This paper presents findings from interviews conducted with school leaders responsible for coordinating special educational needs (SEN) provision in primary schools across Ireland. Specifically, the experiences of Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs), principals who also serve as SENCOs, and principals without SENCO responsibilities were gathered regarding the SENCO role in Ireland. This research was framed through Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Systems Theory. Although there is increasing global recognition of the strategic and operational significance of the SENCO position, it remains unacknowledged in Irish policy. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. One central theme and four sub-themes emerged from the data. The findings revealed that the SENCO role is complex and comes with a significant workload. Contrary to some existing research in the Irish context, findings indicated that SENCOs are adopting strategic, collaborative, and distributed roles to cater to children with SEN. They assumed roles in advocacy and pedagogical leadership, acting as mediators of change and gatekeepers of knowledge. Findings enhanced the understanding of the SENCO role within the Irish context, where knowledge is limited, and they carry implications for policy and for professional learning and development for these specialists in schools.