Sweet Bird Of Greystones Youth Café

Samantha Kirkness Greystones FRI13JUNE25

hen it comes to those difficult teenage years, it always helps to have a little outside perspective.

Especially if that outside perspective comes with a little globe-trotting, a big smile, and university studies in psychology as well as physical education, activity and health.

It’s little wonder that the Greystones Youth Café on Trafalgar Road has moved up a few gears this summer, Samantha Kirkness having left her native New Zealand in late 2023, finally landing in Ireland last Christmas. Where she caught up with her Dublin-born mum, and the Irish side of her family.

“And once I was here for a while, it very quickly began to feel like home,” explains Sam when we met up this afternoon. “There are quite a lot of similarities between Ireland and New Zealand – having a big bully of a neighbour, for one – and I think that just comes across in the people. There’s a kind of resilience and a sense of humour that we share…”

It’s a laidback but steely attitude Sam has brought to the town’s main youth hangout, having just put together a series of summer events to get teenagers around here a little more connected.

From June 30th, the café will be open five days a week instead of just two, with Mondays and Tuesdays for 12 to 14 year olds, Wednesday and Thursday for 14 upwards, and Fridays for all ages.

And alongside the various workshops, study rooms and chillout spaces, there are plenty of one-off workshops and gatherings over the coming months. The first one being a summer BBQ on Friday, June 20th – details here.

In the meantime, we find out just what kind of Kiwi cool Sam is going teach Greystones’ teens…

Sitting pretty at Coolnagreina on Trafalgar Road, you can find out more about the Greystones Youth Café here, follow on Instagram here, or get in touch by email here.