By Thomas Walsh, and Judith Harford
Published in History of Education, January 2025.
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Abstract

History of education scholarship in the Republic of Ireland has witnessed a blossoming in recent years, a trajectory which diverges from broader international patterns. Expanding beyond its traditional focus on teacher education, recent scholarship has extended its theoretical, methodological and thematic foundations. This article traces the contours of the historiography of Irish education, highlighting dominant themes and intellectual trends. Focusing in particular on research relating to the period 1831 to 1975, it maps the scholarship across five inter-related motifs: the massification and democratisation of education; control and governance; gender; curriculum; and teachers and teacher education. Acknowledging there remain significant lacunae, in particular in relation to race and sexuality, we offer in the conclusion some suggestions for future avenues of research.