Staff 2021/2022
Teacher allocations to classes for 2021/2022
Junior Infants: Celine Lunney
Junior Infants: Clíona Curran
Senior Infants: Nicole Malone
Senior Infants: Tríona Ní Léanacháin
1st Class: Bláithín Dodd
1st Class: Georgia Ryder
2nd Class: Ruth Cowman
2nd Class: Holly Beggan
3rd Class: John O'Connor
3rd Class: Edel McGrath
4th Class: Anna Colgan
4th Class: Sarah McNamara
5th Class: Anna Cullen
6th Class: Clare O'Flaherty
Evergreen Classes: Heather O'Doherty (Ronan Murphy) and Aideen McCormack
Special Education Teachers: Suzanne McCoy, Alison Walker, Sarah Coughlan Ciara O'Hare
On Leave: Claire Glavey, Sarah Butler, Adriana Giurgila
ISA (Inclusion Support Assistants): Agnieszka Bien; Geraldine Keane; Aoife Coyne and Lily Johnstone, Leah Grealis, Michelle Coogan, Pearl Sheridan, Ann-Marie O'Keeffe, Chloe Hughes, Denise Hannigan, Nadia Racca, Lauren Kelly and Margaret Farina.
Secretary: Lisa Pounch
Caretaker: Brendan Scully
Cleaning: Izabela Kierklo and Eliza Karpiej
Principal: Niamh Byrne
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Ciara O'Hara to our Teaching Staff (March 2021)
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Lauren Kelly as Inclusion Support Assistant (November 2020)
Firhouse Educate Together N.S. is delighted to welcome Lauren Kelly to our staff as an Inclusion Support Assistant! Lauren completed her work placement in Firhouse ETNS in February 2020. She is passionate about working with children with additional needs and is keen to provide a welcoming environment to all students. Lauren worked in a creche and completed a Child Care Level 5, before undertaking the Special Needs Assistant Level 5 course.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Nicole Malone to our Teaching Staff (November 2020)
Firhouse Educate Together N.S. is delighted to welcome Nicole Malone to our staff! Nicole is joining our SET team while another staff member is on leave. Nicole trained in St. Patrick's College and has a passion for wellbeing.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Nadia Racca as Inclusion Support Assistant (November 2020)
Firhouse Educate Together N.S. is delighted to welcome Nadia Racca to our staff as an Inclusion Support Assistant! Nadia taught English as a Foreign Language for 10 years in Argentina. She later trained as an ISA to have more tools to help children with their learning. She is interested in mindfulness and enjoys sharing her love of reading!
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Alison Walker to our Teaching Staff (August 2020)
We are delighted to welcome Alison Walker to our school. Alison graduated with a B.A. in Primary Teaching with Disability Studies, from Liverpool Hope University. Since then, she has completed a PgCert in Special Education and a PgDip in Psychology of Education. Over the past seven years, she have worked in a large primary school in Manchester, where she originally worked as a mainstream class teacher, and later as a SEN teacher and Special Educational Needs Coordinator. She is passionate about creating fully inclusive environments, where each child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Georgia Ryder to our Teaching Staff (August 2020)
We are delighted to welcome Georgia Ryder back to our school. Georgia studied primary teaching in Hibernia College. Before this, she completed a BA in English and Geography in NUIG. She held a special education teacher position in Firhouse Educate Together this year and is looking forward to moving into the mainstream classroom setting this September. Among her interests are children’s personal development and well-being, outdoor learning, and sport. Georgia has a strong interest in sports, particularly in GAA and Irish dancing. She held a coaching position with a Gaelic football team in Galway last year and is looking forward to bringing her knowledge of sport to Firhouse Educate Together this year.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Aideen McCormack to our Teaching Staff (August 2020)
We are delighted to welcome Aideen McCormack to our school. Aideen is a Montessori and Special Education teacher, who is passionate about working with children with additional needs and committed to helping them grow, develop and reach their full potential. Aideen has a diverse range of experience teaching children in both Montessori and primary school settings. Aideen is a true believer in learning from hands on experiences by exploring the world we live in. Her teaching style focuses on ensuring that each individual child is given the opportunity to
express themselves in order to shape their own personality and belonging within our society. She has completed LAMH sign language level one.
