Youth's words inspiring change
by Sarah Thompson O'Sullivan
Last Saturday (10th Aug 2024) I took part in Good Day Cork’s Young Tongues Of Cork event at The Test Site. I had the privilege of being an ‘MC’. This was my first time ‘MCing’ an event and I can honestly say that I couldn’t have asked for a better audience or location. The Test Site is a beautiful outdoor space located in Kyrl’s Quay. We were blessed with glorious sunshine and even better company.
We had the most amazing lineup of poets and musicians between the ages of 18 to 25 years old. This event aimed to amplify unheard voices and I believe it did exactly that.I was blown away by the incredible talent of Adam, Kac, and Aoife. Their music was filled with raw emotion and passion, and I admire them for showcasing such personal reflections with us all. I found that I was able to relate all of their songs to certain aspects of my life, and I am sure I was not the only one.
In a world captivated by technology and fleeting trends, projects such as these must continue to progress and allow for young people to express themselves authentically, to feel seen, and heard.
The same has to be said for the poets: Lavie, Morgan, Sloane, Tomiwa, and Kel. Their writing greatly impacted me and I went through a whirlwind of emotions – laughing one minute and on the verge of tears the next.As I listened, I began reflecting on my own experiences, it is moments like these that are a testament to the power of music and poetry, and their ability to bridge generations, cultures, and experiences. Their words inspired me to write and I left the event with about hundreds of ideas flowing around in my head.
The beauty of such events is that, by providing young people with the support and facilities to express themselves through their creative pieces, a sense of community is created. In a world captivated by technology and fleeting trends, projects such as these must continue to progress and allow for young people to express themselves authentically, to feel seen, and heard.
We were also privileged to have Lord Mayor Dan Boyle join us. I spoke with Mr. Boyle beforehand, who showed great enthusiasm for the event and its performers. He also took the stage to share a few words and his acknowledgment of the young creators’ hard work sent a strong message: that their voices matter, and their work is valued in our community.
Of course, none of this would have been possible had it not been for the work of Joanna, Good Day Cork, and with support from The Test Site. I look forward to future projects.
I left Test Site that day with a smile and some new friends. I hope that we continue to support young artists because it is our words that have the power to inspire change, foster connection and ignite imagination.
About Sarah Thompson O'Sullivan
Sarah Thompson O’Sullivan is an 18 year old (2024) writer and reviewer from Knocknaheeny. She began writing poetry at thirteen.
Following on from the success of her Bookstagram “The Lost Library” she recently set up a podcast of the same name, which talks about books, writing, publishing and everything in between, with a key focus on the promotion of reading in young people.
Sarah’s poems feature a variety of themes and topics. She has a physical disability and aims to give a voice to the underrepresented people of Cork as well as shed some light onto topics that oftentimes are left unmentioned.
You can find Sarah on Instagram: @_thelostlibrary_ which has all her other links.
