Is a gap year a good idea after the Leaving Cert?

I’m always so dead set on getting to college, but a gap year has crossed my thoughts every now and then.
I don’t think the gap year is actually a big part of the Irish scene. I don’t know many people who have considered it, let alone actually done it. I began to wonder if the gap year would even be worth it, and so I asked around, and found surprisingly positive feedback.