UCC Fulbright Scholar to teach Irish in top US university

17 Jul 2024

• Édith de Faoite to forge links through innovative teaching of the Irish language.
• MA in Modern Irish Scholar to work in Elms College, Massachusetts.

Modern Irish scholar Édith de Faoite has received a prestigious Fulbright Award for 2024-2025, to study and work in the USA.

From August 2024, Édith will join leading U.S. institution the College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee, Massachusetts, to teach Irish, research, study, and collaborate with experts.

The Fulbright bilateral exchange programme is known for selecting outstanding candidates from across the island of Ireland to study and work with U.S. institutions across all disciplines ranging from arts and culture to health, science, technology.

A native of County Kerry, Édith graduated with a first class Bachelors of Commerce and Irish degree from University College Cork in 2023. She is currently completing an M.A. in Modern Irish/Nua-Ghaeilge in UCC as a Rick and Rebecca Riordan Scholar.

Her M.A. thesis examines the work of Máire Ní Shíthe (Dul Amú), a playwright and journalist who was active during the Irish Literary Revival. Édith works as an undergraduate tutor for first year students of Irish and also with Visitor Services in UCC, providing tours for visitors to the university. She also developed an Irish language tour, which is now a tour option for all visitors to UCC.

Ó Chontae Chiarraí ó dhúchas, bhain Édith céim chéadonóracha amach sa Tráchtáil le Gaeilge ó Choláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh i 2023. Tá sí ag tabhairt faoin M.A. sa Nua-Ghaeilge i gCOC mar Scoláire Rick agus Rebecca Riordan. Tá a tráchtas máistreachta ag diriú ar shaothar Mháire Ní Shíthe (Dul Amú), iriseoir agus drámadóir a bhí gníomhach le linn Athbheochan na Gaeilge. Oibríonn Édith mar theagascóir Gaeilge do mhic léinn fochéime agus le Seirbhísí na gCuairteoirí mar threoraí chomh maith, ag tabhairt turas do chuairteoirí chun na hollscoile. D’fhorbair sí turas lán-Ghaeilge, rogha atá ar fáil do gach aon chuairteoir anois.

Ahead of her departure for Massachusetts, Édith de Faoite said: “I am honoured to have been selected as a Fulbright Awardee for the upcoming year. To be trusted in the teaching and promotion of the Irish language is a great privilege and I’m excited to get the opportunity to do so in the US. I’m grateful to all the lecturers and staff in UCC for all their guidance and support throughout this process.”

“Ba mhór an onóir dom a bheith roghnaithe mar Scoláire Fulbright don bhliain seo chugainn. Is pribhléid í an Ghaeilge a mhúineadh agus a chur chun cinn agus táimse ag tnúth lena leithéid a dhéanamh sna Stáit Aontaithe. Tá mé go mór faoi chomaoin ag léactóirí agus foireann COC dá gcabhair agus dá gcomhairle ar fad agus mé i mbun an phróisis seo.”

Dúirt Dr Síle Ní Mhurchú, Léachtóir Sinsearach agus Ceann Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge: “Tá foireann Roinn na Nua-Ghaeilge ana-bhródúil as Édith as an ngradam seo a bhaint amach. Tá traidisiún láidir Gaelach i stát Massachusetts agus tá ana-chuid cainteoirí Gaeilge ina gcónaí ann fós. Táim cinnte go mbainfidh mic léinn Elms College lán-tairbhe as an ndeis a bheidh acu an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim.

“The staff of the Department of Modern Irish are very proud of Édith’s achievement. There is a strong Irish language tradition in the state of Massachusetts and there are many Irish speakers living in the state to this day. I’m certain that the students of Elms College will benefit greatly from this opportunity to learn Irish.”

Professor Paul Donnelly, Chair of the Fulbright Commission Ireland Board, said: “As Chair of the Fulbright Ireland Board, I am delighted to congratulate the recipients of the 2024-2025 Fulbright Irish Awards. In a year that saw the Commission award Fulbright Public Service Awards to Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Dr. Anthony Fauci, so too do Fulbright awardees represent the core Fulbright values of meticulous, innovative and high-quality research and teaching in service to the public good. As they begin their cultural and educational exchanges in the U.S., awardees join a distinguished global network of Fulbright alumni, experts, peers and colleagues who have achieved success and accolades in all disciplines. I wish the new awardees an enjoyable and fruitful experience in the United States.”