As founder of Avenue’s Consultancy and Coaching firm, Ingrid works with organisations who want to foster an environment that allows them to recruit, retain and nurture a diverse workforce, and provides engaging, practical and strategic content aimed at sustainable change. She is one of 60 CSL approved and recommended coaches working with Principals and Deputy Principals around the country. She talks to us today about this process and the benefits of it to school teachers and leaders. https://www.cslireland.ie/coaching-for-principals.html https://avenues.ie/
Dr. Clara is a Chartered Psychologist with the Psychology Society of Ireland, (PSI) and the British Psychology Society, (BPS)Dr. Clara has over 25 years of experience of working in disability and special education settings. Past experiences include work in residential settings for adults with IntellectualDisability, Special schools and alternative education provision settings for ‘at risk’ youths. Additionally, Dr. Clara was an NCSE advisor, (Behavior and Well-being) for over 5 years. Her personal experiences navigating her way through neurodivergence, physical disability, chronic illness and additional educational needs, deepened her understanding of how complex and frustrating this new world can seem to parents. Her services include parent support consults, Teen coaching for confidence, anxiety, neurodivergence, Post diagnosis support for Autistic teens and adults, ADHD Parent Coaching, Supporting Neurodiverse families, Promoting Well-being and Mental Fitness and Coaching for Health & Well-being. Link to the book she has contributed to: https://www.otb.ie/shop/speech-language-therapists/books-manuals-slt/it-takes-all-kinds-of-minds/Link to her website: https://claraobyrne.ie/
Coran Swayne is an administrative Deputy Principal in East Cork Community Special School and a lecturer in Educational Leadership and Coaching in Education at University College Cork. He is currently completing a PhD on coaching cultures in primary schools, exploring how leadership, teachers, and policy shape this work across Ireland, England, and Michigan. His article, “Cultivating Coaching Cultures in Schools: Insights from School Leaders” has been recently published in the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education (IJMCE) Link to article: 'Cultivating coaching cultures in schools: insights from school leaders'Coran Swayne and Joseph MoynihanSchool of Education, University College Cork, Cork, Irelandhttps://www.emerald.com/ijmce/article-pdf/doi/10.1108/IJMCE-01-2025-0008/10764836/ijmce-01-2025-0008en.pdfLink to Summer course Coran offers:https://summercpd.ie/courses/coaching-conversations/
Joseph A. Moynihan, PhD is currently Director of both the Educational Leadership and the new Coaching in Education Post Graduate programmes, UCC. He is a lecturer in Education in the School of Education at University College Cork, Ireland. He is a lecturer in Initial Teacher Education on the Professional Master of Education (PME) programme and delivers modules on the Masters in Education (M.Ed.) modular programme where he has developed a series of new Educational Leadership modules to meet the significant demand for study in this area at UCC. Joseph supervises research students at Masters and PhD level. He brings us through his own leadership journey and his passion for moving forward is inspirational. Below is a link to his new course of which is is Director. https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-moynihan-phd-77015750/?originalSubdomain=iehttps://www.ucc.ie/en/ace-pdce/
Marie Sheehan has been Deputy Principal of Coláiste an Chroí Naofa, Carraig na bhFear in Cork for 8 years and is currently on career break. She is an accredited coach with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and is the ownerand founder of Clochán Coaching & Education Consultancy. Marie works with teams and individuals in the area of supporting teachers and school leaders to develop their sense of agency and their capacity to lead well. She talks about her own decision to take a career break, what people need to consider and the value of coaching to provide the tools and space to act with confidence and direction. http://www.mariesheehan.ie/@clochan_coaching
Colette Crowley has just attained a principal position for September in Carriganima National School in Cork. She had been a Deputy Principal for four years and loved the school but really had a desire to progress in her career. She talks about her cancer diagnosis in college and her awareness of both grabbing and creating every opportunity that you want as life is short. Her story is inspiring.
Angela Cummins is known to me from her Instagram account SpecialedteacherIreland. She is a special education teacher based in Dublin for over 20 years. She discusses her own challenges in school, how she became the first in her family to go to college once she secured a loan for herself while simultaneously holding down multiple jobs, what getting an adult diagnosis of dyslexia was like and finally, she kindly shares her wisdom around opening an autism class. https://angelacummins.ie/https://www.instagram.com/angela_cummins2025?igsh=cmJ5bzhwcGo1eTFl
In this podcast, I compare notes with Emmet Ryan from St. Peter's Community School, Cork about how and why we set up a school podcast in our respective schools. We hope to inspire you to do the same! Below are links to our school website and links to our school podcasts. Emmet's school podcast:https://www.stpeters.ie/https://audio.com/st-peters-english/audio/zoom0016-lr-wedeve-1Emmet's email for advice:eryan@stpeters.ieAnn's school podcast :https://www.scoilchriostriportlaoise.ie/https://www.scoilchriostriportlaoise.ie/page/Transition-Year/48489/Index.htmlHow to set up podcast and sign up to Spotify for podcastershttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlLX2uwojfM
Debbie O’Neill is Principal of Scoil Eoin, Crumlin, Dublin, a special school which caters for pupils with Mild General Learning disabilities as well as some students presenting with a dual diagnosis of ASD, ADHD. Schools catering for children with mild general learning disabilities are being put under pressure by the government to change their classification. She talks about the impact on her and the students and the decision to engage with the media as a Principal. https://www.into.ie/app/uploads/2025/05/Circular_Letter_0039-2025_EN_final.pdf
Simon Lewis is the principal of Carlow Educate Together primary school, the only multidenominational primary school in the county, which he helped to set up. He is currently the only Irish primary school principal from an ethnic minority which we begin the podcast discussing. Simon’s podcast, If I were the Minister for Education, is another and one of the original education podcasts in Ireland Here we explore the Droichead Process which is currently under review.
