Unfortunately, Cúrsa A and Cúrsa B are full for 2010.

We are unable to accept any new applications due to a long waiting list in operation.

There are a small number of places available on Cúrsa C. Please contact Peadar Mac Muiris (Telephone 00 353 91 448 104 or email peadar@colaistemhuire.net) if you are interested in attending Cúrsa C.

Please email An Rúnaí if you wish to register your interest for courses in 2011, and to receive a brochure in the post.

Parents are very welcome to visit Loch an Iúir during the courses.

To maintain the Irish ethos of Coláiste Mhuire, parents are asked not to take students out during the morning class (i.e. before 12:45 p.m.).

Parents must sign the visitors’ book in the college office before leaving Loch an Iúir with students and on their return.

Mobile phones are permitted in Loch an Iúir.

Please ensure that your mobile phone has the International Call Roaming Bar removed before travelling to Loch an Iúir.

As ‘Top Up Cards/Vouchers’ for phones purchased at home cannot always be bought or ‘activated’ in Loch an Iúir, it is advisable to buy as much ‘credit’ as required before travelling.

Mobile phones are not permitted in the College or during classes. They should be turned off and confined to break times.

The use of mobile phones in student accommodation is at the discretion of the bean an tí (lady of the house).

Students are asked to follow the guidelines on use of mobile phones that bean an tí will discuss with them on their first night.

A member of college staff will check each house approx. 30 minutes after An Príomhoide (Principal teacher) has dismissed the students.

Students MUST remain in their respective houses each night.

Unfortunately we are unable to accept credit or debit card payments.

We plan to introduce this facility in the near future.

At present, we are only able to accept cheque payment.

Cheques should be made payable to 'Coláiste Mhuire Loch an Iúir', with your child's name, school and course marked clearly on the back of the cheque.

Coláiste Mhuire Loch an Iúir is a non-profit making organisation and we aim to keep our course fees at a reasonable cost each year.

All fees are used to provide accommodation, tuition, insurance, activities, and entertainment for your child during his/her stay with us. Any profit remaining after all costs have been met is used to maintain the upkeep of our buildings and grounds.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any scholarships or bursaries to students attending our courses.

We do, however, accept scholarships awarded by various organisations and groups.

?Parents/Guardians who are interested in obtaining further information regarding scholarships, awards or bursaries should contact:

• Comhaltas Uladh (the northern branch of Conradh an Gaeilge, the Gaelic League). Comhaltas Uladh award scholarships to most of the northern Gaeltacht colleges every year under various competitions (e.g. Sciath an Athar Uí Mhuirí - the Father Murray Shield, Sciath Mhic Giolla Bhríde - the Ashbourne Shield, Corn Uí Bhiataigh etc). You can find more information about Comhaltas Uladh here.

• Your local GAA club. Many GAA clubs award scholarships or bursaries to the Gaeltacht. If you are a member of a GAA club you should contact the Irish Language Officer of your club.

• Local Feiseanna. There are many feiseanna (e.g. Feis an Dúin, Feis Ard Mhacha, Feis Dhún Geanainn etc) held throughout Ulster every year. You should contact your local organiser, or through your child’s school to enquire of a feis that may be happening near you.

• Your local council. Some local councils make awards and bursaries available to students attending a recognised Gaeltacht course. You should contact the Irish Language officer in your local council for more information.

Students who require documentary evidence (i.e. a letter or a certificate) stating that they have attended a course at Coláiste Mhuire are asked to request this from An Príomhoide (Principal teacher) in Loch an Iúir before the end of their stay.

We are currently unable to accept scholarship certificates issued by Gael-Linn.

The College address for posting letters is:

[Name of Student]
COLÁISTE MHUIRE
LOCH AN IÚIR
ANAGAIRE
LETTERKENNY
COUNTY DONEGAL

Please ensure that you have put your child’s name on the envelope before posting.

To avoid delaying post to County Donegal please use a European stamp (approx 50p – Letter ‘E’ is on the stamp instead of a price). Ordinary first-class and second-class stamps are no longer sufficient for posting letters to Loch an Iúir.

There is no postal delivery on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays.

Please do not send important items of postage towards the end of the courses, as invariably they will not reach the intended recipients before they leave Loch an Iúir to return home.

