Blathnaidh Colhoun

Blathnaidh qualified as a mediator in 2015 while still a working principal. She is now a practising mediator, mediator mentor and assessor. She has worked in both the community and voluntary school sectors in a variety of roles including Deputy Principal, Principal and across different socio-economic areas of the city.  

For a number of years, she has been a volunteer mediator in the community where she has experience in a wide variety of conflict situations from workplace to family. This has built on her  previous experience as chair of a principals’ network in the community and given her further insights into the issues which can arise between schools and for schools within their localities.

Blathnaidh has also chaired or been a director on a range of Boards in the wider education sector as well as schools and more recently, in the community mediation sector.  She has mentored teachers, emerging leaders and new principals and currently mentors newly qualified mediators in the community and within her professional organisation, the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland (Mii).

Blathnaidh has a deep understanding of staff room dynamics, inter and intra departmental issues and the difficulties for school leaders in trying to  balance service to their students with the demands of the workplace. In keeping with her role as mediator, she seeks to balance all factors throughout the mediation process  and facilitate the participants’ arrival at a settlement which they can work with and are invested in. 

Blathnaidh is accredited by the Mii and bound by the Code of Ethics and  the Mediation Act (2017).  She is also a qualified Conflict Management Coach and a member of the Elder Mediation International Network.