I’ve thought so for quite a while – but now I know for sure that the name of Paddy Flynn is one you and I will be hearing again – and again.
The Cordal teenager is a pupil of St. Patrick’s Boys’ Secondary School and his ambitions, dreams and plans revolve around a life in politics – as of now.
People say he’s outspoken. Paddy is putting down a marker. He’s on a mission and he’s getting there. He’s much farther down that road that many of us innocent bystanders realise.
Paddy took the floor and expressed his forthright views on the state and future direction of the Catholic Church in Ireland at a Shaping our Diocese meeting at the River Island Hotel one evening last week. To say that people sat up and took notice is understating the aftershock felt in the room after his delivery.
He’ll be on Radio Kerry at some point between 9am and 11am this morning expanding on those views.
It was Paddy putting down a marker. It’s a marker that witnesses to his ‘speech’ at the end of the meeting will remember for a while.
“My views on the the Catholic Church are conservative and I don’t agree with many of the directions its going in now. I’m very conscious of upsetting or insulting people of opposite views to mine and I don’t want to do that,” said Paddy.
As far as politics is concerned, his roots are as entrenched as his faith. His political leanings are self taught and self thought out:
“I have a heritage from by great grandfathers, Flor Burke and Mick Pierse that I’m proud of. I’d be inclined towards old Fianna Fáil and I think Éamonn de Valera was a great man and one of my heroes. I’m very lucky to have been given the chance of work experience with Michael Healy Rae, TD in Dublin recently. It was an extremely eye opening and educational experience for me. I also got a lesson or two from Michael on how to mind your voters. To see the workings of the Dáil up close like that was a huge spin-off from my time up there,” said Paddy.
He has been in Dáil Éireann on several occasions and ‘selfies’ with all the relevant, political stars-of-the-day feature in his social media activity afterwards.
“I also represent Castleisland on the Comhairle na Nóg – the Youth Council of Ireland. And I was crucial in bringing Dr. Lisa Shannahan a clinical psychologist from Australia to train teachers and Youth Workers in Mental Health First Aid. This is a programme we are trying to implement across Ireland at present,” said Paddy.
Is it me or does that sound slightly political to you ? Remember the name: Paddy Flynn.
Listen in to Kerry Today on Radio Kerry this morning between 9am and 11am.
