About Dúlra

Meet Kate Maher

Kate Maher is an Irish educator, a qualified primary school teacher and a Forest School leader. She grew up in Dublin and Kildare, attending a Steiner primary school and the local secondary school. She graduated from the National College of Art & Design with an honour’s degree in Sculpture before training as a teacher at the University of Plymouth. Kate has a background in music also, having taught violin and Kindermusic as part of the Kildare Outreach Programme. 

Kate has worked in state, private and alternative educational settings in Ireland, the UK and across Europe. She has curated and developed home-school curriculums, and led on subject areas such as English language, Music, Theatre, Art, Social Education and Special Needs support. Throughout her career she has worked with children, young people & families from a wide range of cultures, countries and socio-economic backgrounds. Kate completed her Forest School Training with Huathe, UK.

Kate has up-to-date Garda vetting, Paediatric First Aid, Remote Emergency Care First Aid, and Children First Safeguarding Training from Tusla.

“A bhuí le meantóirí spreagúla a bhí agam sa bhunscoil, bhí grá agam i gcónaí don Ghaeilge, cé nach raibh mé chomh líofa is gur mhaith liom a bheith. Bhí cónaí orm agus d’oibrigh mé thar lear mar sin ní raibh go leor deiseanna agam chun an spéis sin a fhás. Nuair a d’fhill mé ar Éirinn anuraidh, thit mé i ngrá leis an nGaeilge arís agus, an uair seo, go háirithe leis an teanga a úsáidimid maidir leis an dúlra. Thuig mé go bhfuil saibhreas d’eolas tíre le fáil sna focail dhúchasacha atá againn dár dtírdhreach, do shaol ár n-ainmhithe agus plandaí, dár n-aimsir, dár bhfarraigí. Creidim go paiseanta gur fiú an oidhreacht shanasaíoch seo a bheochan, gur áit iontach é an tsaoirse taobh amuigh chun é seo a dhéanamh, agus gurb iad na leanaí agus a n-intinn ag fás agus ag forbairt is fearr chun é sin a dhéanamh! 

Tá sé mar aidhm ag Dúlra ná lúcháir fhadtéarmach a chothú inár bpáistí don Ghaeilge agus muinín a thabhairt dóibh í a úsáid ina saol laethúil. Tá an-áthas orainn a bheith páirteach i bpobal atá ag fás agus ar mian leo an Ghaeilge a chomhtháthú ina gcuid fiontar.”