Edel Ní Chorráin has taken up her duties as Foras na Gaeilge Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Education Services in the Belfast office.

Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive Foras na Gaeilge, Seán Ó Coinn, congratulated Edel on her appointment in June 2017, saying that she would have “responsibility for education across the entire country at a crucial time in education as regards the Irish language”. She brings a wide range of skills and experience with her to this vitally important post in Foras na Gaeilge, of which one of the key functions is to support Irish medium education and the teaching of Irish. 

Edel has years of experience in education, in teacher training and especially in designing Irish language teaching aids for the classroom. Projects Edel has developed as Education Manager for Irish medium education, Post-primary, with the CCEA include an online dictionary called Ríomhfhoclóir Matamaitice (Mathematics Electronic Dictionary), which gives definitions of mathematics terminology. She will be focusing specifically on these areas in her new role as regards making developments in initial teacher training as well as a series of all-island seminars which will give strategic direction to organisations which design Irish language learning aids.  As Deputy Chief Executive and a member of the senior management team she will have a central role in planning, organising and managing Foras na Gaeilge business.

Speaking about her priorities in this new role Edel said, “now that there is particular attention being paid to Irish in the north Foras na Gaeilge’s legislative role in advising the governments will be important, with a particular emphasis on the leadership role of Foras na Gaeilge. As well as that it will be a priority for me to raise awareness of the advantages of bilingualism, especially the benefits of studying other subjects such as Mathematics through the medium of Irish. I was educated through English and I understand the importance of promoting Irish in schools in which English is the teaching language as well. Therefore I aim to raise awareness of the benefit of Irish for young people through the Gaelbhratach project, and to increase the number of pupils choosing Irish as a GCSE subject and for A level.”

Ends

Note to the Editor

Biographical note: Edel Ní Chorráin

Edel Ní Chorráin was raised in Garrison in Co. Fermanagh. She is a graduate of the University of Ireland, Galway (BA in Irish and Mathematics). She attended Queen’s University Belfast, where she gained a Post Graduate Degree in Education and an M.Sc. in Educational Multimedia. Edel has spent periods teaching in Coláiste Feirste in Belfast, in Coláiste Chineál Eoghain in County Donegal and as an Assistant Editor with Foras na Gaeilge.  She spent 10 years working as leader, teacher and then principal in the Magheroarty Irish College. She was appointed as Education Manager for Irish Medium Education, Post-primary, with CCEA in 2012 and during that time she was responsible for providing resources to the post-primary Irish medium sector in the north, including online resources.

Further Information:

Anna Davitt, Programme Manager: Communications, Marketing & Awareness, Foras na Gaeilge

Tel: 0035387 673 6175    

Email: adavitt@forasnagaeilge.ie