Carrick-on-Suir teen lauded for taking on difficult issue of drugs and alcohol misuse

Caption for photo above: Pictured at the Stay Connected Substance Misuse Awareness Community Event in the Carraig Hotel were Angela Watson, Carrick-on-Suir Lions Club; Stay Connected founder Finn McLoughlin, his mother Jane McLoughlin and Kendra Watson, former Carrick-on-Suir Young Ambassador.

Carrick-on-Suir Lions Club has praised the 16-year-old Transition Year student, who founded Stay Connected substance misuse awareness campaign, for his bravery for taking on such a “challenging” and “difficult” issue. Comeragh College student Finn

McLoughlin won Carrick Lions Club’s annual Young Ambassador of the 21st Century competition for his proposal to set up this project to tackle drugs and alcohol abuse among young people in his hometown.

Shirley O’Shea, the Club’s Young Ambassador Competition Coordinator, told the Stay Connected community workshop in the Carraig Hotel that Finn was a very inspiring young man and very worthy Young Ambassador for the town.

She said substance misuse was a very difficult topic and very few young people would have the bravery to take on such a challenging issue.

“If your actions inspire others to do things then Finn that makes you a very natural leader,” she said.

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Ms O'Shea said the Stay Connected project really struck a chord with her.

"I am a mother in this town. I have three children and have many nieces and nephews. I love working with young people but I see every single day the struggles and pressures they are under so this project is very important.”

Ms O’Shea, a teacher at St Declan’s Community School in Kilmacthomas in county Waterford felt there was a huge welcome for the workshop in the four schools that hosted them and she was grateful the schools allowed it to happen.

She said Conor Harris was an inspirational young man and they were very fortunate to have him visit Carrick-on-Suir. Her school has already booked him to come back next autumn to give another talk to students.

Finn McLoughlin said it was Conor’s story that prompted him to pitch the Stay Connected project for the competition. The project aimed to tackle substance abuse and addiction among young people in Carrick but also reduce the stigma around addiction so teenagers can seek the support services that are available if they need them.

He paid tribute to Carrick Lions Club for the huge help its members gave him to organise the workshops, the four schools for being so open to the project and his cousin who inspired the initiative.

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