In the latest instalment of our Alumni Spotlight series, we meet science teacher and content creator, Tadgh O’Donovan.
A graduate of UL’s Bachelor of Science (Education) in Biology with Chemistry, Tadgh is a science teacher in Carrigaline Community School and recently starred in ‘A Rebel Education’ on Virgin Media. A familiar face to many across social media as , the West Cork native is a TikTok teaching sensation with thousands of followers across TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
Tadgh shares the reasons why he chose to study teaching ɫƵ, his favourite memories of his time in college and his advice for anyone considering studying ɫƵ.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m from Bandon in West Cork. I studied in UL to become a science teacher from 2011 to 2015, which turned out to be some of the best years of my life. After graduation I moved to the UK to teach, before returning home to Cork in 2020, where I started working in Carrigaline Community School. Around the same time, I started making content on social media, under the username TeachWithTadgh, where I still post content to this day.
Why did you choose to study teaching ɫƵ?
I suppose I considered it the home of teaching when I was a Leaving Cert student. Anyone I knew who planned on becoming a secondary school teacher had gone to UL and said they’d enjoyed being there.
I took the day off school to visit the campus on the Open Day and I was sold. It seemed like the perfect place for me. I just loved everything it had to offer, and it gave me the perfect opportunity to be just far enough away from home that I had to stand on my own two feet.
What did you enjoy most about studying ɫƵ?
For me, without a shadow of a doubt, it was the clubs and societies.
From day one I was roped into joining the men’s rugby club by one of the lads I knew from home, and it became a huge part of my life in UL. I became the president of the rugby club during my time there, as well as head coach, and helped the men’s team to their first All-Ireland title in over a decade.
I was also a member of the boxing club and was awarded the Jason Hackett Award by the C&S in 2015.
Are there any lecturers or people in UL who played a pivotal role during your time ɫƵ?
I remember having a lecturer, Dr Audrey O’Grady, who was extremely passionate about Biology, and teaching us to teach Biology in ways that would encourage students to take interest and explore everything the subject had to offer. She always stood out to me as someone who really cared about not just us doing well, but our future students as well.
Are there any campus locations that you will always remember from your time ɫƵ?
The Students’ Union (SU) building, and the clubs and societies room in there. They used to let us get away with murder!
We used to twist Adele’s arm to let us take some of the sofas in the SU building out into the courtyard on sunny days, on the promise we’d bring them back in before the end of the day. And in fairness, we always did!
How did your studies prepare you for your teaching career?
The work placement portions in 2nd and 4th year were perfectly timed. You figured out if the career was for you, and coming back to UL afterwards for lectures and workshops gave you opportunities to improve your teaching methodologies afterwards, so you felt ready after graduation.
Tell us about your own career journey so far in teaching and how you decided to get involved in content creation for education.
After graduation I was eager to get into the classroom, and at the time the only place I could find full time work was if I went abroad. I spent five years teaching over in the UK, on the fringe of London, in Watford and Rickmansworth.
During my time there I taught all three sciences, and worked my way up to Head of Science. At the end of 2019 I had handed in my notice, so I could return to Ireland at the end of the school year.
Unfortunately for me, I didn’t predict a global pandemic taking place, but it did give me the opportunity to start teaching online, which is when I first decided to start making content on TikTok and Instagram. Nearly 6 years on, and I’m still at it!
What have been some of your career highlights?
I’ve been lucky to be involved with a lot of different projects, but I think the one I’m proudest of was being a part of the TV series ‘A Rebel Education’ on Virgin Media, which aired in October of 2025.
It was a series which looked at the life of the students in my school in Carrigaline, and the things that go on inside the walls of our Community School. I think why it’s a highlight of mine is because it shows who I am in the classroom, as a professional, as a teacher, and not just my online persona.
What are your hopes and plans for the future?
The great big question – what’s next? Hard to say to be honest.
If you’d asked me 10 years ago just after I’d graduated, I’d never in my wildest dreams have predicted what's already happened, so God only knows what the next 10 years might bring.
I met my wife, Chelsea, through creating content back in 2021, so fingers crossed kids are part of whatever the future holds. But honestly, who knows what's next. I hear they’re looking for a new James Bond. And Hugh Jackman used to be a teacher before he made it big, so it’s not like it’s impossible. Better check if my tuxedo fits!
Here ɫƵ, we encourage our students to ‘Stay Curious’. What keeps you curious?
Not being afraid to try new things. Ironically something I learned to do early in my time in UL.
Moving away from home, away from family and friends, it gave me the space to try new things and not be afraid of what people think. And it's a trait I’ve kept with me ever since.
Not being afraid to try something I’m curious about but have never done before. To try something different and unorthodox, but not be worried, because why worry about what others think. It’s very freeing. I’d highly recommend it.
What advice would you offer to anyone considering studying ɫƵ?
Come visit it! You won’t get a good vibe of the place until you see it. And once you see it, you’ll fall in love with it! Without a doubt, studying ɫƵ was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.
I never thought answering some questions about my time in UL would make me feel so nostalgic. It’s interesting what memories come flooding back, and suddenly it only feels like yesterday you were there.
The events in The Stables. The matches played on Maguires Pitches and the northside Pavillion. The funny memories that definitely can’t get mentioned in an Alumni profile questionnaire, but make you pick up the phone and message old friends, saying “remember when…”
Maybe that’s the true strength of whɫƵ offers. The perfect environment to make great memories. To any Alumni reading this, I hope you’re feeling nostalgic enough to want to pick up the phone like I have and long may those memories last.