' I really benefited from the effective communications course. It is a great mix of fun games and speaking exercises, led by Mary who is so welcoming and helpful. I and a lot of my family members have noticed the improvements in my communication and public speaking skills over the course of the last few months. There is a very small amount of work involved, considering all the benefits I have gained. Overall I really enjoyed my time over the last few months and highly recommend this course.
Rory McNally - Transition Year Student - Blackrock 2022/2023
'Great Course, thoroughly enjoyed. Well worth doing. Helps with working in groups and being more confident. Mary is a great teacher and really enhances the course. Would definitely recommend for anyone no matter what level you are at.
David McLoughlin -Transition Year Student-St Michael's College 2019/2020
"Transition year is a great year to try new things and develop new skills. I really enjoyed doing this course. I learned a lot. Mary teaches in a really fun way. Its given me the confidence to be able to stand up in front of people and speak or do a presentation.,"
Sophie Egan - Transition Year Student -Colaiste Iosagain 2019/2020
I'm a TY student at Alexandra College and I just finished the Gaisce course for effective communication with Mary Hennessy. I would highly recommend this course for future Gaisce participants as it benefits you immensely in the area of Public Speaking. Mary teaches her students how to correctly deliver a number of presentations including holiday recommendations, award ceremonies and even shows them how to pitch a business idea, Dragons Den style. The course finishes with a public speaking exam, adjudicated by the Leinster Schools, which is a fantastic opportunity and a beneficial thing to do. The classes also allow you to get to know students from other schools which was nice to do.
Siofradh McEvoy - Transition Year Student - Alexander College 2018/2019
I did 13 weeks of Mary's course as my new skill for my bronze Gaisce award. I gained something new from each individual lesson and left the course with a feeling of accomplishment. I went into these classes with very little knowledge of public speaking. I was less confident speaking in front of large groups of people and I didn't understand the importance of public speaking as a skill. I know now it is a skill that I will continue to use throughout my life. Learning about the exam in the first week scared me but by the end of the course Mary had me so prepared and I couldn't help but feel confident going into the exam. Mary ensures that each class is also filled with fun. There was never a dull moment. I felt like I was doing something productive with my time in these classes. I highly recommend this course.
Sarah Murray Transition Year Holy Child Killiney 2016/2017
"It was a really enjoyable course. Before the course I couldn't say a sentence without 'eh' or 'em'. However, after the course I don't even have to think about it. The course has given me the confidence to present projects or debates in school without having to worry about hesitating or mumbling. Would really recommend the course to anyone who wants to improve their presentation skills.' Many thanks again for all your help “
Micheal O’ Kennedy – Transition Year – Gonzaga College 2014/2015
“Before I did Mary Hennessy’s drama course, there was definitely ‘no way’ I would have stood up in front of my friends and give a Presentation. Mary taught us how to get our points across in a certain amount of time, how to sell an idea to our class and how to present it on a billboard. I’m really happy I did the course. It gave me Confidence and I know if I have to do a presentation again it won’t be So scary! Mary’s course also included us doing the Leinster School of Drama exam, which was a really good experience. I would recommend Mary’s course to any transition year student, no matter how shy you are. I’m glad I did it”
Eily Burke- Transition year student, Muckross Park College 2013/2014
“ Doing Mary’s Course was one of the best things I’ve done in my Transition Year. It opened up my mind and vocabulary and challenged me to push myself towards the exam. We had class every Wednesday evening, which was great because my school activities were out of the way. We did small interactive games to start off and then choose poems and presentations to for the final exam. Working with Mary showed me faults and imperfections in my speech that I’ve never noticed and by ironing these out changed the quality of my speech drastically. I’d highly recommend this to any student in any year either in an exam year or transition year."
Shane McCarthy – Transition Year Student – St Michaels College 2014/2015