After a demanding two years of study and weeks of high-pressure exams, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel for exhausted sixth-year students: the Leaving Cert holiday.
It has become a rite of passage marking the completion of students’ secondary school experience. This year is no different with the last Leaving Cert exam falling on Tuesday and students planning their celebratory trip away.
Every summer, thousands of graduates travel to party towns across Europe to release some stress after months of intense work.
It’s a chance for them to let their hair down, catch some rays, and finally think about something other than Sraith Pictiúrs and Shakespeare.
For parents, on the other hand, this can be a nerve-racking time. The thought of their children heading off unsupervised to destinations known for their cheap alcohol and late-night parties might bring a scene from the TV show Sun, Sea and A&E to mind.
Party hotspots such as Ibiza, Mallorca, Greece and the Algarve remain the top destinations for students this year, according to Aileen Eglington, spokeswoman for Cassidy Travel.
“To a lesser degree you have people going to interrail around Europe”, she says. “That tends to be the lads more than the girls.”
Cork travel agent Barter’s says resorts Magaluf and Santa Ponsa in Spain are the hotspots for students in the south of the country.
Students are spending €650-€900 each on flights and accommodation for a one-week stay in these sunny hotspots.
Some students fund the trip themselves by saving their money from part-time jobs, often paying in instalments. Others receive travel vouchers as graduation gifts, or agree to pay their parents back for the trip at a later date.
While many students across the country have their sights set on bar crawls and party strips, some students have decided to go off the beaten track in search of an alternative holiday.
Getting spiked is ‘probably most teenage girls’ biggest fear’
Senan Murphy (18) and his five friends are taking the road less travelled by for their post-exam celebrations, heading to Berlin before continuing by train to Leipzig, a student town in eastern Germany.
He’s aware that there is “a large trip going to Albufeira” from his school, but says “that sounds a bit hellish”.
“In a city like Berlin, there’d be a lot more cultural things to do,” he says.
“Probably the reason we wanted to go to Berlin is because the nightlife in Dublin is expensive. Drinks will be cheaper in clubs like Tresor,” he says, referencing a popular techno nightclub.
Senan’s friend Daniel, who is currently doing a post-Leaving Cert course, is joining the group for his “equivalent” of a Leaving Cert holiday, since he did not go on one last year.
Daniel’s mother, Vivian Hansbury, is cautiously supportive.
“I might be more worried if he was going to a Magaluf-style holiday”, she says. “That is just purely about drinking and partying.”
Vivian has already been through the Leaving Cert holiday process before with her older daughter Gloria, who went inter-railing across Europe three years ago.
“I was absolutely terrified when Gloria went, because she’s my first. But I had to try to relax and let go, because she’s a young adult now, she’s going into the world, and she has to learn to be responsible for herself.”
Her advice to Daniel and the boys is that “different countries have different rules”.
“If they do something wrong, they’re all over 18 now, there are consequences,” she says.
Aoife Deane (18) from Maynooth has also decided to go against the typical Leaving Cert holiday itinerary.
Her post-exam plan is to fly to Barcelona for a few days, then taking a train to Costa Brava, before wrapping up her two-week trip in Leaving Cert hotspot Albufeira. She’s not in it for the €2 shots or boat parties, however.
“I’m not a crazy party person” she says. “I don’t think I could handle a 10-day trip to Albufeira. My body is exhausted after studying.”
She says Albufeira is “the place to go” this year, estimating that 90 per cent of her classmates in school will be in the Portuguese city at some point during the summer.
Her friend Emmie McMonagle (19), who is joining her, agrees. They plan to meet friends in the city, while keeping a distance from the chaos of the party strip.
The Albufeira Strip, in the newer part of town, is known for its rowdy nightlife, with bar promoters, loud clubs and crowds of young people spilling into the street in the early hours of the morning.
“We’re staying in the old town,” says Emmie. “The new town is kind of scary.”
Even the most prepared students have safety concerns about travelling abroad. Aoife and Emmie express concern about being spiked with alcohol or drugs.
Emmie says it is “probably most teenage girls’ biggest fear”.
She is “anxious about the nightlife” in Albufeira, particularly the “ratio between girls and boys”.
Rachel Sealy (18) from Dublin 5, who is travelling to Albufeira with eight other girls, shares the concern.
“It’s frustrating because I want to have a good time, but that is one of the things I have to think about”.
At school, Rachel and her classmates were shown a video in an SPHE [social, personal and health education] class demonstrating what happens to a person who has had their drink spiked. She says she has heard of people in other schools getting spiked.
Rachel’s mother, Hilary, believes that it’s “not right” that students should have to worry about spiking on their holiday.
She feels “petrified” at the thought of her daughter’s trip, “but you also have to let them experience things”.
This is the second Leaving Cert trip in Hilary’s household, her older daughter, Ali, went to “that crazy place Zante”, a Greek island, last year.
Her advice to Rachel and her friends is to “please stay in touch” and “please look after each other”.
Rachel’s group of friends plan on downloading Life360 for the trip, a location-sharing app that allows friends to track each other’s whereabouts in real time.
“It’s a rule that we’re not going to leave each other alone, if we’re too drunk one of us will walk the other home,” she says.
Sarah Monaghan, manager of the We Consent campaign at the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, advises students going on their Leaving Cert holiday that they will “want to remember it for all the right reasons”.
She advises those taking part in any sexual activities abroad to be certain that consent is given and received, ensuring that “everybody is happy and everybody’s safe and enjoying themselves, which is what sex is supposed to be about at the end of the day”.
For anybody who feels that their consent has been breached or they have been sexually assaulted, the National 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline can be contacted from abroad, between the hours of 9am and 6pm Irish time, at 00-353-1-6614911. Alternatively, the webchat function on the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s website can be accessed from anywhere abroad.
Staying safe abroad: travel tips for Leaving Cert students
- Stick together Don’t head off on your own with strangers or leave friends by themselves.
- Know your address Write down the address of the apartment or hotel you are staying in. If your phone battery dies or you get separated from your friends, you will have your address to hand.
- Drink sensibly Eat a substantial meal before drinking, don’t drink too quickly, and don’t leave your drink unattended. If you notice something looks or tastes different in your drink, put it down.
- Research local laws, culture and customs In Albufeira, for example, you can be fined for entering business premises in a bikini or shirtless.
- Wear sunscreen Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer among Irish people. Don’t forget the SPF50 sun cream.
- Don’t forget your European Health Card (Ehic) This allows you to access public healthcare in another EU/EAA state for free or at a reduced rate. It lasts for up to four years – check if you need to renew yours.
- Buy travel insurance The Ehic is not a replacement for travel insurance, as it doesn’t cover stolen belongings, trip cancellations or the cost of being transported back to Ireland for medical reasons.
- Keep your phone charged For those travelling with Ryanair, your boarding pass will be accessed through an app on your phone. If you can’t access it, the check-in desk at the airport can print one for you, however you will be subject to a fee.
- Take a photo of your passport If your passport is lost or stolen, a photo can give you quick access to information such as your passport number, issue date and expiration date, which can be helpful when reporting a lost or stolen passport or applying for a replacement.
