Future is bright for straight A students
All but one of the successful scholars are from Cork city schools, while the fourth is a young Carlow man who did seven of his exams through Irish.
“I knew I did well but I was astounded by the results. I was dreading my English grade in particular,” said Eamon Ó Murchú, a student at Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach.
He credited his success, which guarantees him a place at the Royal College of Surgeons, to his teachers and plenty of help from parents Marian and Páid, who lecture at the local institute of technology.
Another student taking the medical route is Vicky Brennan from Spur Hill in Cork, who collected a results sheet with eight A1s at Mount Mercy College.
“My two sisters are studying medicine and my dad’s a doctor in the Bon Secours hospital. I had heard they were going to make medicine only open to people with degrees so I’m glad to have enough points for a place this year,” she said.
The 18-year-old should have no problem with her future studies, after getting A1s in biology, chemistry and physics.
Stephen Healy, a student of nearby Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Bishopstown, also had top marks in the three science subjects. His eight A1s, a feat achieved by his brother Donagh last year, mean he will soon fulfil his dream of studying veterinary medicine at UCD.
“I was shocked when I saw the results, I knew I’d done well but nobody could expect to have got these marks,” he said, on a break from work at Murray’s fishing shop in the city.
Another Cork student celebrating top marks in eight higher-level subjects was Christian Brothers College graduate Rory Clune, a son of former Fine Gael TD Deirdre Clune and grandson of former Tánaiste Peter Barry. His maximum possible 600 CAO points mean he will be able to study civil engineering at UCC, following in his mother’s footsteps.
“I haven’t really thought about college yet, though, I’m just enjoying the results for today,” Rory said at home in Blackrock.
Those who did not reach the same academic heights were reminded that the options available to them for jobs and training have never been so wide.
Most of this year’s 58,000 Leaving Certificate students collected their results from schools around the country, but more than 8,500 people at home and abroad had checked their results on the State Examinations Commission website by teatime.
