St Peter's College, Wexford is an Irish secondary school and former seminary located in Summerhill, overlooking

Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...

town. It is a

single-sex school Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, same-sex education, same-gender education, and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in se ...

for male pupils. Currently, the school has 785 students enrolled.

History

Founded in 1811 by Most Rev. Patrick Ryan, Bishop of Ferns, the college has progressed from a Roman Catholic Seminary in Michael Street, Wexford to the present buildings. In 1818, the large house at Summerhill was purchased and Bishop Ryan blessed the foundation stone of an extension to be constructed to the rear of the house. In 1819, Bishop James Keating opened the new college and the President, staff and student body of Michael Street took up residence. Rev. Miles Murphy was the first president, he went on to become a Bishop. Expansion occurred for years afterwards and the impressive façade with its distinctive tower and the chapel designed by Augustus Welby Pugin were constructed. In 1855 the college became affiliated to the

Catholic University of Ireland The Catholic University of Ireland (CUI; ) was a private Catholic Church, Catholic university in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1851 following the Synod of Thurles in 1850, and in response to the Queen's University of Ireland and its assoc ...

, in 1858 a theology course was offered to students. Up until 1897 students went on to finish their Theology and Philosophy courses at

St Patrick's College, Maynooth St Patrick's Pontifical University, Maynooth (), is a pontifical Catholic university in the town of Maynooth near Dublin, Ireland Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mou ...

, (or another seminary), but from 1901 students completed their studies in St. Peter's and were ordained. Over 160 priests ordained for American dioceses were trained in St. Peter's. In 1938, due to increasing numbers of students, a seminary wing was added to facilitate expansion. This wing is now occupied by the Wexford Campus of

Institute of Technology, Carlow The Institute of Technology, Carlow (IT Carlow; ) was an institute of technology, located in Carlow, Ireland. The institute had campuses in Carlow, Wexford, and Wicklow, as well as a part-time provision elsewhere in Ireland. Along with the Wate ...

. The Seminary closed in 1999 and the 10 remaining students for the priesthood transferred to other seminaries, and new construction work was completed in 2001. In 2009, a new building was completed, €3.5 Million, the building links the two older sections of the school and provides many specialist rooms such as CAD rooms and Physics Labs. In 1988 the Christian Media Trust, was set up in St. Peter's, with radio studios and production facilities; this is an interdenominational grouping including representatives from Wexford's Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. The group's programmes are broadcast on

South East Radio South East Radio is an Irish radio station based in County Wexford, broadcasting at 95.6; 96.2, and 96.4 MHz., The station also broadcasts on the same frequencies into adjoining counties - including Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford. South ...

on 95.6 FM. The building of the studio at St. Peter's was financed by Dr. Comiskey and the Ferns Diocese. In 2005 the college featured prominently in

The Ferns Report The Ferns Report (2005) was an official Irish government inquiry into the allegations of clerical sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland. Scope The Inquiry was set up by the Government of Ireland to identi ...

enquiry into paedophile activities in the Roman Catholic Church in the Diocese of Ferns.

Syllabus

The Junior certificate cycle subjects are: English, Irish, Mathematics, Geography, SPHE, History, Religion, Physical Education, Computer Studies & CSPE. The optional or 'choice' subjects are: French or German, Science, Technical Graphics, Material Technology (Wood), Music, Art & Business Studies. St. Peter's also offer a Transition Year programme for students between Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate cycles, which allows students to experience new subjects that are included in the Leaving Certificate as well as exclusive subjects purely for Transition Year. The Leaving Certificate cycle include the mandatory Irish, English, Maths, Religion and P.E., and subjects chosen from Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Applied Maths, French, German, History, Geography, Accounting, Economics, Agricultural Science, Art, Music, Business, Technical Drawing and Construction Studies.

Sport

Gaelic games Gaelic games () are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the most popular of the s ...

