Welcome to Shannon Academy of English
A warm welcome awaits at Shannon Academy of English, your home away from home! Situated in Athlone, a vibrant town in the heart of Ireland, Shannon Academy of English provides quality programmes in a safe and enjoyable environment. Shannon Academy of English was established in 2001 by school director Caoimhe O’Connell. What started as an English language summer school for Spanish and French students has since grown and developed into a year-round, multicultural establishment offering several innovative programmes.
Our Ethos
From the beginning, our ethos has been built on developing strong relationships with agencies, students and host families. Students are integrated not only into the school and their programme, but into the community as a whole, becoming immersed in Irish culture and developing friendships that will last a lifetime. The experience is spoken of with great enthusiasm by all students who have taken courses with Shannon Academy of English here in Athlone. What makes this experience unique is the warm family welcome and safe environment, with staff on call 24/7 to support students and host families. Today, Shannon Academy of English welcomes students from all over the world to participate in its year-round programmes, which can be tailored to suit individual or group requirements. These include a Summer Programme, Academic Programme, Cultural Stay Programme and Work Placement Programme.
Meet our Team
Caoimhe O’Connell - School Director
Caoimhe O’Connell has been working in the educational tourism industry since the age of 15. She started her career as a student activity coordinator and progressed quickly from there to become school director. She went on to establish Shannon Academy in Athlone in 2001. Caoimhe’s academic background is Applied Social Studies. She has experience in a variety of roles as a youth worker and social care worker with teenagers. Coming from a family of 6 children and having children of her own, family and community are very important to her. This familial ethos permeates throughout Shannon Academy.
Carmel Gilligan - International Intern Co-Ordinator
Carmel’s main role is acting as a liaison between the Interns and the companies that they complete their work placement with. She arranges the interns placement and during their stay here, she is regularly in touch with them to ensure they have the best possible experience with us. Carmel also conducts our home family visits for new families who come on board with us.
Claire O’Connell - Financial Controller
Claire has been part of the Shannon Academy family for many years in many guises. She has worked in various departments and has also hosted students. Claire has lived and worked in many countries and brings her knowledge and experience in hospitality, business and HR to our team. Claire enjoys travelling and loves to cook.
Yvonne Dalton - Host family liaison
Yvonne has been part of Shannon Academy since 2022. She acts as a liaison between the host families and the students. She places the students with host families and is a point of contact for any new host families who wish to begin hosting for us. Yvonne also hosts students herself and has been a fantastic addition to the team.
Claire
Caoimhe O’Connell has been working in the educational tourism industry since the age of 15. She started her career as a student activity co-ordinator and progressed quickly from there to becoming school director. She went on to establish Shannon Academy of English in Athlone in 2001. Caoimhe’s academic background is in Applied Social Studies, and she has experience in a variety of roles as a youth worker and a social care assistant with teenagers. Coming from a family of six children, and having children of her own, family and community are very important to her. This familial ethos permeates throughout Shannon Academy.
Carmel
Caoimhe O’Connell has been working in the educational tourism industry since the age of 15. She started her career as a student activity co-ordinator and progressed quickly from there to becoming school director. She went on to establish Shannon Academy of English in Athlone in 2001. Caoimhe’s academic background is in Applied Social Studies, and she has experience in a variety of roles as a youth worker and a social care assistant with teenagers. Coming from a family of six children, and having children of her own, family and community are very important to her. This familial ethos permeates throughout Shannon Academy.
Oisín
Caoimhe O’Connell has been working in the educational tourism industry since the age of 15. She started her career as a student activity co-ordinator and progressed quickly from there to becoming school director. She went on to establish Shannon Academy of English in Athlone in 2001. Caoimhe’s academic background is in Applied Social Studies, and she has experience in a variety of roles as a youth worker and a social care assistant with teenagers. Coming from a family of six children, and having children of her own, family and community are very important to her. This familial ethos permeates throughout Shannon Academy.