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The annual Irish-medium Commencement Ceremony was celebrated in St Mary’s University College recently. Thirty-five students from the PGCE (primary), PGCE (post-primary in partnership with Queen’s University and Ulster University) and Irish-medium BEd students were joined by staff, families and friends for the auspicious occasion.
At a Mass of Thanksgiving, PGCE (primary) students were commissioned and presented with their Certificates in Religious Education. Later in the morning, all the students received the Certificate in Bilingual Education having completed successfully bilingual programmes of initial teacher education (ITE) with a specialist focus on Irish-medium education.
The Irish-medium event is the first of three commencement ceremonies that are highlights in the month of June at St Mary’s, celebrating achievements by PGCE, BEd and Liberal Arts students. The commencement Mass was celebrated by Bishop Dónal McKeown and Rev. Dr Paul Fleming. Staff, students and parents contributed to the music and the liturgy. In his address Bishop McKeown shared insights from his own years as a teacher and principal. He spoke of the ethos of Catholic education and urged the students to respect diversity in the schools and to be sensitive to the difference that they can make in the lives of children.
The sun shone long enough for some photographs and a short recess, with refreshments sponsored by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), before the second part of the morning when students and guests gathered for presentations of the Certificate in Bilingual Education.
The College Principal, Professor Peter Finn, congratulated all the students present. He commented on the wide scope of Irish-medium provision at St Mary’s and the highly significant second-place ranking of the College for the subject area of Education in the Guardian League Tables for 2017.
Mr Liam Ó Flanagáin, Chief Executive of Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta, was introduced as the Commencement speaker, and he outlined strategic developments planned for Irish-medium nursery, primary and post-primary schools in this growing sector. He also commended the College for its contribution to building capacity in the schools over the past twenty years.
Irish-medium lecturers, Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir, Dr Eibhlín Mhic Aoidh and Dr Seán Mac Corraidh, each paid tribute to the students before awards for special achievements were made to Treasa Toner (PGCE post primary), Áine Glackin (PGCE primary) and Tania Ní Dhoibhlin (BEd). The Pobal Ghaeltacht Bhéal Feirste Award, recognising dynamic and positive community awareness, was received jointly by students Seán Mac Diarmada and Máirtín Ó Bheart.
The event came to a close with a light lunch and a chance for staff, students and families to interact and reflect on the successful year past and to share the students’ hopes and plans for an exciting and rewarding future as newly qualified teachers in Irish-medium schools.
Highlights from the Commencement Ceremony were filmed as part of the series, “Múinteoirí” (“Teachers”), to be broadcast by the BBC in the autumn of 2016.
Rinneadh Searmanas Tosaigh na mac léinn Lán-Ghaeilge, atá cláraithe do Bhaitsiléir an Oideachais agus TICO i gColáiste Ollscoile Naomh Muire, a cheiliúradh Dé hAoine, 10 Meitheamh 2016, i ndiaidh dóibh cúrsaí san oideachas tosaigh múinteoireachta a thabhairt chun críche. Nuair a d’fháiltigh an Príomhoide, an tOll Peadar Mag Fhinn, roimh an phobal, mhínigh sé na trí shnáithe – B.Oid, B.Eal agus TICO, i gcroíchlár an tSearmanais Tosaigh sa Choláiste.
Thosaigh an lá le hAifreann i séipéal an Choláiste. Is é an tEaspag Dónal McKeown a bhí ann mar cheiliúraí an Aifrinn i gcomhar leis an Ath Paul Fleming. Spreag an tEaspag na mic léinn chun meas a léiriú agus a iarraidh ar éagsúlacht sna scoileanna agus phléigh sé na luachanna atá lárnach san oideachas Caitliceach. I ndiaidh an tsearmanais choimisiúnaithe, bronnadh Teastais Reiligiúin ar mhic léinn TICO (bunscoile).
Bhain mic léinn, teaghlaigh agus an fhoireann sult as an dara cuid den lá grianmhar nuair a bronnadh Teastais san Oideachas Dátheangach ar na mic léinn. Labhair an tOll Mag Fhinn faoi leithne an tsoláthair don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge sa Choláiste agus rinne sé comhghairdeas le pobal an Choláiste as na torthaí suntasacha a tuairiscíodh i dTáblaí an Guardian, 2017, nuair a ainmníodh Coláiste Ollscoile Naomh Muire sa dara háit, i ndiaidh Ollscoil Cambridge.
Ba é an tUas Liam Ó Flanagáin, Príomhfheidhmeannach Chomhairle na Gaelscolaíochta, a thug óráid an aoichainteora, 2016. Rinne an tUas Ó Flanagáin comhghairdeas leis an Choláiste as an ról a d’imir sé in oideachas múinteoirí don Ghaeloideachas le fiche bliain anuas.
Ar son Chomhairle na Gaelscolaíochta, bhronn an tUas Ó Flanagáin duaiseanna ar mhic léinn barrchumais: Treasa Toner (TICO iar-bhunscoile), Áine Glackin (TICO bunscoile), Tania Ní Dhoibhlin (BOid4). Bronnadh an corn, Pobal Ghaeltacht Bhéal Feirste, ar Sheán Mac Diarmada agus ar Mháirtín Ó Bheart as an tsárobair a rinne siad ag cothú pobail agus ag ardú feasacht pobail i rith na bliana.
Mhol baill den fhoireann acadúil, an Dr Gabrielle Nig Uidhir, an Dr Eibhlín Mhic Aoidh agus an Dr Seán Mac Corraidh ardcháilíochtaí na mac léinn agus d'aithin siad an ról luachmhar a bheadh acu san earnáil lán-Ghaeilge. Tugadh cuireadh do na alumni nua fanacht i dteagmháil le pobal an Choláiste mar chleachtóirí gairmiúla agus tairbhe a bhaint as na deiseanna ar fhorbairt ghairmiúil.
Cuireadh lón ar fáil don phobal agus thapaigh idir mhic léinn agus aíonna deiseanna neart grianghraf a ghlacadh agus comhrá a dhéanamh faoi thréimhse na céime nó an teastais agus faoin fhís don am romhainn mar mhúinteoirí nuacháilithe. |
