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THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS across Ireland are anxiously awaiting the release of the Leaving Certificate results on 16 August.
Figures from the State Examinations Commission show that just under 56,000 students sat the Leaving Cert exams this summer.
While most of those students come from regular schooling environments which have a sole focus on the State exam curriculum, each one of them comes from a different background and has a story to tell about their experience of the year.
And then there are those who took their seats on 7 June after fielding various other trials in life.
From Paralympians to mature students, TheJournal.ie spoke to five individuals who sat the 2017 Leaving Cert and asked them about their experience, thoughts on the impending results and their hopes for the future.
Noelle Lenihan had more on her agenda this year than the average Leaving Cert student. She has cerebral palsy and is an Irish Paralympic discus thrower.
She won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics and just a week before the Leaving Cert began, she won three gold medals at the Paris World Para Athletics Grand Prix.
From Milford in Cork, Lenihan sat her exams in Hazelwood College.
“Basically, I just had a plan and I stuck to it so I was able to get both things done and both things done well,” she told TheJournal.ie.
“It was tough, but I just got on with it.
Obviously, there was a lot to do so I was constantly on my toes for months. Doing one or the other just wasn’t an option.
Lenihan had to travel on a number of occasions during the academic year, but she said that her school was accommodating to her sporting needs.
“Whenever I came back they caught up with me immediately, so that was amazing,” she said.
Lenihan told TheJournal.ie that she plans to separate her sporting life and education, hoping to eventually work in the field of criminology.
“Because my life is so full of sport at the moment, I want to try to keep that as sport and keep it there. I’m hopefully going to do an Arts course in Maynooth University and do criminology afterwards.”
CAO points for that course were 330 in 2016.
Boris Iduhayemeza came to Ireland in 2013 to escape his life in Rwanda. He began his life in Ireland in Direct Provision accommodation, where he still resides.
Iduhayemeza told TheJournal.ie that he had hoped to immediately return to education when he settled into Cork but found it difficult at first.
However, Nasc – an organisation that works to “link migrants and ethnic minorities to their rights” – teamed up with Iduhayemeza and enrolled him in Douglas Community School in Cork in 2014.
“I tried to get into school… It was kind of hard but Nasc helped me. They’ve been really helpful, they enrolled me into school, they got my books and my uniform,” he said.
He said that settling into the Leaving Cert curriculum was difficult at first because his English was still weak. He also had to start studying some topics he had never done before.
“Some subjects were pretty hard but overall I think it went ok,” he said.
Iduhayemeza told TheJournal.ie that he hopes to receive an offer from UCC to study chemical engineering.
“I love chemistry, physics and maths so it’s something I would love to start a career in.”
CAO points for that course were 490 in 2016.
Nicholas Culligan took on the role of a Foróige – the National Youth Development Organisation – director on the 8 May, just one month before his Leaving Cert.
Culligan had been a member of Foróige for a number of years but made the decision to run for the position in May because “it was [his] last chance”. Once members hit 18 they’re no longer affiliated with the organisation.
“I was faced with a full dilemma,” Culligan told TheJournal.ie.
You have the Leaving Cert which is two weeks, there are results but you’re going to leave it in the dirt eventually. Then, I was faced with the role of being a director of a national organisation and I had priorities there.
In the weeks surrounding the Leaving Cert, which sees many students put their whole focus on their studies, Culligan had to balance work emails, event planning and over-the-phone meetings, which he said took up hours of his time.
Unlike the other students TheJournal.ie spoke to, Culligan isn’t focused on getting a university place through the CAO system.
He has already secured a place Post-Leaving Certificate course in paramedic studies.
“I haven’t been thinking about the results at all. All I need is five passes. If I get that I’ll be overjoyed, I don’t care about the points because I’m just going to link in with that.”
When people think of Leaving Cert students, late teens in school uniforms come to mind. However, people of all ages sit the exams every year.
Patrick Kelly is the perfect example that age doesn’t define the exam takers.
Kelly had a bad experience in school first-time around – especially in primary school. He went on to fail his Leaving Cert.
“The primary school teacher I had… instead of helping, he did the opposite. It set my English up for failure nearly the whole way through school,” he told TheJournal.ie.
