Pádraig Ó Cearúill, Irish Language Lecturer

Pádraig Ó Cearúill Irish Language Lecturer, New York University

A native of Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, Pádraig Ó Cearúill (pronounced Paw-dreg O’Carroll) grew up with Irish as his first language.  After getting degrees in Irish, History, and the Irish equivalent to a Master’s in Education in Ireland, Mr. Ó Cearúill came to New York University in 1995 where he became the Irish Language Lecturer for Glucksman Ireland House and earned his Master’s in Communication and Culture.

Throughout the past two decades, Mr. Ó Cearúill has educated young adults in Ireland’s culture through first-hand experience. Previously, he coordinated extracurricular trips for St. Eunan’s College of Letterkenny, Donegal, a skill he carried over to NYU’s Study Abroad Program by coordinating cultural trips for those students taking part in its Dublin-based program.  He has also brought a piece of Ireland to New York as Language Coordinator for Glucksman Ireland House, organizing Oiche Airneail (evenings of Irish conversation and song) as part of the Public Event Series.

As the lecturer of Irish language classes from the Elementary to the Advanced level, Mr. Ó Cearúill has proven extremely popular.  So popular, in fact, that he was presented with NYU’s prestigious Golden Dozen Teaching Award in 2002 based on students’ response to the College of Arts and Science Student Council’s course evaluation forms.  Those not enrolled in NYU have also had the opportunity to learn Irish from Mr. Ó Cearúill by attending evening courses held at Glucksman Ireland House since 1996.

In his spare time, Mr. Ó Cearúill is an occasional correspondent for Irish media including RTE (Radio Telefís Éireann), Raidio na Gaeltachta, and BBC Northern Ireland.  He has also been active in the traditional Irish folk music community as a singer and by assisting recording artists with lyric translation and pronunciation.  He has worked with recording artists such as Karan Casey and Susan McKeown.  His expertise has also been sought by the producers of such film and television programs as Gangs of New York and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.