Researcher Details |

Niamh Mcguirk

Niamh lectures in Ethical and Intercultural Education in DCU Institute of Education. Previously, Niamh taught in an Educate Together school for ten years and she also spent a number of years lecturing on the Master in Education Studies (Intercultural Education) in Marino Institute of Education.

Niamh's Doctorate in Education was entitled "Anti-racism education in Educate Together primary schools: an exploration of teachers’ conceptualisations and practices." Niamh is currently heading up a cross-institutional committee working towards strengthening anti-racism education, policy and practice in sites of initial teacher education in Ireland.

Niamh is the IoE nominee for the DCU Race Equality Strategy Working Group. She is also currently the Teaching and Learning Convenor for the School of Human Development, DCU IoE.

Her research interests include racism and anti-racism in educational contexts, ethical education, racial, ethnic, cultural and religious diversity in school contexts, religion and education, school ethos, and citizenship. Feel free to get in touch.

Book Chapter

	Year	Publication
	2023	McGuirk, N. (2023) 'Anti-Racism and Interculturalism' In: Global Citizenship Education- Curious Teachers, Critical Classrooms. Dublin : Irish Aid DICE Project. [Link]
	2023	McGuirk, N. (2023) 'Education about Religions and Beliefs in Social and Environmental Education: A Review of Research and Scholarship in Geography, History and Education about Religions and Beliefs in the Context of the Redeveloped Irish Primary School Curriculum' In: NCCA SEE Literature Review Report. Dublin : NCCA. [Link]
	2021	Kavanagh, A and McGuirk, N. (2021) 'Beginning conversations about difference, race, ethnicity and racism through ethical education' In: Teaching for social justice and sustainable development across the primary curriculum. Abingdon : Routledge.

Thesis

	Year	Publication
	2023	McGuirk, N. (2023) Anti-racism education in Educate Together primary schools: an exploration of teachers’ conceptualisations and practices. DCU IoE: THES

