Staff

A complement of 60 academic, pastoral and administrative staff work closely together, ensuring that each student is encouraged to optimise her potential while she is in the school. By creating an organised yet relaxed environment, where a strong work ethic is gently nurtured, all staff members at HCK are committed to providing the best possible atmosphere to facilitate the full personal development of every student in their care.

Management Team

Caroline O'Brien, Principal

Caroline was appointed Principal of Holy Child School in 2017 and has taught in Holy Child since 1983. She is a graduate of St. Patrick’s College Maynooth. Caroline taught Religious Education and Civic, Social and Political Education. Caroline was subject co-ordinator for Religious Education.

Caroline has worked as Transition year co-ordinator and as the co-ordinator for School Self Evaluation and School Planning. Caroline has been a member of the NCCA (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and is actively involved in Special Olympics.

Nickola Dempsey, Deputy Principal

Nickola Dempsey graduated from NUI Maynooth in 1999, with a degree in Irish and Geography. She did her H. Dip in Trinity College, completing her work placement in Loreto College, St. Stephen’s Green. Nickola came to HCK in September 2001. Over the years, she has taught Irish and SPHE to all levels, Geography at Junior Cycle, Digital Literacy, ECDL, First Aid and she has been a form teacher at both Junior and Senior levels.

Positions that Nickola has previously held in HCK include Senior Year Head and SSE Co-ordinator, and had taken on the role as the social action link teacher between HCK and Le Chéile Catholic Schools Trust, Transition Year Co-ordinator and Year Head, Examinations Co-ordinator, Supervised Study Co-ordinator, Green Schools Co-ordinator, Literacy Co-ordinator, SPHE Co-ordinator and subject co-ordinator for the Irish Department. She was also responsible for the school journals and was a core member of the IT Team for a number of years..

Fionnuala O’Leary, Junior Year Head

Fionnuala is a Maths & Geography graduate from University College Dublin. She commenced teaching in 1988 and taught in St. Raphaela’s and Blackrock College before coming to Holy Child in 1988. Fionnuala is subject co-ordinator for Maths.

She joined the senior management team in 2012 taking on the role of Junior Year Head to first, second and third years.

Dymphna Foody, Guidance Counsellor and Assistant Principal I

Dymphna is a Theology and History graduate from St Patrick’s College and National University Maynooth. She commenced teaching in 2000 in Edinburgh and taught in the UK and Australia before coming to Holy Child in 2008 as the School Guidance Counsellor.

She joined the Senior Management Team in 2020 taking on responsibility for Wellbeing, School Self Evaluation, School Improvement and Policy Review and Development.

Leadership Team

Coaching Staff

Deirdre Mathews (Extra Curricular Co-ordinator)

Hockey

Basketball

Non Teaching Staff