Dear Principal/Teacher,
Included below is a summary of all CPD events for the upcoming week beginning 11th May 2026 aswell as some other highlights in May 2026 and beyond.
You can also review all of these CPD events in either the Primary or Post Primary courses section of the centre website.
Here is a summary of some other great events/initiatives your school may be interested in:
- NCSE Events - Details of any upcoming NCSE Teacher Professional Training can be found here. To register for any of this training please click here.
- Oide Events - Details of any upcoming Oide Teacher Professional Training and how to register can be found here.
News Feature of the Week
2025 All-Island Schools’ History Competition Winners - Scoil Mhuire NS, Glenties
Congratulations to Scoil Mhuire in Glenties who celebrated a marvellous achievement after being named the Overall Winner in the Department of Education All-Island Schools’ History Competition 2025. The school’s project, What Caused the Crash of a British WWII Plane in the Blue Stack Mountains, Co. Donegal in 1944? had a research team made up of pupils Johnny McGlynn, Danny Boyle, Fabio Ferreira, Christopher Kennedy, Daragh Gildea, Maiia Mashyna, Lilly Bonner, Varvara Horodestka, Danny McGeehan and Senan Molloy and were directed by their teacher Michael Regan.
Schools at both primary and post-primary levels, as well as other educational settings in Ireland and Northern Ireland, were invited to connect historical events with contemporary themes, highlight forgotten local histories and under-represented histories, and encourage participation from across the island of Ireland. These objectives are consistent with the objectives of the Government’s Shared Island Initiative. Scoil Mhuire’s project focused on the cause of the plane crash and the response from both British and Irish governments in their commemorations of the event. It told the story of the local response to the crash and to the victims. It also investigated why the plane was flying over Irish airspace at the time of its accident.
The school was honoured at an awards ceremony at the Department of Education and Youth in Dublin in which Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton celebrated the winners. Minister Naughton said: “The All-Island Schools’ History Competition is a wonderful opportunity for young people all over the Island to engage with their local history, think about how past events shape our lives today, and to explore creative ways to celebrate the rich diversity of legacies that we share.”
The competition was organised by the Department of Education and Youth in partnership with Frances Moss, Director, Drumcondra Education Support Centre and Dr. Caitríona Ní Cassaithe, Assistant Professor in History Education in the Institute of Education, Dublin City University. It was supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport; An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta; and the Heritage Council.
Reflecting on the strength of participation from schools around the country, Frances Moss said: “The quality of the entries submitted to this year’s competition was exceptional. Students of all ages demonstrated creativity and deep engagement with a wide range of histories, often uncovering histories that had been overlooked or forgotten.”
Caitríona Ní Cassaithe said: “The submissions showed how history can be active, exciting and meaningful when students are given the opportunity to explore it for themselves.”