After school, Kelly went on to work as a plumber for a number of years but he was left unemployed in 2008. He then visited the adult guidance service in his local Education and Training Board to get some advice on what to do next.
“I told them that my English was poor and they advised me to do basic English and maths first. I wasn’t quite as bad as I thought I was,” he said.
Kelly sat the Junior Certificate English exam in 2016 and got a B grade. From there, he decided to do the Leaving Cert this year.
“The exams themselves, I found them tough enough. You can do your Christmas exams and your mocks but on the day the pressure is on,” he said.
Kelly has applied for a place in Dundalk Institute of Technology to study Engineering through the CAO.
Advising other adults considering returning to education, Kelly said:
“The steps into the school are the hardest and it’s a matter of just making the effort and walking in the door because you’ll get all the help you need. They’re fantastic people.”
Having an extracurricular activity or hobby to focus on throughout exam years is vital for a lot of students. Playing camogie for both Celbridge GAA and the Kildare minor team, Anna Gallagher saw sport as a stress-reliever.
Gallagher told TheJournal.ie that she spent up to six hours a week training or playing matches, and used it as a way to clear her mind.
“If I did stop playing then I would’ve been sitting at home and not studying, wanting to be out on the pitch,” Gallagher said.
Whenever Gallagher had a training session in the evening, she said it helped her to focus on getting her homework and study finished in the time-space between the end of school and when she had to head out.
“It was only those five or six hours a week and I had the rest of the week to study then. If I had training in the evening I knew I had to put the hours of study in so I could go,” she said.
She told TheJournal.ie that she hopes to secure a place in the Arts course at Maynooth University, studying Geography and Spanish.
CAO points for that course were 330 in 2016.
The Leaving Cert results are set to be handed out from 9am onwards and available online from 12 noon on Wednesday 16 August.
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One of the greatest opportunistic strokes of the last decade by Alan Kelly. Hopping on the McCabe bandwagon in the final weeks when it looked cut and dried, 2 years after Clare Daly & others raised the issue, when he himself was in government and did nothing. A slew of photo opportunities and TV appearances followed for the Knight in Shining Armour, the biggest ego in Irish politics.
@Justin Barrett: at least he challenges politicians and has fought a lot of battles on this. I admire him
@Chris Finn: Is that you Alan?
@Chris Finn: The only one who admires Alan Kelly is Alan Kelly. Hi Alan?
@Chris Finn: seek help
@Chris Finn: “power is a drug” Kelly? Narcissistic megalomaniac
@Chris Finn: If you admire him I’d say you need to go somewhere and have a good chat with yourself.
@Misanthrope: it is incredulous that somebody that loves himself so much and everything is all about him that people wasted their vote on him thinking that he would represent them instead of just himself. Fools.
@Chris Finn: he had no problem imposing an unjust property tax on us she minister!
@Liam O Connor: when he was minister!
@David Dickson:
You are a good judge DD. Spot on.
I know the man.
@Chris Finn: we have a groupie on our hands lol
This guy just loves publicity!
@iohanx: would you prefer this guy wasn’t challenging politicians and keeping them honest
@Chris Finn: I’d prefer a different guy.
@Arnold Alley: I know, I still have three shirts and a blouse to do.
@Chris Finn: Wow, honesty and Alan Kelly in the same sentence. That’s a first.
Imagine the boredom of the poor fecker that has to endure Alan Kelly’s conversations.
The labour party dont like being insignificant in politics . they’re jumping on any bandwagon for publicity.how can journalists get it so wrong,he did nothing for whistleblowers when in government, the labour party backed the commissioner 100% so they could remain in power.
This guy will stop at nothing to keep his name in the spotlight. The only thing this man should be remembered for is the absolute shambles that was Irish Water and water charges.
@Tommy Roche: he doesn’t bother even pretending he gives a sh¡+€ about homeless or poverty because there’s no decent photo opportunities or media spotlight in it but conspiracy &phone tapping is sure to get him on the front pages.. he’s a cu..
@Tommy Roche: remember he said it would be his “legacy”? Well that is it, that is all I canremember him doing, how did that go for him?
Funny how he’s criticising the legislation. Who makes our laws? Did he spend his entire time as a Minister on the phone doing deals?
@Tommy Roche: Very true. And more besides. what is he so afraid of and who is giving him information?
