MEP helps two Kildare schools fly the flag for Europe

Maynooth Community College and Maynooth Post Primary in Kildare held a very special event on Tuesday (May 27), as two new European flags were raised for the schools, officiated by Barry Cowen MEP.

Also at the event were former pupil, Naoise Ó Cearúil TD and Cllr Donna Phelan, who with Deputy Cowen presented the schools with two new European flags which Deputy Cowen helped raise in a flag rasing ceremony.

Caolainn Hanlon of Maynooth Post Primary Student Council helped Deputy Cowen raise the European flag in her school.

Deputy Cowen, Deputy Ó Cearúil and Cllr Phelan then took time to take part in a Q and A session with students talking about the different levels of government all the way from Kildare County Council to the European Parliament and the different effects each level has on their day to day lives.

“Basically we had Barry Cowen, our MEP over, he was here in Ireland anyway this week so we asked him if he was available to come out and raise the two flags in the secondary school”, Cllr Phelan says of the day's events.

“He had availability so it was just a ceremony kind of thing to raise two new European flags, and to have an MEP do it.

“From Maynooth Community College, there was the principal, Siobhán McCauley, and the Deputy Principal, Niamh O'Donohoe, and then there was a selection of students from third year.

“Then in Maynooth Post Primary there was the Principal, Mr Johnny Nevin, and also the Politics teacher. They had fifth year students who are studying politics, so Barry went in and actually gave a talk to them, and gave them an opportunity to talk about the role within the European parliament and he brought along with him the new policy on agriculture.

“So the students were able to ask direct questions about his role and if it is any different to the Dáil, and stuff like that.”

Cllr Phelan says the students raised some very interesting questions about Europe, and were intrigued on the differences between the European and Irish political systems.

“It was really good to have it explained, from the council to the Dáil to the European system and how it all works, it was brilliant”, Cllr Phelan adds.

Cllr Phelan stressed the importance of such events in raising political awareness in Kildare's youth:

“I think it's important to hold events like this because we need more youth having a say in politics, and people do need to realise that everybody has an influence on what happens in their own lives.

“It's really important to get that across at a younger age because they're going to be living the decisions that we're making in ten years' time and why shouldn't they be involved in the conversation?”

“It's giving them the platform to allow them to do that, and letting them know that our doors are always open to help when they need it.”

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