New principal announced for Cistercian College

A new principal of Cistercian College outside Roscrea has been announced.

Ms. Catherine Smyth has been a member of the teaching staff at Cistercian College, based just inside the Offaly border, for the past 27 years.

For over seven of those years she has served with distinction as Deputy Principal, and for the past two years she has provided steady and capable leadership as Acting Principal.

In a statement, the school said: “Throughout her career, she has shown unwavering dedication to her students, her colleagues, and to the life of the school. Her authentic leadership, courage to lead change, pragmatism, humility, and determination to guide the College into the future make this a truly well-deserved appointment.

“This appointment follows a lengthy, competitive, and rigorous selection process undertaken by the Board of Management to ensure that the right candidate was chosen to lead the College at this important time.

“The calibre of candidates reflected the significance of the role, making Ms. Smyth’s appointment all the more deserved, and the panel was unanimous in its strong endorsement of her.

The process was chaired by Ms. Vivienne Dunne, an independent panel member, Chair of the Board of Management at Gonzaga College and former CEO of the Spiritan Education Office, who also works with the JMB on national procedures for the recruitment of school leaders, alongside Mr. Martin Mullen, Ms. Inez Heenan, the President Mr. Colm Maloney, and myself.

As Principal, Ms. Smyth will work closely with the College President, Mr. Colm Maloney, the Senior Management Team, teachers, housemasters, and staff to guide Cistercian College into the next exciting stage of its history.

She will lead the teaching and learning at the College into a new future, as the school begins its transition to co-education.

“This is a significant and historic moment for our school community, and we are confident that under Ms. Smyth’s leadership, Cistercian College will continue to thrive and grow while remaining true to its ethos and values. We warmly congratulate Ms. Smyth on her appointment and look forward to supporting her as she takes on this important role,” the statement concluded.