Ireland’s Leading and Fastest-Growing Irish Grinds Academy
Is your child struggling with Irish? Lacking confidence in the language? Finding it difficult to structure sentences? Working with a limited vocabulary? Stuck in a cycle of rote learning?
We have the solution at Cliste Irish Grinds Academy!
Why Choose Us?
My daughter received grinds from Macdara for her Junior Cert this year and I cannot recommend him highly enough. She was struggling in a number of areas and didn’t really have a clear understanding...I will definitely enrol Lee again in preparation for his Leaving Certificate. Thanks Cliste!
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My daughter recently took part in an Irish grinds masterclass and was absolutely delighted with the experience. The session was incredibly well organized and packed with valuable content..everything was covered in a clear and engaging way. She found it really helpful and came away feeling much more confident.
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My son started his lessons with Mcdara in Sept of third year as languages were more of a challenge for him. Mcdara worked with him over the school year with a very constructive and positive approach. He is extremely invested in all his students and knew my son's strengths and weaknesses and they developed a planned approach over the school year to work through the Junior cycle higher paper curriculum. The online one to one classes worked very well as
Read more lessI highly recommend Cliste Irish Grinds Academy. Macdara goes above and beyond for his students and gives so much attention to his students. My daughter struggles with Irish but he was constantly motivating and encouraging her, which helped her gain more confidence. At Cliste Irish Grinds Academy there are great teaching techniques, resources and support available. I really appreciated the extra Zoom lessons and mock exams that were provided.
Read more lessCliste is best in class. The level of support and dedication is exceptional. Lee’s grinds were customised to target his weaker areas. Cliste could not have done more to prepare Lee for his Junior Certificate.
Read more lessMy daughter recently took part in an Irish grinds masterclass and was absolutely delighted with the experience. The session was incredibly well organized and packed with valuable content..everything was covered in a clear and engaging way. She found it really helpful and came away feeling much more confident.
Read more lessMy son started his lessons with Mcdara in Sept of third year as languages were more of a challenge for him. Mcdara worked with him over the school year with a very constructive and positive approach. He is extremely invested in all his students and knew my son's strengths and weaknesses and they developed a planned approach over the school year to work through the Junior cycle higher paper curriculum. The online one to one classes worked very well as
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Tutors Experience
Macdara is a fluent Irish speaker who grew up in an all-Irish-speaking household in An Spidéal, Co. na Gaillimhe, in the heart of the Conamara Gaeltacht, where Irish is spoken daily.
He graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway, with a Master’s degree—Máistir Gairmiúil san Oideachas (Master’s in Education)
Macdara has worked as a full-time teacher with extensive experience in preparing students for State examinations, and he has taught in a variety of educational settings.
Due to the rapid growth of the academy, he has now dedicated himself full-time to it. He has hired five additional
Trusted by Galway Students
We have helped over 100 students achieve success with their Irish Junior Cert examinations.
The Cliste Difference
At Cliste, we help students build fluency, boost exam confidence, and rediscover their love for Irish. Parents and students agree — our system works.
Our tutors are fluent, qualified Irish speakers with years of experience helping students master the language — from basics to top-grade prep.
We meet each student where they’re at, providing individual feedback, structured lessons, and extra help when it’s needed most.
One clear price. No surprises. We believe in total transparency so families know exactly what they’re getting.
From oral fluency to grammar confidence, we monitor growth and keep parents in the loop every step of the way.
Our lessons and notes are built around the Junior and Leaving Cert exams — with no filler, just what matters.
Getting started is simple. Enroll in just a few clicks and join a supportive, high-achieving Irish learning community.
Tutors from Ireland’s Top Universities
Frequently Asked Questions
