Education Nation
by State of the Nation
Latest episode
Catholic education is undergoing a significant period of change w/…
Catholic education is undergoing a significant period of change w/…
About this podcast
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.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 31 episodes
- Catholic education is undergoing a significant period of change w/ Maeve Mahon · 47 min · Season 3 Episode 5Catholic 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…
- What happens if the goodwill runs out w/ John Cleary · 49 min · Season 3 Episode 4Irish 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…
- Why Religious Education still matters w/ Peter Admirand · 55 min · Season 3 Episode 3In 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…
- 250 years since a North Cork woman changed the world w/ Sister Sharon Fagan · 32 min · Season 3 Episode 2As the Presentation Sisters mark the 250th anniversary of their founding, their story, rooted in the life, vision, and courage of Nano Nagle, feels strikingly contemporary. For…
- Vibrant and Viable: the future for Catholic Schools w/ Clare Kilroy · 39 min · Season 3 Episode 1Clare Kilroy, CEO of APTCS, joined Nicky Cuddihy as the first guest of the second series of Education Nation. . She reflects on her leadership journey, the evolving role of…
- The insurer that gives it all away w/ David Lane, MD of Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland · 32 min · Season 2 Episode 10David Lane, MD of Ecclesiastical Insurance Ireland (proudly part of the Benefact Group), tells The Irish Catholic podcast, Education Nation, why the company's unique ownership…
- A journey of faith and education from Tuamto Australia w/ Prof. Eamonn Conway · 29 min · Season 2 Episode 9The final episode of the 2026 season of Education Nation brings listeners a rich and compelling conversation with one of the most authoritative voices in the world of Catholic…
- A look at Catholic education in Northern Ireland w/ Fintan Murphy · 41 min · Season 2 Episode 8Our guest on Education Nation this week is Fintan Murphy, CEO of the Catholic Schools Trustee Service (CSTS)—the sectoral body supporting the trustees of the approximately 450…
- Admission Act 2018: a major stumbling block for divestment - w/ Alan Hynes · 1 h 41 min · Season 2 Episode 7The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 has undoubtedly improved fairness and transparency. The Act for the first time required that every school publish a clear…
- Seamus Mulconry: School management and the ‘new normal’ in Irish schools · 35 min · Season 2 Episode 6This week’s guest on the Education Nation podcast is Seamus Mulconry, the CEO of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA), a key stakeholder in Irish education…
- Simon Lewis: Ireland’s only primary school principal from an ethnic minority · 54 min · Season 2 Episode 5With First Communion and Confirmation season in full swing, the Education Nation podcast is turning its attention to the primary sector for a while. Next week’s guest is Seamus…
- Rachel O'Connor on School leadership – ‘the backbone of the school’ · 32 min · Season 2 Episode 4On this week’s Education Nation podcast, we turned our attention to one of the pinch points of our education system, perhaps the most pressurised and least understood roles in…
- Use It or Lose It - Breda O’Brien on the Future of Catholic Education · 49 min · Season 2 Episode 3In words that resonate strongly with those of other contributors to the Podcast, O’Brien sees the key challenges facing Catholic education as stemming not from a lack of goodwill…
- The future of Catholic schools with Jonathan Tiernan · 37 min · Season 2 Episode 2This week’s guest on EDUCATION NATION Jonathan Tiernan, CEO of the Jesuit Education Trust provides a clear-eyed assessment of what lies ahead for Catholic schools should we fail…
- A love of learning - An interview with Dr Eilis Humphreys · 59 min · Season 2 Episode 1For our first episode, Nicholas Cuddihy interviews Dr Eilis Humphrey about her love of learning and the education system in Ireland.
- State of the Nation: Human trafficking: Ireland’s secret shame · 30 min · Season 1 Episode 16In this week's episode, prominent anti-trafficking campaigner Sr Liz Murphy addresses a problem that has often gone under the radar but continues to grip parts of the country…
- State of the Nation - recognising it as a disease · 22 min · Season 1 Episode 15Our guest this week is Dr Donal O’Shea of UCD School of Medicine who speaks to regular hosts Michael Kelly and Wendy Grace about how to prevent obesity and be healthy at any…
- State of the Nation: "Nobody wanted to listen" says top gender doctor · 25 min · Season 1 Episode 14In this week’s episode, regular hosts Michael Kelly and Wendy Grace speak with Prof. Donal O’Shea, an endocrinologist working at St Vincent’s Private Hospital. He has worked for…
- State of the Nation: The Gender scandal and doctors with a God Complex · 31 min · Season 1 Episode 13This week State of the Nation speaks with Stella O’Malley, Irish psychotherapist and author, and is the founder of Genspect, an international organisation includes professionals…
- State of the Nation: Why the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality was hijacked by NGO’s and citizens were “railroaded” into supporting Gender Identity ideology · 28 min · Season 1 Episode 12A Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality could be reasonably expected to deliberate on the term “gender” but this did not happen. The Assembly changed the term “gender” to “gender…
