• About
  • History
  • Location
• Activities
  • Sports
  • Ceol & Craic
  • classes
• Courses
  • A Day in the Coláiste
  • Cinnirí
  • Accomodation
  • Health & Safety
  • testimonials
• Booking
  • Brochure
  • New Students
  • Returning Students
  • The Interview
  • Application Form
  • Fees
• Teachers
  • Information for Schools
  • Work With Us
• Abair É

history

Coláiste Chamuis was founded by Gearóid Denvir in 1973, with 52 students, 2 teachers and 10 host families willing to take the chance with the new venture. We still remember fondly those same students cycling the roads of Camus in all weathers in August 1973. 37 of that group returned the following year and the success story of An Coláiste was born. Numbers gradually increased and a July course was added in 1978. A second centre was opened in An Tulach in 1985 due to demand, and our third centre at Ros a’ Mhíl was opened in 1992.

Over the years it became obvious that we needed our own central headquarters and we purchased a site at Baile Láir, Ros a’ Mhíl, where our own purpose built centre, Teálta na hÓige, was opened in 2000. Phase 2 of Teálta na hÓige will open in the summer of 2009, with facilities for 250 students which will include a large hall, extra state of the art classrooms with the most modern teaching facilities, playing fields and hard courts.

 

Coláiste Chamuis caters for some 1,500 students from all over Ireland on our 7 summer courses. Research has shown that our students achieve significant levels of fluency in spoken Irish, and that our courses introduce them to the fact that Irish is a living, vibrant language. The motto of An Coláiste is “Is fiú agus is féidir” (“It is worthwhile and possible”) to use Irish in today’s world and many of our students go on to use the language in their everyday lives.

 

Another important aspect of the work of Coláiste Chamuis is its economic influence on the Gaeltacht in a very language-friendly way. Coláiste Chamuis is proud to be associated with positive community and language development in the Gaeltacht. We are delighted that so many Irish-speaking host families work with us, and that many of our staff are from Gaeltacht areas. We believe that this is a positive indication that Irish will continue to be the spoken language of our area and that young people from all over Ireland will continue to come to Camus, Ros a’ Mhíl and An Tulach to learn the living language.