‘It’s a happy school today’

There were plenty of smiling faces outside Coláiste Mhuire on Friday morning when the Leaving Cert Class of 2023 got their results.

Despite being able to access their results online, a large number of students came into the school to meet friends and to chat and get advice from their old teachers ahead of the first round of CAO offers today, Wednesday.

Marcel Sadolewski was a happy young man when he spoke with the Westmeath Examiner. He plans to study pharmaceutical sciences or chemistry at Maynooth University and is confident that he has acquired the points to do so.

He said that while he is excited to be going to university, he will look back on his time in Coláiste Mhuire with fondness. “I had a great six years here,” he said.

Aaron Gallagher also said that he enjoyed his time in the school and is looking forward to starting a painting and decorating apprenticeship.

Jason Castravet told us that he was “doing really well” after he got “way more” points than he need for the course of his choice, computational thinking in Maynooth.

While even the term computational thinking might bring many people out in a cold sweat, Jason was confident that after his six years studying in Coláiste Mhuire he was “ready for it”.

Daniel McCann, Thomas Meehan and Jack O’Connor said that they were “happy enough” with their results. Daniel and Jack are planning to study quantity surveying in TUS Athlone, while Thomas intends to study business in Maynooth and is confident that he will have the points to do so.

While most of his classmates are going to college or starting an apprenticeship, Ben Meredith is taking the path less travelled. Having recently signed a record deal with Warner Bros UK, he is focusing his attentions on making a name for himself as a dance music producer and DJ.

Ben started making music three and half years ago and has been DJing since February. In addition to DJing in venues around the country, Ben is also in demand internationally and has played in clubs in Spain and Scotland in recent months.

Although the students were able to access their results online, principal Keith Quinn said that he and his colleagues were pleased that such a large number came into the school.

“It’s a happy school today. For the lads it’s great that they came into the school and met with the year head and the career guidance team and their teachers. It makes it a lot more real for them to come in and get the results. It’s great that the tradition is continued and we were able to facilitate them.

“A huge number came in. They were here from 11 o’clock. The results were fresh off the printer and ready to go.”

The majority of Coláiste Mhuire students were happy with their results, which Mr Quinn says give them options when it comes to choosing what path to take – whether it is going to college, doing an apprenticeship or a PLC course, or entering the working world.

“That’s what we want for the lads here in the school. There is something for everyone now.”

This year’s sixth years didn’t get the opportunity to sit their Junior Certificate due to the pandemic. However, they availed of the supports that were put in place by the school to help them successfully make the transition to senior cycle. They have been rewarded for their efforts, Mr Quinn says.

“They had a good senior cycle. They engaged with all of the extra supports we put in place post-pandemic, such as the extra maths classes, the extra English classes, the study-skills seminars. All of those things helped keep them motivated and keep them on track. It has definitely paid dividends for them.

“We were very conscious when these lads entered senior cycle that they hadn’t had that exam experience before. They worked with us and helped us.

“It makes it very easy when you have supportive parents and hard working students. You are able to get the best out of them when you work together. That’s the beauty of it and makes today all the sweeter.”

Paying tribute to his fellow teachers and the rest of the school community for their efforts, Mr Quinn said that Friday was “a proud day for the school”.

“For a group of students who had a tough time during their second level education they didn’t dwell on the negatives. They worked with the positives and it is great that it worked out so well for them.”