As usual, The Ryan Tubridy Show was full of chats with listeners and observations on Irish news from Ryan yesterday morning but in addition to his usual show, the RTÉ Radio 1 presenter read out a letter he had written to his sixteen-year-old self, in 2009.
The letter reads:
"Dear Ryan,
First things first, it gets better.
You get better, the world is fairer and all that talking you're doing and all those sports classes you're avoiding, that's all fine too, it all stands to you in the end.
You are 16, not at all successful with the girls and, essentially, you haven't a clue about way too many things for a fellow your age. The handsome guys are doing all the scoring both on and off the pitch and I'm afraid you are just a spectator, both on and off the pitch but fear not. It gets better.
Being a teenager is a pain in the ass, but you are happy enough embracing your inner nerd, not a geek (you've no interest in chess or computers, we both know that) but you are a nerd and that'll stand to you too. For the moment, you are a victim of the tyranny of beauty that is the rule of law at your age. Hang in there man, it gets better.
Talk to your brothers and sisters a little more, they matter more than you think or know. Hug your folks, there's great love there too. Keep reading those books but stop reading the Murder Casebook magazines, that's just weird, no wonder you can't meet a girl (although being at an all-boys school doesn't help matters).
Go fishing, enjoy that first Guinness, keep cracking the gags despite them being rather unfunny and keep talking, always keep talking.
I have regrets but you'll see them coming this time. You also have extraordinary good fortune, exciting opportunities and two little girls waiting for you with arms as wide as the grins on their beautiful faces.
You mope a bit, get a bit spotty and have really dodgy Jason Donovan hair but you have to believe me, it gets better.
Read, laugh, flirt, hug, love, mess, indulge your quirks and keep your family close.
Until then young man,
The elder lemon."
Listen back to more of the Rayn Tubridy Show on RTÉ Radio 1 here.
