Alliance for Catholic Education
ACE Ireland
About
ACE has been engaged and active in Ireland since 2003 when ACE began recruiting two Irish ACE Teaching Fellows annually. What started as a simple exchange of Irish teachers evolved to meet emerging needs and interests, similar to the organic development of ACE in the US. ACE Ireland, an initiative of the Alliance for Catholic Education was founded in 2003, with a mission to build a broad movement of leaders committed to enhancing the character of Catholic education in Ireland.
Over the years, ACE Ireland has been instrumental in celebrating, sustaining and revitalising Catholic education in Ireland. While ACE has now made the decision to sunset its programming in Ireland, we celebrate the impact ACE Ireland has had on the Irish Catholic Education Landscape and we hope that the work will continue in new ways under the direction of Church and educational leaders in Ireland.
We thank all our local partners in Ireland, many who have become friends and we acknowledge the warm welcome our programs received at the Newman Center for Faith and Reason, Notre Dame Global Centre at Kylemore Abbey and the Notre Dame Global Gateway in Dublin where ACE Ireland has been housed.
We acknowledge the strategic, inspiring leadership of our three directors, John O’Malley (2005-2016), Jonathan Tiernan (2016-2020) and most recently, Angela Mitchell (2020-2025). Their work leaves a lasting impact on the Irish Catholic Education System.
Emerging Leaders Fellowship
The ACE Ireland Emerging Leaders Fellowship has formed 78 school leaders since its inception in 2019, with demand growing each year. ACE Ireland recruited talented, mission- driven Catholic school leaders into a one-year fellowship based upon the three pillars of ACE (professional education, spiritual formation, and community). The Fellowship yielded transformational effects on the personal and professional identity of participants and has become a vital source of talent and energy for renewal within the systems. It was recognized as holding enormous promise for catalyzing the revitalization of Catholic schools in Ireland and neighboring countries, welcoming 24 participants annually from Ireland, North and South and Scotland.
System Leadership Formation and Partnership
Over the years, ACE Ireland has brought together leaders from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales with leaders from the US through the hosting of conferences, summits, exchanges and retreats in Ireland and on campus at the University of Notre Dame. ACE Ireland has formed many partnerships to support the formation of system leaders. Examples include a partnership with St. Patrick’s College Maynooth on a Diploma in Catholic Education, and more recently, with Australian Catholic University on a Formation Experience in Rome for System leaders in 2023.
The CROÍ Project
ACE Ireland partnered with Mary Immaculate College, Limerick (part of the GRACE Project), to form the CROÍ (Heart) project, an effort to support the newly formed Catholic Education Partnership (CEP) in its mission to bring unity to the Catholic Education System in Ireland. Through participation in the GRACE Conference at Notre Dame University Australia, and an extended, bespoke program designed by ACE Ireland in partnership with CEWA (Catholic Education Western Australia) and Notre Dame University Australia, 26 system leaders from key organizations and schools engaged in a comparative learning experience that allowed for the deep reflection to support the building of a new vision for systemic leadership in Irish Catholic education. The CROÍ project continues, under the leadership of the Catholic Education Partnership, with working groups developing a new shared vision and framework for Catholic education, a shared approach to formation and changes to the existing structures to further support collaboration. ACE Ireland’s most recent director, Angela Mitchell, has continued to be integral to this process, planning and facilitating gatherings, acting as a thought partner as a member of the Steering Committee and serving as a project leader for the vision and framework reference group.
School Culture Initiative
Since 2015, ACE Ireland has supported the mission and vitality of the ethos and culture of over 40 Catholic schools in Ireland, through this innovative Initiative developed for an Irish audience from the work on culture at ACE Academies. ACE Ireland has formed leadership teams and whole school communities and facilitated their articulation and implementation of a strong, shared, vibrant Catholic school culture.
ACE Advocates
ACE Ireland has fostered vibrant community and fellowship for returning ACErs and the wider education community through monthly ACE Advocates gatherings, annual retreats at Kylemore Abbey and professional growth opportunities such as attending the ACE Leadership Conference at Notre Dame. In recent years, ACE Advocates gathered in Dublin, Cork and Galway providing an opportunity for Catholic leaders and principals to meet regularly for fellowship, prayer and professional development.
Irish ACErs
For the last 20 years, recent Irish college graduates have embarked on a journey across the Atlantic to serve as members of the ACE Teaching Fellows cohort. More than 30 young people from Ireland have participated in the ACE Teaching Fellows program. These zealous teachers (affectionately known as Irish ACErs) have brought a valuable perspective to their schools, communities, and the ACE program. ACE will continue to welcome Irish applicants in the future.
Irish Remick Leaders
The Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program has partnered with ACE Ireland’s Emerging Leaders Fellowship since its inception, aligning programming and welcoming emerging leaders to continue their study in educational leadership. Two of the Irish Remick Leaders have received the Lead with Zeal Award on graduation (Angela Mitchell and Kieran Kelly) and there are currently 5 Irish principals on the program. The Mary Ann Remick Program faculty recognize how this group brings fresh perspectives and creates an enriched learning environment for all participants of the program. The Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program will continue to welcome Irish applicants.
Data, Research, and Evaluation
Across these programs, ACE Ireland has measured impact and leveraged data and research to share innovations, informing future replication for the Irish Catholic education system.
