College’s first lay principal‘ relaxed’

April 1994

The newly appointed principal of St. Peter’s College in Wexford, Jim Maxwell, is relaxed about the prospect of becoming the first ever lay principal there.

After all, he has already taken over the job of principal from clerics on two previous occasions: at the CBS schools in Carrick-on-Suir and Cahirciveen.

‘It’s a job that I’m used to doing,’ said Mr Maxwell, adding however that the appointment of a lay principal for the first time ‘ can be a sensitive matter’.

A Dublin native, he is presently the principal in Carrick-on-Suir CBS, where he has been posted for the past two years. Prior to that, he worked as principal at Cahirciveen CBS.

A former Christian Brother himself, he also spent ten years working in a community school in Carrigaline, Co. Cork, and as teacher in the CBS College in Cork City.

Married with one grown-up son, Mr Maxwell is looking forward to taking up his post as head of St. Peter’s on August 1.

‘I see it as a new challenge,’ he said. While St. Peter’s will have a similar management structure as other schools he has been in, it will be different because of its seminary and boarding school dimensions.

He also noted that St. Peter’s is a college of strong tradition. ‘I hope these traditions will continue and grow when I am there,’ he said.

Mr Maxwell has already been to Wexford to meet with staff, and is currently looking for a home for himself and his wife.

‘I’ve been going around Wexford with a street map in my pocket!’ he said. He hopes to be well settled in Wexford before starting into work in August.

Mr Maxwell is taking over the position of principal from Fr. Philip Quirke, who hopes to spend next year studying in Dublin.