MESO is an AI-powered educational platform currently being developed with Trinity College Dublin and Enterprise Ireland. The mission of its co-founders Chris Byrne and Brighid Hennessy is to transform education by creating tools that empower teachers and educational institutions while maintaining rigorous standards and curriculum alignment. It combines AI with curriculum requirements and planning templates to help teachers plan efficiently both long and short term. It also enables the creation of assessments based on the content you’ve been covering over a period of time. Website ( platform still under construction)https://mesolab.ai/Contact the founders:Chris Byrnehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-byrne-7799041a2/?originalSubdomain=ieCBYRNE19@tcd.ieBrighid Hennessyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/brigh%C3%ADd-hennessy-124a6728b/BRHENNES@tcd.ie
In this podcast, I dig deeper into The Agree to Agree project and its origins. This is a conversation we need to keep having to save the next generation from the threat that is overuse and inappropriate use of internet enabled devices. Dr Maureen Griffin is a forensic psychologist who specialized in the risk assessment of online sexual offenders. Maureen has worked with over 900 schools across Ireland, in addition to child protection agencies providing training on issues around online safety". Martin Maloney also joins me Martin was a Principal for 17 years and held that role in Clarecastle National School where The Agree to Agree Project was originally piloted in 2018. He is currently the director of the Clare Education Centre who proudly support the current project at the moment. https://www.mgmstraining.ie/agree-to-agree-projectClare Education Centrehttps://www.clareed.ie/articles-in-category-tree/10-programmes/797-agree-to-agree-project-2024-2025.htmlNavan Education Centrehttps://www.ecnavan.ie/index.php?option=com_eventbooking&view=event&id=2059Tralee Education Centrehttps://www.edcentretralee.ie/Minister for Education Helen McEntee acknowledges the project Feb 2025https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-02-25/400/
Dr Ciara Uí Chonduibh is Principal of St. Fiach’s National School in Ballinacree, Oldcastle, Co Meath. The school has just completed year one of a pilot scheme called, ‘Agree to Agree Scheme’ The Agree to Agree Project, which is supported by the Department of Education through Oide Technology in Education, aims to establish a school-specific agreement for the use of internet-enabled devices, creating a positive and unified norm for children's digital device use. It is facilitated by forensic psychologist Dr. Maureen Griffin of MGMS Training through Clare Education Centre. https://www.clareed.ie/articles-in-category-tree/10-programmes/797-agree-to-agree-project-2024-2025.htmlhttps://www.mgmstraining.ie/agree-to-agree-projecthttps://www.webwise.ie/
Paudie Moore, the Teacher’s Weight Loss coach returns for a second podcast. Since our first podcast, he reflects on what he has learned from working with teachers in the past year and how this information might help you make 2025 your best year yet! You can follow Paudie on Instagram, @thriving teachersacademy
A podcast showcasing the super creativity within the Irish education system at the moment. Recorded live at the event in Holy Family Schools, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, the sound quality reflects this. All viewpoints expressed are that of the individual's not necesarily The Teaching Council's. Links from some of the exhibits: https://smallschoolsproject.com/ https://aiteachingguru.com/ lgbtq@kinsalecommunityschool.ie https://twitter.com/ednip1?lang=en https://www.mic.ul.ie/ednip-2020?index=0 https://hiberniacollege.com/courses/
Conor Hayes is Teacher, Guidance Counsellor and holds an API role as Year Head. He is also co co-coordinator of TY, wellbeing and has been LCA coordinator in the past. He has a Diploma In Education Law from The Law society of Ireland and is currently undertaking a Master of Education in Leadership and Management in Maynooth. Conor works in The Abbey, Tipperary and is talking about his various roles and leadership journey to date and specifically the role of Guidance Counsellor. Courses: Guidance Counselling DCU https://www.dcu.ie/courses/postgraduate/institute-education/msc-guidance-counselling#:~:text=in%20Guidance%20Counselling%20is%20a,practice%20as%20a%20guidance%20counsellor. UL: https://www.ul.ie/gps/course/guidance-counselling-lifespan-development-ma Maynooth: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/courses/postgraduate-diploma-educational-guidance-counselling IGC: https://igc.ie/ Education Law: https://www.lawsociety.ie/news/legal-training-ezine/ezine-items/apply-for-the-in-depth-diploma-in-education-law
Dr. Ciara O' Donnell's specialisms are in the areas of curriculum, pedagogy and leadership but in particular teacher professional development . She has had a long and varied career in teacher CPD and As National Director of the PDST she led Ireland's first cross sectoral and multi disciplinary support service. She has worked in CPD since the early days and has lots of insights to share. In this episode, she will chat about the history of CPD, the quality of CPD provision for Irish teachers as well as how teachers' own approaches to CPD can play a key role also.
Dr. Ciara O' Donnell knows the new curriculum developments are a big ask for teachers.
Ever wonder where and when teacher CPD in Ireland began to take on a formal structure? Dr. Ciara O'Donnell explains it succinctly here.
Dr Ciara O'Donnell is back to explore a topic she has a wealth of experience in; teacher CPD.