, Lynda’s daughter, and Liam, Annemarie’s son

By the end of the interview, I had learned an important tip; use people first language. Try not to say ‘a Down syndrome child’, but instead ‘a child with Down syndrome’. This way, they are not defined by only this but rather it’s a part of who they are!

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A VIEW FROM THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS BRIDGET REIDY DUNDON

I did interviews with Liz Clear, whose daughter Kizzie goes to The Special Olympics group here in Portlaoise, along with Katie Reidy, whose son Kyle goes to the group as well! The Special Olympics are an amazing group who give support to people of all ages with disabilities and give them opportunities to get into sports and competitions.

How has the changes in routine impacted you and your family?

How have things changed for you during quarantine?

Liz: Life has changed dramatically for us and our child with special needs. We have been confined to our home but we’re lucky to have a big garden and live in the country so we could properly isolate. We have had to stop meeting people, only to go to the shop once a week. My husband and son have to work from home in case they bring the virus into the house. What we have considered normal things to do in our daily lives have gone and will be gone for a long time to keep our daughter safe.

Katie: I have found the whole routine of my family life changed. The freedom to come and go as I pleased was no longer there. It was very hard to not let the kids go to see their grandparents and visit. Homeschooling was a new experience and a hard one to try to adapt to.

Liz: The changes have had a huge impact on our family. Everyone is confined/stuck with each other. The closure of the school, the suspension of all clubs, sports and social [activities], the closure of respite services and therapy services has led to huge behavioural problems for our daughter which impacts all the family.

Simple household tasks now have to be carefully planned between three people.

Katie: My son Kyle has ASD, Autism Spectrum Disorder. His whole routine has been taken from him. His daily schedule was turned upside and had no structure. It was hard to try to adapt to a new daily routine that would not impact him too much. I had to change my working hours in Tesco to make sure that Paddy and I were not overlapping our working hours too much so childcare would not be an issue.

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Is there anything you would like to say to raise awareness or to open people's eyes?

Liz: The families caring for someone with special needs were forgotten about. I understand everything happened very quickly but even as restrictions ease there is no more reopening respite services, therapy services or schools.

Katie: People with disabilities need to be helped more by the government, be it in home supports or social groups. Not all disabilities are visible so more education around that in that area particularly businesses is essential.

I asked Liz some questions about how Covid-19 and the restrictions followed by it would affect the Special Olympics group.

What has lockdown been like for you all as an organization?

We have had to stop meeting as a club/group and all the athletes miss it so much. The club was providing physical activity, it was good for their mental health and it was a fantastic social outlet for the athletes and their parents. As a parent if you had a problem chances are someone else had been through it before and were able to give you advice. I miss that the most.

Is there anything you miss about being able to do? Such as running groups.

Our club missed out on three competitions this year after putting great work in all year. That was very disappointing for the athletes. All competitions have been cancelled for the year because of Covid-19.

How have you all adapted? How have things changed?

We have started a zoom meeting at our usual training time.

Each athlete will get to give a group challenge for the week ahead. We do exercise, have a chat/any news, and it could be someone's birthday. They get a drill to practice for the week and they can put a video of it up on our WhatsApp page.

What will have to change in the future, to abide by new government guidelines?

The vulnerability of our athletes and imposing social distancing measures is going to be a huge challenge for the club and we will have to stay closed until government bodies give us clear guidance and possibly financial support for PPE to run our club safely for everyone.

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Diary Entries from Home Mac McGrath Entry 1 17/05/2020 Hi! I’m Mac and this is my first diary entry.

To start off, I want to talk about my experience during quarantine and the simplest way to put it is that it's been rough. I'm a very social person, I thrive in social situations. So, being stuck at home with no one but my mother, my sister and my niece has been extremely, extremely difficult. Not to say I don't enjoy their company or anything. It's just that I love being around people and talking with people, especially in a group setting. I know that there's the zoom meetings, the video calls and the texts and emails, but I don't think it quite exactly fills the void the same way a real conversation would.

