Finding Joy - by Michael Binchy

The bell has gone, school is over. I walk through the bustling halls, getting jostled by the crowd of excited students and arrive at my locker. After entering my code wrong twice, I finally open it and put my books away. I look through my journal to see what homework I have. Nothing much, easy enough. I pass through a mosh pit of people trying to unlock their phones. I wait for my phone to turn on, then I put in my earphones, shuffle my playlist, and go home. There will be a cup of tea, toast, and an episode of House waiting for me. I’ll enjoy that for a while, do my homework, do an online maths grind, have dinner, then I’ll be free.  

I enjoy the structured day of school - the fact that at any point, you know where you are, where you’re going next, and what you’re going to be doing. Nowadays I try to plan everything I do, because otherwise I find myself worrying that I’m not using my time effectively.  In school it’s just a task of getting through the workload, and I’m fine with that.   

Maybe I’ve become institutionalized.  

Where do I find joy? I had too many answers to think about. Going to a friend’s house knowing shenanigans will ensue, trying to ask a Georgian taxi driver in Estonia where the best local restaurant is, or the beauty of the only time the gong player landed his beat on time in a symphony with the orchestra. I couldn’t cover them all. So I thought about what is it that gets me through the everyday. What is it that keeps me going? 

On Mondays after school I have Model United Nations. Twenty teenagers in a classroom behaving like they’re at a UN Assembly. Sometimes it is serious. Every speech feels like a funeral eulogy, owing to a heavy topic or a lack of issues with a resolution to be debated. Or you might have the Uzbek delegate saying how we should ship our nuclear waste to Tashkent and launch it into space, build the death star while we’re at it. Every two months, people dress up in formal outfits and gather in another school to debate on a grander scale. There are different committees with different areas of debate: people who can perfectly disassemble the most rounded argument leaving the crowd dumbfounded in amazement; people who look like they’re about to pass out from fear when speaking, leaving everyone trying to pretend that they don’t notice; and people who could vaporize from their seat and no one would bat an eyelid, because they haven’t said a word all conference. My favourite committee is ECOFIN (Economic and Financial), generally considered to be the most boring. People complain that it is too complicated, but if I feel lost with nothing to say, I can analyse each point, and there’s usually a detail to be improved upon. Maybe a date is unrealistically soon, a clause is too vague, or I can see the point that someone was trying to make but it isn’t presented very well. The atmosphere is somewhere between seriousness and absurdity, discussing complex political issues while eating the dreariest Spaghetti Bolognese you’ve ever tasted.   

Every day I walk the dog. She isn’t the brightest bulb, and I’ll never understand what’s going on inside her fluff-filled mind. She could spend forty-five minutes walking down the estate, sniffing everything in sight. But she always manages to find something exciting in sights I’ve long since tired of, and makes the same route that I walk with her every time an adventure, for both of us, because I’m really the one who’s being walked, being dragged around her spontaneous doggy escapades. 

Aside from my school week, I find one thing that always gets me through my week is having something to look forward to. It can be big or small. Maybe I’m going out with a friend on Saturday, or the orchestra’s coming back, or my family are going on holidays, it doesn’t matter. The important part for me is that there is something fun in my imminent future that I can anticipate. Something where I can remind myself that I should push through whatever I’m working on because there is a reward in sight. And if there isn’t something, I’ll make something. If I haven’t seen one of my friends in a while, I’ll text them, and we’ll make plans. 

The part of my daily life that means the most to me is music. I’ve been doing and enjoying it for most of my life. In orchestra there’s the social element, I get to see friends I probably wouldn’t see outside of the circumstances, and having someone who can relate to the arm cramps you get after playing for three hours makes it much easier and more fun. And it means that my schedule is dominated by something I enjoy, rather than something I’m bored of. And piano is difficult, but I always know that if I stay committed and take it step by step, there will be a point, maybe far away, where the piece I’m playing will click, and then all the work pays off. 

The key element that keeps me going and prompts me to derive joy in my daily life is the routine. I find that when I repeat something on a daily basis, it makes it feel like time is flying: I blink and suddenly a week has passed. That repetitiveness can be seen as drudgery, but I am always vigilant for the happy moments in my life as I go through it. And this means that no matter how long the week may feel, I’m never dreading the next day, as I know that there will be plenty of moments where I will find something to smile about and can start looking forward to these moments. 

If I can make a shape of the daily chaos of life and I can find enjoyment in each day, it means that I can go on content. And when July eventually arrives, I can cast off the shackles of my ritualized, boxed-in life and walk into the distance, finally able to say that it is over, there is nothing left to routine. And then, I can safely say I have found joy. 

