Jake’s Progress

Kilcoole’s notorious Skate Park Gang

e may be only 14, but Jake Mitchell has been running a campaign for a Kilcoole Skate Park that would make your average politician swoon.

How else to explain the sight of the country’s Minister For Further Education riding skate-by-skate with the Kilcoole teenager this afternoon.

Simon Harris wasn’t the only big noise to come out in support of Jake’s fine idea this afternoon, of course. The bould Tom Fortune was there, mask on face, and hand on heart.

“When Jake first spoke with me about his idea,” he says, “I was very impressed with his enthusiasm, and his initiative.

“We talked about how it can be made happen, and I am delighted to help him in any way that I can. We are looking maybe doing some fundraising, and also working with the local authority. His school are also giving him great encouragement. It is a great project…”

As for the boy of the hour, Jake stated, “I’m delighted there’s so much support for this. We’ve met so many more people who really want this to happen, and it’s great that Simon Harris and Tom Fortune are among them. It makes us believe that this could actually happen, that the Kilcoole Skate Park will become a reality.”

Not that Jake is counting his chickens.

“We will have to wait now to see what happens when they all meet in September. It has all happened so fast, but, we’ll have to just hold our breath for the next two months…”

You can catch our June interview with the boy wonder right about here.