Pictures: Anxious wait for exam results comes to an end for Cork students 

Principals at schools across Cork paid tribute to their students yesterday after the anxious wait for Leaving Certificate results came to an end.

Commending the class of 2024, principal of Christian Brothers College (CBC) David Lordon said students have reaped the rewards of their hard work.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the lads,” he said.

“Thirteen boys received the maximum points of 625 and one of those students, Luca Bonnet, achieved eight H1 grades. In excess of 20% of the students got over 600 points so it was a really fantastic result.

“It was, as I always say, a real team effort between the boys themselves in particular, and the parents, and of course teachers looking after them.

“It’s great to see all that hard work come to fruition,” he told The Echo.

Asked what advice he would offer to any student who may be disappointed with their results, Mr Lordon urged them to “remain positive”.

“The first thing that’s always important to say is that there have never been more options and access routes to where you want to get, and that’s something we could not have said in years past, but certainly it’s something that is a major improvement in access to third level in Ireland today,” he said.

Students should arrange to view scripts via the candidate self-service portal if they are unsure whether a grade reflects their efforts and ability, and then decide if it is worth making an appeal, he said.

He encouraged any student in this position to contact the school if they have any queries, adding, “that’s what we’re there for”.

'There's another pathway'

Paul Kelleher, career guidance councillor at Coláiste Éamann Rís, similarly encouraged any student who might be disheartened by their results to remain positive.

“There’s another pathway. It’s probably my own career really, I’m that person who went through different pathways, through back doors. It’s where I feel I can help those students because I’ve been that student where I’ve had to go different directions,” he said.

School principal Aaron Wolfe described yesterday as “the day that makes teaching worthwhile”.

“To see the students get their results, to get them through six years of education and no matter how well they’ve done, it’s a great achievement,” he said.

Among the happy students at the school was Kristian Vukorepa, who moved from Croatia to Cork six years ago.

Mr Vukorepa, who hopes to study physics at UCC, told The Echo he felt a sense of “euphoria” when he logged on to see that he had secured 613 points, and thanked the teachers at the school for their support.

Tyrese O’Leary said he was “very nervous” when the results came out.

“I’m thrilled that it’s all over and that I don’t have to think about it any more,” he said. “It was a tough year. Loads of setbacks but just getting the results back now just made me feel so much better. It makes me feel like you can overcome anything.”

Mr O’Leary said he hopes to study sports and recreation.

“I’m a big sports person. I play soccer and Gaelic football so it’s something I’m interested in,” he said.

Students hadn't sat Junior Cert exams 

Kinsale Community School principal Fergal McCarthy said the school is immensely proud of the Leaving Certificate class of 2024.

“We have 19 students receiving 600 points or more,” he said. “We have nine students receiving six H1s. We have a student from Ukraine, who came to us fleeing war, with 467 points.

“We’re really, really proud of the achievements of all of the students in the school and we’re just wishing them every success in their journey now into the world of work, into the world of apprenticeship, into the world of further education, and into the world of third-level education,” he said.

He said the results, which include one student who secured 8 H1s, reflect “excellent work” done by the students and “excellent support provided to them by their teachers and by their families”.

“It’s also important to remember that these students were denied the opportunity of doing their Junior Cert; Covid prevented them doing that, which meant that they didn’t have the experience of a high-stake exam previously and yet they took it in their stride and they performed exceptionally well,” he said.