“I live in Finglas with my ma and da and my little sister. My da has been out of work on disability, and my ma is his carer, so there wouldn’t be a lot of money going around. Although my parents never had the opportunity to go to college, education was really important to them.
My ma sent us to Naíonraí (Irish-language preschools) and our local Gaelscoil in Ballymun, because the language would be something she really cares about. She taught herself Irish so she could help us with school – and now she’s better than we are, we speak Irish at home all the time. I went to Scoil Chaitríona secondary school, another Gaelscoil just down the road from DCU.
I knew early on that I wanted to go to DCU. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time there through the Centre for Talented Youth Ireland (CTYI) courses, and that was a great chance to learn about science and engineering.
“When I was younger, I thought I might be an engineer – but it was when I started coaching jiu jitsu that I realised teaching was the career I really wanted.”
I compete internationally in jiu jitsu, and was recently at competitions in London and Rome. I started coaching in our club and really liked the connection you make with the kids. I wanted that to be part of what I do every day. I applied for the Bachelor of Education, and although I just missed out on a place by a few points, I was able to enter on reduced points through the Access Programme.
The support we get from the Access team is great – they were able to get me a laptop, and the scholarship means I can balance my training and coaching with my studies, without having to try to find a second job that would fit around my lectures and teaching placement. I met my closest friend in university during the early orientation for Access students, and that meant I had someone to talk to from the start.
“Through Access, I had the chance to mentor a group of secondary school students from my area who were interested in primary teaching. I think it really helped for them to have someone who was coming from the same place to talk with them about the programme.”
I enjoyed primary school a lot myself, so when I got to go back and do my first-year placement in Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna, it was a real full circle moment. Teaching through the language was great, and so was connecting with the kids. After university, I want to have a career where I can make a difference in schools like my own and be part of bringing our language to the community.”
