The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Nation’s foremost education expert launches new history
FEW are as qualified to deliver comprehensive histories of the education system in Ireland over the past two centuries as Tarbert man John Coolahan.
No surprise then that the launch of his latest history on his area of expertise as a lifelong educator of other teachers, Towards the Era of Lifelong Learning: A History of Irish Education 1800-2016, enjoyed such an interested response as it did on its Kerry launch at - appropriately - the Education Centre in Dromtacker, Tralee on Thursday.
One of the key advisers to Government on the drafting of educational policy over recent decades, John Coolahan – Professor Emeritus of Education at NUI Maynooth – has played a massive role in the emergence of the ‘lifelong’ model of education that is today making such a massive difference to the modern workplace as it does.
He was also present on Thursday to deliver the inaugural lecture in the Centre’s new John Coolahan Education Lecture Series in his honour - something director Caitríona Ní Chullota described as a huge honour for the facility.
“John’s remarkable career at home in Ireland and internationally as teacher, teacher educator, academic researcher and author coupled with his commitment and contribution to education innovation and policy formation is recognised worldwide,” Education Centre director Caitríona Ní Chullota told The Kerryman.