As more than 1,200 Clare students picked up their Leaving Certificate results this morning, three North Clare secondary schools were completing their very last official acts as places of study.
There were large gatherings of students at the Ennistymon CBS, Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon and the Ennistymon Vocational School today, as the last Leaving Certificate classes from each school collected their results.
The schools, which will officially amalgamate on Monday to form the Ennistymon Community School, collectively represent 362 years of education in the region.
Schools across Clare have reported generally positive results this year, and the same was true of the students in the thee Ennistymon schools.
“It’s a very special day for our school. We’ve had such a long history of Leaving Cert results going right back to the 1920s, and what a great group to finish with. They are outstanding students at all ability levels,” said Seosaimhin Dhomhnallain, principal of Scoil Mhuire.
“We are very pleased with how they got on. There are a number of flagship results and students with top points. But I think what has always been important to us here at Scoil Mhuire is that students with all levels of ability truly reached their potential and achieved great results.
“It opens up huge opportunities for these girls now to proceed to the next step in education or into the working world, it opens up so many careers to them.
“The results are still taking the pandemic into account and the disruption of the students’ education during lockdown. But I must say that, across the spectrum of subjects, the results were very positive.
“The Leaving Certs are over the moon. Quite a number of them came in to share the moment with us and also to share the moment with each other.”
According to Mary Lyons, principal of CBS Ennistymon, today was a day of mixed emotions as the 199 years of education at the school comes to an end.
“We had a very positive year this year. We are delighted with the results. We have a gathering of students here right now [Friday morning], and they are thrilled with themselves. They are very excited,” she said.
“All the teacher were nervous, of course, beforehand but they are all very happy. I think across the board everyone is very happy.
“It is a day of mixed emotions. I invited the boys in today for a cup of tea and to discuss the results and they were all excited to be back here one last time.”
According to Karen O Neill, principal of Ennistymon Vocational School and deputy principal of the new Ennistymon Community School, the students did incredibly well, especially considering that many were sitting a state exam for the first ever time.
“It’s been a fantastic morning, it’s just great. Practically all of the students, 90% of them, came in physically for their results from the Vocational School. It was like a mother seeing her child go out the door. It was lovely to see them coming back in to collect their results,” she said.
“There was tear too, tears of joy, tears of sheer relief. It was a fantastic morning. We had students who have really worked hard in the aftermath of Covid. Many of our students, male and female, have already secured apprenticeships, one has secured her arts course already, even before sitting the Leaving Cert.
“It was a great results, especially seeing as some of these students have never sat a state exam before. I didn’t see many trends in results, everyone did well.”
Meanwhile, gardaí have urged Clare students to celebrate responsibly and look out for one another.
Sergeant Triona Brooks has issued congratulations to all the Leaving Cert Students who got their results this morning.
“It’s a great achievement in a person’s life. We would ask students to be conscious of friends who may be disappointed with their results,” she said.
“If you’re heading out celebrating, have a plan in place, be aware of your surroundings and look out for each other. Don’t drink to excess and keep your drink with you at all times or ask a friend to mind your drink.
“Remember you have to be over 18 to legally obtain alcohol in pubs and night clubs. There are loads of people who don’t drink – don’t give them a hard time about it. Respect other people’s choices.
“If you are driving don’t consume alcohol or drugs and we would plead with students, do not take a lift from a driver that has intoxicating liquor or drugs consumed.
“We want to encourage students to look out for each other – if your friend is under the influence of alcohol – make sure they get home safely.”
Meanwhile, there was also good results at Seamount College in Kinvara 50% of the students received over 500 points and nine students scored over 600 points. Indeed, four students received the maximum 625 points.
Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and blogger who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.