Study of Irish enhances the intellectual formation of the student teacher and facilitates the development of their curriculum leadership capacity.

Students also learn both a practical and a theoretical basis for understanding how best to teach Irish in the classroom, enabling them to integrate their learning of Irish with their professional development as teachers.

Students gain knowledge and skills in Irish language and literature through the study of key texts and also through closely developed links with Gaeltacht areas. Staff and students alike make an invaluable contribution to the life of the Irish language community through their extensive participation in research, Irish language media and cultural groups.

The course is designed to afford students the following opportunities:

• to acquire full fluency in spoken Irish and accuracy in written Irish;
• to develop an appreciation of the Irish language, its literature and its attendant cultural heritage;
• to learn to teach Irish effectively both in English medium and in Irish-medium schools.

All genres of modern Irish literature are studied: short stories, poetry, drama, autobiography and the novel. In year three there is additional content from the Classical and Post-classical Periods and an opportunity to learn about the history of the language. Oral practice and periods of residence in Irish-speaking areas form an integral part of the course.