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Big Kids

15th Mar 2019

Irish children continue ‘school strikes’ today in support of Greta Thunberg

Melissa Carton

Irish children have joined the thousands of children worldwide taking part in ‘school strikes’ in support of Greta Thunberg.

The Swedish teenager, who was recently nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, is encouraging students across the globe to strike today for climate change.

Irish school children have protested over the last few weeks in support of the young activist in their local areas and outside of the Dail.

Greta Thunberg started her personal ‘school strike’ last year but the movement is picking up momentum and children in countries including Japan, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland are now taking part.

These Friday protests have become known as ‘Fridays for Future’.

The efforts of Irish children have not gone unnoticed by Ms Thunberg and according to The Guardian the 16-year-old said;

“There has been a number of real heroes on school strike, for instance in Scotland and Ireland, for some time now. Such as Holly Gillibrand and the ones in Cork with the epic sign saying ‘the emperor is naked’.”

Last month secondary school children from across Dublin gathered outside the Dail to call on the government to tackle climate change.

Students in Cork have also taken part in the movement every Friday at Cork City Hall.

Teenage Thunberg has captured the imagination of many and according to Green News, Irish students plan on continuing their Friday protests until climate change is addressed by the government.