Ashfield College Teachers

Philip has taught Business subjects for the Leaving Cert. for over 28 years and he is an experienced exam corrector with the SEC for the last 16 years.

Philip has written two exam revision books along with educational supplements for various publications and owns the website www.leavingcertbusiness.com.

He has lectured to trainee teachers at Hibernia College and has spoken at numerous educational seminars to students and teachers alike.

Publications

A Question of Business 2004
Business the Higher Option 2020
A guide to the ABQ 2021

Philip has an amazing talent for focusing on exactly what we need for the exam.
Tom Burke, Leaving Cert

Philip Curry makes his Business classes very interesting. Not only does he focus on exam technique but he engages and interacts with everyone.
Isabel Williams, Leaving Cert

BA in History and Political Science (Trinity College Dublin)

Higher Diploma in Theology (St. Patrick’s College, NUI Maynooth)

Certificate in English Language Teaching (TEFL Institute of Ireland)

Professional Master in Education (University of Galway)

Paul has extensive knowledge of his subjects having achieved a BA in History and Political Science, a Higher Diploma in Theology, as well as Certificate in English Language Teaching. Paul has combined this knowledge with a Professional Master in Education degree. As part of this programme, Paul wrote a dissertation on ‘The Role of Electronic-Assessment Techniques in Education’, in which he examined how technology can be used in formative assessment within classrooms to enhance educational outcomes.

Paul’s teaching philosophy is driven by a desire to see all students achieve their full potential. Paul has a huge passion for his subjects and teaches them so that students can better understand the world around them, and in doing so, enable them to become better informed and more well-rounded individuals. Paul strives to help his students to develop invaluable skills such as critical thinking and the ability to write cohesively and convincingly.

Paul also works for the State Examinations Commission as an examiner of Junior Cycle History. This has afforded him a significant insight into the overall assessment process as well as allowing him to understand students’ prior knowledge before starting Senior Cycle.

BSc, HDipED

Peter obtained a BSc. in Agricultural Zoology from the University of Glasgow followed by a HDE from TCD. He then began teaching in St. Columba’s College, Dublin where he stayed for 42 years until he retired. He became Head of Science and an Assistant Principal teaching Chemistry and Biology to higher level.

After spending over 30 years marking the Leaving Certificate Biology papers, he is now one of the most experienced markers and appeals markers. Peter has published several textbooks including Exploring Biology (C J Fallon), Past paper answers (C J Fallon), Essentials Unfolded Chemistry (C J Fallon), Exam Solutions for Leaving Certificate Biology (C J Fallon) plus several online Exam Questions and Answers on iBook’s. He has worked extensively with the Department of Education (PDST) and The Royal Society of Chemistry giving numerous courses to teachers on methods of teaching chemistry.

For the last ten years Peter gives an annual one-day course on Chemistry to students for Intel in their Intel Academy. In the classroom Peter’s aim is to infect his students with an interest in and love of science. Science is relatively easy if it is explained in a straightforward way and properly illustrated.

Peter uses PowerPoint in his lessons as the animations Peter makes allow visual learners to understand complex theories more easily. He makes all of his class materials available to all his students. He also instils in them the idea that success only comes with hard work and that it is vital to ask for clarification of any points they are unsure of. As a result, like all Ashfield teachers, Peter makes himself available to his students by e-mail if they have any problems.

Publications

Understanding Biology (C J Fallon)
Essentials Unfolded Chemistry (C J Fallon)
Exam Solutions for Leaving Certificate Biology (C J Fallon)
Science and Technology in Action contributor for the last 15 years Exam Solutions Plus Biology (iBook)

The classes are excellent, Mr Jackson is a fantastic and supportive teacher. Couldn’t ask for better.
David Leon, Leaving Cert

Peter Jackson’s classes are very detailed, explained clearly, and exam focused.
David Barrett, Leaving Cert

Bachelor of Arts (BA) – Joint Major in English and Geography (Level 8)
Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) – Pedagogy Subjects English and Geography (Level 9)
Master of Arts (MA) in Geography – Specialising in Emergency Planning and Emergency Management for major Geographical events

Jennifer began teaching at Ashfield College in 2012. She is extremely passionate about both English and Geography alike. She recognises the importance of the English language and the multitude of skills associated with it – not only as part of the Leaving Certificate syllabus for the subject itself but also across all other subjects, especially now that such emphasis is placed on literacy in education.

In addition, having completed a Master of Arts (MA) in Geography, she aims to promote the subject among students in order for them to recognise its importance in a world plagued by environmental problems and issues of sustainability. She believes that building a strong rapport with her students is of the utmost importance – this helps her to encourage her students to realise their full potential academically while also enabling her to build up their self-belief.

