Last Thursday we were given a talk a talk on the importance of organ donation. I was very interesting as I realised how necessary it is. To every one organ donar there are three people in need of that organ. This is quit eye opening as I never understood just how few there are donating. The speaker spoke primarily on kidney failure. He then revealed to us that he once had kidney failure and it was thanks to his donar that he is alive today.
I have been attending the Alliance for the last few months and I can really see the improvement now. I was able to come into class and have a full conversation with my teacher. For some this is easy enough but I had originally found this difficult. I'm looking forward to my next class!
Today was our finale day or first aid. We had a lecture up until lunch. Much of this was running over what we have already learned, which you the reader already know about from reading previous blogs. If you didn't, (but you totally should!) what we had been learning was how to identify illness, emergency treatment, recovery position and so on. After the class, we had our exam! One part practical, one part written, all part difficult. Well not to difficult seeing as most people got above 18/22 and I was informed of the possibility of distinction in the practical. At the time of writing I don't have those figures so the reader must simply trust me. None the less I look forward to receiving my certificate! Day two of first aid and I am already feeling confident in my abilities to save lives. Although the practice defibrillator informs me that the patient is dead, I was never truly convinced it was alive to begin with. I have the recovery down to a tea! The bandage wrapping isn't easy but if someone needed an arm kept in an elevated position, with blood stopped as well, I know I'd be first in line!
The Young Economist of the Year (of course, commonly one knows it as “YEOTY”) is an event which only the intelligent and far-future visionaries enter to put forward economically related projects. It is vital that the reader take note of the previous truth stated as it will arise repeatedly throughout the reading. It was the turning of one year to another when our Economics teacher introduced us to it. Since a project of the highest quality was expected from all of her students, it was offhandedly mentioned that we may also like to enter in a contest expecting no less. Soon, my close companion and I we’re working side by side on a project that would clear the clouded sight beheld by most people of the world (or more accurately, “sheeple” of the world). The project was established around Corruption in US Politics. I can not easily explain in words the actuality of what we learned, but know that if I could, the comfort you live in now from a world you think you comprehend would disappear, the same way fish left in the presence of a hungry feline might! This is also due to the fact that the experience was primarily optical due to tactfulness demonstrated by myself. The occasion was to take place in City West Hotel. For now I hope the reader will put aside any positive or negative thoughts they might have relative to hotel in the hope it does not impose a bias upon their opinion the YEOTY. Upon arriving our signatures were taken (not out of recognition, for our findings had quite made us celebrated yet) and we were given our very own YEOTY booklets, containing all the projects entered, and the title of the worker proudly tied to it. All except for one...my own. The first defeat of the day. I began to fret that if we were to prevail and return with laurels, that I might not return with anything and may have been completely forgotten about. It was as I made a remark (and if I may say so, a rather withy one!) that the accompanying teacher Ms Laura Kealy, told me the story of how I was also forgotten on the main role for the event received by all teachers. I put my dismay to bed and decided to enjoy the event, spoils or none. Once we traversed the dangerous escalator (either my collaborator, Ms Kealy or I myself certainly felt this way, due to the embarrassing nature of this I won’t give out this information, but more a hint*) we entered a large and vast room, packed with chairs and people, and waited for the ceremony to begin. The first twenty projects or so appear vague in my memory, as do the following twenty or so. A few were worthy of memory. One in particular (which must have been written by a mad conspiracist) had presented the facts that products we had been happily buying throughout our lives we shrieking in size however maintaining their price! This infuriated the crowd and for a instant I expected law enforcers to return the peace, but they calmed. For this reason, i hoped our project would be shown, leading to the horrible truth surrounding US Politics. After what seemed like a long time, finally the moment came, all too soon one might remark. For you see reader, we were not to be crowned Young Economists of 2016. The title bestowed upon us by the power of the PDST is Gold Commendation For Creating Awareness. Ironically, our findings were not displayed for all in the room to see. Does the reader recall when I mentioned how our project was established around Corruption in US politics? No? Simply refer to line eight and continue reading. This is important because we were told from an inside source of YEOTY that the main reason we were not chosen to win, was relevant to “how absolutely off topic it was.” A simple minded person may choose to believe this. However, those of us who chose to lift our heads above the mass to see where the herd moves will notice how our project was largely critical of the way in which US Politics is run. Those who have made it into a politically powerful position of one of the world's superpowers may not want the information entering the public eye. Now I’m not saying that correlation equals causation, more than I am simply giving the reader something to ponder. On the Saturday morning of the 7th