In 2017 a community partnership was formed between UCC and Terence MacSweeney Community College, Knocknaheeny, Cork, to support the establishment of an Aonad Lán-Ghaeilge in the school, where all subjects would be taught through Irish from first year to Leaving Certificate. The proposal to establish the Aonad came from the local community’s demand for educational choice in an area of high socio-economic exclusion. An invitation to UCC to become involved resulted in the collaboration titled Barr na gCnoc, led by Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin, Head of Ionad na Gaeilge Labhartha. The Aonad (Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne) opened its doors in 2019, and UCC support is ongoing. Barr na gCnoc was among the five winners under the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Performance Funding 2023 awards.
It is my great honour to introduce you to our college and the exciting development of an Irish unit in 2019. Students and their families now have a unique educational option on Cork’s Northside. The subject choices on offer, high standard of facilities and teaching, and the integrated use of technology in education combine to offer students the opportunity to pursue their studies through Irish in a contemporary and dynamic educational context.
Terence MacSwiney Community College has been to the forefront of developing and implementing new programmes in response to local needs. In Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne, Irish language and culture are central to every aspect of the college’s life as expressed through our language, music and sport.
We are very interested in hearing from you and your children. Our proven commitment to Student Voice and to the local community will result in you and your children having a genuine influence on the shape and development of this College.
We are very grateful for the support we have received to date. We would like to thank, in particular, Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin, whose message of support is included in our College Prospectus. We would like to thank our own board for supporting our plan and the senior management of Cork ETB.
Principal Phil O'Flynn
We are very proud at Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne of our language, our students and our school ethos. Irish is a central part of school life and in addition, the well-being of each student is fostered. The emphasis is on learning and development in a positive, inclusive learning environment
I qualified as a PE and Gaeilge teacher from UCC in 2025. I am working as an Irish Teacher and an Irish Language Assistant in Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne, Knocknaheeney. I assist students with their Irish language skills and co ordinate the after school grinds programme. I am delighted to be able to share my love for the Irish language with students!
Board of Management
The Board of Management appreciates the support that University College Cork is providing to our school and community with the Barr na gCnoc project. UCC's goodwill clearly demonstrates that the third-level system has a central role to play in contributing significantly to the development of education on the north side of the city. As a result of this support and generosity, a significant change has occurred in educational development, and we are all delighted that Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne is playing a central role in these changes. There is now more energy to be felt, and the positive influence of the Irish language is has become embedded in the school's culture. The language and Irish history are at the core, and the importance of both is clearly understood by the young people of the school.
Our Mission
Our mission is to foster learning and to guide and nurture all of our students in a caring environment. We aim to fulfil this mission in a spirit of collaboration and partnership with all members of our school and local community. The addition of an Irish unit extends an opportunity to students who value our language and culture to achieve their academic potential in their own community.
Prominent aspects of support within Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne include:
Advocacy through engagement with parents and key stakeholders at public meetings and other fora, and in collaboration with Barr na gCnoc, hosting visits by parents and students to the UCC campus.
The GMS Student Support Team (SST) comprises the principal, teachers, support staff, SNA’s, representatives from the School Completion Programme and from Foróige, and also visiting interested parties. Its function to to monitor and assist students who may be in need of extra support during periods of the school year.
Pastoral Care is an integral part of our mission in Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne and permeates all aspects of school life. Our Pastoral Care principles are informed by our Mission Statement where we endeavour to guide and nurture all of our students in a caring environment.
In Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne, we facilitate the development of all members of our school community and we foster relationships based on respect where each individual is valued in an atmosphere that is caring and positive.
At the centre of our pastoral framework are the pastoral roles, each of which contributes to the pastoral care nature of the school community. While every staff member has a pastoral dimension to his/her role we recognise that certain people fulfil key roles in this area. These include the Principal, the Deputy Principal, the Senior and Junior Cycle Coordinators, Year Heads, Class Teachers, the Chaplain, the Home-School Community Liaison Coordinator, the Le Chéile School Completion team, The Behaviour for Learning teachers, the Care Team, Special Needs Assistants and the Guidance Counsellor.
A range of policies and programmes underpin and guide pastoral care in the school including:
Deis Plan
Code of Behaviour
Anti-Bullying Policy
Critical Incident Policy
Health & Safety Policy
Positive Behaviour Initiative
First Year and new staff Induction Programme
Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) Programme
Student Support consisting of
a scholarship scheme, sponsored by UCC, for first year entrants to the Aonad. An annual scholarship award ceremony is hosted by UCC.
sponsorship of Gaeltacht residency courses for pupils in UCC’s external campus, , in the Kerry Gaeltacht.
sponsorship of an undergraduate student-volunteer programme (event organisation, homework clubs).
Teacher Support is provided through upskilling classes in the English-speaking parent-school to enable transfer of teachers, when required, to the Aonad Lán-Ghaeilge, and continuing this support within the Aonad itself. These classes are sponsored by An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta.
Parent Support including engagement through information nights, and support for language acquisition/upskilling through evening classes in Irish.