Quarantine’s taking quite the effect on my everyday life. Around this time, I'd probably be going out with my friends for walks or to get food, and taking full advantage of the dry weather. Well, realistically, I'd be studying for my Leaving Cert that was supposed to be happening. Speaking of which, school has changed drastically.

You’d think being online would make school easier to a certain degree but I personally feel like it's just harder. It’s hard to just log on, look at online work and treat it the same way as doing work in a classroom.

I started writing a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, so that's my main focus right now. D&D has been a very big part of quarantine for me and my friends because it's one thing that we all really, really enjoy and we enjoyed it outside of quarantine. Since it’s mainly a verbal game with some dice rolling involved, it's still really accessible at a time like this.

I’ve also been listening to a lot of music lately. Even though I’ve always been a very musical person, I’ve found myself moving out of my comfort zone when it comes to what I listen to during quarantine. From the cowboy country sounds of Marty Robbins to the punchy, guitar filled J-rock of Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Both of which I very much recommend. It’s nice to have a little bit of variety at a time like this where everything can feel a little monotonous.

That’s all for my first entry! Bye for now.

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Entry 2 18/05/2020 Today was another uninteresting day. I made a lot of progress on my D&D campaign, so I’m fairly happy with myself about that. I’ve only had a handful of bad days in quarantine, I’m more so just bored and restless at this point. It’s gotten to the point where my boredom has stretched into DIY projects, which were never an interest of mine before. I am not exactly a DIY person, however I've taken it upon myself to build a chain necklace out of the tabs on top of coke cans and energy drink cans, which sounds strange but I saw a video of it on TikTok and thought, why not?

Speaking of TikTok, it's been a thing that has engulfed my life completely since early March. It's so easy to sit on it for ages and not notice the time go by, and it's strange because it's one social media platform where if I spend a lot of time on it, I don't feel like I've wasted my time. Whereas if I went on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, and if I was scrolling for a while I feel like I would have a little bit of a guilty conscience, but with this, there's so many people who were putting up educational videos, who are advocating for such important causes, people who are so talented and just downright funny folks that I just can’t help but feel a little enlightened when I log off. The restrictions lifted today, which has been quite interesting to see. My mom who works in Portlaoise town has already noticed a larger amount of people are out and about, though they’re still wearing masks (thankfully). There's a lot more cars out than there were before, which is a little disappointing, I won't lie, but I suppose it's better than everyone being out in huge groups.

I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts, specifically podcasts by the McElroy brothers.

They’re three brothers who host a plethora of podcasts. Personally, I love the work they do. They have so many podcasts, so even if you’re someone who doesn't like D&D, there's something for you! Their main show is My Brother, My Brother, and Me, which is a comedy advice show. I definitely recommend the McElroy brothers; they've been helping me get through these past two months of quarantine.

This entry is quite short, but I hope you enjoyed it! I’ll check in tomorrow for the last entry!

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Entry 3 19/05/2020 Last entry! I’ve really enjoyed keeping these logs over the past three days so I’m kind of sad that this is the last.

Writing down what I’ve done in a day has honestly been therapeutic for me, it’s helped me reflect on how I spend my days and it’s also given me something to do every day, which in turn has given me a little bit of a routine!

Although these entries have allowed me to reflect, I’ve realized that I haven’t really been looking into what I want to do now that I’m out of school. So, I’m setting myself some goals for the next year as I personally will not be going into college until 2021 and the last thing I want is to feel like I’ve missed out on a year the same way I feel like I’ve missed out on these last few months.

Some of the goals are the basics; get a job, start to learn how to drive etc., but others are just things I’ve wanted to do for years but because of school I never got the chance to.

I want to travel, which might be made a little difficult by Covid, but I want to see the rest of Ireland because I’ve unfortunately not gotten to explore my own country outside of some parts of Cork and Dublin (and Laois, obviously). I know this sounds like a lot to try and squeeze into a year but it’s not about whether or not I get it all done, it’s about knowing what I want to do.

I have faith that people will push through this and we’ll come out on the better side of this all. I want people to see the severity of the situation now and know that they have to look at it as a bigger picture with everyone else in it rather than their individual wants.

