About Us

At Tír na nÓg Huntstown and Hartstown we have a wonderful team of highly qualified and dedicated early years professionals. With a combination of years of experience and regular updated training, we can promise that your child will receive the highest quality of care and education. Many of our staff have been with us for over 15 years and the newer staff greatly benefit from their experience and wisdom. While our newly qualified staff bring fresh ideas to the team, which gives us an important representation of both maturity and youth.

We have a remarkably low turnover of staff. When we are recruiting, we carefully select employees for their warm interaction and relationship with children. We have an ongoing internal training programme, designed to update our skills and keep us informed of the latest developments in Early Childhood Care and Education.

Our work environment is relaxed, friendly and happy, while always maintaining a professional air. The staff know they always have the support of management and as a team they look out for each other.

Vera Baker | Director

Vera is a director at NV KELA Enterprises and co-owner of Tír na nÓg Huntstown and Tír na nÓg Hartstown. She began her career in early years over 25 years ago and also has a background in business. Vera, along with her business partner Niamh, opened the Huntstown branch in 1996 and purchased the Hartstown branch in 2019. Having a working background in both business and childcare has been a huge advantage in running and growing Tír na nÓg. Vera is the Director General.

Vera says

“While I don’t any teach any more, I do love to visit the classrooms whenever I can. Truthfully, it is to get my fix of hugs, but it’s also very important from a leadership stance, to keep in touch with the day-to-day happenings and to have firsthand classroom experience. Our managers and team are fantastic and do an amazing job of looking after the children’s and parent’s needs. I look after the teams needs and offer support and advice when needed. “

Niamh Fisher | Director

Niamh Fisher is a director at NV KELA Enterprises Ltd and co-owner of Tír na nÓg Huntstown and Tír na nÓg Hartstown. Niamh began her career in early years education over 25 years ago, in the same creche where she first worked with Vera Baker. They quickly became friends and realised their ethos and philosophy were very similar which prompted them to become business partners and open their first creche in 1996. Niamh is the Financial Director.

Niamh says

“I am very proud of the two creches that Vera and I run. We have successfully been looking after the early education and care of children in Dublin 15 of over 25 years. We have survived recessions, upturns, downturns and a pandemic. Our original philosophy has never wavered, and our dedication to providing the highest quality of care, is as important to us today as it was in 1996.”

Our team’s Qualifications include:

Early Childhood Care and Education
Montessori Teaching
Child Protection
Children First
Early Intervention
Children With Additional Needs
Link Programme/Aim Coordinators
Síolta/Aistear Curriculum National Framework
Paediatric And Emergency First Aid
Fire Safety
Manual Handling
Haacap/ Food Safety
Elklan Speech And Language Support 3 – 5 Years
Parent’s Plus Early Years Classroom Management Programme
Behaviour Management
First Responder Training
NCN Training for School Age Services
The Role of Quality Lead Person
Developing Language Skills
Partnership with Parents
Musical Expression of the Childhood Stage
Effective Pedagogy

Huntstown Team

Emer Madigan

Emer has been working at Tír na n Og Huntstown from the beginning. She is a qualified Montessori teacher and Early Years professional. Emer is a lead educator of the Full-day care children. Emer has dedicated her career to Early Years and to Tír na nÓg. She has the same energy and enthusiasm today as she had when she first began working with us.

Elaine O'Toole

Elaine has worked with us for over 15 years. She is qualified in Early Years Care and Education. Elaine is our senior relief leader. Elaine has a practical approach and brings wisdom and experience to our team.

Aisling Kearney

Aisling Kearney is the manager in the Huntstown branch. She began her career in childcare with us in 2006, at Tír na nÓg, and has experience of working with both early years and school age children. She has played an integral part in changing curriculums, policies and enforcing regulations.

Aisling is also one of our AIM co-ordinators. The AIM programme supports children with additional needs, to fully participate in the ECCE programme.

Aisling Oakes

Aisling Oakes began her career at Tír na nÓg on a work placement. Once she qualified, we immediately offered her a position. Aisling has continued her studies in Early Years Care and Education and is a Level 7 graduate. Aisling has a gentle approach, and provides the children with freedom to develop inner direction and self-regulation.

Rebecca Keogh

Rebecca works with the full time Early Years children. She has recently upskilled to Level 6 in Early Years Care and Education. Rebecca brings fresh ideas and the most recent early years teachings to the team.

Natalia Climus

Natalia is our Additional/Special Needs Assistant. She assists in the part-time ECCE group, and is a great support to both the children and the team. She plays an integral role in meeting the individual needs of the children in her care. Natalia speaks several languages, which is an asset in our culturally diverse setting, and a great help with translating for parents who have a difficulty with English.

Aline Lopas

Aline has a level 8 graduate degree and works with the part-time ECCE children in the mornings and with the Afterschool children in the afternoons. Aline is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and English, which, like Natalia, is a fantastic asset within our service, both for translating for parents and also introducing spoken Spanish and Portuguese to the children.

Linda Murray

Linda is qualified in Early Years Care and Education and is a perpetual student. Not a week passes without Linda completing a course that will benefit the children and the team. Linda is a lead educator in the Part-time ECCE room. She is the mentor for the teams, for implementing our Child Led, Emergent Curriculum. Linda is also an AIM co-ordinator and works with Aisling Kearney to support children attending our creche, who have additional/special needs.

Kimberely Berne

Kimberely is a lead educator with our Afterschool Club and is also relief for the Early Years groups. She enjoys the variety involved in working with different age groups and rises to the challenge. Kimberely has a very calm and happy nature, and the children respond very positively to her.

Jorge Ortega Santana

Jorge has a graduate degree in primary education, specialising in children’s sports. Jorge is a lead teacher with our Afterschool Children. He organises activities which help this lively group to burn off their extra energy. Jorge has added to the diversity and inclusiveness we strive for within our team.

