Students from St Brigid’s Secondary School have won a national award for their efforts to promote the Irish language on social media.

They received the award at a special ceremony hosted by Gael Linn in Mary Immaculate College this week. The students are part of ‘An Coiste Gaeilge’ – the Irish Committee – which was set up in September 2023. Since then, the group has worked hard on new ideas to promote Irish in the school, with help from Transition Year students and guidance from their teacher, Sinéad Collins.

The school is taking part in the Gaelbhratach scheme, which is supported by Gael Linn and involves 130 schools across the country. St. Brigid’s was awarded its first Irish flag last year and received its second this year. They are now one of only five Kerry schools to hold a Gaelbhratach in 2025.

In addition to receiving the Irish flag, the school was named Overall Winner for the Promotion of the Irish Language on Social Media – or Mórdhuais don Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn ar na Meáin shóisialta.

Over the past two years, the students have run monthly events like Irish bingo (Réamhfhocail Biongó), day trips to the Gaeltacht, Irish sports competitions like An Poc Fada, guest speakers, and art displays around the school. They’ve also taken part in workshops, including a visit to TikTok HQ for a technology day earlier this year.

New initiatives this year include Aoi na hAoine (Friday’s Guest), where committee members interview teachers, past pupils, and parents in Irish, showing how the language is used in daily life. Daily school announcements are now made in Irish too.

Irish teacher Ms Sinéad Collins said: “I am immensely proud of the effort that has been made across the school community – from the members of the Coiste Gaeilge to the rest of the student body; from my colleagues to management. Everyone has got on board to ensure we are successful year on year. It takes a village and this was a collective effort and richly deserved.”