‘It's only a step on a journey' – RTE stars reflect on Leaving Cert pressure and share advice with this year's students
RTE presenters have opened up about their Leaving Cert experiences and shared words of advice with this year's exam class.
The
3
RTE stars have reflected on their experiences with the Leaving Cert
Credit: RTE
3
This year's Leaving Cert class will begin their exams tomorrow
Credit: RTE
3
The presenters shared their best advice
Credit: RTE
Six One News presenter David McCullagh, who did his Leaving Cert back in 1986,
He said: "The pressure was all put on me, by myself."
David revealed that what he "really cared about" was the result of his history paper as it was the subject that he was most passionate about.
He explained: "I went in, I sat down, I opened up the paper and I realised, I've got this and I absolutely aced it. I came out of that exam walking on air because I thought I'd done so well."
READ MORE ON LEAVING CERT
But to his disappointment, the presenter got a C in the exam, which he described as "an absolute disaster".
He went on to say: "The important thing to remember is that that really rankles with me still.
"Even though I went on to do a degree and do a PhD and write history books and all the rest of it, the Leaving Cert result rankles with me.
"And do you know how many people in the universe are bothered by it? Me. Only me."
most read in the irish sun
He added that while it "seems so important at the time", in the end, "it's only a step on a journey".
Political Correspondent Paul Cunningham, who also sat his Leaving Cert in 1986, shared some advice for students sitting their exams this year.
RTE star shares messages for Leaving Cert students
He said: "There's always another step. Persistence is the key thing. You just need to find your way through to the next stage."
Paul admitted that he didn't get the results he hoped for but went on to study Arts at UCD and pursue a career in journalism.
He explained: "I spent most of my time trying to get articles in the newspaper and also hassle RTE editors to get overnight shifts on the radio desk.
"The thing I learned out of all of this is that while I didn't do a journalism course, I became a journalist and that's because of perseverance.
"So I say to you, if you do have the change, stick at it. It will fall your way."
'THE MAKING OF YOU'
Six One News presenter Sharon Tobin also reflected on her Leaving Cert experience, which she sat in 1997.
She said what was "really important" for her was knowing that "there were other ways to get to the career" she wanted.
Recalling her Higher Level Maths paper, she admitted: "It brings back a fear in the pit of my stomach."
She also said: "I didn't get the points I wanted for the course I wanted to do, I missed it by five points."
Sharon went on to study media through a PLC course and eventually got her degree.
She said: "Sometimes if you go a different path to the one that you are expected to go, or you tell yourself you have to go.
"You come across some other challenges along the way, but they can be the making of you."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
‘Check your spam': Six things to know ahead of CAO deadline day
For thousands of Leaving Cert students it has been a six-year journey like no other. After starting in the calm of late August 2019, students had to navigate their way through a pandemic, school closures and its aftermath. Now that the exams are finally over, there's just one last box to tick off: what to do after school. Despite the wide range of options on offer to school leavers, the CAO application process will dominate the thoughts of most students. In fact, applications for third-level college courses are on track to reach a record high this year with 83,447 applications at last count, up from 77,049 a year ago. For applicants, there are some important pointers to bear in mind in advance of the CAO deadline next week. READ MORE 1. Deadline day: July 1st, 5pm Other than for a small group of 'restricted application' courses, this is the last chance for any CAO applicant to add, subtract or amend in any way the courses they wish to apply for honours degree (level eight) or ordinary degrees (level six/seven) courses. All such amendments must be completed online by 5pm on Tuesday, July 1st. [ Classroom to college: your essential newsletter with advice on the CAO and study options Opens in new window ] 2. Watch out for discontinued CAO courses Some applicants may decide they are happy with the course list they submitted before the initial February 1st deadline. This would be a serious error. The online handbook available ( ) was compiled this time last year. Since then, some courses have been discontinued, while many new ones have been added by colleges as they progress through their internal approval process. In short, no CAO applicant should allow the 1st July deadline pass without reviewing their course choice lists. 3. Points may drop across many courses With the deflation of exam results, it likely there will be a reduction in points across many courses. So, if you feel a programme is outside your points range, you might be surprised. Another factor involved in driving down entry points is greater supply of places. On June 11th last, the Government approved a significant expansion in training places for health and social care professions which will see up to 320 additional student places created in 2025 (and a further 141 in subsequent years). The immediate expansion will be in nine areas: physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, radiation therapy, radiography, podiatry, social work, medical science, and dietetics. These areas may well see further points reductions. 4. Study locally, commute or secure accommodation? Every year some CAO applicants are thrilled to secure their first choice course in August, only to realise that college accommodation is either extremely scarce or outside their budget. Remember, you cannot move down your list of CAO course preferences, so choose carefully. It is worth checking with individual colleges about how to join the list of applicants for on-campus accommodation, if there is any. The reality is that our housing crisis continues to play a very significant role in the choices of those seeking third level places throughout the country. Some technological universities – which are closer to many people than the traditional universities in big cities – are an option too. 5. Check your spam Every year some students achieve excellent results but do not receive any college offers. Why? It often turns out that they missed a crucial 'statement of application' email from the CAO, seeking to confirm their personal details. In many cases, these emails end up in applicants' spam folders. In these cases, the student's exam number may be missing – so the CAO has no way of connecting their results with their applications. This year the CAO began sending out 'statement of application' emails to Leaving Cert candidates from May 7th onwards asking them to confirm their details. On May 29th, the CAO sent a reminder email to those applicants who had not yet confirmed their account information, and a 'final reminder' on Thursday just gone. It is up to the candidate to spot and correct these details. 