Education Nation is a new podcast for 2026 brought to you by the Irish Catholic. Hosted by Nicky Cuddihy, we have lined up a host of fascinating guests who have intriguing stories to tell about their own career journeys and their role within the Irish education system. As we hear their stories, we hope that the podcast will help us develop a better understanding of the complexity and the richness and the diversity that make our education system so unique, and our schools and teachers so highly valued.
Catholic education is undergoing a significant period of change w/ Maeve Mahon
Catholic education is not a static idea, neither is it an abstract or ethereal pursuit. It is a participative, living tradition, and right now it is undergoing one of the most significant periods of change in its evolutionary story. The relentless revolution in information and communications technologies is gathering pace. The tectonic plates of education, family and society are shifting. As a result, the climate, culture and landscape of Catholic schools are all changing rapidly. When societies and cultures are changing, the first evidence will often be visible in the schools, they are the canaries in the coal mine.
And so, the challenges and impact of these many transformations are evident in the day-to-day life of our schools. They are keenly felt by those who lead, manage and govern Catholic education like our guest on Education Nation this week, Maeve Mahon, CEO of CEIST (Catholic Education an Irish Schools Trust). CEIST is one of Ireland’s largest school patron bodies, responsible for 106 Catholic voluntary secondary schools, and a growing number of community and primary schools.
In this week’s Education Nation episode, Maeve presents her view of a sector that is adapting and reshaping itself through deeper commitment to inclusion, stronger supports for leadership and governance, and a renewed confidence in Religious Education, all backed up by a bold new national Vision Document. Her message is confident and unapologetic: Catholic schools are evolving, and are well placed to play a key role in our education system for the future
20 Oct 2026
What happens if the goodwill runs out w/ John Cleary
Irish schools run on goodwill. All of those things we love so much about our schools come about because of the generosity and authentic kindness of school leaders and staff. Special school events like graduations, open nights and career evenings, earlymorning rehearsals for the school play, extra phone calls to a worried parent,not to mention the whole world of school sports - none of it is in the contract for school leaders, teachers or SNAs. There is no overtime in education!
Generosity and goodwill are deeply ingrained in the DNA of our school cultures. For many generations school leaders have worked hard to preserve positive relationships between stakeholders, ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and that everyone is united in putting the needs of the students first. As a result, it has been the norm that people who work in schools routinely give more than their contracts demand.
That is why the ongoing dispute between the public service unions and the Government carries a risk far greater than the temporary disruption experienced this month. Even though this week’s day of strike action has been postponed, a worktorule remains in place. Can we be sure that goodwill, once withdrawn, will automatically return? Even if a new pay deal is reached, the damage to relationships, to trust, and to morale may linger long after the dispute ends.
These issues emerged within the latest episode of the Education Nation Podcast in which I discussed the fragility of the context in which school leaders now find themselves navigating. In a deeply personal and wideranging interview with school principal John Cleary, we reflect upon the dispute, the generosity of his staff, and his own unique career journey.
9 Oct 2026
Why Religious Education still matters Lessons w/ Peter Admirand
In the latest episode of Education Nation, I sat down with Peter Admirand, Associate Professor and director of the Centre for Interreligious Dialogue at Dublin City University. As debates intensify around patronage, governance, curriculum reform, and the future of Religious Education (RE) in Irish schools, Admirand offers a compelling personal, and experiencedriven case for why Religious Education must not only remain on the timetable, but why it must be preserved as a priority within the curriculum for all students.
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