This book provides a complete outline of the development of education in Ireland alongside an overview of the development, issues, challenges and future of education in the country within the context of historical studies. While some readers will find the chapters invaluable as an introduction to the variety of contemporary work undertaken on the history of education in Ireland, others will find the text useful in augmenting their current study of the field.

A clear evolution of education within Ireland is presented in the book, including recurring issues such as religion, national identity and the position of the state. For example, the complex issue of how, and if, religion can coexist with education is explored, as well as how the answer to this has developed over previous decades following changing demographics and circumstances across the country. The book also highlights how national identity can be aided through Irish language teaching and the different methods that have been promoted to encourage the use of particular languages. Providing a fascinating account of Ireland's educational history, this book is essential for those interested in the field.

Brendan Walsh is a research fellow at The Centre for Evaluation, Quality and Inspection (EQI) at Dublin City University, Ireland. He is currently researching the relationship between Irish schools and the British Armed Forces in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and is writing a history of secondary schooling in Ireland.

Autorentext
Brendan Walsh is a research fellow at Dublin City University, Ireland in The Centre for Evaluation, Quality and Inspection (EQI) Dublin. He is currently researching the relationship between Irish schools and the British Armed Forces in the nineteenth and early twentieth century and writing a history of secondary schooling in Ireland.

Zusammenfassung
This book provides a complete overview of the development of education in Ireland including the complex issue of how religion can coexist with education and how a national identity can be aided through Irish language teaching. It also offers a comprehensive exploration of the development, issues, challenges and future of education in Ireland within the context of historical studies. 

Inhalt
Introduction; Brendan Walsh.- Chapter 1. The National System of Education 1831-2000; Tom Walsh.- Chapter 2. 'An Essential Service' The National Board and Teacher Education, 1831-70; Susan M. Parkes.- Chapter 3. Forged in the Fire of Persecution: Edmund Rice (1762-1844) and the Counter-Reformationary Character of the Irish Christian Brothers; Dáire Keogh.- Chapter 4. Girls at School in Nineteenth-Century Ireland; Jane McDermid.- Chapter 5. 'Injurious to the Best Interests of Education'? Teaching and Learning under the Intermediate Education System 1878-1922; Brendan Walsh.- Chapter 6. Historical Overview of Developments in Special Education in Ireland; Michael Shevlin.- Chapter 7. Teachers' Experience of School: First-hand Accounts 1943-1965; Brendan Walsh.- Chapter 8. Creating a Modern Educational System?: International Influence, Domestic Elites and the Transformation of the Irish Educational Sector 1950-75; John Walsh.- Chapter 9. The Transformation of Irish Education: the Ministerial Legacy 1919-1999; Antonia McManus .- Chapter 10. The Development of Vocational and Technical Education in Ireland 1930-2015.; Marie Clark.- Chapter 11. Current Developments at Third-Level Institutions in the Light of the Origins of the University; Catherine Kavanagh.- Chapter 12. Advanced Education for Working People: The Catholic Workers' College, a Case Study; David Limond.- Chapter 13. Teacher Accountability in Education The Irish Experiment.; Martin Brown, Gerry McNamara and Joe O'Hara.