Arrogant bàstard. I’d love to see voted out.
O God, this buffoon will doing anything to raise his profile.
@Joseph Dempsey: eh he exposes politicians and keeps them honest. You have just won dumbest comment of the year
@Chris Finn: I’m with Joseph on this one
@Chris Finn: Agree. I was never a fan of his but he is doing good work on the PAC committee.
@Chris Finn: would this be the other politicians who have been raising the very issues this clown to take notice of only recently, I recall he also had plenty of opportunities to raise issues when he was in government, a little late in the day for crocodile tears I’m afraid. Kelly is an opportunist , nothing more, nothing less apart from also being an irrational loud mouth
@Chris Finn: you have to see that he is a bandwagon jumper
Does it not cross his mind that if the gardai have tapped his phone it indicates that they think he’s involved in criminal activity, and that this would reflect poorly upon him?
@Lurfic: Ridiculous comment. Obviously he has good reasons to believe that he is being monitored for political reasons. He clearly said that this is something to be aware of from people who advise him on the matters.
@Lurfic: so true
I find Kelly to be insufferably obnoxious. However, I get the impression he has a sniff of something here. His public perception is almost as important to him as his self perception. As one poster above said, he jumped on the McCabe bandwagon in the last two weeks of the shitshow that ended Fitzgerald as minister, once all the long hard work had been done. I get the same feeling here. Seems like he’s jumping out in front of something so he can be first to say he brought it up.
Who in their right mind would want to know what Labour are doing .
I have no time for his politics .. however Kelly’s work on the PAC has been great … his questioning was critical in the exposure of the dept of justice and Garda collusion to smear McCabe … he has been very bullish in not taking vague answers from the HSE in relation to the whistleblower and grace case.
But unfortunately due to his Irish water calamities he will not get the credit he deserves on these matters
@Gggordon: I agree with this. I think he’s been excellent in opposition. I’d never want him anywhere near government again though.
@Conor: You sum up Kelly and liebour perfectly Conor, great in opposition, liars and turncoats in power.
What does he think the Gardai are after….The mole who leaked government documents to him….Is that not their job under official secrets act hunting moles….
There may have been a leak, Alan.
He’ll do anything to get his name up in lights….this is not show business Alan.
The Justice department have better things to do – stop wasting their time – and stop costing us money, in other words…get lost!
Between tapping and leaking I think he should call a plumber
Next weeks headline…..
“Alan Kelly seen out on a date with Amanda Brunker”
@Larry Fitzwell: Following weeks headline….
“Amanda Brunker reveals why she is emigrating”
@Tommy Roche: Week after interview with Hello magazine……
“Amanda Brunker on how the Maurice McCabe scandal has affected her, and how she was once a whistle blower too”
What do he r any of the other Labour mouth pieces Di when in Government Nothing. They should have been wired out at last election
I don`t doubt the capacity of AGS for dirty tricks, that has been well proven over the years. But AK is just an insufferable attention seeker.
Regina doherty wil be kicking herself she didnt think of this! Makes a change from the old death threat yarn!
I once walked past Alan Kelly while he was talking a phone call in the street. Should I be expecting a visit from the guards?
Have we an honest politician in this country at all, anyone? Anyone?
@Horace: William Wallace, Wexford Braveheart. Connoisseur of everything Italian,…. or maybe not, forgot to pay his taxes.
What a clown
The only tapping he is concerned with is water taps!!!
Of course Alan Kelly’s phone calls are being monitored. I’m not sure, though, why he is making such a fuss over it. It’s just reality.
Bomb Squad called in, death threats, phone tapped. Who would be a TD? Having to continually invent b/s like this. Hard work!
If he has been tipped off by a Garda mole and it turns out his phone was tapped this would trigger an election.
The opposition parties in the Dail are making the Government look good at this stage. Bunch of attention seeking clowns.
I hope it’s not a frivolous accusation ,if their is any truth in this allegation then it doesn’t bode well for the high ethos and rigorous accountability the organs of the State now uphold.
Who uses landlines anymore?
He is slowly becoming the biggest pain in the arse in the country.
It has..by his Ego
This Guy and his Colleagues should be Shot for Treason
This poor man could get counselling and I’m sure some medication for his unfortunate condition..
Has to be the biggest Dick head in Irish politics
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