My Story

27th of August 2024

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“I applied for the Caroline Judge Fegan scholarship, as I had a deep desire to expand both my musical and teaching knowledge, as well as developing a broader insight on ways to effectively deliver Irish Traditional Music to a range of students. I really wanted to learn more about the SCT’s (Scrúdú Ceol Tíre) grade structure, different teaching strategies and how to apply these into my music lessons. I also wanted to improve integrating the aural tradition in music lessons to give an authentic Irish Traditional Music learning experience for the next generation of musicians.

I had known about the course for a while and heard good things from previous attendees. I was really motivated to apply for the TTCT (Teastas i dTeagasc Ceolta Tíre) scholarship due the esteemed tutors and musical educators who delivered the course. All the tutors are experts of their musical instruments, being surrounded by such artists who display an undeniable passion for the Irish tradition music was one of the many compelling reasons for applying to the TTCT course. I wanted to have my own teaching experience enriched by the guidance of such tutors. I knew the TTCT was a course I wanted embark on to enhance my understanding of the qualities needed to excel as a CCE music tutor and to implement the most effective teaching practice into any learning environment.

The course is very intense. However, any challenges that arose acted as a testament to the commitment the TTCT staff have in creating high-quality teachers to all members of the CCE, as well as to Irish Traditional Music. This helped us all to unlock our full potential as music teachers and ultimately supported our growth and development throughout the course.

From teaching methodologies and an in-depth understanding of the SCT syllabus and instruments, to learning new tunes and delivering these to all levels of musical ability, the TTCT encompasses a well-rounded learning experience on how to teach music to all students. It shows the importance of tutors taking an active role in supporting their students’ learning. The emphasis of learning tunes by ear is centre, whereby the assistance of notes or transcribed versions of the tunes should act as a secondary tool to the students’ skills. These tools are something I will be bringing back to my branch to instil in all students in the future.

One of the biggest highlights for me was rekindling with some old friends that I’ve created through Comhaltas over the years. I was able to re-connect with people from my home county (Co. Kerry) who I haven’t seen for a long time, which was very special. I meet musicians from all over the world, through our mutual love for Irish Music and to be become better teachers, we shared a strong collective identity over the week. We created a bond that made the course more enjoyable. Another highlight was the late-night trad sessions. Sharing tunes and songs brought us closer together and provided us a space to share our mutual passion for music into the early hours of the morning.

I would highly recommend anyone interested in the TTCT course to apply. The wealth of musical and teaching experiences the course provides, both in and outside the classroom, will last a lifetime. By attending the course, your understanding of the tradition and teaching will blossom. This is an experience you will forever cherish.

I would like to thank Comhaltas in Britain and to Caroline’s family for providing me with the Caroline Judge Fegan Scholarship, which gave me this amazing experience. These new skills I’ve acquired from the course, I can now bring back to Comhaltas in Britain and contribute to the wider Irish Traditional Music scene in Manchester, as well as across the rest of the UK.”