Journalism Day at DCU for Talented Youth
29 July 2009

A group of Ireland's top journalists today presented their most interesting journalism assignments to a group of 8-12 year-old students attending this year's Centre for Talented Youth summer programme at Dublin City University.

The Minister for Communications, Eamon Ryan, spoke at the event saying, "The craft of journalism is that of truth and story-telling.  We can only evaluate when given the facts; decide when we know what's going on.  I hope that the students of DCU learned both the values and power of this profession from journalists present.  Equally, I hope the independent and fearless students have made an impression on those journalists.  We need seekers of the truth, for our democracy and ourselves.  Today showed me the potential of our young people and how need need not doubt they will fulfil it in the future".

The journalists who attended were Roisin Ingle of the Irish Times, Fergal Keane and Paul Reynolds of RTE, Ian Kehoe of the Sunday Business Post, Brendan Fanning of the Sunday Independent, Mick Clifford of the Sunday Tribune, Leo Enright and John Horgan, Press Ombudsman.

Over 50 students took part in 'Journalism Day'  to hear the first-hand experiences of the journalists, who each recounted their most interesting assignment.

Colm O'Reilly, Director of the CTYI said, "The Irish Centre for Talented Youth is delighted to welcome the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan, TD to the CTYI Summer Programme at DCU.  This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to meet the Minister and these well-known journalists from the world of newspapers, television and radio before they embark on their own future careers in the world of journalism".

The CTYI summer programme is for students with exceptional academic ability who must pass an aptitude test before entry to the course. 

The Centre, which was established in 1993, is a non-profit making organisation.  It is funded partially by the Department of Education and Science.