Best results:Eleven students were celebrating particularly hard last night having achieved the top marks in the country.
Cork was the regional winner with three top students, two were in Galway, two in Dublin, while the rest were scattered throughout the country from Tipperary to Monaghan.
Karen O'Mahony, of the Presentation Secondary School, Tralee, Co Kerry, had not expected to do so well. When she collected her envelope she knew she had done well, but she was shocked when she saw how well. "I was looking at the page of results. I couldn't really believe it," she said.
Coláiste Mhic Carthainn in Monaghan was also celebrating as Timmy O'Hanrahan found his envelope contained eight A1s. "It's brilliant," he said.
Galway students Patrick Cullinan, of Yeats College, and Cornelia Carey, a student in the Dominican College, Taylors Hill, were also congratulating themselves on a job well done.
"I kept telling myself that the CAO offers are the real results day," said Cornelia. "Now I don't have to worry."
Philip Donnellan, from Borrisokane, Co Tipperary, also achieved top marks. A student in the vocational school there, Philip described himself as "walking on water" with delight.
The Institute of Education in Dublin scored well again, with five students getting a result of seven A1s while 16 had the maximum CAO score of six A1s. "We are delighted with the performance of our students and wish them every success in the future," said John Morris.
Other top scores included that of Martina Feyzrakhmanova. a student in Castleknock Community College, who will now go on to study medicine in TCD.
Tony Buckley was celebrating with his friends last night in Cork. He was a student in the Christian Brothers' College, Sydney Hill, Cork city.
Teachers at Coachford Community College in Cork were also delighted at the success of student Antoinette O'Connor, who will go on to study medicine in UCC. Another Cork student, Maria Donovan, of Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig, was also delighted with her results.
Other students who received top marks came from schools including Blackrock College in Dublin and the Salesian Secondary School, Celbridge, Co Kildare.