Law beckons for Traveller youth activist after Leaving Cert success

Latisha McCrudden: 'I know I will be so fulfilled in law, so it won’t be like a job to me.'

A young Traveller youth activist, award-winner and karate champion is one step closer to pursuing her dream of studying law after receiving her Leaving Cert results on Friday morning.

Latisha McCrudden, 18, from Roscommon, opened her results on Friday morning beside her mum Susan.

“I’m delighted,” she said afterwards. “I should be going to Galway to study law now.”

“My mum is my best friend, and we’ve been each other’s rocks through the last few years, so I was so proud opening them beside mum.”

Drawn to studying law since she was a child, Ms McCrudden credits a quote by civil rights activist Martin Luther King as a message she tries to live by.

I always try living by the quote ‘our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter’, so I really want to make a difference in the world.”

“I know I will be so fulfilled in law, so it won’t be like a job to me.”

Having completed her Leaving Cert at Saint Brendan's College in Belmullet, Co Mayo, Ms McCrudden likes to keep as busy as she possibly can.

It has led to a very busy schedule, between karate training three days a week, working with different organisations like the National Women’s Council, the National Youth Assembly and the Irish Traveller Movement.

Last July, Latisha won a Traveller Pride Education Award, and has also won awards with Gaisce and the Pope John Paul II Award.

Last July, she won a Traveller Pride Education Award, and has also won awards with Gaisce and the Pope John Paul II Award.

She has also competed in the BT Young Scientist exhibition, and worked on projects examining women’s participation in sports as well as the impact of covid-19 on children.

Black belt in karate

She holds a first dan black belt in karate, having taken up the martial art at a young age, and competes both internationally and nationally while training and coaching other women.

“I was involved with so much, I wasn’t just always thinking about school, school, school,” Ms McCrudden said.

Every month that I go into, I have goals set for that month. However small or big, I always have my goals at the beginning of the year.”

“If I end the year not completing them, I make sure that’s my target for the next year to complete first.”

Her advice to students starting off in Senior Cycle is simple: “It’s very important that this isn’t the end all and be all. It is a very hard year, it is very challenging, especially after Christmas, but prepare, and get your projects out early.”

“Also make sure you are on top of your oral work for your languages just as much as your coursework because those are ahead of your written exams, and if you are on top of that, you’ll be a lot calmer.”

“Bad days will come but there are good days ahead. I think have that break away as well, I wouldn’t recommend giving up a sport if you are doing one.”