Top of the class and on top of the world

CAROLINE FOX was on top of the world after finding out she scored 12 As in her Junior Certificate yesterday.

The 16-year-old from Athboy, Co Meath, is believed to be the only one of almost 57,000 who received their results to have reached a dozen top grades.

The student of Eureka Secondary School in Kells was shocked when she received her grades from principal Sister Joan Dunne yesterday morning. “I wasn’t expecting such good results at all, I just couldn’t believe it,” she said.

Her As were in Irish, English, Maths, History, Geography, French, German, Business Studies, Science, Music, CSPE and Religious Education.

Incredibly, two of her schoolmates, Blair Mulvey and Ailbhe McGrath, got 11 As, a feat also achieved by Olivia O’Leary, from Bailieborough Community, School, Co Cavan, and three students in Counties Tipperary, Dublin and Kildare.

As celebrations kicked off around the country last night, publicans and off-licences were being advised to ensure teenagers did not have access to alcohol.

Caroline was heading to dinner with her family to mark the special occasion.

Apart from obviously spending a lot of time studying, she manages to fit in plenty of sport too.

“I play a bit of tennis and basketball, and I also play piano and guitar. It’s always good to have a break from the books,” she said.

Figures from the State Examinations Commission revealed girls continue to do better than boys in all but a handful of higher-level subjects and six subjects at ordinary level.

One of the biggest gaps was in higher-level Latin where almost 90% of girls got an honours grade compared to less than two-thirds of boys.