Irish-Medium Schools

This article provides a brief overview of Irish-medium schools with links for further reading.

What is a Gaelscoil?

Irish­-medium schools operate under the standard rules set by the Department of Education and Skills. Irish is the language of instruction in the school and the language of communication between the staff, pupils and school management. Irish is a living language in the school, both in the classroom and outside.

Irish-­medium schools provide a high standard of education in all subjects, including English, and the schools follow the curriculum as set by the Department of Education. All pupils are welcome in Irish-medium schools, regardless of their linguistic background.

The term ‘Gaelscoil’ is usually used to refer to an Irish-language primary school, and ‘Gaelcholáiste’ is used to refer to an Irish-language post-primary school.

Why would I choose an Irish education for my child?

Parents choose education through Irish for various reasons:

• It may be very important to them that their children have fluent Irish.
• They recognise that children receive a unique insight into their own culture and other cultures through attending a Gaelscoil.
• Pride in the language and in the child’s culture is nurtured while attending a Gaelscoil.
• They wish for their children to speak, read and write in two languages and benefit from the numerous advantages which accompany this skill.
• They want their children to experience the high standard of education that these schools provide.
• They want to develop the self confidence and identity of the child.

Have a look at the Gaeloideachas website for more information on the advantages and considerations of education through Irish, as well as a wealth of other information relating to it.

Where is the nearest Gaelscoil to me?

Gaeloideachas and Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta maintain the list of every Gaelscoil in the country.

Can I register my child in an Irish language school, without having Irish myself?

Of course! Pupils from all linguistic and cultural backgrounds are welcome in Irish­-medium schools. Parents without Irish are encouraged to use as much Irish as they can in the home, through use of specific phrases or by using the language for specific periods each day. This helps the pupil understand that Irish is not spoken in school alone and that the parents have an interest in the language.

Who is Gaeloideachas?

Gaeloideachas is a national, voluntary organisation supporting the development of Irish-medium education.

Founded as Gaelscoileanna in 1973 to support Irish-medium schools, primary and post-primary, outside of the Gaeltacht, the organisation’s remit now includes the provision of support services for Irish-medium schools in Gaeltacht areas, and for Irish-medium preschools outside of the Gaeltacht.

Gaeloideachas provides advice, assistance and support to people who wish to have their children educated through Irish, as well as support services and advocacy for those working in the sector.

Who is Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta?

Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta is an organisation responsible for representing Irish-medium education in Northern Ireland. The Department of Education founded the organisation in 2000 in order to promote and support Irish-medium education in the north.

Date updated: April 2024