Mark Patrick Hederman, former headmaster of Glenstal Abbey School, and now Abbot of Glenstal Abbey, looks at the flaws in the Irish education system and how it should be doing more to develop the imagination of our children to help them meet the challenges that lie ahead.

Drawing on examples from literature and popular culture, Hederman proposes a child-centred model of education, containing self-directed and independent learning, which encourages the student to play an active role.

By turns cutting and humorous, The Boy in the Bubble is an astute portrait of a system which has been criticised by many as being outdated and destructive, and offers in its place a fresh and progressive vision for the future of education in Ireland.