express themselves in order to shape their own personality and belonging within our society. She has completed LAMH sign language level one.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Anna Cullen to our Teaching Staff (August 2020)
We are delighted to welcome Anna Cullen to Firhouse Educate Together National School! Anna is a graduate of St. Patrick's College, DCU, where she specialised in the area of multi-denominational education. She also has an interest in the area of wellbeing and arts and crafts and is looking forward to promoting these in Firhouse ETNS.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Eliza Karpiej as Cleaner (August 2020)
Firhouse Educate Together N.S. is delighted to welcome Eliza Karpiej to our staff! Eliza is originally from Poland and has been living in Ireland for the past 14 years. She loves animals and has lots of them at home: two bunnies named Olaf and George, a black cat named Arata and a black dog named Marvel!
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Denise Hannigan as Inclusion Support Assistant (February 2020)
Firhouse Educate Together N.S. is delighted to welcome Denise Hannigan to our staff as Inclusion Support Assistant! Denise comes to us after completing her work experience in Abacus Special School. She is passionate about working with children with additional needs and is keen to provide a welcoming environment to all students. Denise has been enjoying working with the children in Evergreen Class and is taking part in the first ever National Training Programme for Special Needs Assistants in UCD.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Edel McGrath to our Teaching Staff (August 2019)
We are delighted to welcome Edel McGrath to the school. Edel is a graduate of Mary Immaculate Teacher Training College in Limerick. Having specialised in SPHE in college, Edel has a keen interest in the child’s personal development and wellbeing.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Sarah McNamara to our Teaching Staff (August 2019)
Sarah has a background in languages and is always looking for fun and active ways to bring them into the classroom, most recently looking at using digital tools to promote oral language development in Gaeilge. Sarah is interested in sport, dance and music and is eager to bring these to Firhouse ETNS.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Chloe Hughes as Inclusion Support Assistant (August 2019)
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Chloe Hughes as Inclusion Support Assistant in our school. She is passionate about social inclusion and promoting independence.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Adriana Giurgila as Inclusion Support Assistant (August 2019)
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Ann-Marie O'Keeffe as Inclusion Support Assistant (December 2018)
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Pearl Sheridan as Inclusion Support Assistant (December 2018)
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Sarah Butler as Inclusion Support Assistant (November 2018)
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Heather O'Doherty to our Teaching Staff (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Heather O'Doherty, who previously worked in Monkstown Educate Together N.S. and has a wealth of experience with Additional Needs education both in mainstream and special schools here and in the U.K.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Bláithín Dodd to our Teaching Staff (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Bláithín Dodd who qualified with a B.Ed. from St. Patrick's College, D.C.U., Drumcondra in 2017, and has recently worked in Riverview ETNS in Walkinstown. Bláithín worked as a an ard-chinnire and cúntóir for 6 years with the Spleodar, Coláiste Samhradh and is looking forward to bringing her interest in Gaeilge, art, and sport to our school.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes John O'Connor to our Teaching Staff (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome John O'Connor to our school. John has great experience in Educate Together schools in Bray and Lucan as well as having worked abroad in Kuwait.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Suzanne McCoy to our Teaching Staff (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Suzanne McCoy to our school.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Celine Lunney to our Teaching Staff (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Celine Lunney back to our school in a permanent capacity. Celine previously did temporary work for us covering maternity leave in SET.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Holly Beggan to our Teaching Staff (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Holly Beggan to our school. Holly's dedication and commitment to teaching was acknowledged with her being awarded the Vere Foster medal. She has a keen interest in Infant Education.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Claire Glavey to our Teaching Staff (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Claire Glavey to our school. Claire previously worked in Balinteer ETNS and has experience in all areas of primary education.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Clíona Curran to our Teaching Staff (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Clíona Curran to our school. Clíona has a keen interest in and commitment to education.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Michelle Coogan as Inclusion Support Assistant (August 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Michelle Coogan to our school. Michelle is fluent in sign language and we look forward to her sharing this skill with all of our school community.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Leah Grealis as Inclusion Support Assistant (February 2018)