The Banshees of Inisherin

What a film. I can't say it will resonate with you as it did with me, but The Banshees of Inisherin is a rich story that has something to say while knowing how to keep it simple without being superficial. It features excellent performances and beautiful scenery that I couldn't help but enjoy.

Of all the films I've seen this year, this one might have the simplest plot. In the most basic terms: Colm (Brendan Gleeson) doesn't want to talk to Pádraic (Colin Farrell) anymore, but Pádraic wants to talk to Colm, which annoys Colm. That's pretty much the essence of the first half of the film and much of the second. The setting is isolated, taking place on an island in rural Ireland, likely in the early 20th century. There's a civil war happening, but because of the island’s remoteness, it has little to no impact on the story and could easily be left out without affecting much.

This doesn’t mean it’s a bad film, though. None of this detracts from its quality; in fact, it enhances it. The setting is visually stunning, with lush green fields and stone walls that connect the small community. It serves as the perfect backdrop for a story where a simple disagreement is the main event for miles around. Despite their straightforward motivations, the characters are anything but simple. While Colin and Brendan lead the narrative, the supporting cast delivers standout performances. Barry Keoghan shines as Dominic, a troubled young man often looking for trouble but a loyal friend to Pádraic. There's also Pádraic's sister, who injects some much-needed common sense into a story that sorely lacks it. And that's not even mentioning the Garda, the bartender, and the ghoul—each actor plays their role to perfection in this ensemble.

While the film's somber tone might suggest otherwise, it's actually a comedy—a dark one, but a comedy nonetheless. This might be easy to miss on the first viewing since most of the dialogue and situations are presented seriously. The film doesn’t aim for laughs but is still dramatic, though occasionally it will surprise you with a smile or a dry chuckle.

The story may seem straightforward, but there are a few twists along the way. These don’t come from external elements like the civil war, but rather emerge naturally, like a snowball rolling down a hill and growing bigger as it goes. The film manages to surprise, especially on a first watch when you might think the stakes are low or that nothing major will happen. It's refreshing when a film with a seemingly simple plot can still catch you off guard.

I'll wrap this up before I give too much away, as I think I’ve said enough to spark your interest. I connected deeply with this film, but even aside from that, it's a well-made movie and definitely worth watching.
Adam Geraghty

Volunteering in Puerto Rico

During the first two weeks of last June, my brother and I travelled to Puerto Rico, an island in the Caribbean near the Dominican Republic. We volunteered with a non-profit organization called CRES (The Coalition for the Restoration of Santurcean Ecosystems). Their mission is to preserve and restore biodiversity in San Juan, the ever-developing capital city of Puerto Rico.

CRES aims to promote sustainable practices that ensure the health and integrity of the local ecosystems which are vital for sustaining many native plant and animal species. For two weeks we worked every week day with the local team. It's a relatively small organization and we mostly worked with three amazing and interesting people—Ferni, Yvette, and Juan—all natives born on the island.

Our main task was at their plant centre where we planted native species and cultivated them until they were ready to be transferred to their "urban jungle." This green space had been created in an abandoned construction site where building had stopped after only the foundations were laid. The area was now an urban forest with trees and plants growing among half-built concrete pillars. It was located right on the coast, practically in the city centre, and was bustling with wildlife like lizards, chickens, and birds.

We worked for about 3-4 hours each morning and then had the afternoons free to explore. We stayed in a hostel with our own room and a communal kitchen where we cooked our own meals each day. The beach was just a five-minute walk away so we spent every afternoon swimming in the crystal-clear waters in 30-degree weather.

Throughout the trip we enjoyed numerous activities like paddleboarding in the marina with manatees and turtles swimming beside us while 30-story buildings loomed in the background. We also rented electric scooters to explore the lively La Placita square.  One of the highlights was attending a Puerto Rican national football team World Cup qualifier against Anguilla which the former won 8-0.

For me, the best experience was a private tour of El Yunque whcih is the only rainforest in North America. Ferni and Yvette, who also offer private tours, took us and another volunteer from Virginia deep into the jungle. We hiked to three different waterfalls, making it one of the most picturesque days I've ever had. The scenery was breathtaking, and the company couldn’t have been better. Afterwards, they took us to a local food shack, packed with locals, where we enjoyed some of the best food I’ve ever tasted—authentic Puerto Rican dishes with ingredients I couldn’t even name!