The goal I suppose is to have things as normal as they can be by Christmas, I suppose it's because I’m a little bit bitter that my last summer in secondary school was taken away from me, as well as my graduation and possibly my debs. I'm upset to say the least, but I know it's bigger than me.

That’s all from me for now. Thank you so much for reading these entries, they’ve been very interesting for me to write and I hope you all enjoyed having a look at them!

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What You’ll Need - 2 x cotton fabric pieces (6 x 9 inches) - 2 x 4 inches of elastic, Ÿ inch wide - 1 piece of wire, 3 inches long. You can use 6 inches of plasticcovered gardening wire, doubled over on itself.

HOW TO: FACEMASKS Katie Dunne

Step 1 Place patterned sides of fabric together. Pin down the pieces of elastic, so that they lie horizontally, and the length of them are inbetween the fabric pieces.

Step 2 Sew down one side of the fabric as far as the elastic, encasing the elastic inside.

Step 3 Stretch the other end of this same piece of elastic down the side of the fabric. Sew down the side of the fabric, holding the newly-created ear loop inside the fabric.

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Step 4 Sew across the top. Repeat the procedure of making the first ear loop on the other side, making the second ear loop. You now have two elastic ear loops encased in a fabric pouch, which is sewn shut on three sides.

Step 5 Trim the seams and elastic.

Turn right-side-out and press with an iron.

Step 6 Fold 3 small pleats into the mask and pin down. You don’t have to be too fussy about the size, or where you pin. Top-stitch along the seam on the right-side of the mask.

Step 7 Sew down 1cm from the top of the mask, and across 4 cm, making an elongated L shape.

Step 8 Turn the mask inside out. Insert wire through the opening at the end of the L shape.

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Step 9 Turn back right side out. Sew down 1 cm to trap the wire inside.

Step 10 Turn in the raw edge at the bottom. Sew across to completely close the mask. It may be easier to pin this raw edge inside before sewing.

Step 11 Trim the edges. Your mask is now ready to wear! Press the wire in around your nose for a secure fit, and pull down the pleats.

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LIFE GOES ON | NIAMH KELLY

In case you haven’t noticed, 2020 isn’t going great. We started out with the threat of nuclear war, and then half of the world was on fire. East Africa was rampaged by a swarm of locusts and global warming has the world on its toes. We’re living through a sci-fi disaster movie, and looming over it all is Covid19.

Covid has completely affected the way we go about our daily lives, and the ways in which we interact with each other. As a 5 year student, my everyday routine was hugely disrupted when quarantine hit. Distanced learning is a huge adjustment, and the lack of consideration and resources the government has shown us kind of leaves us to our own defences. th

Margaret Nolan, a secondary school teacher in Portarlington, told me about her experiences with quarantine and the issues she has faced with distanced learning.

She believes distanced learning isn’t the same as being in school, and that the lack of personal interaction doesn’t support teaching and learning; but she also thinks that the independent nature of online learning encourages children to complete work and study for their own benefit rather than just to satisfy a teacher.

Margaret also talked about how some teachers are finding it just as hard as their students. Teachers working from home might not have the time to teach a class while working full time on caring

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for and home-schooling kids of their own. When it comes to how the government has handled education during lockdown, Margaret’s opinions are mixed. She feels it’s hard to know whether the government is doing the right thing, as all students and all situations are unique.

Overall, Margaret believes that kids need the classroom; they need the support, and teachers need to be able to read the situation in order to do their job well - “Teaching is a human interaction, it’s not about delivering information over a computer, and it should never become that.”

Ronan Boyle, a volunteer with the Order of Malta, also agreed to tell me about his experiences with Covid, and the ways it has affected his life. The Order of Malta is a voluntary ambulance and first aid service, tasked with the safety and wellbeing of communities and as well as providing first aid training.

Quarantine and lockdown have hugely affected Ronan’s role with the order, as well as his everyday life.

Ronan thinks the lockdown has made everybody take a step back and now have to rediscover how to live their lives. It has changed the way in which we communicate with others,

and the way we think about human interactions; “The biggest thing you want to do when you run into somebody you haven’t seen in a while is give them a hug.” He thinks we’re all just trying to find ways to adjust to this new situation, and finding new ways to interact with and communicate with other people.

