Points add up for exam students

Ennis teenagers who received their Leaving Certificate results this week are out to prove that you don’t have to drink to have a good time.

 

The wait was finally over this week as Clare’s 1,255 Leaving Certificate and 85 Leaving Certificate Applied students received their results on Wednesday.

Among them were St Flannan’s students Jim Malone and Eoghain O’Sullivan, part of a group of about 25 young people involved in re-launching The Hub, the alcohol and drug-free café and venue in the Matt Talbot building on Chapel Lane, Ennis.

The venue, aimed at 18 to 25-year-olds, was opened at 2pm on Wednesday for all young people who have collected their results to get together.

Both Jim and Eoghain headed to the Clare Youth Service’s annual exam breakfast after collecting their results in the morning.

“We’ve been helping to make the breakfasts in the past, but this year we’re the ones getting it. It’s a really nice thing to do after getting the results,” said Jim from Ennis.

The 18-year-old, who plans to study Arts in UCC, said, “I got everything that I wanted with my results, I got the 400 points I needed. But more importantly I passed Irish because I can’t really speak it. In a miracle, I got an A2 in English. Everyone in my family is all really happy, my mum burst into tears when I told her.”

Eoghain, from Barefield, said he too was thrilled with his results. “I got exactly what I needed, almost to the button. I needed 350 for mechanical engineering in Cork. And I was delighted to get a C3 in honours maths because that is a requirement for the course.”

Jean Tierney of Clare Youth Service praised the group involved in setting up The Hub.
“What they are doing is giving a new lease of life to the venue, it’s a fantastic project and something that is very worthwhile. It’s important that people of this age group to have some place to socialise and it is a drug and alcohol free space.”

The Clare Youth Service on Carmody Street also saw its Leaving Certificate Applied students receive their results. Catherine Downes from Lissycasey was one of the many students happy with her grades.

“I got a distinction so I am delighted. I was a bit nervous opening my results because I didn’t know what I got, but I am thrilled. I really enjoyed the Leaving Certificate Applied because it’s very practical and the results are built up over the two years.”

Edel McDonough, community training centre manager at the CYS said, “We are thrilled with the results from our Leaving Certificate Applied students in our community training centre. These results are proof of the hard work put in by the learners and the staff.”

Meanwhile there were more good results reported in Colaiste Mhuire in Ennis. According to school principal Jean Pound some students even braved the driving rain to arrive at the school at 8.30am.

“They all got on really well and no doubt the focus is on Monday already for the CAO offers. Some of the students were worried about Project Maths during the exams, but they were very happy with the results.

“The marks are very much in line with other years, there have been good marks overall. The Leaving Certificate Applied students did really well too,” she said.

In Ennis’ Rice College there were two students to achieve six A1s, while another ten students had between four and five As.

“The students are all delighted, said Principal Louis Mulqueen. “We have had lots of good reports and a number of our students did exceptionally well this year. We are very happy overall, the majority of students all did very well and there have been good results in general. Everybody seemed very happy with what they got. The big thing for us is that people seemed to have reached their potential at every level which is great.”

Elsewhere in the county St Joseph’s Secondary School in Tulla was proud to report positive results in this year’s Leaving Certificate.

Ms Margaret O’Brien principal at the school said the 80 students who sat the exam were “very happy with their results” She commended them on their “solid performance” and highlighted that she was particularly pleased with the results in honours maths.

Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon also reported glowing results in the Leaving Certificate. School principal Seosaimhнn Uн Dhomhnallain said “We were very pleased. We received excellent results for students of all abilities, and in all subjects. This was due to the hard work of the students and the teachers, and I would also like to commend the wonderful support given by the local parents. We had a group of 43 very fine girls sitting the Leaving Certificate this year and we had some really exceptional performances,” Ms Uн Dhomhnallain said.

Angela McNamara, principal at Scariff Community College said she was “absolutely delighted with the Leaving Certificate results achieved by the students. This year, one sixth of the cohort achieved in excess of 500 points. My congratulations to each and every student. I am very proud of all concerned.”

Both Shannon secondary schools, St Patrick’s Comprehensive and St Caimin’s Community School reported good Leaving Cert results.

Morgan Heaphey, principal of St Patrick’s Comprehensive School, said there had been a particularly strong performance in maths, which reflected the fact that bonus points were available for honours students.

“Our maths results have always been well above the national average but definitely the 25 extra points has made a huge difference, and with Project Maths there’s an increase in the number of As and Bs as well.”

He feels the decision to give 25 extra points for honours maths was the right one. “It was definitely an incentive for students to extend themselves, and those who did higher level maths took a risk but when you take a risk you deserve the higher points.”

Mr Heaphey said that the Leaving Cert does reward students for their efforts. “It’s an important exam, there’s no doubt about that, but it’s a very fair exam too and I think students who work consistently over the two years will do well. We’re absolutely delighted with our students and I’m sure the vast majority of them will end up in third level.”

One of the school’s students, Aisling Ross, got six A1s and he paid tribute to her. “Aisling is an absolutely outstanding student. In the Junior Cert in 2010 she got 11 As. She’s a fantastic student, a fantastic worker and to get 625 points in the Leaving Cert is a credit to her and her family. It’s down to a lot of hard work on her part as well.”

Speaking to The Clare Champion, 18-year-old Aisling said she was “very nervous” while getting the results and she now plans to study industrial biochemistry at the University of Limerick.

“I really like science and there’s maths in it too. I like maths as well, but I didn’t want to do pure maths.”

Her mother, Therese, said she was “very, very proud” of her daughter’s achievement and that Aisling had worked hard. “Academically she’s always done very well, but she works hard and she works consistently as well. It’s a combination of academic ability and also consistent work.”

Claire Knight of St Patrick’s Comprehensive said that two of their students had got particularly high points, well over 500, and that the vast majority will be going on to third level.

“The majority of them, with the help of their career guidance teacher would be aiming for third level or PLC courses. Almost all students look to go on and do further education, their prospects would be fair better with a third level education.”

She concurred that there had been a far better performance in terms of maths, while she also noted that there had been particularly good results in some other areas. “The sciences were very good and we have very good numbers doing science subjects. The results at higher level Irish were very good too.”