CELTA via Dublin, Ireland: Four reasons for taking the CELTA in the capital of the Emerald Isle!
Dublin, one of the great capital cities of the English speaking countries, is an ideal place for you to take your CELTA. The capital city of the Emerald Isle has a wealth of different aspects for you to enjoy while you take on the rigours and challenges of the course. We have a closer look at four reasons for you to select Dublin as your CELTA choice: the location, the culture, relaxation and the craic!
Remember, as well as the face-to-face option, you can also take your CELTA online via Dublin too.
We also got a few tips from local expert, Dublin (Dame Street) CELTA Course Coordinator, Stuart McMillan! So, without further ado, here’s four reasons for choosing Dublin!
The location: Dublin’s and the Dublin CELTA centre’s ideal location
Dublin is a beautiful coastal city, with the tranquil River Liffey flowing through the centre, dividing the city in two. From Dublin, all parts of the island of Ireland are accessible and the city truly acts as the beating heart for the Republic of Ireland. It is comfortably the Republic’s largest and most dynamic city, being the centre of the political, economic, social and cultural capital too. With a population of well over a million people, The Dublin (Dame Street) centre is located right in the centre of the city.
As Stuart from the Dublin (Dame Street) centre says: “While Dublin is a small city compared with many other major cities in Europe, one is spoilt with so many nice places to visit. The city is also on the coast which means that it is quite easy to get out of the city and soon be walking along a beach or having some delicious seafood in a nearby town like Howth or Bray”.
The culture: The city’s rich culture and history
Ireland has a rich culture and tradition that is known throughout the world and Dublin is at the heart of it. In terms of literature, Dublin boasts a phenomenal list of authors and playwrights, including Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Roddy Doyle, George Bernard Shaw, Maeve Binchy, Bram Stoker and countless others. There are so many in fact that Dublin was given a permanent title as a UNESCO City of Literature. In the world of music, there is an endless list of Irish musicians and bands who have hailed from the Irish capital, potentially most famously U2. There are a wide number of music venues for you to enjoy, as there are theatres. Some of the best theatres to enjoy are the the Gaiety, Olympia and Abbey theatres. With Dublin’s roots going back in the Viking period and even before, you should definitely take advantage of the different museums in the city (for example the three branches of the National Museum of Ireland that are in Ireland’s capital).
Stuart mentions: “During the day, one has the opportunity to visit (free) museums, galleries, parks and shops.”
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Relaxation: Food, recreation and sport
Ireland is a home to a long coffee house tradition, and there are countless idyllic locations for you to choose from for this. If fine dining is your thing, then there are half a dozen Michelin starred restaurants in the city for you to enjoy. Dublin is the home of Irish sport, being the centre of almost all of the key Irish sporting locations. Croke Park, the largest sport stadium in Ireland (and the third-largest stadium in Europe) is the headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association. If you get a chance to catch a hurling or Gaelic football match there, be sure to take advantage of a spectacular experience. The Aviva stadium, where Irish rugby team (currently officially the world’s best team) play is another great sporting theatre in the city, which also hosts Irish football matches. And we should really mention another hugely popular Irish pastime of horse racing, as a trip to the horse racing at Leopardstown is a great experience too. On the relaxation side of things, you can also get away from it all within the city in the huge green expanses of Phoenix Park, an enormous park in the centre of the city.
If you want to get away from everything on a day off from the course, or after your CELTA, it is easy to escape from it all into the beautiful surrounding countryside, with walking or hiking in the Wicklow Mountains a particularly good option.
The Craic!
Lastly, we couldn’t mention Dublin without one of its key ingredients. That is its convivial, friendly, lively and enjoyable social side. Or to put it better, the craic!
Dublin is a city with a famously lively nightlife and is also one of Europe’s most youthful cities, with around half of its citizens under 25 years old. There are excellent pubs and other nightlife venues spread across the city centre and many of the best nightlife venues are situated around the Temple Bar area. This vibrant hub is also home to many art and artistic productions, as well as street performers and small music venues. Live music of a wide variety of kinds is definitely something to enjoy in Dublin.
Stuart says: “At night, the city boasts a high number of great areas in which to share a drink and have a good time with friends while listening to some traditional music.”
Apply to take the CELTA in Dublin, Ireland today!
If you are looking to start out on an exciting career where you can teach around the world, a Dublin CELTA course is a great place to start! You can apply for the CELTA through our online form. There are no application fees and the form form usually takes five to 15 minutes to complete.
Do you have any questions about taking the CELTA? Get in touch with a member of our team today!
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