Publications

Sunday Business Post (2013) – Leaving Certificate Exam Guide for English & Sunday Business Post (2013) – Leaving Certificate Exam Guide for Geography

I went from doing ordinary level English in my last school to higher level English in Ashfield, all with the help of Jenny.
Maeve O’Carroll, Leaving Cert

Bachelor’s degree, M.Phil. PhD

Dr. Ali was awarded his Bachelor’s degree by Al-Azhar University, the first and foremost university in Islamic and Arabic studies based in Cairo, Egypt. He started his career in a research academy. Part of his duties was to read books written in Arabic and English and henceforth approve or disapprove granting permission for publication. However, Dr.Ali could not resist his gushing desire for teaching and so he moved to a career where he could teach Arabic and English. He taught English to non-native speakers and Arabic to both native and non-native speakers.

Since moving to Ireland in 1999, Dr. Ali has lectured in the Mater Dei Institute, Smurfit College, the European Institute and Trinity College.

This very busy schedule of lecturing in universities has never been an obstacle in his way of teaching the Arabic Leaving Certificate where he takes pride in the high grades achieved by his students. In addition, he has been invited by the NCCA to discuss the Arabic curriculum and write a report about it. He has taught the International Arabic baccalaureate for eight years. Every year, one of his students was honoured for her/his Arabic achievement in the annual ceremony held in UCD.

Publications

Books:

1. The Concept of Coexistence in Islamic Primary Sources: An Analytical Examination, Cambridge Scholars, 2015
2. Islam and Education in Ireland, an Introduction to the Faith and the Challenges It Faces, Veritas, 2014 3. The Muslim As A European Citizen, Beirut, 2012
3. Education Exclusion: A Fundamental Layer of Social Exclusion. In Shanahan, M. ed. (Forthcoming) Does Religious Education Matter? Farnham: Ashgate/Taylor &Francis
4. (Forthcoming) Fiqh of Worship, Al-Maktoum Foundation, Dublin

 Articles:

“Tolerance in Islam”, Church of Ireland, V29, 2006
“Jewish-Christian Muslim Relations, Dogmatic Appreciation or Confrontation”, Church of Ireland, 2016

With Ali Selim we finished a one year course in just over six months and it was exam questions from there. Ali simplifies things in such a way that you get the most done in the least amount of time.

Abdul Roshdi, Leaving Cert

BA (Honours) NUIM , Ard-dioplóma san oideachas NUIG

Darran has been a secondary school teacher of Irish and Geography for the past 10 years.

He has a great passion for his two subjects and spends much of the summer in the Gaeltacht. Darran puts a massive emphasis on the spoken language and firmly believes that this improves all aspects of the language.

Darran has done much work with the PDST (Professional Development Service for Teachers) to encourage the use of technology in language learning. He takes great pride in giving students a ‘grá’ for the language and engaging them. He is very much aware of the challenges students face when learning the language, and is confident in his ability to equip students with the tools and confidence they need to excel in the language.

Darran is a great teacher, his love for the Irish language is contagious. I really enjoyed this year, he made the syllabus enjoyable to learn.
Rachel Warren, Irish for Primary Teaching

Darran Is A Really Good Teacher. He Explained Everything So Well And The Classes Were So Much Fun. If I Had Had A Teacher Like Darran In School, I Would Have Enjoyed Learning The Irish Language.
Shelia Coyle, Irish for Primary Teaching

MA French & German, Oxford University, PGCE from UCL

Cindy has lived and worked in France, Germany, and Switzerland. She strongly feels that the value of learning of foreign language cannot be underestimated and that it is not only a means to an end, but a wonderful opportunity to expand one’s horizons in terms of both thinking about and seeing the world from a different perspective. Cindy particularly enjoys helping students to get to grips with grammatical concepts, as this fosters precision and clarity of expression and is ultimately very rewarding.

Cindy encourages students to understand that memorisation skills, intuition and self-confidence are elements of language learning which students can bring with them and apply to all the challenges of the Leaving Certificate. With the excellent resources and sample answers available at Ashfield, Cindy believes that every student can become a polished linguist within the time frame and achieve great results.

MA in Translation Studies, Spanish H Dip, Bachelor of Arts

After qualifying as a Secondary School teacher in Spain, Jose moved to Ireland where he has been teaching Spanish. He has been teaching Spanish for almost 20 years. After completing an MA in Translation Studies (DCU, 2005), he taught in DIT, UCD and Instituto Cervantes (where he is also an official examiner).

Jose has been teaching at secondary level since 2008 and he really enjoys teaching at this level. It gives him the opportunity to help young adults to discover the importance of languages and to find their way into a suitable Third Level programme and a professional career.

B.A (Hons) Art and Design Education, NCAD. Cert. Adult and Community Education, NUIM. H.Dip Arts in Drama Education, Griffith College. M.Ed Drama in Education, TCD. Professional Certificate for Entrepreneurial Educators, UCD

Sarah creates a classroom environment which promotes opportunities for creative thinking, discussion, and practical experimentation. Her classes balance such skill development with constant exam focus. An experienced teacher, Sarah has provided guidance across a wide range of educational settings in primary, post-primary, post-Leaving Certificate, and third level settings.

