Thirteen students at Christian Brothers College (CBC) in Cork received the maximum 625 Leaving Certificate points, with one pupil achieving eight H1 grades.
Seven students were awarded seven H1s and five achieved six H1s. Principal David Lordan said great credit was due to the class of 2024, who missed out on sitting the Junior Certificate exams as they coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It is a really exciting morning. It is a fantastic set of results for the students. About 22 per cent of the 151 boys have got over 600 points. We have one boy on eight H1s and another seven on seven H1s,” he said.
“They had all the challenges around Covid that were part and parcel of those really difficult few years. So their achievements are even more deserved when you consider the challenges they have had to endure.”
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While some of the students “slept like a baby” on Thursday night ahead of the results, Mr Lordan said others were desperately worried. “It is an anxious time for everybody – even the teachers. It almost feels like you are going through the Leaving Cert yourself when you are waiting for the results as a school.”
Among those celebrating were Paul Scanlon from Rochestown and Sean Kelleher from Glounthaune who both received 625 points and seven H1s.
Paul intends to study law and business while Sean is seeking to do a degree in maths and science.
Sean said the fact these were their first State exams, having missed out on sitting the Junior Certificate, was “very weird”.
“But the post-mark adjustment helped. The teachers were great. We wouldn’t be here without them. I had no sleep last night,” he said.
Paul said that his parents, who were not new to Leaving Cert related jitters given he has older siblings, were “more nervous than anyone I know”.
“They were knocking on my door at 10 this morning to see what I got. I was trying to get the results up. I was refreshing the page and opening the pdf and I couldn’t get over (the results). I wasn’t expecting it at all,” he said.
Both admitted to having a sleepless night ahead of their results being issued, but both said they would rally and find the reserves of strength required to go on a much deserved night out.
Two other students celebrating at the school were Ben Cullinane from Glounthaune and Joe Hartnett from Douglas, who also got 625 points and seven H1′s.
Joe, who hopes to study medicine, said his teachers at the school were very diligent when it came to keeping their students “on track”.
“I am over the moon with my results. The teachers were a great help during the year if we had any questions. We are grateful for that,” he said. “I was a bit iffy about English but the right poet came up on the day. Thanks to Seamus Heaney.”
Ben, who plans to study maths and science, said it was a challenging year. “Up until Christmas it was fine. But then you have Pre’s and projects. It was tough. But it flew as well.”
Eoghan O’Brien from Ballygarvan, Co Cork said he had spent the week leading up to the results “terrified”, but after getting 600 points he was “buzzing” at the prospect of going to Trinity College Dublin to study law. “I wanted the experience of going to college in a new city.”
Eoghan said it was nerve wracking to have the Leaving Certificate as his first experience of a State exam.
“The Pre’s were tough. Not academically but physically,” he said. “I fell asleep every day after my exams because I wasn’t used to doing an exam for that long. But sure it’s over now.”
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