of may, I took part in the darkness to light walk. The walk started at four in the morning (dark) and finished later in the morning (light). This was put together by Pieta House in order to raise awareness on suicide. I was a little tired when it began but once we were walking I warmed up and began to enjoy it. It was done all over the country. I did my bit in Wicklow town. When we finished the clouds came out (or maybe they were there the whole time) and it was still dark, but the message was clear an i fell as though awareness was raised. I look forward to next year. The three peaks challenge is a 14km walk from the bottom of the sugar loaf to the top of bray head. This was done in order to raise money for our difference day. We began around nine. I'm not sure if this is cheating but we didn't reach the top of the sugar loaf, we only went of the shoulder. And speckling of shoulder's, the second climb was torture. Every time we though we were at the summit, we would climb over the edge only to realise what we stood on was but a shoulder. Once on top, we enjoyed a nice lunch with a fantastic view. We then began travelling to Bray Head. We traversed a lot of flat ground to get there. We even saw some wild rabbit's!Once at the foot we began the climb to the top. And when we reached it was glorious. We were all tired and it was nice to relax. We had completed the challenge. ON FRIDAY WE VISITED THE THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IRELAND. AS A HISTORY STUDENT I ALWAYS FIND THIS KIND OF STUFF VERY INTERESTING.THERE WAS A LOT TO SEE BUT A FEW THINGS STUCK OUT MORE THAT ANY. FOR ONE, THE LARGE BOAT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE PAINSTAKINGLY WITHOUT ANY PROPER TOOLS OR MACHINERY. I ALSO FOUND THE “BOG BODIES” EXTRAORDINARY. I HAD HEARD OF BUTTER BEEN PRESERVED BUT I HAD NO IDEA HOW WELL A BODY COULD DO. NOT SURE HOW I FEEL ABOUT DISPLAYING THEM THOUGH… AFTER THAT WE WERE GIVEN AN HOUR FREE FOR LUNCH. AND AFTER THAT WE TRAVELED TO THE NATIONAL ART GALLERY. THIS TIME WE HAD A TOUR GUIDE AND IT WAS VERY INTERESTING. WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT CUBISM AND REALISM. WE EVEN GOT TO SEE A PICASSO AND A VAN GOGH. I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THEM AND FOUND THEM VERY INTERESTING, ESPECIALLY THE PICASSO PAINTING. ALL IN ALL IT WAS A GREAT DAY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MY NEXT VISIT After we raised the money for difference day through the 3 Peaks challenge, it was decided that we would then go and help Festina Lente. The work that day was enjoyable and very fulfilling. Our first task was to replace the fence going around the outdoor arena. Using crowbars we pulled the old boards off. Once that was done we screwed the new ones on. This took a while an wasn't easy but eventually we got there. Then we were given paint and began our work. The old red colour on the removed planks had faded and it felt good to see these new fences bringing life back to the arena. First aid was probably the most important module i signed up for. The knowledge of saving someone's life isn't something to be given lightly. As a result there was to be an exam the following week to test our skills. In the first lesson we learnt about CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, duh) and were given CPR masks to avoid mouth to mouth in the case that the patient might wake and find themselves in an awkward situation! We also received a booklet which I can only assume was studied as religiously as I did before the the exam! Once we had this we had our first practice on the dummies! And my god was it tering! Now I don’t claim to be an olympic gold medalist, but you would be amazed how exhausting it is the preform CPR.
Until Tomorrow!! After our visit to Croke Park, we travelled to Glasnevin Cemetery. There, we saw a lot of interesting grave stones. We saw Parallels grave, which we were told had more than his body in it. After that we saw Constance Markeivicz's grave. Eamon De Velra's grave had an interesting story. I was orginally surprised to see such a normal grave for a person of such imorptance. His son died before he did and was buried in a normal grave and it was decided between him and his wife that if that grave would do there son, it would do themselves. One of our field trips involved going to Croke Park, so I'll tell you 'bout it. We were given and inside tour of how it runs on and average day. First thing we did way watch a quick movie before we were split into two different groups There are hundreds of staff that make it work when the Sunday game. I learned that they don't use modern lawnmowers but instead use push ones. The reason for this is that they worry it may damage the grass. The first person to be in charge of grassing cutting used farm animals to do it. It eludes me why this inst still the practice. Once I heard about the SVP back packing I put my name down. It was after school in Cournalscourt. Once we arrived we were given a vest to where in order for people to distinguish us. Packing the bag's wasn't to difficult. I even learned a trick or two. Some people had a whole system going on with each bag having a different purpose. I also found that people were very generous.
An Cosán VCC (Virtual Community Collage) is a collage based online, aimed at educating people across Ireland. I had the pleasure of working in there main office in Dublin. It was an interesting and varied experience. For the first day I was doing some data entry, organising the information given to me and relating it to people. Then I got to go out and help with the starter course. These are done to show people how the program "blackboard" works, since it is what's used to run the course. That was in swords. I later travelled to Wexford to help with the set-up. Everyone involved seemed interested and passionate about there work which made it easy to work with them. |
Student:Rían O Mahoney Archives
May 2016
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