81-year-old student lived through history

ONE of the oldest Leaving Certificate students in the country was among those celebrating their results this week. Eighty-one-year-old James O’Brien, originally from Tipperary but living in Ennis for over 40 years, went back to school at the Clare VEC Adult and Community Education Service in Ennis through the Back to Education Initiative.
On Wednesday, as over 1,500 students throughout the county opened their results, the delighted grandfather received an A2 grade in his history paper. Speaking to The Clare Champion after getting his results, he joked that he had a bit of an advantage over his fellow students.
“With my age, I knew a lot of it already that the others may not have known,” he laughed. “But getting it all down on paper is another day’s work.”
When asked about the possibility of him being the country’s most experienced Leaving Certificate student, he quipped, “I think I’m the oldest student in the world”.
James said he was delighted with his results. “I decided to go back to school to challenge myself. I love history so I said I’d have a bash and all of the others in the class have been terrific, especially our tutor Sarah Broderick.”
His granddaughter also received her results on the day from her school in Gort. “I’ve been on the phone with family all morning so I haven’t had a proper chance to talk to her but I’m very proud of how she did.”
This mightn’t be the end of James’ studious ambitions. “I might do another subject, maybe geography,” he revealed.
Also among those receiving their results on Wednesday were father and daughter Joe and Marissa Toomey from Newmarket-on-Fergus. Forty-four-year-old Joe, who studied English and history through Clare VEC Adult and Community Education Service, was thrilled to get an A in both subjects. Joe completed his Leaving Certificate subjects through the Back to School Initiative, attending evening classes at the adult education centre on the Clonroad in Ennis.
Marissa, who went to school in St Caimin’s in Shannon, was equally pleased with her results, getting four honours and four passes.
She said she was “so proud” of her dad for all his hard work, although she jokingly said, “I can’t believe he did better than me in English and history”. After opening his results with plenty of hugs from his family, Joe said, “I’m elated, especially with my English result”. He also congratulated his daughter on her grades. Joe now hopes to go to the University of Limerick in September to do an Access course, before progressing to a degree in history.
Through the Back to Education Initiative, Clare students can study five subjects, English, maths, history, business and geography, in both Shannon and Ennis.
One mature student who went on to do his Leaving Certificate in all five subjects was Keith Flaherty from Ennis. The 29-year-old received three As and two Bs in his exams and he is hopeful that he will have enough points to study veterinary nursing.

Previously working as a carpenter, he originally left school after his Junior Certificate. According to Keith, “I’m sorry I didn’t go back to education years ago”, adding, “I am absolutely delighted with my results and I’m hoping to go to college as a mature student.”
Michael Ryan, Back to School Initiative co-ordinator with Clare VEC, said he was very proud of all of the adult students who received their results this week. “We had 42 students in Ennis and Shannon and we have seen some wonderful results. There have been a lot of As and the lowest result we have seen is a C3, which is very good. We’re absolutely delighted with the students, who have put in so much work.
“It can seem daunting for adults to come back to education, but this scheme offers flexible opportunities so people can study during the day or in the evening so it really meets the needs of people. We are hoping to offer Leaving Certificate subjects in Kilrush for next year,” he concluded.