Colin hoping he’s in ship shape to sail through exams

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

Having joined the Naval Service a decade ago with only the Junior Certificate on the education column of his CV, the 29-year-old Wicklow native has spent the last year preparing for the coming two weeks of exams.

“I left school with a plan to get an apprenticeship but it didn’t work out, and I’ve been regretting most of the time since that I didn’t do the Leaving Certificate.”