The Order of Malta isn’t government funded, so all of their funding comes from covering events, such as GAA matches, festivals and parades, and from public donations.

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Since the pandemic hit, and all events were shut down, a huge portion of their funding has been lost. This is why public donations are so important to ensuring the Order can continue its work through these hard times.

You can donate to the Order of Malta on their website, or through GoFundMes’ set up in local areas.

Covid-19 has definitely changed the way we look at everything, from our education system to the people around us. But as a society, we’ve found creative and innovative ways of carrying on and living our lives. It may feel like the end of the world, and like the world will never go back to normal, but the progress we’ve made and the ways we’ve adapted tell me we’re going to be just fine.

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Spring Air Lucy Hoods The sweet smell of spring dances with rich colours through the air to leap through meadows, forests and rivers to touch the sleek scales of a fish or tongue of a lizard.

Just a light, a light of life to sooth the hardened flesh of winter.

To bring joy, happiness, to cradle the deer and mice.

The gaping throats, the bitter ice inside.

Many a creature sips the dewy fresh air of spring.

It seeps through their tissue and blood sprinkling energy in their bodies.

Quickening pulse gushing a feeling of exhilaration galloping through the marrow of their bones.

Weariness is crushed as green grass leaps in front spreading as one breathing blanket of lushness.

Birds flit through, gaining a sample of meat from fat grubs and beetles juicy as berries in the dew.

It sweeps though me, the golden air set alight with the patter of feet, the clatter of hooves, the rush of wings swishing through me with life.

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SAVE THE SAVE POOL: THE POOL: PROTESTS IN PROTESTS IN PORTLAOISE PORTLAOISE

Portlaoise Leisure Centre has been officially closed since the 15th of June. In a statement made by the board of the Leisure Centre, the building and its services were closed due to “severe financial constraints caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic.” The

BRIDGET REIDY DUNDON

Leisure Centre has always been severely underfunded by the Council and the pandemic has done nothing to help more money enter the facility’s doors.

Portlaoise Leisure Centre is a huge part of the local

community in Portlaoise. It provides swimming lessons to all, and it is home to clubs and schools that use it to teach their members and students to swim; “ The closure would be disastrous for the community. It has

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already created anger, sadness and upset amongst hundreds of people from all over.’’

It’s vital to help people’s mental health and physical health. It’s week-long closure has already caused devastation, so imagine what would happen if we continued without such a vital facility in our community.

Each and every member of former Leisure Centre staff makes the Leisure Centre an inclusive, loving and welcoming environment for every person who walks through their doors.

Every member of staff, from maintenance to receptionists to managers, are incredible.

They're always available for a chat or a bit of banter.

There was a protest held on Monday the 22nd of June, a week after its closing, in protest.

Trilogy Triathlon Club, Portlaoise Panthers, Laois Water Safety, The Down Syndrome Centre Midlands, and Laois Marlins were represented there.

People from all around town and county came to show their support and disapproval of the choice the County Council made.

Speeches were made by former staff members of the facility, and by people from Trilogy Triathlon Club and Laois Marlins. Each speech delivered the same message: save our Leisure Centre.

Every single person there was chanting.

The messages shouted were ‘SAVE OUR POOL’ and ‘WHAT DO WE WANT?’ ‘SAVE OUR POOL.’ ‘WHEN DO WE WANT IT?’ ‘NOW!’. People were angry but the protest remained peaceful; “the Leisure Centre is so important.. it employs 30 people in Portlaoise.. it gives accessibility to many people to things like... exercise with amazing gym instructors… they might not be able to get anywhere else.’’

The Leisure Centre provides a space like none other in our town. If we lose it, we lose a space that provides, as Ben

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Smith says, ‘’a safe, clean and fun place for people of all ages from all types of backgrounds, producing a positive effect on physical and mental wellbeing.’’

An important thing to remember is that public facilities such as monuments and public parks do cost money between construction and maintenance but they are essential for a community.

They provide enjoyment, comfort and give a nice view.

They can give people much needed breaks, help people make new memories. We need the Leisure Centre for this very reason.

