Jubilation for local Leaving Cert students!

There were joyous scenes among students and staff in the five secondary schools across the Athlone/Moate area yesterday morning (Tuesday), as almost 600 students collected their Leaving Certificate results.

The results were released a day earlier than last year and despite the fact that they were available on-line from 10am yesterday, the vast majority of students opted to return to their schools in order to be with their friends as they collected their results in person.

Principal of Athlone Community College, Eileen Donohoe, was loud in her praise of all 178 students who sat their Leaving Certificate this year, and said all of them had performed “exceptionally well.”

There were extra-special celebrations for two students in the school, Emma Lennon and Luka Moric, both of whom scored an amazing 7 H1's in their exams. Emma is planning to pursue Actuarial Studies in UCD, while Luka is planning to study medicine in Trinity.

In Moate Community School, Principal Tom Lowry, said he was “very proud of each and every one” of the 100 students who collected their results, and he strongly urged them to “look at every option” available to them. “There is a huge emphasis on going to College, and we are all guilty of applying pressure in this regard, from Principals and teachers right down to parents and society, and I feel there is a big argument for perhaps taking a year out for some students so that they have a bit of breathing space before deciding on their future career” he said.”

Over half the students in Moate Community School got in excess of 400 points, while over 20 were in the 500+ bracket which Tom Lowry described as “a remarkable achievement for any student.”

Marist College Principal, Michael Dermody, was also very proud of the results from the 92 students who sat their Leaving Cert this year, and described them as being “the best set of results in years.”

Five boys in the Marist achieved over 600 points while 27% of students overall achieved in excess of 500 points. Once again, Mr. Dermody said the Honours Maths results in the Marist were “very strong” while Science subjects also scored particularly well.

“Most students are looking at UCD, Trinity and NUIG for their preferred Courses, and there has also a slight increase in the numbers looking at apprenticeships and the construction sector” he said.

In Our Lady's Bower, where 115 girls sat their Leaving Cert, Principal, Noel Casey, said results morning had gone “very well, with no major drama” and that over 20% of students had achieved in excess of 500 points “with plenty of H1's.”

Mr. Casey described the trends in third-level among the Bower students as “wide and varied” and said each of the girls had developed “musically, artistically and socially, as well as academically” during their time in the school.

95 students sat their Leaving Certificate in Coláiste Chiaráin in Summerhill, and Principal, Brendan Waldron, said many of them had opted for Honours Maths in order to avail of the 25 bonus points on offer. “We had a number of students with over 550 points, but the main message I would like to get across is that there is a Course out there to suit everbody.”

Mr. Waldon says construction-based Courses, such as engineering, are becoming popular again, and he says a lot of his students are “more Course driven than points driven” which he sees as being “a very positive trend.”