100 years ago, young people played a significant part in paving the way to independence for Ireland. Edward Daly, one of the executed leaders, was 25, as was Seán Heuston. So was Michael Collins. Joseph Plunkett, a signatory of the proclamation, was 27. One of the most famous young people involved was Seán Lemass, who, at 16, was given a shotgun and told to take position on the roof of the GPO. Lemass was released after a month in jail due to his age. In 1959, he was elected Taoiseach.
Throughout our history, young people have been at the forefront of change. Most of the time, all that is required is that they be made aware of their ability to effect it. The student movement, in particular, has a history of marching and lobbying for equal access to education and voting rights for women, and has pushed for things like abortion rights for decades. Last May with the marriage equality referendum, Ireland was reminded of the ability that young people have – the role we have to play in our society. Now, we seem ready to be one of the forerunners of the repeal the eighth campaign.
Even though young people did seem to engage with last month’s general election in terms of getting out to vote, there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that they have yet to engage with the national issues that should matter to them. A poll of 1,000 Trinity students found that they would vote in a way that was broadly similar to the rest of the population, if you put aside increased support for the Social Democrats. More than a quarter planned to vote for Fine Gael, the party which was on the verge of pledging to introduce a government-supported loan scheme.
The 1916 proclamation had lofty, but altogether noble and sensible, goals. It committed Ireland to universal suffrage, something that was then a worldwide rarity. It promised equal rights and opportunities for all of Ireland, something which, 100 years later, we still have yet to fully embrace. Many ideals of the proclamation remain similarly unfulfilled.
Young people are now aware of how easy it is to effect change if you decide to engage – and violence isn’t necessary in today’s Ireland. Now, it is up to them to decide what matters to them, and to fight for it.
