About us

Darren Ó Rodaigh

Darren Ó Rodaigh is originally from Bray, Co. Wicklow. After the Leaving Certificate, he spent a year working with the Irish language organisation Coláiste na bhFiann. He graduated with honours in Finance, Computing and Entrepreneurship from Fiontar, Dublin City University and an MBA with distinction from Trinity College Dublin.

Darren was co-founder and business development manager of zamano which listed on the Irish and UK stock exchanges. He has worked as a business consultant to various startups.

Éamonn Ó Dónaill

Éamonn Ó Dónaill is originally from the Donegal Gaeltacht of Gaoth Dobhair. He spent six years (1996-2002) working as Director of the Department of Modern Irish’s Language Centre, UCD, and subsequently worked as a language consultant. He has been language co-ordinator of two television series aimed at adult learners: Turas Teanga, which was broadcast by RTÉ in 2004, and Now You’re Talking, which was shown on BBC and RTÉ in 1995. He also wrote the books that accompanied those two series. Éamonn served as Gaelchultúr’s Director of Education between February 2005 and March 2021 and is currently the chair of the Postgraduate Degree in Translation.

Niamh Ní Chadhla

Niamh Ní Chadhla was born and raised in Tallaght, County Dublin. She attended all-Irish primary and secondary schools, and then studied Irish and German for her degree in University College Dublin. She earned a scholarship from the Irish Department in the college to pursue a masters in Writing and Communications and graduated with first class honours. She was chosen for a translation internship by the Irish Language Unit in the European Commission, where her work involved translating legislation to Irish. Niamh achieved a diploma in project management with the Institute of Project Management in 2017. She was awarded first class honours in that particular course. Niamh has a keen interest in the media. She wrote for the Irish language weekly Foinse for a number of years and spent some time as a presenter with Raidió na Life, the Dublin-based community radio station. Niamh began working as Administrative Executive with Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr in July 2015 and was appointed Academic Administrator at the beginning of 2016. She was subsequently appointed Planning and Project Manager, in July 2017, before becoming CEO of Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr in the summer of 2020.

Eimear Ní Chinnéide

Eimear is originally from County Armagh. She did an undergraduate degree in Irish and French at Queen’s University Belfast and achieved first class honours in both subjects in 2011. She then did a masters and a doctorate in Irish in the same institution, completing her doctorate in 2017. The title of her thesis was ‘Intercultural Encounter in Irish-language travel literature’. She has a special interest in contemporary Irish literature, particularly travel literature and emigration literature. Eimear has spent time working on summer courses in Coláiste Gael Linn in Machaire Rabhartaigh and with Oideas Gael in the Gleann Cholm Cille Gaeltacht of southwest Donegal. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2016 and spent a year teaching Irish in New York University and in Drew University, New Jersey. Before joining Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr, she worked as a lecturer in Queen’s University Belfast and in University College Cork from 2017 until 2019. Eimear started working as a lecturer with Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr in August 2019 and was appointed Deputy Director of Education in February 2021.

Sarah Ní Dhuinnín

Sarah is originally from Baile Mhúirne which is situated in the Múscraí Gaeltacht area of County Cork. She attained first class honours in her B.Ed. degree in Home Economics and Irish from St. Angela’s College, Sligo. Following on from this, Sarah was awarded a postgraduate scholarship from National University of Ireland, Galway from which she completed her MA sa Nua-Ghaeilge focusing on the topic of maternal darkness in contemporary Irish poetry as her thesis study. She has a wide range of teaching experience within L1 and L2 second-level settings. Sarah spent a year as an Irish methodologist and language lecturer in St. Angela’s College, Sligo which was followed by two years as lecturer on the M.Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge agus Gaeltachta in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Sarah began her doctorate studies in 2018 focusing on language accuracy integration in the practice of content teachers in post-primary Gaeltacht schools and aims to complete her doctoral thesis by the end of 2022. Outside of academic and work-related experiences, Sarah has a keen interest in cookery, well-being, hiking and travel. Sarah began with Gaelchultúr as Head of Curriculum Design in March 2022.

