A SHAWS Road native is aiming to bring the Irish language centre stage in education as part of his new role on secondment with the Department of Education.
Diarmaid Ua Bruadair comes from a respected family of West Belfast Gaeilgeoirí. He spent several years working as a History teacher in Coláiste Feirste, becoming head of department and later head of Key Stage 4.
In 2015, Diarmaid became the founding principal of Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Dungiven. He has led the school for the past 11 years before taking up a secondment post with the Department of Education this year as a System Leader Partner, which he says is a natural progression in a teacher's career.
"You start as a teacher, then as head of department, then maybe as principal or vice-principal, then you're a school leader. They then look at people at the system level, and at improvements that can be made there.
"Both the Governors and I now feel that there is sufficient leadership within the school to manage, develop and run it, something which shows the growth and maturity within the system itself."
Mr Ua Bruadair hopes to be in post for at least a year before he returns to his role as principal. He aims to be a voice for Irish-medium education within the system, something which he says is at odds with his first visit to the Department's headquarters at Rathgael House back in the nineties.
"The first time I was ever in Rathgael House we were protesting on the road outside about funding for Meánscoil Feirste.
"We went down with the bataí scoir round our necks and tied them to the gates in Rathgael House."
He said that it is imperative on him and on other leaders within the system to be strong, realistic and ambitious voice for Irish-medium.
"There are people who don't even know what they don't know! Even if they're not hostile to Irish-medium, they just don't understand it. It's like explaining colour television to someone who only watches black and white.
"My main aim is to ensure that Irish-medium voice is heard in places it never has been before.
"And that that voice has an effect on the policies, the decisions and the strategies the the Department of Education develop, and that pupils who are sitting in classrooms in our schools have equality and equal opportunities."
