This is a mixture of comments made on independent online surveys* sent to all parents who sent children to Coláiste Uí Chadhain and emails received.
* (Commissioned and conducted by CONCOS, an umbrella group for Irish colleges)

“It was a fantastic experience for my child. He thoroughly enjoyed the 3 weeks. The course was very well run.”

“We had heard only good things about this Irish college and from our son’s experience we knew it was all true”.

“Our son’s comment was the food is better than at home”.

“Thought that this Irish college was extremely well run, organised and supervised”.

“For 3 weeks it is good value, let’s hope his results reflect it but his confidence is unreal”.

“My child has dyslexia. The teachers were excellent and have really helped with her confidence and fluency”.

“My son’s level of Irish greatly improved and he is musch more confident in school. He is also more sociable on account of the new frinendships he made whilst away. He has enrolled for next year already as his experience was so positive and enjoyable this summer. Excellent teachers, strict language enforcement rules, no electroncs/mobile phones, lovely Bean an Tí, great care given to all the students, lovely location”.

“Both of my sons thrived there”

“Great standard of Irish here”.

“Lovely people to deal with and so well supervised”.

“Always on the go and no phones or technology. My child loves it. There is no English allowed and she learned lots of Irish”.

“This course provided everything that it said it would. My children thoroughly enjoyed the course. It was eduatinal, fun, safe and homely”.

“My children are so much more confident with their Irish now. They enjoyed the comraderie and inclusiveness but not always the weather”.

“My children have always been eager to go back so this indicates to me that the college is well run”.

“Well run and not too big”.

“Seemed to have a great atmosphere. Total immersion in Irish”.

“Both of my children had a very positive experience and both want to return. It is well run and the children are taken care of at a very high level”.

“Overall through the years of attending Coláiste Uí Chadhain, my three children have had a wonderful experience. They speak fluent Irish to each other with pride thanks to their time in the Gaeltacht. Can’t say enough thanks or give enough praise, as a parent, to the wonderful teachers for their encouragement and experience my children had over the years”.

“It’s not cheap but when you break down food costs etc you can justify te costs. When you consider what your child can get out of the experience it is great value for money. This is an excellent college run professionally with staff that care and create a happy environment where children can learn Irish. I like the fact that phones are limited to 15 minutes 3 times a week and zero tolerance on speaking English. The college is also in a lovely area isolated to some degree from English speakers”.

“I was so happy that I chose Coláiste Uí Chadhain because of the dedication of the owner and his staff to promote spoken Irish. My child’s standard of Irish has improved dramatically”.

“Our daughter came away with a confidence in her own identity, a love for the Irish language and new friends. It is a struggle each year to get the money together but we always manage as we feel it is money well spent. The confidence and happiness our daughter has gained is worth every cent. I would and have definitely recommended Coláiste Uí Chadhain as it provides excellent teaching, clean honest fun in a time when the modern world and its trappings are not always beneficial to teenagers. Coláiste Uí Chadhain has been a huge positive influence and cotribution to our daughter’s teenage years and we feel lucky to have found it”.
“Sinéad was made to feel very welcome and nothing seemed to be a problem. Because the children are immersed in the language and the culture while all the while they’re having fun and they gain a respect and an appreciation of all that is Irish. Sinéad had a wonderful time in Coláiste Uí Chadhain this summer and we have booked her in for next year already. Everyone made her so welcome and she was so happy”.

“Very well organised and plenty to do if you like sports”.

“A small intimate, well run coláiste Gaeilge with a fantastic atmosphere. The standard of food and accomodation was superb. The bean an tí was friendly and very kind to my children. There is no hanging around. The children are kept busy all the time. Activities are well organised. There are many other coláistí Gaeilge out there but not offering as good a service as Coláiste Uí Chadhain. Thank you to the Príomhoide and staff of the coláiste. My children have had a wonderfully positive experience of an Ghaeilge and of being away from home. They just cannot wait to go back. They have grown in confidence and in thier love for Gaeilge and their own sense of identity as uniquely Irish. Go raibh míle maith agaibh!!”

“This college is extremely well run. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Both boys are looking forward to going back already”.

“A lovely family atmosphere which encourages fun whilst learning and developing the Irish language. The standard of my daughters’ Irish has improved significantly as well as their love for the language. Furthermore they have made lifelong friends.”

“Coláiste Uí Chadhain gives an excellent personal service. It is very caring with an emphasis on learning and embracing the language through fun as well as in a classroom environment. We found our children learned so much and took ownership of learning the langauge because of the nurturing atmosphere.”

“My son was very happy, very sure of himself on first time away from home. He received good care when he had an accident. I liked that the phones were taken. It seemed that he was very well looked after/fed.”

“My daughter really enjoyed it and has a love of Irish now. There was lots of food and great variety. I felt that she was well looked after and gained great confidence and independence. She is living for 2017!! Dying to see the lovely friends she made who are going again.”
“Very happy with the experience. thank you”.

“Well organised and supervised and Irish language rule adheard to”.

“My daughter loved it-lots of activities and we liked the discipline and the fact that the Irish was spoken all the time-unlike other colleges”.

