Nua Ghaeilge at NUIM

Hey OP
I'm a final year Irish student just finishing up now. I was the same as yourself, I didn't go to a Gaeilscoil but I had a pretty good level of Irish when I began (no fluency!) I'm studying Irish and business and I absolutely LOVED the Irish part of things. In first year, your grammar classes start from the basics really, they cover a lot of simple stuff to make sure everyone is up to scratch and at the same level. Lecturers are brilliant, very approachable. Come second year, the classes are a lot smaller and most of the lecturers will know you by first name. I hear it's meant to be one of the best Irish departments in the country and I'd definitely believe that.

The hours are fine. In first year you have 2 grammar lectures a week, a lecture based on poems and another based on stories/prós. You have a double tutorial every week as well (as far as I can remember) where it focuses on spoken Irish and reiterating any grammar you did in class. First year Irish is not that hard! (I had taken a gap year so I'd been out of the loop altogether from Irish and I found it pretty easy, especially the grammar).

I would say the fact that you didn't go to a Gaeilscoil will not hinder you one bit. Go for it, if it's teaching you want to do it'll give you a great basis for your teaching career (I'm looking to do secondary teaching next year and I feel very confident knowing I know a high standard of Irish going into it now).

Any questions PM me.

C