This paper charts the development of one of Ireland's first comprehensive schools located in Carraroe in County Galway. Through a systematic, historical analysis of Department of Education and diocesan correspondence, this article provides a unique insight into how official policy was reconciled at ground level. The analysis exposes the ambiguity…

This edited book explores the origins and evolution of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) system on the island of Ireland since the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1921. While the book acknowledges and celebrates the role of parents in caring for and educating their young children within the home, the key focus is on the…

Reviewing the historiography of education provides insights into both the past and present of this growing area of research across the UK and Ireland. In the nineteenth century research reveals a close association with national identities. These were often Whig histories that celebrated the present and emphasised the progressive nature of…

The teaching of sick children in hospital is an often overlooked aspect of Ireland's national education system. Prior to the 1970s, there was hardly any formal structure in place for this type of schooling in the country, despite the fact that many children could be inpatients for weeks or months at a time. In 1980, a report, published by the…

This paper discusses the emergence of assessment for learning (AfL) across the globe with particular attention given to Western educational jurisdictions. Authors from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, and the USA explain the genesis of AfL, its evolution and impact on school systems, and discuss current trends in policy…

This article is an account of the actions and achievements, i.e. the "contribution", of the Ireland Province of the Vincentian Congregation, known officially as "the Congregation of the Mission", in respect of Catholic education in Ireland and England. The approach is, first, to outline the motives and intentions of the…

This article considers the conceptualization of physical education as a Leaving Certificate Examination subject and the place of physical education in a liberal education. Special attention is given to the conceptual evolution of physical education and its intrinsic educational values and to the developments in the idea of a liberal education over…

This piece concerns the relationship between Ireland and the United Kingdom over the course of some 170-180 years from the early/mid-1800s to the present. It is argued that, despite the expectations of nationalists such as Timothy Corcoran, writing in the immediate aftermath of independence, to whom it seemed both desirable and inevitable that…

Beginning with a historical review of Irish education policy since the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, this paper focuses on the issue of investment in education through the lens of the "Investment in Education" report. Following this historical review, the author explores how the legacy of the past continues to define the…

The upgrading of higher technical education which began in the 1960s marked the most influential intervention by the Irish government in the third-level sector since the establishment of the independent Irish state. A series of reforming initiatives extended educational opportunity and transformed the status of technical education at higher level.…

This essay argues for the development of a research agenda on the comparative history of Catholic education internationally from the nineteenth century to the present. This requires, in the first instance, the production of a series of individual-country case studies, concentrating on relations between the Catholic Church and the particular state…

The Transition Year (TY) programme is an optional, one-year, stand-alone, full-time programme offered in 75% of second-level schools in the Republic of Ireland. Aimed at those in the 15-16 age group, TY has a strong focus on personal and social development and on education for active citizenship. The implementation of TY in schools is seen as a…

This monograph describes the various approaches to vocational training in Ireland. The report was compiled from existing statistics, various studies, and interviews with representatives of all the organizations, colleges, companies, and institutes involved in vocational training. Section 1 provides background information on political structures,…

This publication examines the educational system of Ireland. It discusses the system's legal basis in the Irish Constitution, structure, attendance requirements, primary and secondary school programs, teacher education, special education programs for the physically and mentally handicapped, vocational schools, religious and community schools,…

Teachers in Ireland fear that benchmarking in the context of the present review of pay and conditions for all public service workers camouflages a shift of concern away from the development of the individual student to concern for the quality of the educational process provided by schools. A recent dispute between secondary teachers and the Irish…