I think we all agree with Ben when he says that the “Council needs to rethink their decision and reopen the centre with funding for the benefit of the whole community.”

Portlaoise Leisure Centre is vital for our community. I grew up in Portlaoise Leisure Centre, as did my brother and I know that if we lose such an amazing facility, new generations will miss out on so much.

You and I will miss out on so much. Everyone will miss out on new memories and experiences. Everyone will lose an essential public facility.

Save our pool.

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Pride in Ireland: The evolution of LGBT+ rights in our history Katie Dunne

Pre-20th Century Prior to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Ireland was still governed by UK laws.

This included the Offence Against the Persons Act 1861, section 61 of which stated that same-sex relations between men be punished by at least 10 years of imprisonment.

These laws were inherited by the new Irish Free State.

1969 - Stonewall Riots On the night of June 28th, police entered the

Stonewall Inn in New York, USA and commenced a violent raid.

The LGBT+ community had had enough. The LGBT+ community had had enough. Among them was Marsha P. Johnson, a black trans woman, who went on to be a founding member of both the Gay Liberation Front and the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.). Following several days of violence and protest, the Gay Liberation Front emerged. Though the Stonewall Riots occurred members of the

in New York, they undoubtedly inspired members of the LGBT+ community around the world to campaign for equal rights, including here in Ireland.

1979 - First Pride Week The first ever Pride Week

in Ireland was held from June 25th to July 1st 1979, and was organised by the newly-founded National Gay Federation. It sought not only to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, but also to draw attention to the hardships faced by 49 | Making History the LGBT+ community

the hardships faced by the LGBT+ community in Ireland.

1983 - Protest of the Murder of Declan Flynn On the night of the 10th of September 1982, a gay man called Declan Flynn was brutally attacked and beaten in Dublin’s Fairview Park.

Flynn later died from his injuries.

The five attackers were convicted of manslaughter and were given suspended sentences

by Mr. Justice Sean Gannon, and walked free. In response, the largest gay rights march, and first ever pride parade in Ireland, took place on the 19th of March 1983.

1993 Decriminalisation of Homosexuality On the 24th of June 1993, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) 1993 Bill was passed, which finally decriminalised homosexuality in Ireland.

1997 - Dr Lydia Foy Begins Legal Proceedings Against The State In April 1997 Dr Lydia Foy, a transgender woman from Kildare, initiated High Court proceedings with the Registrar General’s Office.

This followed years of unsuccessful correspondence with the Registrar General’s Office after her application for a new birth certificate, reflecting her gender as female, was rejected in 1993.

2003 - BeLonG To Founded In March 2003, BeLonG To Youth Services was set up.

2015 - SameSex Marriage Legalised On the 22nd of May 2015, Irish voters took to the polls to vote in a referendum to allow samesex marriage.

2006 - TENI Founded

2015 - Gender Recognition Act

In 2006, the Transgender Equality Network of Ireland was founded.

In July 2015, the Gender Recognition Act was enacted.

2018 - LGBTI+ Youth Strategy The LGBTI+ Youth Strategy was launched on the 29th of June 2018, which aims to ensure that all LGBTI+ young people are visible, valued and included.

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Game Reviews

Nate Dowling

TOMB RAIDER LEGEND “Basic etiquette: Never arrive at a party empty-handed.�

REVIEWED ON XBOX ONE

Introduction After the less than loved Tomb Raider: Angel Of Darkness in 2003 developed by Core Dynamics, Lara Croft finally resurfaced in 2006 to much excitement with the studio Crystal Dynamics at the reigns. In this version of Tomb Raider, the game is given a much needed fresh facelift, making it a stepping stone for the franchise itself and action-adventure games going forward.

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Graphics Most importantly, Legend looks incredible for its time. Lara looks fabulous, and her various movements are smooth. Her skin sparkles when wet, and you can even observe wrinkles on her outfits. The outdoor environments are vibrant, filled with ancient stone ruins, flora, fauna, and spectacular waterfalls and lakes. The game takes place in various locales including the wildernesses of Brazil, the high rises of Tokyo, the countryside of Britain and the Himalayas of Nepal.

