Date of Birth: 17th October 1936

Place of Birth: Marshalstown, Co. Wexford

Date Interviewed: 17th February 2010

Summary: John Joe Vaughan always wanted to be a teacher like his father, who was Principal in Marshallstown school. He recalls his childhood days and remembers “long, long evenings kicking a ball in Redmond’s field”. In 1957, aged 21, he applied for and secured a position as Principal of Courtnacuddy school, despite not having the required five years experience. At that time the parish priest was the school manager and decided who was hired or fired. John Joe describes schools then as “bleak” with “no colour” – textbooks had no pictures and there were few visual aids. He recalls persuading parents to help him with the purchase of an overhead projector from Hassett’s Pharmacy in Wexford. He also praises an initiative of the Wexford County Library Service that provided books to schools.