Míchéal Ó Conghaile

Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagáin

Subject or Primary School Year: SENCO

Place of Birth:  Belfast

Where you studied: UU Coleraine and St Mary's University College  

What was your first job? Sales Assistant in Debenhams

What did your first job teach you? The importance of making a good first impression. A good sense of humour and a smile can help build relationships.

Family/Status: I am happily married and have two wonderful children.

Best advice you would give to someone thinking of a teaching career: Go for it! If you are really interested in working with children and young people then go for it. Never underestimate your pupils and never underestimate the impact that you can have on a young person's life. Get to know your pupils! Know what makes them tick and know how to inspire them to reach their potential. Keep on learning throughout your career and always seek out best practice from your fellow professionals. And always greet your pupils with a smile.    

Míchéal was born and raised in North Belfast and says he has been blessed with the opportunity to teach and inspire the children of his own community. His whole family have been actively involved in the Irish language community in North Belfast for as long as he can remember. He was raised in a bilingual house and developed a love for the language at a young age. His parents and siblings all work in the Irish medium sector in some shape or form. Míchéal is very proud to be involved in the resurgence of the language – beatha teanga í a labhairt!

Although he is a proud North Belfast native, he attended St Mary's CBGS in the west of the city and had great teachers and really enjoyed his time there. He also made life-long friends along the way. There is a great ethos in the school and it nurtured his love of the Irish language, sport and culture.

Míchéal was awarded the Joe Devlin Medal for his outstanding results in Irish at GCSE. His love for the language led him to the Gaeltacht where he spent many happy summers and it eventually led him to university where he met his wife to be. He has dedicated his life to teaching and working in Irish and he is proud that his own young family is thriving in a vibrant Irish language community here in Belfast.