There is also Lara’s mansion; while it has been in her other games, it’s not just a training ground this time. For Legends, her mansion feels like a bonus level, with secrets all its own that you can collect for unlockable content. The indoor environments are dark, dreary, and tomblike, but all in a good way. There are beams of light entering through cracks in the ceiling - but don’t gawk for too long or you may find yourself walking into the occasional death trap.

Gameplay Speaking of death traps, the puzzles in this game are clever and challenging. The game definitely leans towards the adventure genre more-so action, the ratio about 75% to 25%. And the puzzles are not just “jump to tiny platforms all the way over there, get the key, then come back” type of puzzles, they require thought as well as nimble fingers.

Luckily, you won't need superhuman agile fingers to control Lara as the controls are responsive. Lara is substantially more aerobatic than in past iterations, and you can control all her new moves easily.

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Story The story is intriguing and jumps into Lara's past, especially how she lost her mother. This has Lara going far and wide attempting to connect her mother’s disappearance with various myths and legends including King Arthur and the sword in the stone. The voice acting is particularly well done; Keeley Hawes works admirably as Lara depicting both the luxurious and brazen side of Lara perfectly. The dialogue is well written; Lara is witty and usually relaxed (unless she wants answers) complete with a British accent, in the face of almost certain death, while her support team back in the mansion is on the edge of their seats each time she makes a last-minute catch on a cliff’s edge.

While the support team does take away some of the isolation the series is known for, it certainly makes it easier to figure out what you’re supposed to be doing as well as keeping you interested in the story. I don’t want to spoil the story too much as it’s truly best experienced by yourself, but I will say that the ending to Tomb Raider Legend is a satisfying one boosted by amazing voice acting by Keeley Hawes.

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Overview There are unquestionably a ton of good things about Legend but it does have some problems. The camera doesn’t follow the action very well, however it follows well enough and it’s not the throw-your-controller-at-the-wall-and-smash-it-with-asledgehammer problem it could have been thanks to the ability to rotate the camera around at any time using the right analogue stick which its predecessors did not offer. However, there are still times, usually when hanging off cliff ledges, when the camera cannot be rotated enough to be able to see where you need to jump, but these instances are few.

Bottom Line: Gone is the stale gameplay of the ’90s, Lara is a bouncing, swinging, shooting, ancient history machine. The riddles are more planned out and tested, the graphics are beautiful, the voice acting brilliant, the combat straight forward, and the story engaging. Lara's back, what more do you have to know? It's an ideal start to tomb raiding.

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SEA OF THIEVES “The world is changing, new dangers there be.

Between boundless sky and treacherous sea, On rolling waves with sails unfurled, Ships come to plunder this new world.�

REVIEWED ON XBOX ONE

Introduction Welcome to the world of Sea Of Thieves, a multiplayer scurvy simulator developed by household game studio Rare and released in March of 2018.

With a boatload of features to sink your teeth into, from treasure hunts to watching your newly acquired cat fly out of a cannon and onto the cliff of a nearby island there is an endless sea of possibility to bear witness to.

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The threats of the sea are best experienced together As Sea Of Thieves is a multiplayer game the threats of this old world go further than sharks of the ocean and cursed skeletons waiting to pop up from the sands of islands. One must also be wary of the looming threat of other online players who could appear on the horizon as you sail to an outpost to cash in your wellearned loot or as you are fighting off the bony undead on the various forts sprinkled across the map.

While there is no doubt you could face the many dangers of the waters on your own, it’s best recommended you have some friendly swords on your side to make the voyages just a little bit safer. With your friends, you can add a tremendous boost to the playability of the game having you and your crew flying up and down the deck, raising and adjusting sails to catch the wind, spinning the wheel to avoid the oncoming shard of rock (because the certain someone was on their phone) and repairing damage and putting out fires doing all of this on your own is extremely difficult and especially harder on the two bigger ships that are offered; the brigantine and galleon.

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Sit back, relax and wind up the hurdy-gurdy The game

excels in-between voyages and outposts when your crew is firing cannons, using the spyglass to suss out shipwrecks and playing the various instruments in Memoriam of your wooden ship as the Kraken snaps it in half.

