An Interesting day!

Thursday was pretty interesting. Kanye sold out in ten minutes and I was delighted, because we promoted the hell out of it on air and on Bebo! Vic had a few of my young homeboys (Mickey Gatch and Nash) on Cork Talk's back, at 11.30 the previous night, rapping and beat-boxing live on air as they entertained the already building crowd! Class!

My day continued in the Millenium hall of the Cork City Hall where I was guesting for the Cork Community Partnership and speaking on behalf of Cork Drink and Drug Awareness week. I also helped the organiser (Aoife) get a few Cork City players down there (Joe Gamble and Danny Murphy); the more positive role models the better! It was mainly second level students down there and arriving at around half twelve I immediately recognised loads of people from Jam Junior! I checked out the stalls and was impressed by the variety of different community groups offering help and advice for young people.

Just to mention a few, there were stalls by

NeCoDrA-New Communities Drugs Awareness
Mayfield Youth 2000
ISPCC
Mna Feasa
OSS Cork (Domestic Violence Information Resource Centre)
S.T.E.P.
Youth Information Centres
Youth Health Service
Gurranabraher Youth Deveopment Centre
Matt Talbot Adolescent Services
Tabor lOdge Addiction centre
Al-Aonon Family Groups
ANEW (Able and New Women)
Ken McCarthy (Outreach)
www.corkldtf.ie (Drug Services In Cork)
www.sexualhealthcentre.com
and much much more

I quickly had some chats to some of the people involved before I spoke to the group of teenagers present. I had nothing prepared so it wasn't the best ever but in fairness, most of them listened up and appreciated the message that I was attempting to deliver. I started out by mentioning the example of the man-of-the-moment Kanye West. I told those present that he is a good example of someone who doesn't do drugs, if he did he wouldn't be able to tour and release music constantly and wouldn't be so motivated and driven. I drew comparisons between Kanye and other people doing positive things. In a nutshell, I reckon it was a lot cooler scoring a goal in Turners Cross, hitting a point in Croke Park or performing at the Savoy than being strung out and broke and with no real friends.

Even those who have boasted about their drug-dealing past (50 Cent etc), would not trade the strides they've made since for it becasue they know at first-hand that drugs (and indeed drink) are only a fleeting escape. I finished by summing up that people are using drugs to escape social and domestic problems, and that the powers that be should make more options available for the young people that are not given enough positive options. Everything in this country is drink orientated and even the so-called positive things like sport (which I Love) are tied into alcohol in some way. It's the same with the music industry aswell but It's important to educate peple about the dangers.

It may sound like a lecture but it certainly wasn't as I hate when young people are talked down to so it was far from that. When the questions started and I was put on the spot I admitted that I had taken drugs myself in the past because it would have been a lie and a joke otherwise. Luckily enough, music is my own drug of choice and has been for a long time and having given up drink myself a few months ago (till June), I tried to explain the benefits it does for motivational purposes. It was madness afterwards as loads of the girls from St Mary's in Macroom accosted me and (very embarassingly) were asking for loads of pics and autographs!!! I gave out a good few CDs and we had a good laugh, I gave them loads of mentions and on the radio last night! I also called out the winners of the sticker caption competition, including the classic "Drive Sober, Don't be a Langer". You can't say it better than that!

One of the many positive options is music and last night a young DJ from Togher, Lenny K, hooked up with me on Teenage Thursdays. His cousin, Dave O, had previously been on and half of his family tree are DJs and music fans, so it was no suprise that Dave went down that road. He is a very nice fella and was comfortable and assured on air, I wish him best for the future! Lenny hopes to get into the Broadcasting course in Scoil Staofan Naoifa so hopefully he'll do well. I wished Lenny good bye and hung around and updated my last blog while in the background the station got taken over by loads of crazyness, as Paul Dee hypnotized loads of people on Victor's Show. Check out his blog for more-Damn, It's Friday already, let it roll!