We booked our trip through IVHQ (International Volunteer Headquarters), which offers hundreds of volunteer opportunities worldwide from preserving marine species to building homes and teaching in underprivileged schools. They were incredibly helpful in organizing our trip and remained available if we needed assistance during our stay in Puerto Rico.  All in all it was an incredible experience and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone looking for a unique and meaningful adventure. 
Callum McLoughlin

One Hundread Years in The Making - President Jimmy Carter

This week on the first of October 2024, Jimmy Carter the 39th President of the United States reached his 100th birthday, becoming the first ever US President to do so! Born in 1924 in Plains, Georgia - the first US President to born in a hospital - James Earl Carter Junior went on to craft an impressive and posite legacy worldwide that has been felt far beyond his four years as Commander in Chief, one that is still remembered and celebrated today; and for good reason. Carter had an eclectic range of jobs before becoming the 39th President. He had served in the US

Navy in the Second World War, been a nuclear technician and a Sunday School teacher. Most famously though, Carter was a long time peanut farmer - something he and his hometown of Plains is still remembered fondly for to this today. In fact peanuts are such an iconic staple of Carter's life that massive peanut carvings of himself and his wife Rosalynn greet visitors to the entrance of his presidential library! Carter got into politics by running for the Georgia State Senate on the platform of abolishing segregation in the American Deep South, and strongly dedicated himself to civil rights. In 1971 he became the 79th Governor of the State of Georgia, and then in 1976 ran as the Democratic Party candidate for 

President alongside Walter Mondale against incumbent Republican 38th President Gerald Ford and Vice President Nelson Rockerfeller. Carter promoted his origins as a humble peanut farmer and a political outsider as a fresh and necessary perspective in Washington following the Watergate Scandal and the resignation of 37th President Richard Nixon. Though the campaign was tough on both Carter and Ford, the two would later become close friends; Carter eventually delivered the eulogy at Ford's funeral in 2006. Carter won the 1976 election and was sworn in as President on January 20th 1977. He devoted his presidency to the advancement of human rights domestically and internationally, and also supported envionrmental protection and international diplomacy initatives. Carter prioritised transparency of government following the political turbulence of the 1970's, and famously told the American public that if he was ever caught telling them a lie, they should force him to resign.

Carter's presidency faced its fair share of difficulties. The United States faced a serious petrol and diesel shortage and was entering a period of severe economic stagflation (where unemployment is high and the economy is stagnant with high inflation). Most troubling was the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979, where 52 American diplomats were held hostage by Iranian protestors who siezed the US Embassy in Tehran. Carter also experienced a great success in 1978 with the Camp David Accords, where Carter personally mediated and brokered a peace deal between President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin, bringing a formal end to the Yom Kippur War. After the challenges of the Iranian Hostage Crisis and the turbulent economy of his presidency, Jimmy Carter lost the 1980 presidential election to 40th President Ronald Reagan and his Vice President George Bush Senior. Carter spent his final moments in office finalising agreements to have the American hostages in Tehran released - none of whom has been harmed. The negotiations were a success, but the government of Iran refused to release them until Reagan had been sworn in.

After his presidency Carter and Rosalynn returned to their home in Plains, Georgia, where they founded The Carter Centre - a nonprofit organisation that has been working continuously to this day to promote Carter's strong values of human rights and human development. Carter has had the longest and most active post presidency of any former American president. Working tirelessly for causes he believes in, some of Carter's greatest accomplishments since leaving office in 1981 include eradicating dracunculiasis (aka "Guinea Worm Disease"), preventing an American invasion of Haiti in 1994 by convincing Dictator Raoul Cédras to resign peacefully, monitoring and promoting fair and free elections worldwide - most notably in El Salvador, South Africa and Ukraine, overseeing the distribution of wheat and grain from the World Food Bank in North Korea after a famine alongside Mary Robinson, and convincing the government of the People's Republic of China to drop its policy of outlawing private religious worship. These efforts and more earned Carter a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, becoming the third American president to receive one (Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson before him, and after him Barack Obama). Carter has also famously supported Habitat for Humanity in his post presidency - an organisation that The High School also shares a long history with! Carter continued carpentry as a hobby well into his 90's, and has worked on over 4,900 projects with them since he joined the organisation in 1984. Jimmy Carter has enjoyed a long and successful life, and a peaceful but highly active 'retirement'. Dispite his troubled presidency, Carter has received widespread praise for his humanitarian efforts in and out of office. In 2009 Carter himself refelected that "I believe I had been a far better post president than I was a president". Carter enjoyed his adventures alongside his childhood sweetheart Rosalynn for almost his whole life until she passed away peacefully in November 2023. Rosalynn had developed dementia, but had never forgotten who Jimmy was or how special their relationship had been. Jimmy Carter has been in hospice care since, his last public appearance was at her funeral in Plains. According to his grandson Jason, Carter still likes to keep his mind buisy and has been enjoying listening to a variety of audio books. Reportedly, he is hoping to be able to vote in the 2024 American Presidential Election in November. Jimmy Carter has achieved a fantastic milestone in reaching his 100th birthday, and has lived a long and successful life. If you are interested in learning more about him I would highly recommend two excellent books about him, the first being his definative autobiography, 'A Full Life: Reflections at Nintey' and 'Jimmy Carter: A Comprehensive Biography from Plains to Post Presidency' by Peter G. Bourne. All that's left to say now is: Happy birthday President Carter!! 

