Gráinne Phelan graduated with a degree in Physical Education and Irish from the University of Limerick. Gráinne is now teaching PE and Irish in Hazelwood College, County Limerick, as well as working as an international classifier with World Para Swimming.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m from Ballinacurra Gardens in Limerick City. I attended An Mhodh Scoil primary school and Laurel Hill Coláiste so almost my entire education has been through the medium of Irish. I now teach in Hazelwood College, Co. Limerick and I’ve taken a keen interest in the new Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE) subject.
2. What course did you study in UL, and what year did you graduate?
I studied the Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Gaeilge in UL from 2009-2013.
After that I did an Erasmus Mundus Masters in Adapted Physical Activity. That course was two years in three different countries. After the first year in Leuven, Belgium, I returned for a semester in UL during the second year of that master’s in 2014 before going to Brisbane to complete my thesis.
3. Why did you choose to study at University of Limerick?
It was a no brainer when it came to choosing UL as it was on my doorstep.
The Physical Education course is one of the most reputable in the country as well so I wanted to learn from the best. It also allowed me to continue with my education with Irish.
4. What were the highlights of your course/s?
I met a lot of lecturers that were very passionate and knowledgeable about sport and physical activity. I still meet some of them regularly through my various endeavours and it’s lovely to be able to chat away to them.
I was also part of the year group that participated in the “i-PLAY” programme when Daniel Tindall and Brigitte Moody established it. I was already so interested in adapted physical activity at this stage that I really benefitted from it. I’ve also made some lifelong friends too!
5. Are there any campus locations that hold special significance to you?
The UL Sport Arena and the 50m pool holds a very special significance to me.
I trained with Limerick Swimming Club for years and I remember the first time I saw the 50m pool after it was built. I then started teaching swimming in UL when I was in 4th year of secondary school. From there I spent many years working as a teacher, a lifeguard and a water safety instructor.
I still visit the pool weekly for training sessions with The Limerick Masters Swimming Club. I’ve also recently joined the Limerick Triathlon Club so hope to spend a lot more time around the campus!
6. How did your course/s and your overall UL experience prepare you for entering the workplace upon graduating?
It was definitely a worthwhile experience to have had teaching practice in 2nd year and in 4th year of the course. I was lucky to get to do my 4th year teaching practice in Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh and have my teaching practice experience through Irish.
I spent so many hours doing lesson plans and then reflecting on all PE and Irish classes. In hindsight this definitely instilled a strong work ethic in me that I take into all my work today.
7. Has your career benefited from being a Gaeilgeoir?
There has been a few unexpected ways. It allowed me the opportunity to correct the LCPE course with the State Examinations Commission through Gaeilge which is a unique experience to have. I love being able to have the two subjects together like that.
I’m also on the Physical Education Association of Ireland (PEAI) executive committee as the assistant secretary. With Gaeilge I have contributed to making resources as Gaeilge available to all PE teachers.
8. Why was it important to you to speak and study Irish? What was the Irish language scene like in UL?
It’s such a huge part of our culture and history and it’s so unique to us. I’ve such love and respect for the language and it was important to have it woven through all aspects of my life, as well as my professional life.
It’s so amazing to see the revival happening with the language, especially with “the Kneecap effect” and the success of movies internationally like “An Chailín Ciúin”. The bilingual podcast “How to Gael” is worth mentioning here too.
9. Could you update us on where you are now in your career?
This has the potential to be a very long answer!
As well as teaching PE and Gaeilge, I correct the Leaving Certificate Physical Education projects and written paper. This has really benefitted my teaching and learning in the classroom as well as my leadership skills and managing small teams. I’ve gained a lot of experience in a short amount of time.
Outside of education I developed and maintained a keen interest in swimming and I’ve now entered the world of tutoring. I qualified as a swim teacher tutor with Swim Ireland and Water Safety Ireland. This means I teach others learn to become swim teachers. It mixes my enthusiasm and passion for education and swimming together. I was also fortunate to get a spot on the Women in Sport Leadership programme through Swim Ireland a few years back. I love these kinds of initiatives to support women in sport and physical activity.
I still coach with Limerick Swimming Club too in my free time!
10. What has been a career highlight so far?
During my Master’s degree in Adapted Physical Activity I was introduced to classification. Classification in para-sports is a system used to minimise the impact of an athlete’s impairment on their sports performance. So, it ensures fair competition for people with disabilities by putting athletes with similar disabilities into the same group for competition. The systems are very different and unique across all sports.
I was immediately fascinated by this and have since started my own journey as a classifier in the swimming world. Briefly, I conduct specific tests on the athlete in the water and then measure that against their impairment and swimming.
My qualifications in sport and swim coaching were the first steps on board. Paralympics Ireland took me in as a trainee at first, and then a National Classifier. Since then, they have been so supportive to me on this journey, especially my friend Ana!
Only a couple of months before my wedding in 2023, I went to the UK and qualified as a “Trainee International Classifier” with World Para Swimming. My aim now is to become a full international classifier and apply the system to athletes in events all over the world.
A lot of people ask me nowadays if I was involved with Róisín Ní Riain’s classification. But she has a visual impairment, and my area of expertise is with physical disabilities and swimming.
I’ve known Róisín Ní Riain a very long time though, from when she first started to learn to swim in UL and then while in Limerick Swimming Club. Of course, now I do meet her around Limerick as well as at International World Para events. I love seeing her and her family enjoying her successes. She is a wonderful role model and ambassador for young people, swimming, and Ireland.
I did travel to the Paralympics in Paris for a weekend as a spectator and enjoyed every second, especially when I met some of the Paralympics Ireland staff on their down time.
This content was originally posted as part of the University of Limerick Alumni Spotlight series.
https://www.ul.ie/news/university-of-limerick-alumni-spotlight-grainne-phelan
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