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What is Speech and Drama?

This is a weekly class to introduce students to all aspects of Speech and Drama, to develop creativity, build confidence, and enhance the technique of public performance. We all develop at various rates and with this in mind we aim to hone and develop the skills of every student at an optimal pace to suit their emotional and developmental well-being.

Classes focus on acting, improvisation, role play, characterisation, effective communication, theatre games, mime, puppetry, public speaking, speech work, storytelling and much more.

Our classes equip each student with many important tools to help them achieve their full potential which will support them throughout their lives. While learning a range of techniques, students develop their personality, learn to work in a team, interact with peers, make decisions and most importantly have fun.

Benefits of Speech and Drama

What are the benefits of Speech and Drama for my child?

Find out by more by selecting the below:

Increases Self-Confidence

We create a safe environment for students to express themselves without feeling judged, building their confidence and developing new skills.

Our Speech and Drama Classes

Our class schedules are based on our locations and age groups

With over 30 years of experience, Eileen Fitzgerald teaches a wide range of acting and speech classes. Classes are offered for beginners, children, teenagers and adults focusing on developing public speaking skills, and performance technique training. Class schedules are subject to change each year along with our class locations.

This year's classes will take place at the following locations:

Clarecastle National School Library
Maria Assumpta Hall

To enroll for any of our classes, please get in touch for availability and prices. Visit our Contact page for our contact information and location co-ordinates.

Professionals looking for one-to-one sessions are by appointment at a time to be agreed.

Class Activities

See the different programs in place for our students

Junior & Senior Infant Activities

Fostering a love and enjoyment in the spoken word
Developing the ability to express themselves clearly while improving memorisation and recall
Building self-confidence through theatre games
Developing skills in voice and diction
Storytelling through acting and puppetry
Learning to work as part of a group
Show & Tell, an introduction to speaking before a group

Junior Activities

Poetry and the spoken word
Voice work & speech exercises concentrating on clarity, diction, audibility and expression
Drama and devising a character
Monologue and duologue work
Mime and movement
Public speaking and learning how to present to an audience
Characterisation and improvisation
Sight-reading

Senior Activities

Theses classes are designed to develop you physically, vocally and imaginatively whilst encouraging an independent and in-depth approach to the work.

Acting:
to perform with fluency
focus and naturalness
using the acting space appropriately
use of gesture
developing a character
Further development of vocal work and modulation
Performance/audition technique
Mime and movement
Sight-reading and prose reading
Shakespeare, an introduction to his plays and sonnets
Poetry appreciation and verse speaking
Improvisation and scene building
Public speaking and presentations

Yearly Events

There are multiple events throughout the year that our students can get involved in through our school

Feile Luimnigh

January & February

Feile Luimnigh is an annual Arts & Culture festival based in Limerick. A variety of cultural events are held in celebration of the arts, including the arts of speech & drama. Competitions are adjudicated by established professionals in industry and students can receive feedback through competing in many of the competition categories on offer for all age groups, both children and adults!

Speech and Drama Teachers of Ireland Hybrid Feis

February & April

An annual event which brings young people together to compete in various disciplines at the live event in Dublin.

Irish Board Examinations

March & April

The Irish Board of Speech & Drama are the favoured body in Ireland for Speech and Drama examinations. Each grade has a structured syllabus and includes elements of performance and theory.

Public Speaking

Do you have an upcoming presentation? Do you have a fear of speaking in public? Is there an interview you really want to succeed at? Have you a wedding speech to present? Need help in presenting a CBA? Would you like to improve your communication skills and deliver a more effective message to your audience?

The Eileen Fitzgerald School offers a course to specifically enhance a range of skills to help pupils overcome these challenges.

The contents of the course are as follows:

Engaging an audience
Vocal techniques including clarity
Projection and pacing
Effective communication
Speech exercises
Speech preparation and delivery technique

We have 2 options available for this course:

Option 1

Small groups of four
45 minutes class
4 weeks

Option 2

One-to-one
30 minutes class
4 weeks

**Room or Zoom available**

To make an arrangement or to find out more, please contact Eileen at eileen.fitzgerald.school@gmail.com.