Conference Contribution

	Year	Publication
	2024	McGuirk, N. and Fitzsimons, B. (2024) Educate Together Ethical Education Conference: Educating Together for a Better Future Racial & Ethnic Diversity: Transforming education and empowering students Dublin, 30/11/2024-30/01/2025.
	2024	McGuirk, N.; Murphy, P.; Ní Loingsigh, S. (2024) Symposium- Creativity, Representation and Authenticity: Story across the Curriculum Recognition and representation - what matters when choosing and using resources? DCU IoE, .
	2024	McGuirk, N. (2024) Symposium -Anti-racism in Initial Teacher Education Reflecting on Racial Literacy DCU IoE and Maynooth University, .
	2024	McGuirk, N. (2024) Anti-racism in Initial Teacher Education- Creating Space for Reflection Positioning and Grounding in Concepts DCU IoE and Maynooth University, .
	2024	McGuirk, N.; Fitzsimons, B. (2024) Educate Together Embedding anti-racist approaches in the Learn Together curriculum Part 1: Part 2: Anti-racism in the classroom (Stages 3 & 4) Online Webinar, .
	2024	McGuirk, N.; Fitzsimons, B. (2024) Educate Together Embedding anti-racist approaches in the Learn Together curriculum Part 1: Anti-racism and identity/ies (Stages 1 & 2) Online Webinar, .
	2024	McGuirk, N. (2024) Education Studies Association Ireland Conference Anti-racism Education in the primary classroom: moving from the comfort of ‘heroes and holidays’ towards a pedagogy of discomfort Maynooth University, .
	2024	McGuirk, N; O'Toole, B.; NíThiarnaigh, R. (2024) Oide Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: Reflections on Racial Literacy, Representation and Resources. Thinking and Talking about Race, Racism and Anti-Racism Athlone Education Centre, .
	2023	McGuirk, N. (2023) 2nd International Teacher Diversity Research Symposium Anti-racism education in primary classrooms: white teachers, emotional work and unsettling the invisibility of whiteness University of Galway, 20/10/2023-.
	2023	McGuirk, N. (2023) The Value of Diversity in Education and Educational Research Anti-racism education as emotional work: moving beyond white discomfort in the primary classroom? European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), University of Glasgow, .
	2022	McGuirk, N. (2022) Diversity and Equity in Education: Race, Ethnicity and Culture Primary schools and teacher positionality: towards a transformative praxis of anti-racism education Partnership for Education Reform, University of Southampton, .
	2022	McGuirk, N. (2022) Anti-Racism with a Love Ethic Conference. MA Consults Anti-racism education in Educate Together primary schools in Ireland: Critical reflection and praxis UK/Online, .
	2022	McGuirk, N. (2022) Sociology Association of Ireland Conference. Panel: On the 'uses' of race and the intersectionality Anti-racism education in Educate Together primary schools: disrupting whiteness? Technological University of the Shannon, Limerick, Irleland, .
	2021	McGuirk, N. (2021) Sociology Association of Ireland: Atomised Solidarities: Together/Apart- Race, ethnicity and education panel session Anti-racism Education: Teachers’ emerging understandings of whiteness Online, .
	2021	McGuirk, N. (2021) DCU Postgraduate Research Unconference Trustworthiness in qualitative research: Positionality and reflexivity in a doctoral study exploring primary teachers’ conceptualisations and practices of anti-racism education Online, .
	2020	McGuirk, N. (2020) ESAI Conference: Opening Up Education: Options, Obstacles and Opportunities Anti-racism education: problematizing the racialized identities of teachers in the primary classroom Online, .
	2019	McGuirk, N (2019) Diversity in Teaching (DiT) Research Symposium Anti-racism Education: Problematizing Primary Teachers’ Racialized Identities National University of Ireland, Galway, .
	2019	McGuirk, N (2019) SCOTENS Conference: Leadership across Boundaries: Challenges for Educators and Teacher Educators Anti-racism education in Educate Together primary schools: an exploration of teachers’ conceptualisations and practices Co. Cavan, Ireland, .
	2016	McGuirk, N. (2016) Citizenship Education 100 Years On: SPHE Network Conference Positionality, perceptions and pedagogy; primary teachers’ understandings and experiences of racisms and education for anti-racism Maynooth University, .
	2016	Kavanagh, A.M. & McGuirk, N. (2016) (2016) Ethical Education Symposium Teaching Beliefs and Values in the Primary School DCU Institute of Education, Dublin, .
	2015	McGuirk, N. (2015) Educate Together Conference: Understanding Ethical Education in a Modern Irish Republic: Cherishing all children of the nation equally? Panel Discussion: How can Ethical Education cherish all children equally? Dublin, .
	2015	McGuirk, N. (2015) Educate Together Conference: Understanding Ethical Education in a Modern Irish Republic: Cherishing all children of the nation equally? Crossing the Curriculum and Cultivating Critical Thinking Dublin, .
	2008	McGuirk, N. (2008) Human Rights Education for a Sustainable Future School Works! and the Education Rights Development Project Workshop Dublin, .
	2007	McGuirk, N (2007) INTO Professional Development Seminar and Review Intercultural Education – Challenging Perspectives Dublin, .
	2007	McGuirk, N (2007) Educate Together Forum The teacher in the multicultural classroom Dublin, .

Invited Seminars

	Year	Publication
	2024	McGuirk, N. (2024) Connecting to concepts in the Belief Systems strand of Learn Together: Special clothes/dress and Islam. INVS
	2023	Pike, S., Ní Cassaithe, C., McGuirk, N., Usher, J., Mallon, B. and Whelan, P. (2023) Findings from the Literature Review to Inform the Curriculum for Social and Environmental Education (Geography, History and Education about Religion and Beliefs), NCCA Seminar, Marino Institute of Education, February, 2023, NCCA Invited Talk, 2023. INVS
	2021	McGuirk, N. (2021) Belief Systems - teaching beyond festivals and celebrations. Belief Systems - teaching beyond festivals and celebrations. Educate Together Ethical Education Seminar Series (Online). INVS

