Twin emotions at end of era

THEY’VE studied side by side for the past 14 years, but twins Kim and Kelly O’Brien have left the schoolyard together for the last time.

While many celebrated after finishing their exams, for the Mount Mercy girls yesterday was a day of mixed emotion.

Kim and Kelly, 18, were pictured by the Irish Examiner in 1995 on their first day at St Catherine’s National School in Cork.

Yesterday the same photographer snapped them as they prepared to leave Mount Mercy College for the final time.

According to both girls, the 14 years “flew” by.

“I remember my first day at school very vaguely. I just remember seeing loads of people I didn’t know and being kind of scared,” said Kelly. “The years absolutely flew by. It was sad leaving, but it was a weight off my shoulders as well.”

Kim says she doesn’t recall her first day at school, but agrees the years went by “really quickly”.

“It is a bit sad as it is the end of an era,” she said, adding that she was still in “two minds” about what she wants to do next.

“I’m not sure, it changes every week. At the moment I am thinking about medical sciences or medicine.”

According to Kelly, who is considering commerce or business information systems, the best time of her school years was transition year.

“We have great facilities at our school and I remember having the best time that year. I did like 6th year too though,” she said.

The sisters say that while they always stuck together at school – they were always part of the same group of friends and did mostly the same subjects – they may now have to go their separate ways.

“I have my heart set on UCC and want to stay close to home,” says Kelly.

“It depends on what Kim decides to do, but I think she wants to go to UCC too.”

So the girls may have a few more years of studying together after all.