In light of the importance of effective communication in today‟s global, dynamic business world, accounting and business education programmes place considerable emphasis on the development of communication competencies among students. However, not all students appear to benefit as desired from communication skills development. Prior research has identified communication apprehension, or fear of communicating, as a major factor which inhibits an individual‟s willingness to communicate and his/her capability to develop effective communication skills. The purpose of this study is to explore communication apprehension, oral and written, among accounting and business students at an Irish Institute of Technology. The study is carried out using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The validity and reliability of two common apprehension instruments (Personal Report of Communication Apprehension and Written Communication Apprehension questionnaires) were confirmed for use in an Irish context and then used to obtain evidence on the levels of communication apprehension experienced by first year students. In the second phase of the study, 17 students with differing levels of apprehension were interviewed to look at the phenomenon through the lens of the student. The results are analysed and compared to other studies and the implications of the research are then presented.