Knocknaheeny is one of six Cork City Learning Neighbourhoods, and to celebrate this year’s Cork Lifelong Learning Festival, Barr na gCnoc hosted three events at Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne, to promote Irish language and culture.
‘Irish for the Terrified’, a one-hour session for anyone scared of the Irish language, was hosted on Wednesday 10th of April. Professor Pádraig Ó Macháin and eight UCC students facilitated the event and supported parents and local community members in learning how to order lunch in Irish. Participants put their skills into practice and enjoyed a light lunch in a fun and inclusive learning environment.
On Friday the 12th of April, the local community were invited back to Terence MacSweeney Community College to enjoy the Barr na gCnoc Ceilí Mór. They were joined by school staff and students who took the opportunity to brush up on their Irish dancing skills, while accompanied by a full Ceilí Band.
Barr na gCnoc’s final event of the programme introduced staff, students, and the local community to the therapeutic delights of bashing a bodhrán. At the one-hour session hosted on Monday 15th April, participants learned how to play one of Ireland’s oldest musical instruments.
This series of Barr na gCnoc events enabled participants to build a greater connection with the Irish language and Irish culture and empowered them to step outside their comfort zone and try something new. The events demonstrated the potential of societal engagement and how community co-designed initiatives produce positive outcomes.
Barr na gCnoc
As it progressed, Barr na gCnoc drew on international evidence from the University-Assisted Community Schools programme at the University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships to develop a theoretically and empirically informed education-improvement model.This model embraces the idea that those learners who have access to culturally appropriate language-learning, holistic community resources, and equal opportunities, are better equipped to develop and flourish in society.
This initiative is firmly based on community demand and community engagement, and responds to national DEIS school baseline data on educational disadvantage. Barr na gCnoc created a mutually beneficial partnership that is improving the quality of life and learning in the school and the community and empowering the community while advancing UCC’s community engagement. Noteworthy outcomes to date are:
The 2019-2020 cohort were the first group from Knocknaheeny to sit state exams through Irish. The Junior Certificate results of 2022 matched non-DEIS schools, overcoming a trend where DEIS schools show lower attainment scores in State exams (S.M. Nelis et al., Beyond achievement (2021); E. Smyth et al. Learning from the Evaluation of DEIS (2015).
Community participation was crucial to the establishment and growth of the Aonad, which originated in parents’ advocacy for educational choice as a human right. The establishment and continuous development of the school was supported by strong community participation, leading to improved levels of social capital – the gelling of societal connections for the betterment of all.
Improved educational aspirations was an outstanding impact of Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne and Barr na gCnoc. The students attending the Aonad Lán-Ghaeilge now see higher education as a realistic future possibility. A study commissioned in 2021 stated that parents and pupils of this new Irish-medium school, without exception, expressed the view that third-level education, and specifically UCC, had now become an aspiration of parents/guardians and an ambition of all pupils.
"It seems clear that one of the reasons for this remarkable shift in attitude is the presence of University College Cork throughout the establishment process of this new school, and their continued presence and involvement as the school develops”.
There have been many achievements from the Barr na gCnoc project including a range of awards for Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne:
The President’s Gaisce Award
Foras na Gaeilge’s Gaelbhratach
Euroscola at European Parliament for pupils to be MEP for a day
National Ríomheolaíocht Award at the Kinia Tech Féile
A major achievement for the students in 2023 was winning The Virgin Digital Innovators Award for the bilingual book and app written and designed by the pupils of the Gaelcholáiste, Códú 4 U.
Virgin Media Digital Innovators Award
A group of Gaelcholaiste Mhic Shuibhne and Terence MacSwiney Community College students received the Virgin Media Digital Innovators Award for their project 'Class Connections'. The students developed a prototype for an app designed to maintain contact with students who experience extended absences from school. By facilitating connections with friends, teachers, and school staff, the app aims to alleviate feelings of isolation and anxiety associated with returing to school after an absence.
Stripe Young Scientist 2026
Mikayla Ryan, Reece Morey, and Alex McKee have earned national acclaim for their project Bumblebee: A Communication Board for Non-Verbal Expression, which won the Ombudsman for Children’s Office Industry Award and the Health and Wellbeing Award at this year’s Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. Inspired by one team member’s experience with a non-verbal sibling, the students set out to create an affordable, interactive tool to help young people with non-verbal autism or ADHD communicate through symbols, colour, and texture.
Gaeltacht Residency Programme
Throughout the course of their studies, every Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne student has the opportunity to attend week-long Gaeltacht Residency Programmes in the Gaeltacht Corca Dhuibhne and Gaeltacht na nDeise. The Gaeltacht Residency Programme aims to ignite enthusiasm for continuous daily Irish-language usage among pupils and to underline the intangibles of pride and identity. The activities form part of the Barr na gCnoc project. Gaeltacht activities are a core element of the ‘Student Support’ pillar of the project.
Cost Action UCC
In collaboration with Cost Action MultiLiLiTrans and Barr na gCnoc, Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne students participated in a panel discussion in UCC. Five students from 1st year to 5th year discussed the role of the Irish language in their lives, its importance in education and how using Irish in their music and poetry has brought the language to life and ignited their passion to learn.
Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne (GMS) provides a wide range of subjects at Junior Cycle for the young people of Knocknaheeny and the surrounding area. The school offers a range of subjects including Irish, English, Mathematics, History, French, Geography, Materials Technology (Wood), Music, Science, Business Studies, Information Technology, Digital Media/Coding, Physical Education, Art, Home Economics, Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), Civic, Social and Political Education, Guidance and Religious Education.
The Junior Cycle includes an area of learning entitled Wellbeing, ensuring our students develop into active, responsible, connected, resilient, respected and aware citizens. Students will also receive a Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement, recognising their participation in the many other areas of learning we have here at Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne (GMS).
Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne is an Apple iPad school with excellent IT facilities and technical support. Teachers and students use the iPad as a daily educational tool. We strongly believe that the use of modern technology greatly enhances the learning experience of our students and helps prepare them for life in the twenty-first century. The many apps give students a chance to learn in a very innovative and interesting way while developing their technological skills. The project has been very positive for students, increasing their engagement with the curriculum and therefore improving their educational achievements, along with promoting their self-confidence and independent learning.
We were selected by the Department of Education and Skills to be a pilot school for the introduction of the new Junior Cycle short course in Coding, which we run in collaboration with a large multinational technology company located nearby.
Gaelscholáiste Mhic Shuibhne offers the Established Leaving Certificate (LCE) and the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) which are studied during 5th and 6th year.
Established Leaving Certificate (LCE)
Students must study the six compulsory subjects and choose three from the list of optional subjects.
Compulsory Subjects
Irish, English, Maths, Physical Education, Religious Education, Career Guidance
Optional Subjects
Business , Biology, Art, Engineering, Home Economics, Geography, Construction Studies, French
Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA)
The Leaving Certificate Applied is a two year Leaving Certificate available to students who wish to follow a practical programme with a strong practical and vocational emphasis.
The course involves one day of work experience a week. In addition, students choose two vocational specialisms.
Students in Terence MacSwiney study the following subjects: Irish, English & Communication, Mathematical Applications, Technology, Information and Communication Technology, Social Education, Hotel Catering & Tourism, Leisure and Recreation, Art Visual
The students also study Specialisms in Craft and Design, Active Leisure Studies, Office Administration and Customer Care.
The Transition Year programme is optional. Students wishing to do TY must apply for the programme and be interviewed. An important objective of TY is to develop skills essential for students entering Senior Cycle and on to third level.
Some of those skills are as follows:
Research skills
Presentation & Communication Skills: to develop oral literacy and confidence. Students can present work through iMovie/Keynote to parents at their graduation ceremony.
Technical Skills: the TY students can document, direct, edit and produce a video and/or photographs of their TY journey. They can also use these skills to video/photograph the TY Christmas show, showcasing the work on stage and behind the scenes.
Mentoring: Once the TY’s have learned those skills they can mentor the incoming TY class and pass on what they have learned
Students attend a week-long Gaeltacht Residency Programme with Barr na gCnoc, UCC.
An exciting aspect of the programme are the benefits for students associated with Terence MacSwiney’s participation in the Apple Cork School’s Project.
The Apple team will mentor TY students in developing skills for work experience: problem solving, presentation of self, communication and self-awareness
The team will also develop an internship/work experience programme for students with Apple.
SPORT
At Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne (GMS), sport plays an important role in the physical, mental, social and emotional development of our students. We emphasise participation in GAA. This is supported through the co-ordination of our P.E department and assistance of GAA coaches. We also offer basketball and soccer. We have a very successful athletics team, which is coached by one of our P.E teachers, International sprinter, Ms. Joan Healy.
MUSIC
Music is pivotal to our school’s culture. Music Generation & Music Mash Up allows young people access to high quality performance education in their locality. They work in partnership to develop a range of inclusive bands with various schools. Every year, the school produces a musical which is showcased in Cork Opera House. The musical is funded by TOMAR and is directed by well-known Irish actor Ciarán Birmingham, who has starred in Game of Thrones, The Young Offenders and in the Christmas Pantomime in the Everyman Theatre each year. All students are encouraged to participate.
CLÁR TECHSPACE
TechSpace is an education programme of Camara Education Ireland. TechSpace offers training, development, support and opportunities for youth organisations and schools to deliver STEAM and Digital Creativity projects. We participate in the annual Tech Féile and have been very successful so far, winning awards such as ‘Creative Computer Science’, ‘Educator of the Year’ and ‘Stembassador’.
GAELBHRATACH
Gaelbhratach is a scheme coordinated by Gael Linn which supports and encourages schools in their efforts to promote the Irish language. Schools are awarded the Gaelbhratach upon successful completion of a variety of targets relating to music, art, sport, the organisation of and participation in events and much more. The primary aim of the scheme is to create and encourage a culture of speaking Irish informally within the school community and beyond. In 2020, Gaelcholáiste Mhic Shuibhne was formally presented with the Gaelbhratach flag.
STUDENTS SUPPORTS
There is a wide range of supports available to students in the school. These supports are available bilingually.
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