In this research study, the researcher set out to gain an insight into the role of chaplains concerning their work in Designated Community Colleges (DCCs) in the Republic of Ireland at a critical juncture in education. In particular, in the current climate, The Admissions (To Schools) Act 2019 and the Education Training Boards Ireland (ETBs) ‘Patrons Framework on Ethos’ have taken prominence in educational debates and are likely to impact the educational landscape into the future significantly. While the central focus of the research question addresses the implications for the practice of chaplaincy in multi-denominational settings and the chaplains’ role in supporting the newly articulated characteristic spirit of ETB schools, other sub-questions have risen from the research question. They are considered throughout the study. These include no standardised framework or a professional body for school chaplains and the ambiguity surrounding the rationale for school chaplaincy - resulting in genuine concern about the future of chaplaincy in state schools. As a result, the research explores the following questions: the participants' perceptions and experiences of their role and their concerns for the future of chaplaincy in an increasingly secular landscape. As the knowledge to be generated is subjective, involving the participants’ perceptions and experiences, the research was placed in the qualitative field. The research methodology used is a case study with questionnaires and semi-structured interviews generating the raw data. The literature review considered four key areas pertinent to the subject of this study: 1. The understanding of Ethos in an educational context. 2. Characteristic Spirit in ETB schools. 3. Historical context of chaplaincy in schools in Ireland. 4. School chaplaincy in International contexts – in particular the U.K, Scotland, and Australia. The study includes the historical background of the chaplaincy role in DCCs and maps the trajectory of how chaplaincy has evolved and what it might look like in the future. The questionnaires and interviews were coded and interrogated using Excel and the NVivo software application package. The research results provide six key themes. The results revealed the voices and experiences of eleven chaplains and eleven principals. Their testimony revealed the multi-dimensional nature of their roles, their views on the role, and revealed further challenges and concerns for the future of the role. Their concerns form part of a broader concern for the future of Religious Education, the future meaning and trajectory of the role of chaplaincy and add a rich insight into the workings of chaplaincy in DCCs in a changing landscape. This study showed that chaplains work in an increasingly contested space - and while they often inhabit a liminal status, the future and the promise of transformation are always within their reach.