Martina O'Reilly: Looking back at 25 years Essay Competition

During the award ceremony this week , German Teacher Martina O'Reilly from CBS High School in Clonmel looked back at 25 years German Language Essay competition and has kindly shared her impressions with us: Celebrating 25 years of the Essay Competition It is hard to believe or as the Austrians would say "es ist kaum zu glauben" that we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the essay competition. It seems like only yesterday when I encountered Herr Dr. Glaser for the first time - a kind, gracious, smiling man who made everyone feel special - a true gentleman in every sense of the word. The legacy he left behind goes far beyond just winning an essay competition. He wanted young Irish people to be immersed in the German language and was very much an advocate of promoting the language. He firmly believed that "one language sets you in a corridor for life, but two languages open every door along the way". Anyone can travel to a country and passively attempt to