Four students get 12 As to top the results league

Students in Kerry and Sligo were among four candidates nationwide to achieve 12 As in this year's Junior Certificate exams.

Caoimhe Casey from Mercy Mounthawk School, Tralee, Co Kerry and Michelle Judge of Carraroe, Co Sligo got As in 11 higher-level papers and in one ordinary level paper, CSPE (Civil, Social and Political Education).

And in one school in Dublin, two students got 11 As. Conor Phelan and Kevin Doherty who attend Ard Scoil Rís in Marino were among 95 around the country to attain 11 As, including one in CSPE. Some 108 students achieved 10 As, 376 got nine As, 737 got eight and almost 16,000 got at least one A.

Conor Phelan, who lives in Clontarf, the elder of two boys, said that he was very pleased with his results. "I didn't think I'd do so well," he said. "I thought I did more study for the mocks than for the Junior Cert itself." He was planning to celebrate with his friends.

Kevin Doherty thanked his teachers and family for encouraging him along the way. He intends to continue technical studies and woodwork to Leaving Cert. "I'm not doing transition year, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get back to studying after," he said.

Principal Pat Reilly said that the school is extremely proud of the boys. "They are two very good workers and we are very happy for them," he said.

Dublin 8 student Sarah Carroll was also extremely pleased with her Junior Cert results. Sarah, who has Down syndrome, attends mainstream school Presentation Warrenmount. She got one A, three Bs and two Cs, studying in the same environment as her peers.

Meanwhile, a Vodafone mobile phone service crash in Dublin was not caused by Junior Cert students. It was due to a 30-minute "outage" at city centre bays.