The appearance of poet Sylvia Plath on Leaving Certificate English Paper 2 will have brought joy to a huge proportion of the 35,000 higher-level students yesterday afternoon.

Irish was the only subject on the timetable for Junior Certificate students, but ordinary level candidates had just a single paper to sit and the afternoon off for study or relaxation.

One student who should not feel all at sea when he opens Leaving Certificate English Paper 1 this morning is Able Seaman Colin McGrath.

The first exams for almost 117,000 Junior and Leaving Certificate students beginat hundreds of schools, colleges and other centres this morning.