The 50 most influential people in education — where are they now? (Part 4/5)
It’s been quite a while since I charted the 50 most influential people in education but I’ve finally had a chance to look at numbers 31 to 40. Let’s see who they were, where they are now, and whether they’d make it on to a top 50 now!
31. Don Thornhill
I must admit, I hadn’t heard of Don Thornhill. I’m blaming my youth! Don was the Secretary General in the Department of Education from 1993 to 1998 and then went on to lots and lots of other things that had little to do with primary education. Of interest at the time because he was chair of Hibernia College, Don has since moved on to other boards like The National Concert Hall. Described on every single website that I looked at as a “top” civil servant, he even has his own website, though to be fair to him, he doesn’t call himself a top civil servant there.
Would he make the list now?
Thornhill is still going strong giving talks and still on several boards. However, as this is a primary school list, he doesn’t make it into my top influencers!
32. Kevin McCarthy
Described by the Irish Times as the wunderkind of the department and a good bet to be secretary general at some stage, after spending almost ten years as an assistant secretary general in the Department of Education, he finally did become a Secretary General… but of the Department of Rural Affairs. He then became Secretary General again…. but in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, where he still works. Close but not education!
Would he make the list now?
Given that he is in a different department now, he wouldn’t make the list.
33. Ferdia Kelly
Described by the Irish Times as a “key behind-the-scenes figure in Irish education,” Kelly, a former principal of a Christian Brothers Secondary School worked exclusively at second level.
Would he make the list now?
He wouldn’t have made the primary list then and wouldn’t make it now.
34. Ray Kearns
Kearns founded the Institute of Education in Leeson Street, which many a primary school teacher may have a attended to try and eke out a few more points in their Leaving Cert, such is the gamification of the whole thing. I admire anyone who can make something out of a bad idea. For example, because no one can convince parents not to buy Smartphones for their children, two teachers invented a lockable pocket that students must put their phones into when they come to school and they are about to go international with it. Similarly Kearns must have seen that the Leaving Cert is simply a high stakes strategy game and built on the idea of grinds to create a grinds school with the best teachers in the country. I am someone who fell into the trap and spent many Saturday mornings thinking that if I attended the sessions, I’d do much better in my Leaving Cert. Funnily enough, my worst grade was in one of the subjects I took there. Before you think I’m going to blame Kearns for that — the reason I didn’t do that well was because I was never going to do well! Paying for grinds doesn’t magically make you good at a subject. You also have to study.
Would he make the list today?
Despite giving him a big profile here, as he is solely focused on second level, I don’t think he’d make my list.
35. John Travers
In 2011, Travers was the Acting director general of Science Foundation Ireland, a position he was about to leave. Reading his profile, I have no idea why he was on the list in the first place. After googling him I found him on the Board of the UCD Michael Smurfitt Graduate Business School.
Would he make the list today?
Not then and not now.
36. Diarmuid Martin
Martin is the second member of the clergy on this list. Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland from 2004 to 2020, he was in the middle of his tenure when this list was drawn up. Given that he was the spiritual leader of 90% of primary schools, it’s surprising how short his profile piece was in the Irish Times. In fact, this piece is already longer than the 2011 profile.
The Times acknowledged that he opened the debate on school patronage by acknowledging the Catholic Church was over-represented in Irish school management. It turns out he and Ruairi Quinn believed 50% of church-controlled schools should be divested but, as we know, thirteen years on, we are down from 90% to 89%.
Now retired, I’m not sure if he feels happy with that. Some part of me likes to believe that he wanted more to happen but I don’t think anyone saw enough evidence of real leadership here. The divestment process is no closer to success than it was in 2011.
Would he make the list now?
Martin retired in 2020 so, like those before him, he would certainly make a top 50 in the history of the education system but he wouldn’t make the top 50 in today’s list.
37. Paddy Prendergast
In 2011, Prendergast had just moved into the provost’s residence and was predicted to be a key figure over his 10-year term. At the time, TCD was the only Irish college in the world’s top 100 universities. At this time of writing, that remains the case. His tenure is reviewed in this article.
Would he make the list now?
As Prendergast is 3rd level through and through, he wouldn’t have made my list then and wouldn’t now. He currently is chairperson of SETU.
38. John MacGabhann
In 2011, Mac Gabhann was about to take up the mantle of the TUI, the union representing second level and some third level students. He was in role until 2020.
Would he make the list now?
As MacGabhann was second level, he wouldn’t have made my list then and wouldn’t now.
39. Jim Browne
Unfortunately this list of ten people is going to peter out as this person and the next person are 3rd level academics. Jim Browne was the President of NUI Galway.
Would he make the list now?
No.
40. Dr. Ed Walsh
Can Walsh rescue this list despite being involved in a 3rd level university? Well, anyone who founds a university must be admired. The profile in the Times mentioned his upcoming book, Upstart: Friends, Foes Founding a University, but I found his website has a much more interesting article in 2011. 13 Steps to Reform Irish Education started boldly with:
Secularise and reform the education of primary teachers
I think I would have liked this man though I wonder what he thinks about the fact that Mary Immaculate College, a very Catholic teacher-training college, is now part of UL. Given he retired in 1998, he wouldn’t have had a say in the matter.
Would he make the list now?
I really wish Dr. Ed Walsh wasn’t at the end of his career when this was written. They noted he was influential in bringing Chuck Feeney to Ireland, so for that alone, I am grateful to him. Unfortunately, he can’t make the list because he is not involved in primary education, and never was beyond that 2011 blog post.
Next up is numbers 41–50 to end the series. Here are the first 3 parts:
