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Cross-border Home Economics research wins 2026 John Coolahan Award
ATU and Ulster University study highlights shared challenges including time pressures, declining cooking skills and food poverty
A cross-border research project led by Home Economics academics at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and Ulster University (UL) has received the 2026 John Coolahan Award for its contribution to teacher education across the island of Ireland.
The award-winning EAT-HE project was led by Dr Elaine Mooney, Dr Eileen Kelly-Blakeney and Dr Amanda McCloat from ATU’s St Angela’s Campus, together with Mairead Davidson, Lecturer in Education (Home Economics) at Ulster University.
The John Coolahan Award is presented by the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCoTENS) to the seed-funded project report that most strongly reflects its values and commitment to cross-border cooperation in teacher education.
The EAT-HE project was recognised for the quality of its research design, implementation and impact, and for creating opportunities for Home Economics teachers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to exchange knowledge and learn from one another.
The study examined how post-primary Home Economics teachers connect nutrition theory with practical culinary skills when teaching food lessons at Junior Cycle in the Republic of Ireland and Key Stage 4 in Northern Ireland.
Although the two education systems differ, the researchers found that teachers on both sides of the border experienced many of the same challenges.
Limited classroom time affected teachers’ ability to integrate theory, cooking skills and reflection within practical lessons. Teachers also reported a decline in the cooking and life skills learned by young people at home.
Food poverty emerged as another important concern, influencing the ingredients students could bring to class and requiring teachers to select or adapt recipes to reflect families’ circumstances.
Despite these challenges, the research found strong levels of enjoyment among teachers delivering practical food lessons and a clear appetite for further cross-border collaboration and resource-sharing.
Dr Helen Maguire, Head of School of Education Sciences at ATU, said:
“We are delighted to see the EAT-HE project receive the 2026 John Coolahan Award. This prestigious recognition reflects the quality, rigour and impact of the research undertaken by Dr Elaine Mooney, Dr Eileen Kelly-Blakeney and Dr Amanda McCloat of ATU St Angelas, together with Mairead Davidson of Ulster University.
The project demonstrates the value of cross-border collaboration in addressing challenges shared by teachers and learners across the island of Ireland. We warmly congratulate the team on this significant achievement and on research that has the potential to inform and strengthen Home Economics teaching practice in both jurisdictions.
Dr Elaine Mooney, Director of the National Centre of Excellence for Home Economics at ATU, said:
“This innovative research strengthens the connection between ITE and pedagogical practice in today’s home economics classrooms and provides student teachers with opportunities to critically reflect on how they might respond to the post primary school realities they may encounter within their own professional practice.”
The project was supported through the SCoTENS Seed Funding Scheme, which promotes collaborative educational research and professional activity involving institutions in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The full EAT-HE project report, Enhancing All-Island Teaching in Home Economics, is available on the SCoTENS website.
Photo caption: Home Economics students at ATU St Angela’s campus.
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