We are living in the X-Box Generation!

By Elaine Canny

Ireland is one of the most sporting countries in the world. GAA, international soccer, boxing, swimming, motor sport, equestrian sport and sailing are dominating the world and being led by the Irish. Sport plays a vital role in the development of young people in this country. Sports have been in our culture for many centuries, and during this European elections campaign, Sports and the lack of emphasis put on young people’s involvement in them had been raised. With the current TV and computer games culture taking over young people, sporting is a major issue in getting young people involved in these elections.

Micheal Seoige a young student from north Galway said "I think sport should be one of the main issues that MEPs should focus on if they want young people to become more involved in politics. Sport is a major pastime among my age. Not only did playing sports keep me fit and active but on a more serious level, it kept me on the straight and narrow while I was in school. It kept me more focused on school, I had training four times a week so I was taking care of myself, I didn’t touch alcohol even though most my friends were out drinking, I couldn’t as I wouldn’t have been able to perform as well as I did. I also had to keep my grades up in order to make the teams, so I did well in school too".

Sporting plays a vital role in bringing communities together. MEPs such as Fine Gael’s MEP Jim Higgins and Fianna Fail’s MEP candidate Paschal Mooney emphasised the importance in raising the issue of sports among young people.

Paschal Mooney said "The EU plays a pro-active role through the ‘Sports for All’ program. We are living in the X-box generation, where the computer is more relevant than the football, the basketball, or the racket. Obesity levels have risen dramatically in the last ten years, so it is MEPs' jobs to harness young people’s focus on sports. I must applaud the various sporting bodies in Ireland like the GAA who have played a sterling role in getting young people involved in sports. I think the focus is on jobs and the economy so the issue of sports is being somewhat neglected. It is an issue that interests me myself, i was a sports broadcaster for many years, if i was elected MEP, i would explore the issues of sports and initiatives.

Jim Higgins said "Sports and athletics have been a long time passion for me. As a former GAA player i believe the promotion of sports provided and important recreational and social outlet for participants and spectators. I sponsor a premier league match for Sligo Rovers each year. I am also a patron of Finn Harps FC in Donegal. All politics is local".

With the like of Katie Taylor (Boxing ) and Adam Carroll (Motor Sport) making a name for themselves, with the backing of MEPs the issue of sports with young people will be brought into more focus.

Elections are Friday 5 June with both Jim Higgins and Paschal Mooney running for election in the North West Constiuency.

The Irish language: céard é seo?

By Elaine Ni Canny

The Irish language is "no use". That was the one of the comments from some Leaving Certificate students in Galway this week. With fears growing that the Irish language is dying out, it is one of the major issues that needs to be taken into consideration when the Irish youth goes to vote this Friday. Thousands of young people think Irish is more a useless subject at school rather than a recognised working language by the EU.

Speaking with Paschal Mooney on the importance of maintaining interest and awareness of the language "we led a robust campaign in getting the EU to recognise the Irish language as a working language, as a senator myself I was involved in this campaign, even though there is limited time for debating purposes, I would urge MEPs from Ireland to use Irish more frequently. I am not a native speaker myself, my conversational Irish is basic, but as an MEP I would ensure that the Irish language, as a wider cultural dimension that Ireland brings to the EU is not only respected but protected".

Jessica Kenny, a Leaving Certificate student from Galway said "I enjoy Irish as a subject but to be honest, after I do my Irish paper one and two next week, I’m never going to use it again, I’ll have no need to, no one from my area speaks it, and after all English is really our primary language".

Celebrities like Hector, Des Bishop and the Seoige sisters have helped make Irish appear more ‘appealing’ or ‘ cool’ to an extent but do we need some more political heads to further this link with celebrity and Irish.

Joe Canny, also a Leaving Certificate student, said "the likes of Hector have made Irish seem cool, but they still haven’t made young people want to put any effort into using Irish as a working language, only for my mother is a native speaker, I would never have even bothered putting an effort into the language, I still find it one of the hardest subjects that I’m facing in the Leaving Cert, and I don’t think I’ll ever be in a situation where I’ll need to use it".

Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins was sure to put his Irish skills to use when he visited the Aran Islands on his canvassing trail. He encouraged his young canvassing team to use the Irish as their primary language in respect to Ireland and its Gaeltacht areas. So it appears that the Irish language needs some more attention in making young people want to use it and not just because they have to in school . The European elections take place on Friday 5 June.

Jim Higgins using his Irish skills canvassing in the Aran Islands