Senior Management Team

Maeve Mahon: CEIST’s Chief Executive Officer.

Maeve Mahon is a native of Co Meath and has worked in the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin supporting Catholic primary education for the past thirty years. As Diocesan Secretary for Primary Education she has effectively worked alongside the Patron, school principals, chairpersons, board members and parents to develop structures that support and scaffold Catholic school communities. This framework is built on a living ethos, good governance and a recognition that everyone is made in the image and likeness of God. She believes that this expertise in building and sustaining strong, cooperative relationships will enable her  to foster a positive and collaborative work environment at CEIST, encouraging teamwork and excellent communication with all stakeholders.

An established author of parish based sacramental preparation programmes and religious education textbooks for primary schools, Maeve, has also contributed articles to books, journals, periodicals and newspapers. She has been a guest speaker at conferences nationally and internationally and has hosted programmes on the iCatholic media platform.

Maeve has been very fortunate as both a board member and chairperson of CEIST to build relationships with both staff and stakeholders. The work has given her a deep appreciation of all that has already been achieved and a real desire to build on this very strong foundation to ensure that CEIST continues to grow as a key player in the education landscape in Ireland. She is a highly motivated and dedicated individual, committed to delivering excellence in every aspect of her work. She has a proven ability to navigate complex challenges, make sound decisions, and deliver sustainable results. With a passion for education and a drive for success, Maeve is excited about the opportunity to lead CEIST into a future of continued growth and success.

 

Bernadette McKeown: Director of Finance and Administration

Bernadette is a native of Kildare and was educated by the Presentation Sisters, Kildare town.  Having worked in the Finance Department of her family business for several years, she joined the staff of Kildare Education Centre in 2001 as their Accounts person and later took on the role of Administrator of the Centre.

Bernadette qualified firstly, as an Accounting Technician in 2006 and then as a Certified Public Accountant in 2009. She joined CEIST in 2008 as an Accounting Technician and was appointed the CEIST Office Accountant in 2012. In August 2023 Bernadette was appointed to the position of CEIST Director of Finance & Administration.

Bernadette can be contacted at bmckeown@ceist.ie

 

Rob Halford: Director of Education 

Rob is a native of Dublin and began teaching there in 1986 (St Paul’s College).  He spent most of his teaching career in Naas CBS before taking up a secondment with the Health and Safety Authority.  In 2009, he was appointed as Deputy Principal and later Principal in St Mary’s Secondary School, Edenderry where he led several key phases of development and expansion.

Rob is a graduate of UCD, DCU, NUIG and Maynooth University.

He joined the CEIST  team in 2021 and was appointed Director of Education in August 2023.

Rob can be contacted at rhalford@ceist.ie.

 

 

 

FLG (Faith Leadership and Governance)

CEIST Faith Leadership and Governance (FLG) co-ordinators support our schools throughout the country.   They provide information, guidance and training to Boards of Management and senior leaderships teams.  Their core role is assisting school communities in upholding and celebrating school ethos, in the CEIST tradition.

 

Rita McCabe

Rita McCabe, a native of Co. Limerick, studied Mathematics and Economics in UCC. Rita completed post graduate studies in both Guidance Counselling and Leadership and Management in Maynooth University.

Rita started her teaching career in Loreto Abbey, Gorey before moving on to work both in the Community School and ETB sector. Rita was appointed to the position of Deputy Principal in an ETB DEIS school, Principal of St. Mary’s Holy Faith Secondary School, Killester before going on to spend nearly 8 years as principal of St. Mary’s Secondary School in Naas, a CEIST school with over 1000 girls.

Rita joined the CEIST team in 2020 and can be contacted on rmccabe@ceist.ie

 

Johnny McCormack

Johnny is a native of Athy and was educated at CBS Athy and UCD where he graduated with a B.Comm HDE.

He returned to his Alma Mater in Athy in 1985 and spent his entire career there as teacher, Deputy Principal and Principal. He led the school through an amalgamation, school expansion and building development.

Johnny joined the CEIST team in 2021 and can be contacted at jmccormack@ceist.ie.

 

Sharon McGrath

Sharon McGrath is a graduate of UCD (B.A., H. Dip. In Ed., Dip in Guidance Counselling) and a graduate of Maynooth University (M. Ed). She was Principal of Fingal Community College, Swords, Co Dublin for 12 years, 2009 -2021.

Sharon was National Coordinator of the SPHE Support Service from 2007 – 2009 and before that she worked as a Guidance Counsellor in Castleknock Community College and in Manor House School, Raheny, Dublin where she also taught Spanish and French.

Sharon lectures on the Post Graduate Diploma in Guidance and Counselling and to PME students in Maynooth University.

She joined the Faith Leadership and Governance team in CEIST in September 2021 and can be contacted at smcgrath@ceist.ie

 

Pádraigin Uí Riordain

Pádraigin  Uí Riordain from Tipperary, studied English and Mathematics at UCC, where she also received  a Higher Diploma in Education  and Diploma in Catechetics. During her career she has taken numerous  courses in school management and leadership. She is currently involved with CSL as a mentor for new principals. Recently she completed a Higher Diploma in Education Law at Kings Inns .

Her early teaching career was spent at Coachford  College, Co. Cork, where she became a Deputy Principal before being appointed as Co. Cork VEC’s  first woman Principal in 1992 at Davis College Mallow, a position she held until 2002, when she was appointed as Chief Executive with Clare VEC . She returned to Cork in 2004 when she was appointed Principal at Mount Mercy College.

She has served in a variety of DES, JMB and NAPD committees, committed to innovation and change in the education field. Throughout her career she always remained  active in TUI and ASTI at local and national level.

Pádraigin took up her current position as Leadership Officer for Community Schools and Designated Community Colleges at CEIST in 2019 and can be contacted at puiriordain @ceist.ie.

Gerry Watchorn

Gerry Watchorn  has been Principal of Presentation De La Salle College Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow, St. Mary’s Secondary School New Ross, Co. Wexford and St. Fintans C.B.S. Doon, Co. Limerick. He also worked on secondment with the Department of Education and Science School Development Initiative Team for 5 years.

Gerry joined the CEIST team in 2017 and can be contacted at gwatchorn@ceist.ie

 

Rita Meagher

Rita Meagher graduated from Galway University with a BA in Gaeilge and French and a H. Dip in Education. She began her teaching career in a Special School in London before returning to Ireland in 1990. She taught for several years in the voluntary and community education sectors. She worked for a time as Guidance Counsellor before her appointment to Deputy Principal. In 2011, she moved to St Joseph’s Mercy Secondary School in Navan, where she worked first as Deputy Principal and later as Principal.

Rita completed post graduate studies in both Guidance Counselling and Leadership and Management in Maynooth University. She holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Christian Leadership in Education from MIE and a Diploma in Education Law from the Law Society of Ireland.

She joined the Faith Leadership and Governance team in CEIST in November 2024 and can be contacted at rmeagher@ceist.ie

 

Yvonne Bane

Yvonne is a graduate of the University of Galway and University College Cork and has extensive experience as a classroom teacher and Guidance Counsellor in second level schools in  Dublin and Cork.

She has worked in CEIST schools since 2011, as Principal of St Aloysius School Cork (2011 – 2013) and Principal of St Mary’s Secondary School, Mallow ( 2014 -2024)

Yvonne joined the CEIST team in October 2024 in her role as Primary Schools Liaison and can be contacted at ybane@ceist.ie