As well as teaching in Ashfield College, Sarah has worked as a teacher/researcher with the Asperger’s Syndrome Association of Ireland (ASPIRE) in conjunction with Trinity College, Dublin (TCD). She is also involved in a range of studies conducted by the School of Education in TCD. She has presented her research materials at national and international conferences and has a particular interest in the areas of ‘readiness to learn’, ‘student self-direction skill set development’ and ‘arts education’.

BSc Ed

Niamh obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science, Biology, and Chemistry with concurrent teacher education from the University of Limerick. She has written several revision articles for the Farmers’ Journal newspaper as part of their weekly Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science education supplement.

Niamh feels that science-based subjects enrich a student’s educational experience, as they are diverse and rewarding subject areas with real-life applications. Thus, Niamh sees her job as a dual responsibility: both to the development of each student’s scientific literacy, and the nurturing of the students as future scientists.

Daniela Vargiu is a qualified Italian language teacher and educational pedagogical specialist based in the Dublin area. She has a BA and MA degrees in Foreign Languages and Literature. Daniela specialises in the English and Italian languages. She has a CELTA Certificate to teach English, and she has a Waldorf Steiner qualification. Daniela is an incredibly passionate person about languages and culture; she has been teaching the Italian language in Ashfield College since 2018.

BSc, Barrister

Eoghan Casey is a highly accomplished Barrister-at-Law with a First Class Honours Degree in Mathematical Science. His academic excellence was demonstrated when he achieved the highest score in the country in Leaving Cert Honours Maths.

Eoghan brings a wealth of teaching experience from both secondary and university levels, making him uniquely qualified to guide students through complex mathematical concepts.

He also has over four years of experience in the finance sector, where he excelled in roles that demand strong aptitude in puzzle-type exams and performance-based interviews. His expertise in these areas equips students with the skills they need to succeed academically and professionally.

BSc Mathematics, Applied Mathematics & Education, MSc Mathematics, Applied Mathematics & Education (UCD)

Róisín is passionate about helping students develop confidence and independence in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. She places a strong emphasis on clear explanation, structured problem-solving and developing a deep understanding of the underlying principles of each topic.

With a particular focus on Leaving Certificate Applied Mathematics, Róisín aims to make the subject accessible and engaging while equipping students with the analytical skills, problem-solving strategies and exam techniques required to achieve their full potential.

Her students have achieved outstanding results in the Leaving Certificate Applied Mathematics examination, with a number of past students achieving 100%. Róisín is committed to supporting every student, whether they are aiming for the highest grades or looking to build their confidence and strengthen their understanding of the subject.

She believes that mathematics provides students with valuable opportunities to develop creativity, resilience and problem-solving skills. Róisín strives to create a supportive and challenging environment where students are encouraged to think critically, embrace new challenges and achieve their academic goals.

Dr. Acharya is a researcher and educator specialising in data-driven systems and real-time
AI applications. He has taught across a wide range of programmes, including Computer
Science, Programming for Data Analytics, Object-Oriented Constructs in Java, Server-Side
Programming with Node.js, Java programming labs for IT, Web Development for the HDip,
and Statistics for Data Analytics in the Business Department. His teaching combines solid
theory with hands-on, industry-aligned problem-solving.

He has held two postdoctoral research posts. The most recent focused on real-time AI that
combines computer vision with data analytics, supporting intelligent systems and
automated decision-making. His earlier post focused on industrial heating systems, where
he built predictive models for energy optimisation and load forecasting to improve
efficiency and sustainability.

His expertise includes machine learning, time-series forecasting, computer vision and
applied data science, and he continues interdisciplinary research linking AI with industry
applications.

Publications

• Acharya, S.K, Lee, J. Multi-Household Load forecasting based on Convolution
Neural Network Using Moment Information and Data Augmentation. Energies 2024,
17(4), 902.
• Acharya, S.K.; Wi, Y.-M.; Lee, J. Short-term Load forecasting for a single household
based on convolution neural networks using data augmentation. Energies 2019,
12(18), 3560
• Acharya, S.K.; Wi, Y.-M.; Lee, J. Weather Data Mixing Models for Day-Ahead PV
Forecasting in Small-Scale PV plants. Energies 2021, 14(11), 2998.
• Acharya, S.K.; Wi, Y.-M.; Lee, J. Day-Ahead Forecasting for Small-Scale Photovoltaic
Power Based on Similar Day Detection with Selective Weather Variables. Electronics
2020, 9(7), 1117.
• Acharya, S.K.; Thapa, P. Lee, Y.; Lee, S.-R. Channel Capacity Improvement
Technique based on Spectrum sharing for AMI networks. Far East Journal of
Electronics and Communications 2017, 4, 833-837