Ciarán Mag Aoidh

Coláiste Feirste 

https://www.colaistefeirste.org

Subject or Primary School Year: Physical Education 

Place of Birth: Béal Feirste

Where you studied: St Mary's University College, Belfast 

What was your first job? PE teacher at Coláiste Feirste

What did your first job teach you? The importance of regular participation in physical activity in young people's lives for their physical, social and mental health. 

Family/Status: Married with two kids

Best advice you would give to someone thinking of a teaching career: Never underestimate the power and value of sport in schools and its ability to build confidence, friendships and empower children and young adults both socially and academically.

Born in Belfast, and apart from a ten-year period in Newry, Ciarán (Geezer as he is known to all his pupils) has lived and been educated in West Belfast.  

A Former dalta of Bunscoil Phobal Feirste and St Mary's Grammar on the Glen Road, Geezer completed a BEd degree with St Mary's University College in 2003 and began working as a Múinteoir Corpoideachas in Coláiste Feirste that September. Geezer is a life-long member of Cumann Phóil Naofa on the Shaws Road. He played Gaelic football, handball and hurling, with the later became the dominant sporting passion in his life. He is currently coaching U-8 and senior hurling teams at Naomh Pól.

Since taking up the PE teacher role in Coláiste Feirste in 2003, Ciarán has always coached the hurling teams and was privileged to have been involved in Ulster colleges winning teams at C Level and most importantly still holds friendships with many of the boys who can be seen playing senior level now with their own clubs. Coaching the camogie teams is a new role due to a lack of female camogie coaches within the staff in the school. Winning Sciath Aoife in 2024, the school's first stand alone Ulster Camogie title with a squad of young talented camogie Gaels who train before school, has most definitely been one of many highlights of his teaching career to date.