There were jubilant scenes at Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, Limerick City, where six Junior Certificate students achieved a remarkable 10 As, across all higher level subjects.
Principal, Donnacha Ó’Treasaigh, said he was “thrilled” for all of the 103 junior cert students attending the school, who received their results today.
“We have an excellent cohort of pupils and we are thrilled with all of them. They all worked extremely hard,” Ó’Treasaigh added.
“We are a school that uses one-to-one devices, and we believe technology has a very important role to play in how young people learn in this day and age,” he said.
There were smiles all around, especially for the six students who achieved top marks, Íde Ní Ifearnáin, Joe Tanner, Eve McMahon, Muireann Ní Shé, Seoda Ní Chaoimh, Emily Calton O’Keeffe.
Another 24 students attending the school achieved As and Bs in all higher level subjects.
Ní Ifearnáin, from Lisnagry, was awestruck as she stared down at her 10 As.
“It feels great to see the work you put in come good. I didn’t expect to do that well in English so I'm really happy,” she said.
Tanner, also from Annacotty, who has aspirations to be an “engineer”, was cool and calm as he reflected on his results.
“It wasn’t too bad, and it worked out in the end anyway,” he said.
His mother, Mary Tanner, said she was “extremely proud” of him. “He worked hard and steady since last September, so he deserved his results.
“I'm not that surprised, he's been good and steady the whole way along, and I knew he'd do well.”
“You never know what's going to happen on the day, so this is a bonus. Whatever he got, we would have been delighted for him,” she added.
Eve McMahon, from Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, couldn’t hide her emotions.
“It hasn't really sunk in yet to be honest; It's unbelievable,” she admitted.
“My mum is picking me up; I still haven't told her.”
She didn’t expect as many high marks as she got, saying: “Absolutely not expecting all these As. I was hoping for a couple of As in the subjects that I liked, but, not this, to be honest.”
After securing top marks across the boards, Seoda Ní Chaoimh joked she was looking forward to a bit of a rest.
“It was hard when my brother and sister were watching movies and I had to do my homework, but I can watch all those movies now.”
Emily Calton O’Keeffe, was also ecstatic with her 10 As: “I'm over the moon. I told my mum Anne and she just couldn’t believe it.”
Ní Shé, from Ruane, Co Clare was “so shocked” with her success.
“I can’t stop smiling. I really did not expect to get an A in Art, because it's marked very hard,” she said.
“I put a lot of work into it and I’m really glad that paid off.
“I'm very happy.”
She joked: “Put the hard work in and it really will pay off in the end…That’s what my teachers have been telling me, and, now I actually really believe them.”
Her father Micháel said: “I am proud of her. She worked very hard.”
“There's no substitute for hard work and it seems to me that all the kids here today are happy,” he added.
Her mother, Marie Slattery, added: “I’m delighted for her. I didn’t mind what she got, because I knew she had given it (her) best shot.”