, the school won All Ireland finals in

hurling Hurling (, ') is an outdoor Team sport, team game of ancient Gaelic culture, Gaelic Irish origin, played by men and women. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goa ...

in 1962, 1967, 1968 and 1973. Other successes include Leinster Hurling and Football championships. The college's more recent victories include the Senior Leinster A Football in 2017 and the Junior Leinster A Hurling 2007/8. The school has teams in basketball, handball and other sports. The school also won the Juvenile Leinster Football Final 2008/2009 and reached the final of the Juvenile Leinster Handball Final. In the GAA Centenary year of 1984 two students from the school won the All Ireland U15 Colleges Handball Doubles Final for the school at Croke Park.

Power Park

Power Park, the all-weather pitch commemorates the name of Ned Power – former Vice-Principal – who did so much to promote drama and games, not only in the college, but also in County Wexford. Decisions were taken to close the boarding school 1997 and the Seminary in 1998. The Patron allocated a portion of the available rooms to the Secondary School. Substantial refurbishment of these buildings and the construction of a new extension was funded by the Department of Education & Science.

People Associated with St. Peter's College

Notable alumni

John Banville William John Banville (born 8 December 1945) is an Irish novelist, short story writer, Literary adaptation, adapter of dramas and screenwriter. Though he has been described as "the heir to Marcel Proust, Proust, via Vladimir Nabokov, Nabokov", ...

– (b. 1945) novelist and screenwriter. *

Des Bishop Desmond Bishop (born 12 November 1975) is an American - Irish comedian. He was brought up in New York and moved to Ireland at the age of 14. He primarily resides there. Early life Bishop attended St. Francis Preparatory School in the Fresh M ...

– (b. 1975) Irish-American comedian * Bishop Denis Brennan – (b. 1945) Current

Bishop of Ferns The Bishop of Ferns () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Ferns in County Wexford, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishopr ...

, Wexford, appointed 2006. * Bishop Abraham Brownrigg – (1836–1931), Catholic

Bishop of Ossory . The Bishop of Ossory () is an Episcopal polity, episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Provinces of Ireland, Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but i ...

, Kilkenny (1884–1928). * Bishop Henry Cleary, O.B.E. – (1859–1929), Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Auckland, New Zealand (1910–1929). * Jamie Codd – jockey, finished second on Cause of Causes in the

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* Prof. Arthur W. Conway FRS (1876–1950) Mathematical Physicist, President of

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

(1940–1947). * Donal Collins – Principal St Peter's College – (1988–1991). Jailed for indecent assault, gross indecency, buggery 1998 (d.2010). * Bishop Aidan Deveraux DD (1801–1854), Vicars Apostolic of Cape of Good Hope (1847–1854), former pupil and Latin professor in St Peter's Wexford. * Seán Fortune – (1954 – 13 March 1999) Catholic priest accused of child molestation. * Cardinal

Tomás Ó Fiaich Tomás Séamus Ó Fiaich, KGCHS (3 November 1923 – 8 May 1990) was an Irish cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland from 2 October 1977 until his death. He was created ...

– (1923–1990) Catholic

Archbishop of Armagh The Archbishop of Armagh is an Episcopal polity, archiepiscopal title which takes its name from the Episcopal see, see city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. Since the Reformation in Ireland, Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic success ...

(1977),

Primate of All Ireland The Primacy of Ireland belongs to the diocesan bishop of the Irish diocese with highest precedence. The Archbishop of Armagh is titled Primate of All Ireland and the Archbishop of Dublin Primate of Ireland, signifying that they are the senior ...

(1977), Cardinal (1979). * Daniel Furlong – (b. 1998) Winner of The All Ireland Talent Show, 2011. * Bishop Thomas Grace – (1841–1921) Catholic Bishop of Sacramento, California (1896–1921). *

Neil Horan Cornelius "Neil" Horan, sometimes referred to as The Grand Prix Priest, The Dancing Priest, or The Armageddon Priest (born 22 April 1947), is a laicised Irish former Roman Catholic priest who is noted for his interference with the running of t ...