“The Princiapl and the staff are excellent, very approachable and professional. After a week in the coláiste this year my children were speaking in Irish in the back of the car when we collected them for a visit (we were very impressed with this). The two girls had a great time and want to go back again. Our 14 year old got sick and the Principal made sure all her medical needs and doctor visit were looked after without any fuss. The Bean an Tí also looked after my daughter when she had to stay at home for rest for a day or so.

Thank you for the fantastic time that Aoife experienced on your Irish course.

A very special thanks to her Bean an Ti, a very caring and fair ‘mother’ to all , I am told.

Go raibh maith agat,

Tom

Thanks Joe!

He (Tadhg) seems to have had a wonderful time & learned lots so all very happy!

All the best & thanks

Tracey

Dear Joe

We have a very happy, healthy looking boy home to us and I just want to express my sincere thanks to you, the other staff and the older boys who were so kind to Alex. It seems like he had a wonderful time. He has only fantastic things to say about Bairbre and Mairtin and apparently I have a lot to live up to in the food department now!!

He is delighted with his Irish and proud that he managed to get through speaking Irish 24/7 for three weeks.

So it was a wonderful three weeks and I’m conscious that it takes a lot of effort from a lot of people to give a group of young people such a milestone experience at this point in their development. I can’t express our sincerest thanks enough. Equally I can’t even do it in Irish! Thanks seems so inadequate in either language.

With every good wish to you and all associated with the Colaiste.

Le buíochas

Toni and Alan

Good Afternoon Joe,

I just wanted to drop you a mail, to say a huge “Go Raibh Maith Agat” to everyone who made Sinead’s experience in the “Colaiste” such a wonderful time.

She has come back a new girl, with such appreciation of everything and is not, for the moment, attached to her phone…….. didn’t miss it one bit and learned

That getting back to basics “ conversation and craic” really does work”.  May I say a special thanks to Fiachra and the wonderful Ban an Ti they were so lovely.

She is already planning to go back next year and has fallen in love again with the language, almost feels bad speaking as “Béarla” now as she feels disloyal, I think.

Thanks so much again for everything and will book again for next year later without fail.

cheers,

Carol

Dear Sir/Madam,

My son John was on Cursa A with you this year and I just wanted to say thank you so much for the truly wonderful time he had.  He enjoyed the whole experience and is already looking forward to returning next year!  Also, thank you to his Bean on Tí, seemingly she is amazing!

Thanks again!

Jacinta

Waterford

“Agus – tá sé ag baint a lán taitnimh as an gcúrsa – tá sibh ag déanamh an-obair – leanaigí oraibh” Máirín

“Tá Eoin ag baint an-taitneamh as an gcúrsa agus tá an áit is an teach is na múinteoirí go han- deas ar fad.Míle maith agaibh,”Gráinne

 

“We spent a lovely weekend in Galway and were delighted to see Elaine. She is benefitting greatly from her time in Coláiste Uí Chadhain .Her Irish has improved greatly! She was shocked to hear students from another Coláiste speaking English on the beach without proper supervision!!! We met her Bean an Tí and were very impressed . She is a wonderful lady!Ps Many thanks for teaching & looking after him, he certainly sounds to have enjoyed it!Agus tá a chuid Gaeilge ar fheabhas..” Ruth

“Anna has had a great time on Cúrsa A” Auveen

“Bhi Tomás thar a bheith sasta leis an gcúrsa- go raibh maith agat!” Miriam

“Go raibh míle maith agat. Bhain Lauren an -taitneamh as an gcúrsa. Ta súil agam go mbeidh sí ar ais arís an bhliain seo chugainn le cúnamh Dé” Mairéad

“By the way, as far as I can tell he had a great time. Many Thanks.” David

“Just to let you know that my daughter thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience from kind múinteoirí to a warm bean an tí and fun sports and other activities.Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir for minding her so well. Slán.”Liz

“Tá fhios agam go bhfuill grúpa nua agaibh anois ach ba maith liom a rá go raibh am iontach ag Oscar ar ar an gcúrsa.  Bhí a bhean an Tí go hiontach agus bhí an-am aige.” Clíona

“Can I thank you so much for the wonderful experience Siobhán has had this Summer .She is a different girl for all the right reasons. She hopes to return to you next year please God!

The twins are definitely in line for a trip to your wonderful Coláiste Siobhán is finding it difficult adjusting back to family life would you believe ! She is missing the structure of the day and also the Céilís !!!!! Thank you also for being so accommodating looking after her and her friends and providing such a lovely Bean an Ti Continued success to you for many more years to come Regards” Ruth

“I spoke to Brian this evening and he seems to be very happy and settled into Gaeltacht life.” Claire

“Aoife really enjoyed the experience, many thanks.” Louise

“Leah’s having a wonderful time – huge thanks to you and her fab Bean an Ti”. Leah’s blessed to have discovered Colaiste Ui Chadhain – It’s been the making of her! She is in fantastic form. So all is good. Massive thanks”. Clodagh

I must say Peter had a fantastic time in Colaiste Ui Chadhain this year. He enjoyed the whole experience and has great memories. He really enjoyed the classes, activities,the great support of the Ceannaire, the Bean and Ti and of course the Ceilis. We would like to commend you on doing a wonderful job looking after the lads so well and guiding and supporting them through this brilliant experience.

So thank you for everything.

Kind regards.

Karen & Tom