Stop Climate Chaos Coalition

For immediate release : Tuesday 10 September 2019

Student organisers and climate campaigners supporting the School Strikes for Climate have announced their plans for Ireland’s participation in the Global Climate Strike on Friday 20th September. Students have so far organised School Strike Rallies for 10 locations around Ireland from Tralee to Dundalk, as well as Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. Adults have signed up to host 60 local Support Actions in their communities and workplaces for people who can’t make the rallies. These numbers are growing every day and a team of volunteers is on hand to support people who put their hand up to organise a local event.

Commenting Áine O’Gorman, Activism Support Coordinator with the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, said:

“On September 20th we hope to empty schools and workplaces and fill the streets with people demanding our Government take climate action more seriously. Our house is on fire – let’s act like it.

“We’ve have a great response to our call for people to organise local actions in support of the school strikes and our volunteers are ready to help anyone who wants to get involved in their community or workplace.”

The Global Climate Strike was called by Swedish teen, Greta Thurnberg, and the global youth movement she has sparked. But this time she has asked adults to join in, saying “We need everyone, to change everything”. The Global Strike comes three days before heads of government from around the world, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, are due in New York for a UN Climate Action Summit. Greta, who has been invited to speak at the summit, sailed to New York in August in a zero emissions boat, with the slogan “Unite behind the science” emblazoned on the sails. The overarching message to world leaders from the strikers and their supporters is “It’s an emergency, act like it”.

Oisín Coghlan, Coordinator of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, said:

“The Dáil declared a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency in May but as yet the Government is not acting like it. Just days later they issued new licences to Exxon and the Chinese to search for more oil and gas in Irish waters. And months later they still haven’t sat down with the trade unions to discuss the plight of the workers in the midlands who are facing a disorderly exit from the peat industry because for 20 years Irish politicians have refused to plan for a Just Transition away for fossil fuels.”

The first international School Strike for Climate in March saw 1.6 million young people and their families take to the street around the world, including 15,000 in Ireland.

ENDS

For more information or interviews contact:
Áine O’Gorman, Activism Support Coordinator, Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, or
Oisín Coghlan, National Coordinator, Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, on

1) All the student-led #ClimateStrike Rallies, and the local support actions organised by adults in communities and workplaces are on this map:
https://www.stopclimatechaos.ie/campaigns/support-the-climate-strike-movement/

2) So far the following student-organised marches and rallies are confirmed:
Dublin: Gathering 12:00 at Customs House, marching at 12:30 to Merrion Sq., rallying 13:00 – 14:00 at Merrion Sq. in front of Govt. buildings
Cork City: Gathering on Grand Parade St. from 12:00, marching at 12:20.
Kerry (Tralee): Meet at County Buildings, Ratass, at 9am
Clare (Ennis): Meet at The Height, O’Connell Square at 9am
Drogheda: Demonstrating from 13:00 outside St. Peters’s Church, West St.
Galway: Demonstrating from 13:00 – 16:00 in Eyre Square
Navan: Demonstrating from 13:00 – 15:00 at the Market Square
Limerick: Marching from Arthur’s Quay Park at 13:00, finishing at City Hall.
Dundalk: Demonstrating from 12:30 – 15:00 in the Market Square
Kenmare: Demonstrating from 9:00 – 13:00 outside the Courthouse

The student organising groups are:
Fridays for Future: https://www.fridaysforfuture.ie/september-20th
Schools Climate Action Network: https://www.schoolsclimateaction.ie/

3) Details of the Global Climate Strike are here: https://globalclimatestrike.net/

4) Details of the UN Climate Action Summit are here: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/