We are delighted to welcome Leah Grealis to our staff as Special Needs Assistant. Leah has a varied background with a wide range of experience in business and childcare. Over the past year Leah has volunteered to work in Firhouse Educate Together N.S. every Thursday and has been a great support to teachers showing great initiative and building strong relationships with the children she worked with.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Lily Johnstone as Inclusion Support Assistant (October 2017)
We are very happy to welcome Lily Johnstone to our staff as Special Needs Assistant. Originally from Manchester in the U.K., Lily did work experience in Firhouse Educate Together N.S. in 2015 in our Junior Infant Class alongside Tríona when we were still in Tymon Bawn Community Centre. Since then Lily has worked with secondary school children in Firhouse Community College. She has gained great experience working with children with a wide range of needs andparticularly enjoys working with the young children in Junior Infants.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Sarah Coughlan to our staff September 2017
We are delighted to welcome Sarah Coughlan to our staff this September 2017. Sarah graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning from the Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory, Australia in 2010. After completing her studies, she taught for two years in Australia gaining invaluable experience and knowledge in culturally diverse classrooms. Since returning to Ireland, Sarah has spent time teaching in both Special and Mainstream schools. She has been teaching in an established Educate Together school since 2015 as a Resource Teacher, Support Teacher and a Class Teacher. Sarah is looking forward to bringing her interest and skills in Intercultural Education, Special Needs Education and sports to Firhouse Educate Together National School.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Aoife Coyne as Inclusion Support Assistant (January 2017)
Aoife has a wealth of experience working with children with special needs for 10 years. She originally trained as a Montessori Teacher and through this she developed a keen interest in special education. Aoife has gained invaluable experience in a special school, ABACAS, working with children with ASD. During her time there she received training and qualification in Lamh, Irish Sign Language (ISL), and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). In her spare time Aoife coaches a local camogie team.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Lisa Pounch as School Secretary (November 2016)
Firhouse Educate Together N.S. is delighted to announce the appointment of Lisa Pounch as school Secretary. Lisa has vast experience in both office management and marketing and has also worked extensively on our PGTA Committee over the past two years.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Brendan Scully as Caretaker (2016)
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Geraldine Keane as Inclusion Support Assistant (November 2016)
Geraldine has worked with us in Firhouse Educate Together N.S. since September 2016. She completed an Early Childhood Education Course in 2015 and has since worked in a wide range of schools in Dublin as a Special Needs Assistant on a temporary basis. Geraldine has also worked as a Community Welfare Officer and is a volunteer with La Leche League Ireland. She has always had a keen interest in supporting children to achieve their full potential and has recently trained with Barnardos to implement the Roots of Empathy Programme in our school during 2017-2018.
Firhouse ETNS welcomes Izabela Kierklo as Cleaner (January 2015)
We are delighted to welcome Izabela Kierklo to our school as a cleaner! Izabela likes handcrafting and taking care of her garden and flowers in her free time. She also likes animals. Izabela really likes long walks and visiting the beautiful corners of our green Ireland.
Firhouse ETNS Appoints Inclusion Support Assistant: Agnieszka Bien (October 2013)

Educate Together, along with Principal of Firhouse ETNS Collette, are delighted to announce the appointment of Agnieszka Bien as Special Needs Assistant in our school.
Agnieszka has lots of experience working with children. She is a qualified teacher who has worked in primary and post primary schools in Poland and as an SNA in Ireland.
Agnieszka is particularly interested in special education and occupational therapy. She possesses a genuine interest in children and respects their individuality.
She believes that becoming a teacher and an SNA not only changed her life but has also made a positive impact on the lives of the children she works with.
Firhouse ETNS Appoints Class Teacher: Tríona Ní Léanacháin (August 2013)

Tríona Ní Léanacháin
Educate Together, along with Principal of Firhouse ETNS Collette, are delighted to announce the appointment of Tríona Ní Léanacháin as the first mainstream class teacher of the school.
Tríona has a rich and varied experience in teaching and we are very pleased to have her on board. Tríona is from the locality and we know she will be greatly missed in her previous school, Croí Ró Naofa where she worked for the last ten years. Triona has also spent a number of years working for Dublin West Education Centre providing professional development for other teachers as a course designer and facilitator.
Tríona graduated from U.C.D. with a primary degree in English and History and then completed a Post Grad in Primary Education. She has a Masters in Education, specialising in maths education, from D.C.U. and she also has a Post Graduate Diploma in Special and Inclusive Education. Triona is a fluent Irish speaker and is interested in all aspects of education.