A Killorglin school principal is one of six awarded a research bursary each valued at €17,612 to engage in critical research on key aspects of Irish-medium and Gaeltacht education.

In total over €100,000 was awarded from An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) to the six postgraduate students at Mary Immaculate College (MIC).

Caitríona Ní Luasa, principal of Gaelscoil Naomh Séamas in Killorglin, graduated from MIC’s M Oid san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge agus Gaeltachta programme.

Caitríona will investigate the roots and potential implications of immersion principals’ practice. Through her research she hopes to develop a school self-evaluation tool, which is rooted in the context of leadership in Irish-medium education.

"Implementation of the school self-evaluation process in the immersion context demands leadership shaped by an immersion-specific knowledge base and skill repertoire," she said.

"Although there is much literature on educational leadership in general that identifies characteristics of a ‘successful’ school leader, meeting the demands placed upon school leaders working in the immersion context is far less researched or well understood – particularly principals in Irish-medium immersion and Gaeltacht schools. My PhD research seeks to address this gap.”