Education

80-year-old Leaving Cert student delighted with his results

Retired piano technician who left secondary school at the age of 14 sat higher level English

Anthony Lynam, aged 80, who sat and passed the higher English Leaving Cert paper, with his results. Photograph: Dave Meehan

Lynn Rusk
Tue Aug 13 2019 - 19:11

Anthony Lynam, one of the oldest students to ever take the Leaving Cert, says he is thrilled with his results.

Mr Lynam, who lives in Kilmainham, Dublin, left school in 1955 without ever sitting a major exam. It was at a time when a minority of students went on to complete the Leaving Cert.

“It was before free education. Most left after primary school. I was unusual in staying on for an extra two years. We had to pay two guineas.”

Last September, after hearing about evening Leaving Cert courses at Crumlin College of Further Education, he decided to take on the higher level Leaving Cert English course and sat the exam in June.

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The retired piano technician who left secondary school at the age of 14 was delighted to receive his results on Tuesday.

“I was very anxious but I am very happy with how I did. It has been a bit of a journey and a real learning curve but I would do it all again.’’

He says he would recommend the experience to anyone who is interested in going back to sit the exam.

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