About Ceol Ireland

In 1998, Ceol (the Irish word for music) was set up, had a vision and worked hard to reawaken the dormant musical heritage of its home town in Ballyfermot, West Dublin. Following research up to 2005 and piloting in 2006 and 2007, Ceol began to offer music education to primary schools (from Junior Infants up), bringing on board a team of experts to create new and innovative teaching methods. These innovations gave birth to the Ceol Approach to music education, which focused on the development of musical fluency, teaching children to listen, speak, read and write the language of music. In 2005-2006, Ceol and the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee (Kylemore College) started a pilot, providing music tuition in many instruments to children who would not have had such opportunities otherwise.The challenges, obstacles and pitfalls experienced since then have made Ceol even more successful. This model has been recommended as a template for new projects around Ireland.  In 2006, following our major award from Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, the Ceol model was rolled out across the country.The results of national piloting were outstanding, showing stunning success. Teachers who had once been fearful of teaching music were now thriving, through the use of Ceol's professional lesson plans, and through Ceol's regular professional development sessions (now available on DVD).  Ceol won the Ulster Bank All-Ireland Business Achievers' Award in 2009.

Today, Ceol has expanded its programmes to include pre-school music education, which can be easily used by parents and teachers alike. Ceol is working with thousands of educators who teach over tens of thousands of children, across the four provinces of Ireland, and abroad, catering for those with learning difficulties as well as those being taught through the medium of Irish, all of whom will hopefully thrive in music, languages, maths and science. This aspiration is supported by international research which shows evidence of the links between early music education and competence in other subjects.

Ceol’s programmes have been approved by the Department of Education in Ireland as they adhere to the Aistear Guidelines for pre-schools and focus on all the Strands and Units of the Primary Music Curriculum.

In addition, Ceol has developed special musical plays for Christmas and End of Year concerts. LINK HERE

Mission Statement 


Ceol provides every child, regardless of physical ability or educational needs, with music education of the highest possible quality, that fulfills the requirements of pre-school and the Primary Music Curriculum, that is fun, simple and that forges links with other subjects.

Ceol Ireland Vision and Team

Ceol endeavours to complete the child through music and wishes to make Ireland a global beacon for music education.

Carmel Dunne

BMus Hons. (NUIM), MSc (TCD), Piano Teacher’s Dip (LSM), Management Dip (IPA), Alumna Harvard Kennedy Business School, Mass. Executive Director and Founder of Ceol. Carmel is a Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Awardee. She has 33 years public service, and has always had a passion for music in her spare time.

Ali Giusti

BMus Hons. (Cardiff Uni). Creative Development and Training Executive of Ceol. Ali is a professional musician, who worked in Community Arts in South Wales where she developed music programmes for 5 to 18 year olds. Her experience has led to her innovative training style that imbues primary teachers with a passion for music.

Original Team included:
Tempy Cummins: Business strategist and ex- primary school teacher
Greg Byrne: Marketing advisor
Antóin ÓMuircheartaigh: Advisor and translator
Fiach ÓMuircheartaigh: Composer and translator
Rita Eyre: Co-ordinator of after-schools programmes
Gerard Flanagan: Advisor