Teaching Irish in European schools is giving students from a wide range of backgrounds a new way to encounter Ireland’s language and culture. At La Scuola Europea di Varese in northern Italy, Irish is taught alongside the many languages spoken and studied across the school community.
The experience reflects a broader role for the Irish language beyond Ireland’s borders. In European schools, Irish can appear on classroom displays, digital presentations and cultural activities, prompting curiosity among students who may have no family or personal connection to the language.
Teaching Irish in European schools creates unexpected interest
Mairéad Young, a teacher from Dublin, has taught through English and Irish at La Scuola Europea di Varese for seven years. Her work places Irish within an international education setting where students and staff regularly move between languages.
Young says students from different nationalities make a genuine effort when they encounter the distinctive appearance of Irish on posters or classroom materials. The written form of the language can initially seem unfamiliar, but that unfamiliarity often becomes a starting point for questions and discussion.
For pupils accustomed to hearing several European languages around them, Irish is not necessarily treated as a distant or inaccessible subject. Instead, it becomes another language to explore within a multilingual school environment.
Why the school setting matters
European Schools were established to provide education for children from internationally mobile families, including those connected with European institutions. Their pupils often come from many countries, making language learning a central part of everyday school life.
That environment can offer particular advantages for teaching Irish. Students are already familiar with switching between languages and comparing how words, sounds and writing systems work. Irish can therefore be introduced as part of a wider European language experience rather than solely as a subject associated with Ireland.
- Multilingual classrooms: students encounter several languages in lessons and daily interactions.
- Cultural curiosity: unfamiliar Irish words and script can encourage questions about Ireland.
- International connections: pupils may later use their language skills across different European countries.
- Broader visibility: Irish is presented as a living European language, not only a school subject in Ireland.
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Irish language education outside Ireland
Irish has a distinctive place in Europe. It is one of the European Union’s official languages, giving it recognition within the EU’s multilingual framework. Its use in schools outside Ireland can help demonstrate that the language belongs in international education, cultural exchange and public life.
Teaching Irish in European schools also provides an opportunity to present the language in a contemporary way. Students can learn practical phrases, explore Irish culture and discover how the language relates to Ireland’s history without assuming that Irish is relevant only to people who grew up speaking it.
The presence of Irish-speaking teachers is especially important in this context. A teacher who can use Irish naturally in the classroom helps students hear the language as a means of communication rather than simply a written subject or examination requirement.
Connecting language with culture
Language learning is often most effective when it is connected to real people, places and traditions. Lessons in Irish may open discussions about Irish geography, music, literature, folklore and modern society. For international pupils, these topics can provide a clearer understanding of Ireland and its place in Europe.
The classroom can also challenge assumptions about who can learn Irish. Students do not need an Irish family background to engage with the language. Curiosity, regular exposure and supportive teaching can be enough to build confidence.
What this means for Irish education
The example from Varese highlights the value of maintaining Irish-language opportunities for Irish families living abroad, while also making the language available to students from other backgrounds. For children who move frequently between countries, access to Irish can provide continuity and a connection to home.
It may also help strengthen the international profile of the language. Every additional classroom where Irish is heard, read or discussed creates another point of contact between Ireland and wider Europe.
For Ireland’s education system, the story offers a reminder that language promotion does not stop at the border. Irish can be supported through schools, cultural institutions, international networks and the everyday work of teachers who introduce it to new audiences.
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Irish being taught in the featured school?
Irish is taught at La Scuola Europea di Varese in northern Italy, an international school where students encounter many languages.
Who teaches Irish at the school?
Mairéad Young, who is from Dublin, has taught through English and Irish at the school for seven years.
Why might international students be interested in Irish?
Students in multilingual schools are already accustomed to learning and comparing languages. The distinctive written form of Irish can also prompt curiosity and discussion.
Why is Irish important outside Ireland?
Irish is an official language of the European Union and an important part of Ireland’s cultural identity. Teaching it abroad can support international understanding and give Irish families overseas a connection to the language.
The wider significance of teaching Irish in European schools
Teaching Irish in European schools shows how a language can travel through people, institutions and education. In Varese, pupils from different nationalities are encountering Irish in an environment designed around linguistic diversity.
The key lesson is that Irish can create connections even where it is not the dominant language. With patient teaching and regular exposure, an unfamiliar script can become an invitation to learn. For Irish speakers, families abroad and international students alike, that is a powerful role for education.
Teaching Irish in European schools is not simply about preserving a subject outside Ireland. It is about giving more people the chance to recognise, understand and participate in one of Europe’s living languages.