– (b. 1947) laicised Catholic priest, notorious for Grand Prix and Olympic marathon protests. * Dr. James B. Kavanagh – (1800–1886), President of Carlow College (1864–1880). * Archbishop Michael Kelly – (1850–1940) Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Australia(1911–1940). * Pat McCartan – (b. 1953) Irish Circuit Court judge, TD (1987–1992). * Chris O'Neill – (b. 1990), YouTuber. * Archbishop Redmond Prendiville – (1900–1968) Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Perth, Australia (1935–1968). * Dr. Patrick Prendergast MRIA – 44th Provost of

Trinity College, Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Univ ...

, appointed 2011. * Bishop James David Richards (1828–1893), Bishop of Port Elizabeth, South Africa (1871–1893) *

Shaunaka Rishi Das Shaunaka Rishi Das (; born 18 February 1961 as Timothy Kiernan) is the Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS), a position he has held since the centre's foundation in 1997. He is a lecturer, a broadcaster, and Hindu Chaplain to O ...

– (b. 1961) Founder of the

Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Oxford () is a cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world; it has buildings in every ...

, Hindu cleric. * James Ryan – (1891–1970) founder-member of the

Irish Volunteers The Irish Volunteers (), also known as the Irish Volunteer Force or the Irish Volunteer Army, was a paramilitary organisation established in 1913 by nationalists and republicans in Ireland. It was ostensibly formed in response to the format ...

, MP (1918–1919), TD (1919–1965) and Government Minister for much of that time. * Bishop

Laurence Bonaventure Sheil Laurence Bonaventure Sheil OFM (24 December 1815 – 1 March 1872) was an Irish Franciscan friar, who served as the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Adelaide. Born in Ireland, he was educated at St Peter's College, Wexford, and at the Francisc ...

– (1815–1872) Catholic Bishop of Adelaide, Australia (1866–1872). * Nick Sheridan – (1991–2024) journalist and former presenter of

News2day ''news2day'' is an Republic of Ireland, Irish Children's news program, children's television news programme, broadcast weekdays at 4:20pm on RTÉ Kids on RTÉ2. It is 10 to 15 minutes long, with 15 minute recap episodes on Saturdays. It is sim ...

. *

Colm Tóibín Colm Tóibín ( , ; born 30 May 1955) is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist, critic, playwright and poet. His first novel, ''The South (novel), The South'', was published in 1990. ''The Blackwater Lightship'' was short ...

– writer and critic. * Bishop Dr. James Walshe – Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin (1856–1888), President of Carlow College (1850–1856).

Former presidents/principals

The first president of St. Peters was Rev. Miles Murphy. He was succeeded in 1829 by Rev. John Sinnott DD. In 1850 after the death of Dr. Sinnott, Rev. Lawrence Kirwan was appointed president. In 1858, Rev Patrick C Sheridan took over the post of president; he was followed in 1873 by Dr Kavanagh. Very Rev. Luke (Canon) Doyle, served as president of St. Peter's College, from 1890 to 1895. More recent presidents have included Very Rev. William F. Murphy STL, Rev. Laurence O'Connor, Very Rev. Dr. Thomas Sherwood, and Fr. Seamus S. De Vál who has written about the college. As of 2024, the Principal of St. Peter's College is Mr. John Banville.

South East Technological University – Wexford Campus

Th
South East Technological University
delivers courses at St. Peter's, in the former Seminary wing. There is approx. 900 students doing various full and part-time certificate, diploma, degree and masters courses in Business, Arts, Childhood studies, Visual Communications and Design, Sustainable Architectural Technology and Economics.
Institute of Technology, Carlow website. 2012 saw the commencement of an MBA programme at the Wexford Campus.

References

External links

School's home page

Ferns Diocese WebsiteSchool's Student Archive websiteArticle in memory of Ned Power, for whom Power Park is named
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Peter's College, Wexford Boys' schools in the Republic of Ireland Secondary schools in County Wexford Educational institutions established in 1811 Catholic seminaries Wexford, County Wexford 1811 establishments in Ireland