Languages

Irish	English	French	German	Spanish	Japanese

Good Language Students can……

• Express themselves well
• Pick up sounds and phrases
• Show an eye for detail in grammar (tenses, agreement, cases).
• Be interested in the culture that the language emerges from.
• Work to build up vocabulary, expressions and phrases.
• Try to visit or stay where the language is spoken.

A foreign language is needed for study in the National University of Ireland and its constituent colleges of University College Dublin, University College Cork, NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth and NUI recognised colleges – Royal College of Surgeons, St. Angela’s College of Education, National College of Art and Design, Shannon College of Hotel Management. (See NUI regulations for exceptions).

You also need a language to become a Cadet in the Army or the Air Corps. You do not need a foreign language for Trinity College Dublin or the University of Limerick (who will accept Irish as your second foreign language). Dublin City University, the DIT and all the Institutes of Technology do not require a foreign language unless the courses includes the study of a language.

Many colleges have a language as a requirement for specific courses, such as European Studies, Languages or Marketing. Industry and employers rate language skills highly, especially if you can combine them with computers, electronics or business.

Not everyone is gifted with languages and if you’re struggling to get a pass in the language at Ordinary level in the Junior Certificate you will find Leaving Certificate level very difficult.