Having spent over 19 years running our Summer Courses, in response to the needs of you our loyal customers,we are now pleased to offer you the opportunity to attend a first rate Intensive Irish Stream which has been designed to cater for the needs of all exam students.

If your primary objective is to focus on improving your exam results and reducing your exam stress levels, this is the course for you! Classes are customised to cater for the specific needs of Leaving Cert and Junior Cert honours and ordinary level students. The healthy balance of intensive class room work combined with energising enjoyable outdoor activities creates the ideal positive environment for you to learn and excel.

The Diansraith will leave you refreshed, confident, enthuasiastic and ready to get stuck into the next school term.

From 2012 onward 40% of the Leaving Certificate will be based on the standard of spoken Irish.

The Diansraith is therefore a great opportunity for you to improve your Irish and prepare for your Oral Irish Exam. Having consulted with practicing examiners, we have tailored our syllabus to hone in on the specific skills you need to achieve top marks in your exam at both junior and senior level.




You will participate in team building challenges which require communication, team work, co-operation and problem solving skills. The extreme sports require your determination, concentration and focus. Our experienced and friendly instructors facilitate and integrate leadership skills, confidence building and important life issues skilfully during the various activities. Promoting respect for one another and having FUN are fundamental principles of the ethos at Coláiste UISCE.




Coláiste UISCE is the only nationally approved Irish College for watersports. You will receive a nationally recognised certificates for your participation in a number of water sports. All of our water activities are weather dependant.

These are pre-examination intensive Irish classes that concentrate on techniques and tools to help you improve on your aural and oral Irish language skills as well as elements of the written papers. Our aim is to maximise your results by giving you specific techniques and a structured approach to your exam. Students of all levels will be catered for on the Diansraith.

RANG 1: Leaving Cert. Preparation – Higher Level
RANG 2: Leaving Cert. Preparation – Ordinary Level
RANG 3: Junior Cert. Preparation – Higher Level
RANG 4: Junior Cert. Preparation – Ordinary Level

Topics and sections of the Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate Irish exam that will be covered in the Diansraith include:

Páipéar I
1. Cluastuiscint: We will help you get to grips with the different dialects in the Irish language. Our teachers will provide a wide range of sample audio and visual material. There will be a mock aural exam during the course with answers and feedback provided.
2. Aiste/Scéal/Alt/Eachtra/Díospóireacht: You will learn writing skills throughout the course and concentrate on the key tasks that will appear on Paper 1 of your exam.
3. Léamhthuiscint: You will practise the art of reading comprehensions, news articles of interest, short stories, advertisements etc ‘As Gaeilge’ and how to strategically answer the relevant questions. Current articles of interest from Irish language publications will be used that may feature in their Leaving and Junior Certificate examination.

Páipéar II
1. Prós: You will explore the common themes, emotions and characters from stories chosen from the Leaving and Junior Certificate syllabus.
2. Filíocht: You will study themes, emotions, symbolism, style etc in Irish poetry.
3. Trial Teanga: This section was introduced in 2009 to test your grammar ability. Our teachers will help you prepare for this exam by doing numerous practical exercises.

Oral Preparation
You will be immersed in the Irish language throughout your stay at Coláiste UISCE. You will converse in Irish on the water, in the classroom and during all other activities. Our aim is to make the language more accessible for you and create a natural environment for you to use the Irish that you have learned both here and at school. There will be oral examination preparation and feedback throughout the course. Although the Oral Irish Examination is optional for Junior Certificate students our teachers will prepare all students in Rang 3 & 4 for this exam. This will stand to them when they enter the senior cycle.

If you partake of the Diansraith you will receive a workbook that you can revisit at home when preparing for each exam.

All Irish language courses at UISCE are approved by the Department of Education and Science as well as the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs. During these courses department inspectors visit and assess the standard of the Irish course. UISCE has a strict disciplinary and mentoring system in place to ensure that you are encouraged in a positive way to do your utmost to speak Irish at all times and adhere to Riail na Gaeilge (The Irish Language Rule). If you choose to avail of a place on the Diansraith scrúdaithe you will be expected to ensure that you achieve your own personal language goals.




Supervised Study – Cúrsa Cásca Specific

During the Cúrsa Cásca we are conscious that you may need to study for summer or national exams. We provide supervised study time for those who would like to study other subjects during the course. Former students have noted that the distraction free environment in Coláiste UISCE makes it ideal for concentrated study.

Coláiste UISCE is the ONLY Gaeltacht course with recognition from the Irish Sailing Association, the Irish Surfing Association, the Irish Canoe Union and the Irish Windsurfing Association. We run all water activities in compliance with the relative governing bodies’ recommendations and procedures to ensure the safety of each student. Coláiste UISCE’s low pupil teacher ratio also enhances the Irish learning experience for the student. We now have over 18 years of knowledge in providing safe, enjoyable Irish activity courses at Coláiste UISCE.

Our teachers are highly motivated and have years of experience preparing students for exams at Leaving and Junior Certificate level.