‘Don’t go to the butcher for a haircut!’ Wise words…
Shane Casey, the Cork actor renowned for his role as ‘Billy’ in the series ‘The Young Offenders’, delivered an intriguing, energetic and informative workshop to the St. Colman’s College first year students on Thursday, 10th March. This workshop was held with the view to preparing our students and providing them with skills for their CBA presentations next year.
In a wonderfully dramatic and enjoyable presentation, Mr. Casey covered topics such as resilience, stoicism and leadership. He referenced an eclectic range of mentors from director Peter Foott, to conqueror Alexander the Great as well the legendary Roy Keane, but it was Casey’s own personal anecdotes that instilled the most learning. He regaled us with personal anecdotes involving fleeting moments of professional disappointments to successes, all unfolding on one Tuesday afternoon in Tesco.
“Confidence is something you give to yourself”
Casey focused on the awareness of body language, authenticity and integrity of oneself. He encouraged the students to never give up on themselves and always try and seek help if you need it, but more discerning and pertinent than this - seek help from the person who can actually help you.
“Boys, don’t go to the butcher for a haircut!”
Chuckles erupted around the classroom at this resounding truth. Our students hung on his every wise word. One adoring fan, Daniel O’Connor enthused: “I loved the presentation. ‘Billy’ was very energetic and funny. He told us when we were giving presentations that we had to be ourselves and he also said some very useful things to help us with our CBA’s.”
While student Oisín Landy added: “I thought the Shane Casey Workshop was excellent because he was very funny and it was inclusive and interesting.”
Shouts of ‘thanks Billy’ and requests for selfies could be heard in the Colman’s corridors as the students filed out of the classroom afterwards. Shane Casey graciously accepted the praise from his enraptured audience.