• Telephone calls for students will only be accepted after 2:30 p.m.

We are currently upgrading our student telephone facility. The number for contacting students will be posted here shortly.

• The telephone number for the Headmaster’s Office is (00 353) 7495 48236. Calls for students will NOT be accepted on this number.

We are happy to pass on emails to students currently attending a course at Loch an Iúir. Please ensure your child's name is clearly referenced in the subject line.

Emails should be sent to oifig@colaistemhuire.net

Treoracha go Loch an Iúir / Directions to Loch an Iúir

ó Bhéal Feirste / from Belfast

Travel to Derry – to Letterkenny – to Kilmacrennan – Termon – take N56 to Glenveagh National Park – Dunlewy – Crolly (look out for the pub ‘Teach Pháidí Óig’). Loch an Iúir is about 4km from Crolly.


ó Iúr Cinn Trá/Ard Mhacha/Dún Geanainn/An Ómaigh / from Newry/Armagh/Dungannon/Omagh

Travel to Omagh – to Strabane – to Lifford - to Letterkenny – to Kilmacrennan – Termon – take N56 to Glenveagh National Park – Dunlewy – Crolly (look out for the pub ‘Teach Pháidí Óig’). Loch an Iúir is about 4km from Crolly.


Accommodation is available locally in Loch an Iúir. Towns near to Loch an Iúir include Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore) and An Clochán Liath (Dungloe).

Students are asked not to bring excessive baggage to Loch an Iúir, as space will be limited on College buses and in bedrooms.

It is strongly recommended that students bring one suitcase and one small bag, which can be carried.

In recognition of our duties and obligations under Health and Safety guidelines, and in similar practice to most airlines, students who bring excessive baggage to Loch an Iúir (i.e. over 20kg) will be surcharged.

There is only one shop / café in Loch an Iúir, so please do not bring large amounts of money to the Gaeltacht. This can cause problems (e.g. theft and loss of money).

It is recommended that on the two week course no more than €150 should be brought and €200 on the three week courses.

A bank for students’ pocket money will be available in the college every day. This is the only safe way to manage your money. The College cannot be held responsible for monies lost or stolen. All students are asked to deposit their money in the College Bank on the first morning of the course. (On Course A, students will have the opportunity to deposit their money on the first evening of their arrival, when they meet with their teachers).

In the interests of security it would be preferable if pocket money is taken to Loch an Iúir in the form of a cheque. This will be exchanged into Euro by the College Bank.

Cheques should be made payable to ‘Coláiste Mhuire Loch an Iúir’. Please write your child’s name and school on the back of the cheque.

We will contact you, in order of priority on the waiting list, and offer you a place. Unfortunately it is impossible to indicate how successful your chances may be as places on courses are fluid right up until the beginning of the course.

If we offer you a place, you will be expected to forward the full cost of the course fees as soon as possible, to secure your place. You will not be required to submit a new application, as we will already hold this on file.

We will consider an application for refund of fees on receipt of the following:
• An authentic scholarship certificate issued by an awarding body affiliated to Coláiste Mhuire Loch an Iúir.

• A completed application for refund of fees (Foirm 1b)

Applications for refunds are processed at the end of the summer courses (end of August). We aim to refund all fees by the second week in September.

Due to the volume of applications we are unable to ‘fast track’ applications for refunds.

We will not exchange scholarship certificates for pocket money for a student at Coláiste Mhuire.

Congratulations on being awarded a scholarship to the Gaeltacht.

Coláiste Mhuire Loch an Iúir is happy to accept scholarship certificates as part or full payment of fees towards a student’s place on Easter or Summer courses.

The scholarship certificate is an official document which is used by Coláiste Mhuire to seek repayment from the awarding body on your behalf.

It is essential that the scholarship certificate (which can vary from a little yellow ‘chit’ when awarded by Comhaltas Uladh, or a green card, when awarded by Feis an Dúin) is forwarded immediately upon receipt to An Rúnaí. You are advised to retain a photocopy of this in case of loss.

An Rúnaí will accept your scholarship certificate for the value awarded in lieu of part or full payment of course fees.

Scholarship certificates should never be brought to Coláiste Mhuire Loch an Iúir.

