Gaeilgeoir & Qualified Irish Teacher (Master’s in Education) | JC €40 | LC €50 | 50-min lessons | Limited Spaces 2025/2026

Find out more about Nadine

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn? 


  My parents thought it was very important for me to learn Irish from a young age. I was fortunate enough to have amazing teachers from a young age that promoted the language in a fun way and never a forced way. I attended boarding school in the Dingle for five years. All lessons and daily life were carried out while speaking the Irish language. I knew I wanted to continue my studies in Irish and to help promote the language.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture? 

  I don’t think it’s possible to name just one person. Each generation would have their own person that they would associate with the language. Looking back at Irish actors such as Paul Mescal and Brendan Gleeson who were nominated for awards over the last number of years. Many of them gave interviews through Irish. You have the band Kneecap who are now making international headlines with their new movie who are great advocates of the Irish language. It would be hard to just pick one person.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behavior in the language that you particularly like? 

  ‘Beatha teanga í a labhairt,’ meaning ‘the life of a language is in the speaking.’ It is my belief that everyone should be able to practice speaking Irish as much as they can. By speaking the language, we are preserving it and encouraging others to speak it and learn it.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you? 

  It matters to me because it is a significant part of our history and culture. I believe that it is important to keep the language alive just like we do with other parts of Irish culture such as GAA and music etc.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  I think people and students often have a negative connotation associated with the language. With the help of a good teacher who has grá for the subject and a student who is willing to put in the work, the language should be more enjoyable, and students will grasp it quicker and easier. Students should know that it’s okay to make mistakes because that is how they will learn.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school. 

  When I first started learning Irish, I really hadn’t a clue what was going on. With the encouragement from my parents and teachers, I managed to pick it up quickly. Was I perfect at it? No. Did I make mistakes? Plenty! But I am so glad and grateful that I was encouraged and that people put in the time to help me to improve.

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language? 

  I was teaching in Vietnam for three years. I was curious to see whether or not many people had a cúpla focal. It turns out more people than not spoke Irish or could understand Irish.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  I think that it is still important that I continue with professional development as a teacher. Even though I have received most of my education through Irish and lived in the Gaeltacht for five years, I still believe that it is important to keep adding to my CV. I continue to attend courses that not only benefit me but also my students.