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Resources to support Guidance Counsellors and Teachers in the promotion of modern foreign languages

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About the Languages Sector

About Languages Connect

Languages Connect promotes the personal, social, professional and economic benefits of foreign language skills to principals, teachers, guidance counsellors, parents and students, and all stakeholders in the third-level sector.

Funded by the Department of Education and facilitated by Post Primary Languages Ireland, as a key objective of the Languages Connect – Ireland’s for Foreign Languages in Education 2017 – 2026.

For all the latest updates check out www.languagesconnect.ie and Youtube or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Languages connect people, enable more career opportunities, and enrich life experiences.

Learning a foreign language can transform any career. And it will lead to amazing adventures along the way.

Specialising in languages can lead to a career travelling the globe as an interpreter, diplomat or foreign correspondent, giving you a front-row seat to watch history unfold.

Almost any career – from finance, to law to engineering – can be transformed by studying a foreign language. Even a basic understanding of a language that is important to your employer can open the door to promotions and prestigious foreign assignments.

Learning languages can be one of the most fun things you can do. You can learn Spanish by talking about football in Buenos Aires; improve your Italian by watching opera in Milan; and perfect your Chinese by exploring the spicy food of Sichuan.

This Strategy has been developed to enable learners communicate effectively and improve their standards of competence in languages and so fulfil our ambition to make Ireland’s education system the best in Europe within the next decade.

Why study a language?– click here

Events

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January 28 7:30 PM

English Language Assistant Scheme Information Session Languages Connect

March 12 12:00 AM

The English Language Assistant Scheme 2026/2027 - CLOSING DATE for applications Languages Connect

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Videos (48)

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Opera Singer Sharon Carty

Why Study Languages? - Spanish and Mandarin Chinese Cathal

Languages and Diplomacy Lawrence Meredith

CEO Enterprise Ireland Julie Sinnamon

Why Study Languages? - Spanish and German Aisling

Human Rights Advocate Iverna McGowan

Search CAO Courses with Language Options CourseFinder Tool

Why Study Languages? - Portuguese Daniel Ferreira

Engineer - Transport Infrastructure Ireland Ciaran MacSamhrain

Rugby Player Ian McKinley

The Benefits of Studying Russian, Spanish and Japanese Blaithin

Why Study a Language? Advice for CAO Change of Mind

#ThinkLanguages Student Event TY Students

Beauty Therapist Kate Walsh

4 Reasons to Learn a Language TedTalk

Executive Director IDA Ireland Mary Buckley

Lecturer Dr. Patrick Cadwell

JET Coordinator - Japanese Embassy Edel Carleton

Why Study Languages? - Japanese and French Claire Long

Why Study Languages? - Polish and Spanish Julia

News

The Importance of Choosing a Leaving Cert Language

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Eighth #ThinkLanguages Celebration Nationwide

Friday, November 21, 2025

Encouraging Students to Consider Languages in Their CAO Applications

Friday, October 17, 2025

Registration for #ThinkLanguages Week 2025 closes this week!

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Language Choices Before and After the Leaving Cert Results: Key Info for Guidance Counsellors, Key Benefits for Students

Thursday, August 14, 2025

Resources to support Guidance Counsellors and Teachers in the promotion of modern foreign languages

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Interviews

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Sharon Carty, Opera Singer

Sharon Carty is a professional opera singer. Sharon studied teaching and performance in the Royal Irish Academy of Music before moving to Vienna to study opera. Being able to speak German has been very useful to her in her career as many conductors and singers speak the language.

Hi, Ask me a question...

Describe a typical day?

There isn't really a typical day! If I'm in the middle of a production, this normally lasts for 6 weeks (if it's a new show) and there will be two rehearsal sessions, in a rehearsal room, with piano, for 4 weeks. Then there's what's called a Sitzprobe (German for Seated rehearsal) where the orchestra and the singers meet for the first time, and go through the opera from start to finish (the singers are usually seated, and there's no acting and no costumes).

Then for the final two weeks there are a series of rehearsals for the different departments to get stuff ready for opening night-Stage and Orchestra for the conductor to iron out any musical issues, and some Tech rehearsals where the lighting/costume/set departments can run things and check how they look, and finally Dress rehearsals where everything is run together in anticipation of opening night. There's a lot that goes into making opera run smoothly!

If I'm not in rehearsals for an opera I may be preparing roles or concert programmes, usually it will take up to a year of practicing a big opera role for it to be comfortable to sing, a bit like an athlete preparing for a big race, you need to do a little bit each day for a long time for the muscles in your body to become strong and develop the muscle memory for each piece. Of course you can (and often have to) work on a few different pieces at once, and things almost always overlap, so the skill of learning how to pace yourself is really important. You're very much responsible for your own preparation.

Languages Connect

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