In February 1825 he went to St. Patrick's, Carlow College, the Vice-President of which, Father William Kinsella, was to go on to become the bishop of Ossory. It was Father William himself who welcomed James to the college and introduced him to Maurice Lenihan, who was to be his advisor and guardian. In College James studied both chemistry, under a Mr. Holt and the classics under Father Andrew Fitzgerald. While in college he became a member of the Apollo Society, were literature and music were studied, his favourite author at the time being Lord Bolingbroke.