Derek Ó Briain

Derek is from Swords, Co. Dublin and his interest in the Irish language developed during his time at the local Gaelscoil, Scoil an Duinnínigh. He attended Dublin City University and was awarded first class honours in his degree, Irish and journalism. He earned two awards for his writing while acting as Irish editor of the university newspaper. Derek was President of the Irish Society during the academic year 2014/15. On completion of his degree, he spent two years working on each of Fiontar’s various projects, followed by a period as a part-time lecturer on the course he had previously undertaken. He subsequently spent some time working with the National Folklore Collection. Derek was awarded first class honours in the Postgraduate Diploma in Translation and Editing with Maynooth University in 2019. Derek worked as Administrative Executive with Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr from February 2016 until July 2017, when he was appointed Academic Administrator. Three years later, in the summer of 2020, he began working as Education Manager with the Institute.

Ellen Curtin

Ellen is from Shankill, in Dublin. She studied Irish and Journalism at Dublin City University and graduated with a first class honours degree in 2014. Ellen completed a diploma in Digital Marketing and Strategy at Dublin Business School in 2019 and achieved a first class honours in the course. In 2021, she was awarded a postgraduate diploma in Technology Commercialisation at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, she spent a summer working with RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta before moving to London where she worked as a Marketing Assistant with Tourism Ireland. In 2018, she moved back to Dublin to take up the position of Marketing Manager with City Wonders Ltd. Ellen began working as Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr’s Sales and Marketing Manager in November 2020.

Lauren Nic Eoin

Lauren is from Dunboyne in County Meath. She attended Dublin City University where she attained a degree in Marketing, Innovation and Technology in 2020. During her degree, she completed a number of internships, where she developed a great interest in creative and innovative marketing. She began working as Marketing Executive with Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr in November 2020. Lauren has a great passion for the Irish language. She began attending Coláiste na bhFiann in 2011 as a student, and later worked with them as Cinnire and Ard-Chinnire. When she finished the Leaving Certificate, she began working voluntarily as a leader with Cumann na bhFiann in her local club, where she organised weekly meetings for young learners who wanted to improve their Irish.

Rónán Ó hAinifidh

Rónán is from Perrystown in Dublin. He received his primary and secondary education through Irish before attaining a degree in Modern Irish and Sociology from Trinity College Dublin in 2019. He has a strong interest in mythology and folklore studies. As part of his degree, he wrote a thesis titled Laochra Gael which focused on some of the most important people from the past and the influence they each have on our lives today. Between 2014 and 2019, Rónán spent the summers working as a cinnire and as a language assistant with Coláiste Naomh Eoin. He started working as an administrative assistant with Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr in August 2019. Rónán also has a strong interest in sport. While in Trinity College he obtained a sports scholarship and was captain of the college soccer club as well. He has also been a member of the GAA club Na Gaeil Óga for several years now.

Muireann Ní Cheannabháin

Muireann was raised speaking Irish in Dublin. She did a degree in French and English in University College Dublin. She achieved first class honours in both of those subjects in 2013 and won the French Government medal / NUI Prize for proficiency in French. She achieved a Masters in Children’s Literature in Trinity College Dublin in 2015 and completed a Masters in Modern Irish with NUI Galway in 2021. Her thesis was based on Irish lullabies, a subject she is very interested in as a musician and singer herself. She plays the cello and has a particular interest in contemporary and traditional music. Muireann spent 4 years teaching with Gaelchultúr while she was working as a musician. She began working full-time with the college in March 2021 and was appointed Academic Administrator in October 2021.

Seán Keating

Seán is from Celbridge in County Kildare. He went to an English-speaking primary and secondary school but held a keen interest in Irish throughout this time. He received a B.A. in Media Studies and Modern Irish in 2019 and he received a master’s degree in Modern Irish in 2021. Seán has a keen interest in the different dialects of Irish and in the role that Irish has in modern media. As a part of his master’s degree, he wrote a thesis titled ‘Ros na Rún and the Portrayal of Language and Culture’, a thesis which discussed the potential influence the content of Ros na Rún has on the relationship of its viewers with the Irish language. Between 2019 and 2021, he spent time working as a customer service agent and as an Irish tutor. He began working as an Administrative Assistant with Coláiste na hÉireann/Gaelchultúr in October 2021. Seán also has a keen interest in filmmaking. He produced several short films as a part of his undergraduate degree and is very interested in a wide variety of films. He also makes continuous efforts to improve his photography skills.