Leo Shorten 

Scuba Diving

Over the last two years SCUBA diving has taken me to places I never thought I would see; I have had experiences that I never could imagine and my passion for it has led me to travel the world, and it will continue to do so.  I began my journey into the sport whilst on the Aran Islands with a dive center called “Dive Academy”, I took my first breath underwater with them and I haven't looked back since. I continued with my training in Dublin to get my Open Water certification and later travelled back to the Aran Islands to get my Advanced Open Water certification with the same dive centre I took my first breath with.  

Since then, I have had the pleasure of visiting Egypt, more specifically Dahab and its famous ‘Blue Hole’ where I dived a site called “El Bells”. I have also travelled across Ireland to Cork and for a third time to the Aran Islands for the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean.  Whilst in Dahab I completed six dives where I got to experience the sprawling life of the Red Sea up close: with its vibrant corals and abundance of fish it was nothing like I had seen before. My favourite dive throughout the trip was “The Canyon”.  It begins on a shallow reef shelf which is covered in corals and fish life and slowly descends towards a break in the floor which drops to a maximum depth of 25m.  The walls of this canyon are covered in life and at the back of it is a small space where I witnessed a school of fish swim in unison as the light broke through the cracks in the ceiling and glimmered off their scales.  

Another dive site that I remember fondly is “El Bells”, which is the main dive site at the Dahab Blue Hole.  It begins at the elevator shaft which drops to a maximum depth of 26m.  You exit through an arch into the open ocean where on the right is the wall which from the surface down is covered with all sorts of coral and fish. Almost the entirety of the dive is along this reef wall where you can experience the unrivalled beauty of underwater life, the dive ends with an ascent to 7 metres, and you pass over the saddle of the Blue Hole. As you enter the Blue Hole, you have a full view of the circumference of it and all the life that lies along its inner wall.  The dive ends with a traverse along this wall and an exit onto the shelf.  

Diving is an experience I think everyone should try at least once; you are away from the chaos of everyday life while weightless and surrounded by underwater life.  The only noise you can hear being your own breathing. To say the least it is a very peaceful experience. It might seem daunting at first, but the diving community is the most welcoming group of people I have ever had the pleasure to be around.  They are all there to enjoy the peace of diving and help others to experience the beauty of the sport.  
Anthony Leonard 

Irish Aid in Mozambique

Over the summer I had the fantastic experience of travelling to Mozambique, Eswatini, and South Africa where I worked at the Irish Embassy in Maputo. It was an interesting and enlightening experience, and I enjoyed meeting a wide range of people from both Ireland and Mozambique who work in the field of diplomacy. It was particularly inspiring to see the good work done by the Irish Embassy and Irish Aid while in Mozambique, and the highlight of my trip was visiting the Marracuene primary school in the municipality of Guava near Maputo. 

The Marracuene primary school is the largest school in Guava and

accommodates 3,600 pupils.  The national primary teacher-pupil ratio in Mozambique is one teacher to sixty pupils, compared to an Irish average of one teacher to thirty pupils. In practice, some classes I visited with embassy staff were accommodating up to 120 pupils per teacher. The nearest secondary school to Guava was not within walking distance so despite being a primary school Marracuene unofficially catered to secondary school aged pupils as well. Due to the large number of pupils attending the school three shifts were held each day of 1,500 pupils for three hours of classes.

The work done by the Irish Embassy and Irish Aid in Guava was meaningful and inspiring: the Embassy had funded a renewable energy plan and installed solar panels in the school to provided electricity to the classrooms and neighbouring homes. Irish Aid had also funded a well digging project, built modern and hygenic toilet blocks for pupils and staff, installed water pipes, supplied the school with new blackboards, bins, and built a football field for the pupils to use during their breaks.  I also enjoyed meeting and speaking with the Marracuene School Council, an organisation made up of pupils, teachers, school administration, community leaders, and local politicians who meet regularly to discuss issues affecting their school and community. 

Visiting Marracuene was an important experience in learning about what other schools across the world are like and how they operate. Though there were many differences, there were also lots of similarities between our two schools, and the staff and community in Marracuene work very hard to provide and care for their pupils, even in difficult circumstances.  The Irish Embassy in Maputo has over 50 major aid and development projects that help schools and communities like Guava across Mozambique, Eswatini, and on the neighbouring island of Madagascar.  If any pupils are interested in international relations and how Ireland interacts with the world, I would encourage you to participate in the Model United Nations club at The High School to learn more about our world and the international community!
Leo Shorten