THE TIME for prayers or divine inspiration was over when the students in Loreto Dalkey in Co Dublin were ordered to line up in alphabetical order to receive their Junior Cert results.
Their principal, Robert Dunne, made a short speech and reminded them to take the celebrations easy, as they were due in school at 8.55am the next day. “Some of you have triple PE in the morning so you don’t want to be tired for that,” he laughed.
The hall fell silent as the principal handed the bundles of envelopes to the teachers. However, the silence was short- lived as soon as the first pupils tore open their results.
Shrieks of “Oh my God!” and shouts of joy reached ear-splitting levels as more of the students received their results.
Ruth Brady was among the first to get her results. “I’m so happy, I’ve done really well. I’m surprised with English and Irish because I got As in them.”
“I’ve done really well,” Emily Allen said. “I can’t believe I got an A in religion.”
Nicole de Leeuw was “really happy. I got a B in Irish which is amazing and a C in maths, so I’m in shock. We’re having a party in my friend’s house tonight to celebrate.”
Julie Glendon could barely speak as she was so overcome with emotion. “Gosh, I’m so happy, I can’t even talk right now,” she said.
Triona Delaney was in tears with her friend as they clutched their results. “I’m really shocked about religion, I got an A!”
Rachel Lockhart received 11 A grades. “I didn’t expect to do so well. I didn’t think history went well, so I can’t believe I got an A.”
Twins Niamh and Alva Casey took home a plethora of A grades, with Alva receiving 11.
“We are so happy with how our Junior Certificate class got on,” Mr Dunne said. “It’s a mixed- ability band in the school and within all bands this year. They did exceptionally. Every student reached their potential or surpassed it in many cases.”
Loreto College Dalkey was one of 24 pilot schools in the State to undertake Project Maths.
Teachers at St Aloysius’ College in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, witnessed exuberant scenes as Junior Cert students collected their results, among them Deirdre Keane (15) from Montenotte, who achieved 12 A grades.
Deputy principal Margot Hartnett said Deirdre was an excellent all-round student who was “thrilled” with her achievement.
“She’s quite science-minded but very good at all her subjects, as her results reflect,” she said. “She put her head down and worked hard. She’s a very unassuming character and popular among her peers.”
Emma Creanor and Faye Cooney were also celebrating, having received 11 A grades and 10 As respectively.
“They were ecstatic, there were shrieks of joy and emotion,” Ms Hartnett added. “Our special- needs students did very well too, which is particularly rewarding.”
Kate Henry (16) from Ballincollig, Co Cork, a student of Mount Mercy College but currently attending classes in Spain, received news of her 12 A grades via a text from her mother, Dr Deirdre Bennett, a past pupil at the school.
Mount Mercy principal Padraigín Uí Ríordáin said Kate’s results were a wonderful achievement. “We have three students here with 11 As and six with 10 As; we are very proud of them all,” she said.
JUNIOR CERTIFICATE SCHOOLS WITH HIGH-ACHIEVING CANDIDATES
St Gerard's School – Thornhill Road, Bray, Co Wicklow.
Castleknock Community College – Carpenterstown Road, Dublin 15.
Regina Mundi College – Douglas Road, Cork city.
Clochar na nUrsulach – Thurles, Co Tipperary.
Abbey School CBS, Co Tipperary.
Loreto secondary school – Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Coláiste Éinde – Galway city. Coláiste Cholmcille – Ballyshannon, Co Donegal.
Meán Scoil Naomh Uinseann – Dundalk, Co Louth.
St Aloysius School – Carrigtwohill, Co Cork.
Scoil Muire – Clochar na Trocaire, Rath Luirc, Co Cork.
Coláiste Cnoc na Trocaire – Bothar na Modh Feirme – Cork city Presentation Secondary School – Tralee, Co Kerry.
La Sainte Union De Sacres Coeurs – Our Lady's Bower, Athlone, Co Westmeath.
Meánscoil San Nicolas – Dún Garbhán, Portlaoise, Co Laois
Source: Department of Education