Brian Duffy, M.A., H.Dip.Ed.

Biography

Brian Duffy was born in Dublin and attended Taney National School, Wesley College and Trinity College Dublin.  He read History and Political Science and then undertook the Higher Diploma in Education.  Mr Duffy taught History, Geography, Mathematics, Civics, Social Education and Careers at Wesley College from 1976.  He occupied the positions of Year Head, Head of Department, Transition Year Co-ordinator and Assistant Head Resident Master prior to his appointment as Principal at The High School in 1994.

Mr Duffy's interests include music, sport, information and communication technology, creative gardening and photography.  He has been a church organist, choirmaster, member of a rock band, rugby referee with the Leinster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union and President of the Leinster Schools Orienteering Association.

As Vice-Chairman of the Secondary Education Committee (for Protestant Schools) Mr Duffy represented the schools under Protestant management at the National Education Convention in 1994 as well as the subsequent talks on the governance of schools and regionalisation of education.  He currently holds the positions of Director of Secondary Education for the Republic of Ireland on behalf of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, member of the Secondary Education Committee, Secretary of the Irish Schoolheads' Association, member of the Committee on Management (which co-ordinates policy among all of the bodies represented in the schools under Protestant management), member of council and standing committee of the Joint Managerial Body for voluntary secondary schools.

Excerpts from some of the Principal's Prize Day speeches

"It is only where trust exists between parent, teacher and pupil that a happy, relaxed and yet co-operative atmosphere can exist in a school. It is where the school is reinforcing values which begin at home that we will find success."

"What is the single most important thing in education? Could it be whether the pupil is happy at school? Where on the results league table does the fulfilled child returning from a hill-walking expedition come? Where exactly do you read the statistic that reflects the smile that showed that somebody in the school cared when you had a problem?  Yes, we must help our pupils to do well in their examinations, but let us not forget their, and our, humanity."

"I believe that improvement in the quality of life is the most important goal of education and it is that yardstick by which we must measure all technological development too."

"When our examination assessments are about enterprise, individuality, valuing change, adaptability, responsibility, respect, critical thinking, valuing diversity in other people, integrity and all the other worthwhile values - then we will be moving in the right direction."

"We value all of our pupils deeply.  It is not how intelligent you are that matters, it is how you are intelligent."

The Principal's annual written reports and school record documents (i.e. Prize Day booklets) since 1999 are available on our downloads page.  Prize Day speeches are published only in The Erasmian & Diocesan Times.