Today, on Wednesday, November 20, five amazing young speakers took to the Helix stage for Child Talks, an award-winning event by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) celebrating World Children’s Day. Hosted by RTÉ’s Mark ‘the Science Guy’ and past speaker teen Eoin Murphy, the speakers delivered inspiring talks in front of a live audience of over 1,000 school children from across Ireland.
The event included a special performance of the viral summer hit ‘The Spark’ by the Lisdoonvarna Crew and entertainment from young superstar magician Cillian O’Connor from Britain’s Got Talent.
Child Talks 2024 featured Ben (16), Sarah Ann (15), Ronan (13), Anna (17), and Bel (17) discussing important topics like single-parent families, young carers, neurodiversity in rural Ireland, girls in sports, and loneliness. There was also a video documentary from students at Stonepark NS, Longford, highlighting the dangers of speeding outside their school with their ‘Kids Court’ initiative.
Young DJs Cillian and Rocco from Music Generation kicked off the show. Children from classrooms across the country tuned in to the OCO’s livestream on oco.ie.
In anticipation of the event, Ombudsman for Children Dr. Niall Muldoon expressed his excitement:
“We are thrilled to host the seventh annual Child Talks at the Helix on World Children’s Day. This event continues to grow each year, with over a thousand children from various schools and hundreds more watching the livestream to hear our fantastic speakers.”
“The talks this year cover topical and relevant issues chosen by our young speakers themselves, reflecting challenges faced by many families in Ireland today. Child Talks is a unique platform for children to share their voices and experiences.”
As World Children’s Day is celebrated globally, Child Talks underscores the importance of empowering children to be heard. The event showcases the talents of young entertainers and promotes the voices of children in a meaningful way.”
