Reflections on the TTCT Teacher Training Course in Dublin

Each summer, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann brings together teachers and musicians from across Ireland, the UK and beyond for the Teastas i dTeagasc Ceolta Tíre (TTCT) Teacher Training — an intensive, one‑week residential programme designed to equip educators with the skills, confidence and methodology needed to teach Irish traditional music to the highest standards. The course combines expert-led lectures, supervised teaching practice, and peer discussions, all rooted in the tradition and pedagogy of Irish music education. With over 800 graduates worldwide since its establishment in 1980, TTCT alumni include teachers, adjudicators, presenters and leaders in community music education.

We hear from two past course participants — 2025 scholarship recipient Jennie Nolan and musician and teacher Paddy Callaghan — who reflect on their experience of TTCT in Dublin and how it has shaped their teaching, confidence and musical insight.

Immersed in Community, Culture & Learning

For Jennie Nolan, attending the TTCT course in July 2025 was more than a training programme — it was a chance to connect with kindred spirits. She enjoyed meeting fellow students, all teachers and musicians from across Ireland, and values the opportunity to share ideas and practices in both lectures and small group tutorials. The course’s atmosphere of collaboration and mutual learning helped Jennie feel she was truly in the right place — surrounded by others as passionate about Irish traditional music and education as she is.

Having studied music at degree level with exposure to a broad range of genres and disciplines, Jennie found studying Irish Traditional Music in depth deeply fulfilling, saying it gave her a profound sense of being in the right “world”.

Paddy Callaghan — who attended the course twice (first as a participant in 2018 and later as a member of the teaching staff in 2019) — emphasises the camaraderie among participants. The week is intense, with full days of lectures and practice, tutorial teaching in the evenings and continual study encouraged — but it’s the connections and shared moments that made it feel manageable and inspiring.

Highlights from the Lectures

The strength of the TTCT isn’t just its duration — it’s the quality of its content. The course includes comprehensive lectures on the historical, theoretical and practical aspects of Irish traditional music, alongside modules on teaching methodology, aural development, instrumental techniques, repertoire choices, class planning, special educational needs, and the use of the SCT syllabus as a teaching tool.

One lecture that both Jennie and Paddy highlight is Steve Cooney’s session on accompaniment and harmony. Jennie appreciated his unique award-winning system, which offered a fresh lens on music theory specifically tailored to Irish tradition. Paddy found the theoretical insights “absolutely brilliant.”

Paddy also recalls being enriched by Brian Fitzgerald’s presentation on the banjo, which expanded his understanding of an instrument he had previously limited experience with. Other sessions — from teaching methodologies to SEN teaching and instrument-specific talks — resonated strongly with Jennie, too.

How TTCT Transforms Teaching

Both educators found that TTCT had a lasting impact on their approach to teaching.

For Jennie, the course gave her confidence to prioritise and strengthen aural skills in her teaching. She also adopted the structured approach of the SCT exam formats, finding that they support a clear, step-by-step progression in her lesson planning.

Paddy describes his experience as a series of small yet powerful tweaks to his teaching style. These might seem minor in isolation, but cumulatively they transformed how he teaches. The course reaffirmed what he was already doing well and offered new techniques that made teaching feel more enjoyable and effective. He even says that it helped him “like teaching in a way that wasn’t really there before.”

Opportunities Beyond the Course

The benefits of TTCT extend far beyond the week in Dublin. Jennie has used her experience to build links with other teachers and branches, sharing practices, ideas and resources and advocating for the SCT syllabus in her local teaching community.

For Paddy, TTCT was a springboard into new professional roles. He now works as a part-time lecturer on the Traditional Music course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and has taught at a Music Generation residential music week in County Carlow — opportunities he might not have pursued without the confidence and insights gained from TTCT.

Why the TTCT Matters

The TTCT Teacher Training Course isn’t just about earning a diploma — it’s about developing musical educators who can nurture the next generation of traditional musicians. Through structured lecture content, supervised teaching practice and a supportive community of peers and tutors, participants are equipped to deliver high-quality music education in branches, schools, community settings and beyond.

For Jennie and Paddy — and the hundreds of teachers who have gone before them — TTCT has been a career-defining experience that deepens both musical understanding and teaching confidence.

Apply for the Caroline Judge Fegan TTCT Scholarship 2026

Comhaltas in Britain is proud to launch the fifth successive Caroline Judge Fegan TTCT Scholarship, awarded each year to one teacher of traditional Irish music from Britain. The scholarship covers the cost of the residential TTCT course, along with a contribution towards travel.

Eligibility & Application:

• Applicants must be over 21 years of age.

• To be eligible for the scholarship, you must apply to the TTCT course directly first: TTCT Application Form

• Deadline for TTCT course applications: 31st January 2026

• Deadline for scholarship applications: 10pm on Sunday 1st February 2026

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Don’t leave it to the last minute! Make sure you submit both your TTCT course application and scholarship application on time to be considered.

Full details of the scholarship and the TTCT course can be found on our Education page: Comhaltas Education – TTCT Scholarship

This is an incredible opportunity for teachers to gain the same transformative experience Jennie and Paddy describe, while building confidence, knowledge, and connections in the world of traditional Irish music education.