The beauty of a mermaid Graphically speaking, it is gorgeous with a mashup of stylised cartoony people and the realistic massive waves that throw your ship side to side. I’d be bold in saying that Sea Of Thieves is one of Xbox’s best-looking games of this generation, even by 2020 standards, but it truly sets itself apart from most games.

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A sea o' tales Rather than playing your straight forward voyages, there is the option of embarking on various tall tales which offer a proper campaign story-like adventure having you solve brain- wracking puzzles (even if you have to trek back half an ocean because the puzzle prize sank with your ship thanks to the tendrils of an angry octopus) and killing hordes of the undead while all making a compelling and lore-rich narrative spanning multiple hours that of which are rewarded with coins and exclusive cosmetics.

A peg-legging Fortnite If you’re a murder fanatic or just good at the game the mode “Arena” is for you, a battle royale-esque mode where a crew faces against up to four other crews intending to cash in a chest to rise to first place within 15 minutes. This adds a dangerously exhilarating thrill to each fifteen-minute session making each experience entirely different, from hopping onto enemy ships and hiding in the crow’s nest and making a surprise attack to steal a chest or just ruin their day, hiding out on the cashing-in ship to strike just before some fellows taste sweet victory (but instead meets a pointy end), or taking a risk while the other crews exchange cannon fire and speed to dig up the chest yourself.

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Overview Sea of Thieves is a pirate fantasy sandbox with a colossal measure of activities, made energizing by the addition of different players. An endless amount of fun is to be had here which will keep you pleased for months on end. The progression doesn't give you as much motivating force to continue playing as I'd have loved and its solo features left me feeling lost adrift on occasion. But if you’ve got a friend or a few more there are very few games that can compete with this sheer entertaining experience. So what are you waiting for? Become the next pirate legend!

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FILM REVIEW

Katie Dunne

Age Rating: 15 Writers and Directors: Enda Loughman and Mike Ahern Starring: Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte Genre: Dark Comedy 4/5 60 | Making History

Throughout its 94 minutes of runtime, ‘Extra Ordinary’, an offbeat comedy from creative duo Enda Loughman and Mike Ahern, explores themes of loneliness, grief, and the supernatural in a decidedly upbeat and humorous way. With lovable protagonists and a hilariously evil antagonist the audience can’t help but love to hate, this satanically-themed comedy is bizarre, often teetering on the edge of surreal.

‘Extra Ordinary’ centres around Rose Dooley (Maeve Higgins), a lonely exorcist-turned-driving instructor. Daughter of famed paranormal expert, Vincent Dooley (Risteard Cooper), Rose swore many years ago to deny her talent of communicating with the dead after Vincent died in a freak accident.

She blames herself for the accident, and, as such, has struggled with the guilt for many years. Fate intervenes in the form of washed-up one-hit-wonder Christian Winter (Will Forte), a closeted Satanist, who must sacrifice a virgin to the dark lord in order to extend his dwindling 15 minutes of fame. Of course, this is a plotline we are all familiar with; a staple of Irish cinema! Enter Martin (Barry Ward), still grieving, and in fact being abused by his deceased wife Bonny. Through a combination of circumstance and chance Rose and Martin must team up in an exciting ghost-hunting adventure, which never fails to amuse, all the while battling with the hauntings of their respective pasts.

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The film skilfully balances the dark events of the film with a light-hearted sense of humour, making this a much easier film to view than the heavy themes explored might indicate. From the outset two things are clear; the humour of this film, and the influence of the 1980s. Whether it be as a result of the recent trend of 80s nostalgia in media, with shows such as Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ holding the torch for this revival, or a conscious decision on the filmmaker’s part to give this film a sense of a call-back to B-Horror movies of the 80s, this nostalgic vibe certainly adds to the enjoyment of ‘Extra Ordinary’, the familiarity of the filmmaking techniques putting watchers at ease.

