Launch next month of Ferbane native's book on children's right to be heard

By Orlaith Delaney

Ferbane native Dr Siobhán Keenan Fitzgerald will be launching a new book, on empowering children to communicate well, in the Athlone Education Support Centre next month.

The book entitled, 'Listen: How Child and Student Voice Can Change the World', will be launched by Ireland's Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, on October 14.

Siobhán is the principal of Eglish Primary School in Galway, a changemaker school recognized by Dublin City University. She is originally from Febane in Offaly, and is the daughter of the late Frank Keenan, who hailed from Castletown-Geoghegan in Westmeath.

With over 30 years of teaching experience, Siobhán has contributed to curriculum development with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

She completed her doctoral studies with the University of Lincoln, UK, in 2022, and wrote this book as a follow-up, with the aim of bridging the gap between the theory of ‘child voice’ and ‘student voice’, and the practice of these important concepts in homes, schools and communities.

A two-time TEDx and award-winning speaker, she is an active member of Athlone Toastmasters, She is also the creator of the ‘LET’s Stand’ Public Speaking Programme for Young People (aged 5-8), which is used now in many primary and secondary schools in Ireland and internationally.

Siobhán said, "The more we focused on developing speaking and communications skills in our own school, the more children began to participate in school life.

"As you can imagine, this had many benefits, for the child themselves and also, for the learning and the teaching in the school.

"I was frequently inspired by what the children would choose to talk about and began to realise that the only way we can truly know what’s going on in the hearts and minds of our young people is to empower them to speak, create safe spaces and opportunities for them to share their thoughts, learning and ideas and then sustain this development and participation by listening, truly listening."

Under Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was ratified in Ireland in 1992, all children have a right to have a say in matters affecting their lives.

This book aims to ensure that children’s right to be heard is realised, by empowering adults to advocate and facilitate children's voices and communication efforts.

Anybody interested in attending the launch of the book on October 14 should email Siobhán to register at: siobhancgkeenanfitzgerald@gmail.com