We will not exchange scholarship certificates for pocket money.

Apologies if you have been experiencing difficulties in getting through to us by telephone. We have been overwhelmed by telephone calls over recent weeks, and are slowly working through a backlog of messages. We are endeavouring to respond to the most urgent calls as quickly as possible.

We are recommending that email is used, where practicable, to inform Peadar Mac Muiris (email: peadar@colaistemhuire.net) of any important issues or information regarding your child. This is currently the most efficient way of contacting us.

We hope the information contained in this FAQ will answer many of the questions which we are continuously asked.

Coláiste Mhuire Loch an Iúir offers a reduction of £40 per student per course from the same family attending courses in the same year. This reduction only applies to brothers and sisters, and not to extended family members (e.g. cousins).

This reduction will be paid retrospectively if the following conditions have been met:

• Total fees for all students have been paid before the beginning of the courses
• All family members attended a full course
• Completion and submission of Foirm 1a, before 1st September in the year of application.

Applications for refunds are processed at the end of the summer courses (end of August). We aim to refund all fees by the second week in September.

Reduction of fees should not be made by simply deducting any reduction from the final payment.

All remaining fees should be sent immediately to:

PEADAR MAC MUIRIS
Cisteoir, Coláiste Mhuire
11, Leargán
Baile an Mhóinín Thiar
Galway
Ireland

Please make sure your child’s name and school is printed on the back of the cheque, which should be made payable to COLÁISTE MHUIRE LOCH AN IÚIR.

Students who have won scholarships should NOT bring their scholarship certificates/chits with them to Loch an Iúir.

All scholarship certificates should be forwarded immediately to An Cisteoir at the address above. Scholarship certificates will not be exchanged for pocket money, and must be redeemed before the beginning of the course.

We are unable to provide confirmation to everyone who applies to Loch an Iúir until after the closing date for receipt of final payments (usually April).

We would, however recommend that parents/guardians follow the guidelines below when seeking confirmation of a place:

• Complete the receipt postcard that is attached to every application form, affix postage stamp and this will be returned by An Cisteoir upon receipt, and acceptance of application. This is the most efficient way of confirming whether your son/daughter has been allocated a place at Coláiste Mhuire.

Check with your bank. If your deposit has been cashed, then this is an indication that your application has been successful and is being processed. Due to high volumes of applications, please allow 4 weeks from submitting your application.

If a course is over-subscribed, we will place your application on a waiting list, and you will be allocated a number, according to how long or how short the waiting list is. We do not keep your deposit when you are on the waiting list. This will be returned to you, along with a letter explaining that you are on the waiting list.

If you wish to withdraw from a course, please contact Peadar Mac Muiris immediately (email: peadar@colaistemhuire.net)

The initial £100 stg deposit which you submitted with your application is non-refundable. There are no exceptions to this.

If you have paid part, or all of the remainder of your fees, then we will consider a refund.
Your parents are asked, in the first instance, to contact Peadar Mac Muiris immediately (email: peadar@colaistemhuire.net) detailing the reasons for your withdrawal, and applying for a refund of the remainder of your fees.

The college committee will adjudicate on whether it is appropriate to pay all or part of your fees back to you. This will depend on how close it is to the beginning of a course, and the likelihood of getting another student, at short notice, to take your place.

The decision of the college committee is final in this regard.

Appeals against this decision can be made, in writing, to An Cisteoir (College Treasurer).

Peadar Mac Muiris
Cisteoir
Coláiste Mhuire Loch an Iúir
11, Leargán
Baile an Mhóinín Thiar
Gaillimh
Éire?

Please ensure that you have contacted Peadar Mac Muiris in the first instance informing him of your withdrawal from the course.

You will know if you have been accepted on the course if your cheque has been cashed.

If there are no places left, we will return your cheque, with a letter explaining that your name is on a waiting list.

Loch an Iúir is an Irish-speaking community in North-west Donegal.

The cardinal rule of the college is that all students must speak Irish to the best of their ability at all times. English will not be tolerated.

The staff of teachers, ceannairí (young leaders) and people of the houses will be more than willing to help anyone who is unsure or requires help with their Irish.

It is only through constant use and practice that the students will derive the full benefit of the Gaeltacht experience.