At various points throughout the film we are shown short snippets from Vincent Dooley’s paranormal investigation show from the 1980s, which not only explain the logistics of how ghosts work in the universe of the film, but also are a great source of comedy. Despite the bizarre concept of ‘Extra Ordinary’, we are earnestly told in the beginning that the film is “based on a true story”, this deadpan type of humour continuing throughout the film, even throughout the most dramatic scenes. While the pacing is, at times, rather slow, this comedy helps the audience to stick through to the fast-paced, exciting conclusion.

The cinematography of ‘Extra Ordinary’ marries excellently with the comedic, yet tragic theme. The camera focus on the characters, coupled with smooth transitions that do not draw attention to themselves, help the audience to focus on the characters and the plot of the film. Despite unsettling ideas of satanic ritual, and as unhinged a character as Christian Winter presents for the majority of the film, there is no Dutch tilt of the camera present whatsoever; the balance between macabre subject matter, and light-hearted approach is executed flawlessly, greatly adding to the enjoyment of the film.

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Bizarre plot aside, the real stars of the show here are the characters. Maeve Higgins and Barry Ward are both excellent as Rose and Martin respectively, and the audience is rooting for them both throughout the film. Adding humanity to the hilarity of this film, there are plenty of charming character-building moments, such as a scene of Rose watching old VHS tapes of her father’s show, haunted by guilt over his death. Ahern and Loughman’s script is at its best and most hilarious when our protagonists’ interact, poking fun of the horror genre (“I’ve never met him”, Rose explains when Martin references the ’98 classic ‘The Exorcist’), and bickering as the bond between them slowly grows. While Will Forte’s Christian Winter is hilarious in his own right, as an over-the-top almost parody of a washed-up one-hit-wonder Satanist, grasping for another moment in the spotlight, the charm and appeal of ‘Extra Ordinary’ truly lies in Rose and Martin, an unlikely pair, and seemingly unstoppable ghost-hunting duo.

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BOOK REVIEW

Bridget Reidy Dundon

Wonder is a novel written by author R.J Palacio. It can be described in three words; brutal, captivating and eye-opening. The book is known for its main character; August Pullman. August has a medical condition called Treacher Collins syndrome, which resulted in his facial deformity. We see August grow from a young boy wishing to hide his face, to a strong outspoken young man.

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R.J Palacio really brought representation to Treacher Collins syndrome, a disability that never had much, if any, media representation. People with facial deformities rarely get any representation in the media. The book was made into a movie as well, further boosting its reach. The movie did receive some backlash over the casting of Auggie. Auggie was cast by Jacob Tremblay, a boy who didn’t have Treacher Collins syndrome or any other disability.

This book makes you question who you stand with all throughout the novel, and learn about both sides' views and opinions. August and his friends, or the people who treated him differently. August faces a lot of struggles throughout the novel.

It was one of the few to make me cry. We see his struggles, and the struggles of those around him.

August’s older sister, Olivia, is seen throughout everything cheering him on. We get to see her experiences being the older sister to a boy with a disability. She was written really well! She just wants to feel the freedom to be herself and have equal attention in her family, but Auggie requires more attention because of his deformities and medical conditions.

The book was written from the point of view of multiple people, usually depending on the chapters. We really get immersed in the world of each of the main characters which is something I really loved!

I think it is written in a way young people aged 10+ can understand. It is well written in child friendly language and people can easily relate to characters young and old. I’ve had adults who read it and loved it, but I’ve also heard that classes in my primary school read it and loved it equally! It is brilliant to teach kids that everyone is equal, and that everyone deserves a chance in life. It tells people young and old that they are important, and raises awareness about a disability rarely spoken about!

RJ Palacio showed how people can change really well! She showed us how people who were ignorant and rude and mean, could easily become kind and caring and friends of those they used to pick on. She showed how people can grow and change and improve.

So… Would I recommend Wonder by RJ Palacio? Yeah! It’s really well written, with easy to understand language. It features important themes that require more discussion; bullying, disabilities, and equality. It’s really interesting and a must-read. It really and truly is an amazing book. I really think it’s a book you should read if you haven’t already.

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Contact Us: clive@ywilaois.com elaine@ywilaois.com editor.youthnews@ywilaois.com Social Medias: Youth Work Ireland Laois

THANK YOU FOR READING!