Voices 2025 - Breaking Barriers
Kevin Dudley on his groundbreaking journey to become Ireland’s first ever Irish Sign Language primary school teacher.
Since childhood, football was everything to Kevin. He became an under-20 player, lining out for Bohs and later for Shamrock Rovers. His path seemed set, but an unfortunate injury took him in a new direction. “Growing up, football was everything. Unfortunately, while playing for the Shamrock Rovers, I got a bad injury. After that, my football career was essentially over and that forced me to look at new directions,” recalls Kevin. “Once football was no longer an option, I focused on education, studying Sports Performance and Coaching at Blanchardstown.”
After graduation, Kevin worked as a fitness instructor and personal trainer. It was during this time that he stumbled upon a new passion. “There was a woman who was a PE teacher at a deaf school and she went on maternity leave. The school contacted me to see if I’d cover her classes for a year… Once I started, something just clicked. Teaching through ISL and supporting their learning in ISL for the first time, it was an incredible experience. That’s when I realised I loved teaching,” he says.
When the contract ended, Kevin returned to the gym, but something was missing. “I missed teaching. That’s when I started asking about primary school teaching pathways.” At that time, there was no clear route for deaf teachers. Kevin looked into DCU, but the ISL pathway had yet to be established. He waited several years until it finally received approval in 2019.
The DCU Experience and Inclusion
Looking back, Kevin remembers his time at DCU as transformative. “When I look back to my first degree and the campus experience there, I felt very alone. In DCU, it was completely different, so inclusive. The teachers and staff made a real effort. Many of them even learned basic ISL before we started. That really showed me the commitment DCU had to inclusion.”
Surrounded by fellow deaf students, full-time interpreters, and a strong support network, Kevin naturally flourished. “The inclusivity, the friendships, and the interpreting support made the journey so much easier compared to my previous experience in higher education.”
Ireland’s First ISL Teacher
Kevin recalls a defining moment during his school placement. “After my lesson, one of the students came up to me and asked, ‘who are you?’. When I explained, he said: ‘you can’t be a teacher… you’re deaf’. Up to that point, there had never been deaf primary school teachers in Ireland. Fast forward to the end of fourth year… I saw him and asked, ‘who am I?’; straight away he replied: ‘you’re a teacher.’ And I said: ‘deaf people can be teachers’. Now he knows that.”
According to Kevin, becoming the first qualified ISL primary teacher in Ireland has had a profound impact. “I felt like finally the door is open, not just for me, but for the future of deaf education in Ireland. It still feels surreal sometimes.”
Lessons in the Classroom
Teaching in the deaf community brings unique challenges, according to Kevin. “Resources are a huge challenge for us. The materials we have, especially textbooks, aren’t really suited for some deaf students. My students face some struggles with the newer, text-heavy books, so I need to adapt to almost everything. This is all time-consuming, but it’s also become one of my strengths,” he explains.
But, he says, the rewards are equally powerful. “I’d say one of the most important is empathy. I’ve been in a deaf school myself, so when my students struggle, I can recognise it because I went through the same things.”
Kevin’s message for anyone following in his footsteps is simple. “Don’t give up. There were so many times when I wanted to quit, but I kept going. My advice would be to prepare yourself, have the right mindset, and know that it will be hard. But if you really want it, keep pushing. Looking back now, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I have my dream job. So, when I say don’t give up, I mean it.”
Beyond Borders – One Teacher’s Journey To Inspire
Ryma Halfaoui is revolutionising education. The Muslim Algerian has made history as the first foreign national to complete a Bachelor of Education at DCU, breaking immigration barriers and paving the way for greater diversity in Irish classrooms.
Born in Algeria and raised in Ireland from the age of one, Ryma grew up with a deep appreciation for cultures and diversity. “In the classroom, and in my career, I’ve seen the positive impact my background can have. Children from all kinds of backgrounds relate to me, and parents have been super positive and accepting. It makes me feel that my experience is an asset in education,” she explains.
Reflecting on her time at DCU, Ryma recalls a hugely positive experience. “I got to network and connect with some great lecturers and researchers and made some good friends. The Gaeltacht, for me, was a positive experience; a great way to immerse myself in the language and spend quality time with my peers,” she says. “There was so much growth for me as a teacher and as a young person within the course.”
She also credits mentor Meg Offiah for shaping her outlook in teaching. “Meg showed us that teachers could be different, that they could have a different way of teaching and supporting their students.”
Ryma acknowledges Ireland still has progress to make. “Integration and diversity are essential, but society grows into them and that comes with growing pains. More teacher training, funding, exposure, and resources are needed. And I do think that will naturally happen, because the need is there.”
Now teaching senior infants while preparing a master’s thesis at DCU, Ryma also lectures on citizenship and education. Her advice to future educators: “Find your voice, listen to it, and don’t be afraid to be different or expressive. Stay different, be different: that’s not only okay, it is valuable.”
Championing Linguistic Diversity in Education
Aoife Merrins Gallagher always knew she wanted to be a teacher – but not just any teacher. From a master’s degree to a PhD, she has pursued higher education to explore innovative ways of supporting junior primary school children with English as an Additional Language (EAL).
“I was taught from a young age that education was the most important gift in life. I looked to my teachers across primary and secondary school for guidance throughout my education journey and got it in abundance. What better way to live up to the importance of education than to help pass that torch on to other children like me whose parents want them to go further than they did,” says Aoife, who is also a mom of two.
Aoife’s work focuses on children for whom English is not spoken at home. Her research has led to the creation of Tell-a-Tale – Inis Scéal, a programme designed to strengthen oral language skills in linguistically diverse classrooms.
“When completing my master’s research, I was intrigued by my non-native English-speaking students’ natural ability to acquire and use the Irish language. I knew then that there was potential for using a bilingual English Irish oral language programme to enable such learners to develop their language skills in a plurilingual way,” she explains.
The innovative, child-centred programme uses traditional tales to create engaging, interactive lessons that improve narrative retell skills. “I was conscious that I could never fully appreciate the experience of attending school where the language spoken there was not my home language. I felt compelled to upskill in an area that already lacked adequate supports,” she adds.
Having completed her undergraduate, master’s and PhD at DCU, Aoife recalls one standout memory: “I was blown away by teachers who signed up to participate in my research at a time of extreme uncertainty. Teachers do not get enough credit for their commitment to excellence in education,” she says.
Looking back, Aoife highlights both personal and professional lessons. “On a personal level, I feel not only adequately equipped at the highest level to support learners in my school but also know that I have made friends for life,” she reflects. “Professionally, the research has taught me that teachers want and need more by way of professional development opportunities to support EAL learners.”