St Joseph's Secondary School
Foxford, Mayo
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 482 smaller than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 234 girls, 248 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 64640W the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
St Joseph’s Secondary School, Foxford is a co‑educational Catholic secondary school serving the town of Foxford and the surrounding rural community in County Mayo. The school describes itself as a Christian community that fosters a caring atmosphere built on honesty, sincerity, justice, mutual respect and tolerance. Working in partnership with the Board of Management, parents and the wider community, it aims to develop each pupil’s unique talents through a broad curriculum that includes the Junior Cycle, Transition Year, Senior Cycle, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) and provision for special educational needs. Well‑being is a core priority, with dedicated supports, a mentoring programme and a range of extra‑curricular activities that encourage personal growth and social development. The campus has evolved from its original 1961 building of four classrooms, science and domestic science rooms, an assembly hall and playground into a modern secondary school accommodating nearly 480 students and staffed by around 50 professionals. Facilities now support a variety of academic and practical subjects, and the school’s ethos promotes partnership between staff, students and families to create a supportive learning environment where every learner can thrive.
History
St Joseph’s Secondary School opened on 25 October 1961 after the Sisters of Charity commissioned a new co‑educational secondary school on Providence Road. Designed by architect Brendan Jeffers and built by John Jones Ltd for £45,000, the original premises featured four classrooms, fully equipped science and domestic science rooms, an assembly hall, a principal’s office, staff room, store rooms and a playground, accommodating 120 pupils. The school was blessed by Bishop James Fergus and was the first mixed secondary school in the West of Ireland. Sr Mary Alphonsus served as the first principal. Following the introduction of free education in the late 1960s, the school expanded twice and, over fifty years, educated approximately 3,500 pupils. Today the school serves around 480 students under the leadership of the current principal and is under the trusteeship of Bishop Kevin Doran.
Applying to St Joseph's Secondary School
For a September 2027 place, a school's formal admissions process cannot begin before 1 October 2026. The school sets its own opening and closing dates in its annual admission notice.
National term dates 2026/27
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to St Joseph's Secondary School. Individual schools set their own discretionary closure days, confirm exact dates with the school.
- October Mid-Term Break: Mon 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026
- Christmas Holidays: Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Tue 5 Jan 2027
- February Mid-Term Break: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027)
- Easter Holidays: Mon 22 Mar – Sun 4 Apr 2027
Primary schools close for the last two days of the February mid-term week and may use discretionary days to take the full week, so their break can be shorter than post-primary schools'.
Frequently asked questions about St Joseph's Secondary School
How many pupils attend St Joseph's Secondary School?
St Joseph's Secondary School has 482 pupils enrolled, 234 girls and 248 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is St Joseph's Secondary School a DEIS school?
No. St Joseph's Secondary School is not part of DEIS, the Department of Education programme of additional supports for schools serving communities at risk of educational disadvantage. Not holding DEIS status says nothing about how good a school is, only about the profile of the community it serves.
What is the ethos of St Joseph's Secondary School?
St Joseph's Secondary School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.