Hartstown Team

Julia Sanchez

Julia is a qualified level 8 graduate in primary education, specialising in Musical Expression of the Childhood Stage. She works in our full-time classroom as a lead teacher. Her qualification and her fluency in Spanish bring diversity and new experiences to the children in her care.

Miriam McIlkenny

Miriam is co-manager of Tír na nÓg Hartstown, along with Lauren Gallagher. Miriam has worked with us since we took over the Hartstown branch, and she has over 12 years’ experience in Early Years. Her practical attitude and natural leadership qualities bring harmony and order to Hartstown.

Lindsay Moran

Lindsay began her career at Tír na nÓg on a work placement, and we were very happy to offer her a full-time role, once she qualified. Lindsay is a lead educator in our full-time classroom. Lindsay is dedicated and leads her group with confidence and positivity.

Alannah Gammage

Allanah is continuing her studies. She currently has a level 7 degree and will qualify with a level 8 honours degree later this year. She is our relief team member and finds that hands on practical classroom experience is very helpful with her studies.

Shauna O'Neill

Shauna works primarily with our Afterschool group. She has an easy-going nature and a sunny attitude which this age group respond positively to.

Rachel Doyle

Rachel began her career with us in Tír na nÓg Huntstown, and is now a lead educator in our part-time ECCE group, in the mornings, and a lead teacher with our Afterschool group, in the afternoons, in our Hartstown branch. Rachel has a level 6 qualification in Early Years and is extending her qualifications at the moment, studying to become our AIM coordinator in Hartstown. The AIM programme supports children with additional needs, to fully participate in the ECCE programme.

Lauren Gallagher

Lauren co-manages Tír na nÓg Hartstown with Miriam McIlkenny. Lauren is a level 8 graduate and has exceptional organisational skills, imperative for running the office. Lauren also steps into the full-time group to cover days off. She enjoys her dual role, and feels it’s important for her to continue practicing her classroom skills.

Debora Mocco

Debora is a level 8 graduate in Early Years Care and Education. She is a lead educator in our part-time ECCE group. Recently graduated, Debora has fantastic knowledge of the child led, emergent interests, curriculum that we recently introduced. She has many years’ experience in childcare, along with the most recent teachings.

What Our Families are Saying

“After a bad experience with another playschool I found Tír na nÓg and Emer. From day one she has been professional, caring, honest and kind. My son skips into see her every morning and I have great peace of mind knowing that he is being well looked after. He has come on leaps and bounds and is ready to start Big School in September. We will miss Emer and all the staff in Tír na nÓg. I can’t recommend them highly enough.” Donna

“Elaine’s experience and no-nonsense approach meant I was secure leaving my very precious child in her care. Before leaving him in Tír na nÓg on my return to work I hadn’t spent much time away from him at all. Elaine is a fantastic source of advice for any childcare topic you could mention” Elizabeth

“My son Cal has been attending Tír na nÓg for nearly two years now and from the moment he stepped in the doors I knew I made the right choice. Aisling has been Cal’s AIM support key worker for almost a year now as Cal has a diagnosis of Autism. I am very confident in saying Aisling has made a huge impact on Cal’s development over this time. It is very clear to me to see the passion she has working with children. Aisling has also linked in with Cal’s early intervention team implementing their strategy’s in the school setting which has been amazing. No words could be enough for what she has done for my son over the past year and I’m excited to see what unfolds over the next year.” Aoife and Cal

“I am very happy with choosing Tír na nÓg for my daughter. All the staff is nice and always with a big smile on their faces. Aisling is being so nice, so patient and supportive with Ema’s potty training. Gave me ideas of how to encourage my daughter at home and we are on the right way. I hear Ema singing at home different songs and she already knows the Alphabet. And it is all Aislings ‘fault’! For peace of mind, as a parent, make the right choice for your child!” Ani

“My daughter Ilinca attends the second year of creche. She loves her teachers and colleagues, and for me if she likes them and feels good, I am happy too. She learns new things every day, she is enthusiastic about activities. For this reason, I’m opting for afterschool next year. Thank you for your care and involvement in training our children as personalities in the future.”

“I cannot rate Tir na nÓg highly enough. My daughter loves it here. The staff are so kind, caring and understanding. Tír na nÓg is like a home from home for the children. The creche is a lovely size which adds to the home from home feeling.” Aisling Stapleton

“The staff and management are excellent and really care about the children. This is an excellent pre-school.” Karen Cleary

“I highly recommend Tir na nÓg, my daughter attended this creche years ago and she is still talking about it. My son is attending the setting at the moment and he is always happy there. As a parent I feel that it is very important to choose a setting where our children feel valued, cared and loved and I know that in Tir na nÓg the staff is absolutely brilliant.” Debora Mocco

“The joy and excitement of learning that Linda brings to the classroom is evident to us when our daughter returns home each day. Our daughter loves to tell us about all the new things she has learned or when Linda has complimented her on helping out in the classroom or doing a task well. What Linda says to the children stays with them and it benefits them greatly, their confidence continually grows as does their interest in learning. A sign of a good teacher is that they can instil a love of learning into the children, Linda does this on a daily basis. She is a great addition to the team at Tír na nÓg. Emma

“Miriam is fun, enthusiastic, uplifting and always ready with a smile. She has cared for our children over the years with great compassion, kindness and patience. They always speak fondly of her. She has played a central role in the development of our children’s growth and self esteem. ” Keith and Amanda

“Tommy looks forward to going to Tír na nÓg and seeing Lindsay and all his friends every day. We feel very confident and comfortable leaving Tommy in Lindsay’s care each day.” Kathleen

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