'Manic!' Leaving Cert students share their hopes and dreams as Class of 2026 get their results

Education Correspondent Jess Casey chats with Leaving Certificate students who started their secondary school journey just as covid hit

St Aloysius Secondary School, Sharman Crawford St, Cork students Holly Jones, Aoibhe Cubie, and Genevieve Hughes were among those who chatted with 'Irish Examiner' Education Correspondent Jess Casey after they got their Leaving Certificate results today. Picture: Larry Cummins

“The last 24 hours have just been manic": There was joy and relief for thousands of students across the country on Friday as the Class of 2026 received their Leaving Cert results. 

More than 70,400 students across the country received their Leaving Cert results on Friday, a record number of students and a 15% increase in numbers when compared to 2024. 

At St Aloysius Secondary School in Cork City, students who spoke to the Irish Examiner were relieved to have their results, and excited about their next steps. 

Among them was Genevieve Hughes, who is set to study fashion marketing and content creation at London College of Fashion.

“I’m feeling really good; I did way better than I thought I would,” she laughed.

The student from Douglas Road studied Leaving Cert English, maths, French, history, geography, art and Japanese, which she took on Saturday mornings.

“It's really good to have different languages, especially because Japan and France are such fashion hubs with Tokyo and Paris,” she said.

WE DID IT! Leaving Certificate students Noun Imad, Ava Lane, and Abigail Wieloch at St Aloysius Secondary School, Sharman Crawford St, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Leaving Certificate students Juliet Hickey and Sorin Gilsenan celebrate their results at Rathdown School, Glenageary, Co Dublin. Picture: Tommy Dickson

Her classmate Holly Jones, from the Lough, also studied Leaving Cert Japanese.

“I thought it was great to learn another language and about another culture,” she said.

"It was great to learn it outside school; it didn't really feel like another Leaving Cert subject. I had a lot of fun, and met a lot of new people" 

Yeats College Galway students Rory Cormican, who got 589 points and will go on to study psychology; Maya Kulendran from Castlebar who also got 589 and wants to study medicine; and Mark Spelman from Ardrahan who racked up 518 points. Picture: Andrew Downes/Xposure

“I’m actually very happy,” she said, speaking about receiving her results on Friday.

“I think it’s great to have that weight lifted off our shoulders; we’re at the finish line now, we’ve done it. I’m delighted.” 

She hopes to become a primary school teacher. 

Presentation Secondary School Leaving Certificate students Ella Gethin, Caoimhe Ceane, and Fiona O'Connor, Tralee, with their results today. Picture: Domnick Walsh

“I really like languages so I’m hoping to do a language degree first and then get into primary teaching.”

Also receiving her results was Aoibhe Cubie, Togher, who is set to study history and history of art in Edinburgh University. “I love art but history is my main passion,” she said.

Mounthawk Secondary School Tralee student Ethan Thomas Gilroy with his mother Bernadette Shehan Gilroy. Picture: Domnick Walsh

“The history paper this year was a tough paper, I thought, but I got the H1 so I am happy. It is a taxing subject, but it is my favourite.”

Tara Geaney, from Togher, was also celebrating after receiving her results. 

“I’m very happy, I’m very relieved after all this,” she said. “The last 24 hours have just been manic.”

Mounthawk Secondary School Leaving Cert students Zack Hayes, Sophie Canty, and Victor Malakhov, all from Tralee. Picture: Domnick Walsh

Maya Cashell, Dora Farkas, and Alex Garrett after receiving their 2026 Leaving Certificate results at Christ King Girls Secondary School, Half Moon Lane, South Douglas Rd, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan

She hopes to pursue a career in teaching. “I’ve always absolutely loved Irish, so I would love to become an Irish teacher,” she said.

“The BA in Gaeilge and French at UCC would be my first choice,” she said. “I just love the language,” she explained.

“I’ve always loved it; even in primary school, it was always my favourite subject,” she said.

Leaving certificate students Naomi Nwoga Ibe and Iyenoma Usunobun collected their results at St Aloysius Secondary School, Sharman Crawford St, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Friday also marked a milestone in education as 306 students who completed Senior Cycle Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes also received their results alongside their peers for the first time. 

Leaving certificate students Tara Geaney, Kaci Clarke, Holly Jones, and Katie Murphy at St Aloysius Secondary School, Sharman Crawford St, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Among these students was Jade O'Brien, who received her results from Presentation College Headford in Galway. Her mother Marie O'Brien praised the school. "She really enjoyed her time there, and she really took part in it," Ms O'Brien said. 

"She did really well; we're very proud."

First round of CAO offers next week

Next Wednesday, the first round of college place offers will be issued to students through the CAO. 

Round One offers will be available online from 2pm. This year, for the first time, applicants awaiting a Round One offer may receive notification of their offer before 2pm on August 26. 

CAO will begin emailing successful applicants in batches from noon. 

Minister's tribute to covid-era students

Education minister Hildegarde Naughton congratulated the Class of 2026. 

"I think it's important to remember that this cohort of Leaving Cert students started first year in 2020," she said.

"They were wearing masks, they were part of a bubble. So this has been a really unprecedented journey for them, and I want to wish them well over the next few days," she said.

She added that students who are disappointed should know "there are so many more pathways and options available to you than ever before. We have apprenticeships, PLC courses." 

• Jess Casey, Education Correspondent