Published Report

	Year	Publication
	2023	Pike, S., Cassaithe, C., McGuirk, N., Usher, J., Mallon, B. and Whelan, P. (2023) Social and Environmental Education: A Review of Research and Scholarship in Geography, History and Education about Religions and Beliefs in the Context of the Redeveloped Irish Primary School Curriculum. NCCA, .
	2013	McGuirk, N. & Kehoe, S. (2013) Prevention and early intervention in children and young people’s services: Promoting inclusion. Centre for Effective Services, . [Link]
	2013	McGuirk, N. & Kehoe, S. (2013) Briefing paper - Prevention and early intervention in children and young people’s services. Centre for Effective Services, .

Guidelines for Practice

	Year	Publication
	2010	Morris, L. & McGuirk, N. (2010) New beginnings: Teaching pack. Dublin: GFP [Link]
	2009	Morris, L. & McGuirk, N. (2009) Team spirit: Teaching pack. Dublin: GFP [Link]
	2008	Irish National Teachers' Organisation (2008) School Works! Child Labour, the Right to Education and Fairtrade: Teaching Pack. GFP [Link]
	2008	Morris, L. & McGuirk, N. (2008) The memory box: Teaching pack. Dublin: GFP [Link]

Guest Lectures

	Year	Publication
	2023	McGuirk, N. (2023) Considering Education about Religions and Beliefs (ERB) in the Social and Environmental Education curriculum. A presentation to the NCCA SEE Curriculum Development Group, Marino Institute of Education. GL

Podcast

	Year	Publication
	2024	McGuirk, N.; Halfaoui, R. (2024) Antiracism, intercultural education, and inclusive classrooms. PODCAST [Link]

Professional Associations

Association	Function	From / To
ESAI Teacher Diversity SIG	Member	19/10/2023 -
Sociology Association of Ireland Race and Ethnicity Study Group	Member	01/09/2020 -
Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education	Member	01/09/2019 -
SIG: Belief Systems, Ethics and Philosophy in Education (BEPE)	Member	01/09/2016 - 30/06/2018
SPHE Network	Member	01/09/2015 - 30/06/2019

Committees

Committee	Function	From / To
Research Advisory Group: Understanding & Preventing Online Racism in Ireland	Anti-Bullying Centre Project	01/08/2024 - 20/12/2024
Advisory Group Member: Anti-racism Children's Book 'Talking About Race: We can make a change'	Order free book: https://forms.gle/qoWGHd8ix1k8vvb68 Teacher tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=255Jwo_tWEQ	03/04/2022 - 27/10/2023
Expert Advisory Board Member 'EDUCATE- Educating About Difference Uniting Classrooms and Teacher Education' Action Research Project		31/03/2022 -
Advisory Committee Member 'INOVATE Integrating Our Voices Across Teacher Education' Research Project		01/01/2022 -
Advisory Committee for ETBI Community National Schools Goodness Me Goodness You Support Material		03/01/2021 -
Working Group for Educate Together Learn Together (ethical education curriculum) Review		01/03/2018 - 10/10/2022
Research Advisory Committee for the CHRCE/IHREC scoping study on issues facing second-generation minority ethnic young people in Ireland		01/09/2020 - 01/07/2021

Languages

Language	Reading	Writing	Speaking
Spanish	Fluent	Fluent	Fluent
Arabic			Basic
German	Basic	Basic	Functional

Reviews

	Journal	Role
	Irish Educational Studies	Reviewer

Research Interests

Niamh completed a Doctorate in Education (DCU) with on focus on: Anti-racism education in Educate Together primary schools: an exploration of teachers’ conceptualisations and practices

Niamh's other research interests include critical multiculturalism, critical whiteness studies, CRT, intercultural education, multicultural education, anti-racism education, ethics and ethical education, critical pedagogy, race and ethnicity, racism and anti-racism, multiculturalism, religion and education, school ethos, and citizenship.

Modules Coordinated

	Term	Title	Subject
	2022	Philosophy, Ethics	ED3048
	2022	Description of 2021_AP703	AP703