Laois TDs grilled by local secondary school students for special new podcast

Veteran politicians Sean Fleming, Willie Aird and Brian Stanley discuss life and politics with the students

Secondary school students held sit down interviews with three Laois TDs as part of their podcast, The Dunamase Diaries.

The four second-year students from Dunamase College, Jamie Frarey, Eve Langford, Kellie Smith, and Roisin Breathnach had the unique opportunity to interview Laois' newly elected TDs, Willie Aird, Sean Fleming, and Brian Stanley, just a day after they attended their first sitting in the Dáil on December 19, 2024.

This special interview is part of The Dunamase Diaries, an exciting new podcast launched by Dunamase College. The podcast, which will cover a wide range of topics, is a collaboration with Laois Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB), the STEAM Programme, Laois County Council, and Laois Today.

While the first episode focused on politics, the podcast will not be limited to that alone. The students will explore many different areas of interest, from youth development and climate change to sports, local issues, and beyond.

The students spent weeks preparing for the interview with the help of their teacher, Kiera Edinborough, ensuring they were ready for the big day. And it paid off, listeners can expect plenty of engaging conversations, laughs, and insightful discussions on everything from the TDs' plans for the future of Laois to their personal experiences in politics.

During the interview, the students didn’t shy away from asking some tough questions, including concerns about youth development funding in Laois, and what the TDs hope to accomplish by the time they’re on the register. They also got a behind-the-scenes look at how the TDs’ first day in the Dáil went.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to learn about politics and also share our thoughts and ideas,” said one of the students.

“We asked some hard-hitting questions, and the TDs were really open and honest with us,” they added.

The Dunamase Diaries podcast gives students a platform to discuss the things that matter to them, allowing their voices to be heard in a meaningful way. With future episodes covering a variety of topics, it promises to be a must-listen for anyone interested in hearing from the next generation of leaders.

Stay tuned for more episodes, and be sure to catch the first one for an inside look at what’s happening in Laois and Ireland’s political world.

Here is a link to our first episode on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/2YaJy34wpwWGDeYPU5CTC2