Gaelscoil Ui Riada, Wilton

Sinner

Looking for information on this school. Just wondering if the children have any problems with learning Irish in the last few years when it becomes more difficult? Any opinions?

Thanks,

Penny Lane!

I don't know that Gaelscoil especially but I went to school through Irish and no problems at all with it! In fact I loved it. I didn't find sciences easy but I had that problem in english as well!! I'd def recommend going to a gaelscoil as it stands to a child for their whole life

Rocky7

I went to a Gaelscoil and ended up leaving in 3rd class because I just found it too difficult. I changed to the local primary school and was soooooo much happier. It was where I should have gone from the start.Many (but not all) of my friends stayed on. It worked quite well for some but there were many who often said to me after that they envied me. I ended up doing much much better in an English speaking primary school but that was my experience.

byhookorbycrook

I teach in a Gaelscoil. It's fantastic to see the junior infants pick up the Irish so easily. They have no hang ups about gaining a new language and studies show that Gaelscoil children outperform other children by the end of the primary school cycle. Bi-lingual children also pick up other languages more easily later too.

Johnnyjump

I read this with interest as I live in the same area. Glad to note that mangiggling on his/her first post, informed us of how well s/he did. Well done.

I could have gone to the Gaelscoil but my parents decided to send me to one of the other primary schools in the area. For what it's worth, I also credit much of my success to the primary school I attended, which is not a Gaelscoil. Reluctant though I am to say it, I obtained an A1 in both English AND Irish in my Leaving Cert.

I have to take issue with one insinuation that those who attended a Gaelscoil were 'better-equipped' than other classmates. Broadly speaking, in most non-fee paying secondary schools, pupils come from a variety of schools and a greater variety of home circumstances, with varying levels of motivation, ability (many with Learning Disabilities) and so on. I had two friends who were struggling in our local Gaelscoil and who left for English speaking schools. They entered second level, not as Gaelscoil pupils but as those from English speaking schools.

I have since read research in this area and only when all the variables are taken into consideration, can the findings be seen as being in any way reliable. Unfortunately, much of the research into Gaelscoileanna is flawed if/when you do not take variables like pupil intake, into consideration. The only true way of comparing Gaelscoileanna v English speaking schools would be if you had a hundred sets of identical twins, with identical abilities, supports and circumstances, in the same family unit, with one attending a mainstream, the other a Gaelscoil. I know this is extreme but these are the kind of studies that have been carried out in The States in order to eliminate results being skewed when relevant variables were ignored.

Once again, it's great to see people doing well. My siblings and I attended English speaking schools (as did most of my friends) and have done well. I have two friends who went to the Gaelscoil. One did well in his Leaving, the other didn't (and did pass Irish). The moral of the story is that it is unwise to generalise and to assume that by going to one kind of school that you are more likely to get great results. In 2008, for example, 5 pupils from one of the local secondary schools got 600 points but NONE of these pupils went to the Gaelscoil.

byhookorbycrook

Good post, Johnny J. I take your point about all things having to be equal, but this is of course impossible, even identical twins are not identical.

The reason I mention the literacy etc. is that some people feel English may be impaired by attending an all-Irish school.

Johnnyjump

Thank you for the acknowledgement, Byhookorbycrook. Exactly as you said, even identical twins, brought up in identical circumstances, being the closest possible match, could not be absolutely identical. Therefore my point about the studies where absolutely no such variables are controlled, makes research on Gaelscoileanna virtually worthless.

Unfortunately, far too many claims are made for Gaelscoileanna, that are not warranted. Many Gaelscoileanna are good but so also are very many non-Gaelscoileanna. The school where I attended, being close to the Gaelscoil in question, happens to be a case in point.

Toto Wolfcastle

I agree that it is the school itself and not just the language of the school that matters. I teach in an English-speaking secondary school and unfortunately the kids who come from the local Gaelscoil have terrible Irish. So do the kids from one of the local English-speaking schools, but the others come to me with good Irish. That said, I know of some excellent Gaelscoileanna too.