Education Doctorate

I would like to acknowledge most gratefully the teaching staff on the Ed.D programme for their professionalism, support and creativity. I would like to thank particularly Dr Anne B. Ryan and Dr Rose Malone. I am very privileged to have had them as teachers. I was extremely fortunate also in my supervisor, Dr Ted Fleming, who was unfailingly insightful, supportive, encouraging and practical in his analysis. He inspired and encouraged me throughout this work. My classmates were also a great support and many phone phone calls were made and very gratefully received that offered encouragement and advice. I learned a great deal from them and I am very grateful for their friendship. I would like to acknowledge the honesty and generosity of the mature students who participated, directly or indirectly in this research. Their willingness to share their stories and reflections made the work fascinating and compelling. I am very grateful to each of them. I would like to acknowledge my wife, Margaret and my children, Naoise, Saidhbhín and Lúach and my grandchildren who allowed me the time and space to do this work. Thank you to all