All of the staff at D4E are committed to offering our students the best education during their stay. We inspire our students to work diligently to acquire as high a standard of English as possible.

Our experienced teaching staff are well trained and highly qualified in what they teach. They are up to date with the latest methods in teaching English as a foreign language and combine academic excellence with sensitivity and receptiveness to each student’s individual needs, talents and potential.

All D4E teachers are university graduates with qualifications in teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and are respected for their knowledge and professionalism.

Donal Donovan

Donal started his career in banking working in the Central Bank of Ireland for most of the seventies and eighties before holding senior positions in a number of private sector banks. Subsequently, he has worked in a number of countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa as a banking consultant on programmes for the International Monetary Fund and EU Commission. As a result, he has extensive international experience and an appreciation of the working practices and cultures in many different environments.

In 1992, together with Kathy Donovan, he founded Shandon Language Solutions which has evolved as a successful and well respected business.

In 2007 he founded D4E along with Kathy Donovan and Kevin Lawlor.

Kathy Donovan

Kathy, one of the founders of D4E, has over 20 years experience working the Language School Sector. She has worked for a number of leading language colleges in Ireland with particular responsibility for student accommodation and student welfare and has well established relationships with a large number of host families.

At the same time Kathy has been developing her own business, Shandon Language Solutions. SLS was established in 1992 to provide English language tuition for foreign students. In recent years, SLS has specialised in placing foreign students in Irish primary and secondary schools for either part or all of the academic year. In addition, SLS also provides programmes combining English language courses and work experience placements. SLS has established a high reputation in these fields and deals with students from over 20 different countries.

In 2009, together with Kevin Lawlor and Donal Donovan, she established Dublin for English.

Kevin Lawlor

Kevin graduated from University College Dublin in 1979 with a B Comm. One year later he received a Higher Diploma in Education from UCD. In 1996 he completed an honours Masters Degree in Business Studies.

Kevin has worked for over 30 years as a Business Teacher in Marian College and has been Deputy Principal of the school since 1999. He also worked part time as a Business Policy and Marketing Lecturer at LSB College (now Dublin Business School) from 1986 to 1998 and lectured part-time in Trinity College Dublin in Entrepreneurship from 1998 to 1999.

Kevin also maintains an active interest in sports. In his youth he was a member of Portarlington GAA club where he played Gaelic Football for a number of years. Subsequently he played and managed the Marian Celtic soccer team and was an active member of Dublin Mountain Golf Club for many years.

Throughout his time in Marian College he has coached Gaelic Football, Hurling, Soccer, Basketball and Rugby. He has also been a member of Bective Rangers Rugby Club for many years.

In 2009 he established Dublin for English with Kathy and Donal Donovan.

Audrey McNamara

Audrey has been Director of Studies for D4E since its foundation in 2009.

Prior to that she had extensive experience in the teaching of English as a foreign language having worked in a number of highly regarded English language schools. Audrey qualified as a TEFL teacher in 2005 and completed an MA in Irish Literature in 2007. 2011 saw Audrey getting a PhD in Drama. Since 2008 she has also been a tutor in English and Drama at University College Dublin.

Kelvin Leahy

Kelvin is a former Irish international back row forward who has also captained Leinster.

In addition to playing at the highest level of Irish & international rugby, Kelvin is also a very experience rugby coach. He has completed numerous IRFU coaching courses and coached players at all levels from mini rugby to adult seniors.

He is currently a teacher at St Michael’s College, a prestigious secondary school in south Dublin. Kelvin is the forwards coach to the St Michael’s Senior Cup Team which, this year, won the final of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup – the most important event in under 18s rugby in Ireland.

Kelvin has a special interest in rugby specific team building and his coaching sessions cater for players of all abilities and include individual skills, mini-unit skills, unit and team skills.

Kelvin’s approach is that rugby is a simple game that is often made too complicated. In addition to the game it is also about relaxation and enjoyment. With this in mind, the objective of D4E with Rugby is to provide all participants with an experience that will improve their skills on the rugby pitch and be, at the same time memorable, interesting and enjoyable.

Laurent Cauet

Laurent, who comes originally from France, is a full time volleyball coach with many years experience as both a player and a coach. He is currently Head Coach to the Irish Men’s National Team and has brought the team to represent Ireland in a number of international competitions.

Before coming to Ireland Laurent worked for four years as Coach for AS Saint Raphael (a women’s senior pro team from southern France) and for 3 years as Coach and General Manager of VBC Cambrai (a men’s senior pro team from northern France).

Jay Fazande

Jay, who was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, went to De La Salle High School. In his junior year the school was ranked 2nd in the country. Jay was named a Converse All-American (top 100 players in the US). After high school he then received a full scholarship to Fordham University in New York City where at his time of graduation Jay was the all-time assist leader and the university had the most victories in their history and went to the NCAA and NIT tournaments 3 out of the four years. By this time Jay was ranked 2nd in America in assist per game.

Upon graduating Jay was the made assistant basketball coach at the University for 2 years after which he became an assistant at Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy. After 3 years of coaching Jay returned back to playing basketball which brought him to Dublin, playing in the Super League for 6 years. Since retiring form playing Jay has been coaching all levels of basketball from 6 years to super league teams.