Professor Luke O’Neill inspiring talk to students

PROFESSOR Luke O’Neill visited Tallaght Community School to give a talk to students and teachers about the Covid-19 pandemic and immunology.

Luke O’Neill, a professor of immunology at Trinity College Dublin, gave an informative speech to fifth year and transition year students at the school on Friday, April 29.

“My colleague Melanie Martin was the one who invited Professor Luke O’Neill to the school. He doesn’t do many talks at secondary schools, so we felt very lucky that he came to us,” said Michelle Hegarty, teacher at TCS.

“He spoke to the students about how we have navigated the last two years during Covid and Ireland’s successful vaccination roll-out. He was very engaging and informative, and students really enjoyed it.

“He also spoke a lot about immunology and how to build up a healthy immune system. He gave a lovely message about inspiring the students to pursue whatever they are passionate about – for him it is science but for the students it could be something different.”

The science teachers at the school got the chance to sit down with Prof O’Neill for a chat and a coffee as well as getting two of his signed books.

Prof Luke O’Neill tweeted after the visit: “Just spent the most wonderful morning with the TY students in Tallaght Community School. Big thanks to them and to Melanie Martin, Ian Boran and Principal Aidan Lynch and all the great science teachers there.”