Michael Corley, a business studies teacher at St Flannan's College in Ennis, Co Clare, since 1970, was elected president of the ASTI last week in Tralee, Co Kerry, at the union's 76th annual convention.

He was born in the Claddagh in Galway city and grew up in Athenry, Co Galway. He received his second-level education at St Ignatius College, Galway, then attended UCG and left with a BComm, an MA and a H Dip in Education. He is married with three children.

Donegal-born Bernadine O'Sullivan was elected vice-president of the ASTI. She is a teacher at St Mary's School in Cabra, Co Dublin, and was educated at Scoil na Ceithre Mhaistir in Co Donegal and in UCD, where she graduated with a degree in English, history and philosophy. She is married and has two children.

She believes, she says, in "a philosophy of education which fosters a spirit of independent inquiry and co-operative endeavour".