Shirley Higgins is a choirmaster and teacher and has recently been honoured by Dublin City Council for her work.
The Home Economics and Science teacher at Holy Family School for the Deaf in Cabra spoke with Ryan Tubridy about her career, and how exactly she helps her students to perform.
"Students come in here in Post Primary at half 8 in the morning, throw down their schoolbags, stand in front of me shouting, and sign music. And it is beautiful to see"
Shirley says that while her students are very much normal teenagers, their performances as a choir are special.
"I think the difference with the choir that I have is… us as hearing people we just listen to music and we don't think anything about it, but because you're translating it in to Irish Sign Language, you have to look at the meaning behind all the words before you can translate it."
To listen back to the Ryan Tubridy Show, click here.