Niamh Brennan

Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Early Childhood Education and Care

Mayo

Where are you from?

I am from a small village called Carracastle in County Mayo, I  also went to Scoil Iosa primary school in Carracastle, to this day, I still have great memories from my time in primary school. I then attended St Nathy’s College in Ballaghaderreen for five years.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to choosing your course.

At the time, the height of my Leaving Cert was during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was very difficult to know what to do, whether to take a year out, or to pursue a college degree. I decided to fill out the CAO. I had a few options picked for courses and colleges, but I knew that I really wanted to do a course around children. ATU Mayo was my first choice, and I was unsure about how the Leaving Cert was going to pan out, or whether I would be offered a place, so I also applied for a PLC in a college near me.

In the end a managed to do a lot better in the Leaving cert than I had thought, towards the end of the Summer a few offers were being emailed to me, I was convinced I was going to be doing the PLC, until one day an email came through with my first choice for ATU Mayo, I was beyond thrilled, it was a quick turnaround, I wasn’t sure what to do.  In the end, I decided to take the offer for ATU Mayo, and it is the best decision I have ever made!

Tell us why you chose ATU?

I chose ATU firstly because it was close to home, I knew Castlebar relatively well, and I feel like it helped me settle in a lot quicker than if I were to go to college somewhere where I didn’t know my surroundings. I had also known several people who attended ATU previously, and they all really enjoyed their time in college there.

What do you like about life in your campus location?

Castlebar is a lovely town, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Everyone in Castlebar is so friendly and helpful. There are lots of nice restaurants and live music venues. Some of my favourites include Lana, which is an Asian Street food/ Chinese restaurant, Cox’s, and The TF, which serve all things like your roast dinners and all your typical pub grub but taste amazing.  The Royal Theatre in Castlebar is a fabulous live music venue with concerts and shows on most nights, something to suit all tastes. They have also recently won Live Music Venue of the Year, and I would highly recommend new students to check it out.

In terms of accommodation there is a couple of options, firstly Hawthorne which is known as the student accommodation in Castlebar, I would recommend booking this as soon as possible, there are other options available such as digs or student house shares, the student’s union will be able to provide you with more information on these options.

 A few other places to mention would be Lough Lannagh, which is beautiful for going for walks and taking time out away from your studies; some of the views are amazing. Westport is also a lovely town with lots of amenities, which is only a 15-minute drive from the campus.

What advice would you give to a student thinking about coming to ATU?

I would say go for it! deciding to go to ATU Mayo was the best decision I have ever made. I have really enjoyed the past four years here, and I have made memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

What do/did you enjoy most about your course?

What I enjoyed most about my course was the small classes; you got to know everyone in your class so well, and also got to know the lecturers really well. I feel like in some colleges the classes are way too big and you are only a number, whereas in ATU Mayo your like a family everyone helps everyone and I found it a lot easier to get my point across and share my concerns with the lecturers because they looked out for all of us and were always there if we needed anything.

In terms of my course, I liked how the assignments varied, some were written pieces, some were presentations, and others were practical and hands-on experiences; it wasn’t just the same type of assignments all of the time. For the most part, I really enjoyed my placements, being able to go out and work with the kids was so beneficial, as you were able to relate what you were learning in class, and your assignments back to the experiences you were having in work placement.

If you were speaking with a first-year student about to start your course, what advice/information would you give them?

It is a very rewarding course, being able to shape the lives of children and helping them with their learning and development. The best advice I can give you is to keep on top of your assignments. at times, they do come quick and fast, it is so easy to fall behind if you don’t keep on top of them.

 I would also say research your placements make sure it is somewhere you would be interested in going and get started as soon as possible, the sooner the better, so that you can spend as much time as possible with the children throughout the year, the more time you spend in the service, the more you will be able to learn. Curious Minds in Castlebar is a brilliant service to carry out your placement in. I was lucky enough to get in there this year, and I absolutely loved it!

If you are/were involved in sport, volunteering, working or have other passions you pursue outside of your academic life, can you tell us about that?

Another place in Castlebar that I am very fond of is McHale Park, the home of Mayo GAA. Outside of college, I have spent many days out there supporting the Mayo team, it is one of my favourite things to do and always will be! Anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about Gaelic Football, travelling all over Ireland supporting the team. But nothing beats going to matches in McHale Park, I will be forever proud of my County of Mayo, and hopefully, in the near future, I will get to witness them lifting the Sam Maguire Cup!

What are your plans after graduating?

After graduating, I hope to take some time away from my studies, to work and to go travelling. I would love to go to New Zealand as I have family living out there. I would also like to go to Japan as it has always been a dream of mine, and maybe a few other places. I also hope to do my Masters in Primary School Teaching, it is the ultimate goal for me. From a young age, I have always wanted to be a primary school teacher.