6. Further education and training opportunities It's not all about the CAO and there are now more pathways than ever for school leavers. Further education and training courses are an excellent option ( ). For some, they are a destination; for others, they are a stepping stone to third level. Places on all further education programmes are allocated by each individual college and applications are available online on each of their websites. There is no deadline, but all places are allocated on a first come first served basis, based on suitability. Tertiary degrees are another option ( ): students begin their studies at a local further education college before seamlessly progressing to higher education, without the need for any CAO points. More than 40 of these degree courses are available for students starting in September 2025. Apprenticeships, too, are well worth exploring ( ). In addition to traditional options, there are lots of degree-level options in areas such as biopharma, engineering, finance and insurance.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Irish Times
Carl O'Brien: ‘What every student (and parent) should know ahead of CAO deadline day'
Late last August I received a phone call from an upset mother. Her son achieved excellent Leaving Cert results – but no CAO offers. She was at a loss to know what had gone wrong. It turned out he had never spotted a crucial email from the CAO in May, requesting that he confirm personal details such as his examination number. The email lay, undiscovered, in his spam folder until after the CAO first round offers. Despite securing the points for his first choice, the CAO had no record of his exam number so was unable to process a college offer. It is harsh – who among us has not missed emails stuck in spam folders – and surely there is a better system. Nonetheless, it happens every year. Hundreds of students are often in the same boat. READ MORE So, what can you do to help make sure your child is on the right track? Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 1. Check the spam folder This year the CAO began sending out 'statement of application' emails to Leaving Cert candidates from May 7th onwards asking them to confirm their details . (You can find the instructions for the statement of application process at: ) On May 2 9, the CAO sent a reminder email to those applicants who had not yet confirmed their account information. The CAO sent another 'final reminder' email earlier today. It is up to the candidate to spot and correct these details. Often, however, these emails can end up in students' spam accounts. So, be sure to check those details with your son or daughter. 2. Look into accommodation options – now Many students are thrilled to get their first choice college offer, but a panic begins when they realise accommodation is nowhere to be found. Some end up deferring as a result or taking alternative pathways. If your son or daughter hasn't started, now is a good time to see if they can either book accommodation or join the queue for on-campus accommodation. Some colleges reserve a proportion of accommodation for first years once CAO offers are made. Student unions are also helpful. Either way, it's worth checking out these options now. 3. List your courses in order of preference – not points requirements Everyone knows this, of course – but you would be surprised how many don't practice it. It should be all about what your child wants to study – not the prestige of a course or where their friends are going. So, students should list the only courses which they have a real passion for – and will get them out of bed for lectures on a wet Tuesday morning. 4. Don't undersell yourself Your child may feel the exams didn't go as well as expected. Maybe they're tempted to take a course off their list? If they're passionate about it, our advice is to leave it there. There is a good chance CAO points will fall this year due to moves to 'deflate' exam results. Also, supply and demand can lead to a drop in points. For example, the Government approved a significant expansion in training places for health and social care professions recently which could see points drop further in areas like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, radiation therapy, radiography, podiatry, social work, medical science and dietetics. There's a good chance we'll see points reductions in these areas. 4. Check minimum entry requirements Points requirements for college course are just part of the picture; there may also be minimum entry requirements for subjects, such as maths, English, Irish or sciences. Check or the relevant college for details. 5. It's not just about the CAO The CAO is not the be-all and end-all. Further education and training offers excellent courses which can also provide a bridge to higher education. There are more apprenticeships than ever, including degree-level options. And tertiary degrees offer a route into college without the need for any CAO points. How were the exams for you? We'd love to hear your feedback on this year's Leaving Cert exams: what were the hardest?; what kind of toll did it take on students?; what changes would you like to see?; are you concerned about grade 'deflation' and its impact on CAO points? Please take a few minutes to complete our survey, below, and we'll share the results soon:
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Three people abandoned as babies in Ireland believe fourth is out there
Three people who were abandoned as babies in Ireland in the '60s and later discovered they are siblings believe they have a fourth brother or sister. David McBride, born in 1962, was left in a car in a Belfast driveway. John Dowling, born in 1965, was found in a Drogheda phone box and Helen Ward, born in 1968, was discovered in a Dundalk phone box. All three were adopted and raised in different parts of Ireland. However, in 2020, Helen and David discovered they were brother and sister through DNA technology and reunited on the ITV series Long Lost Family. They were both shocked to discover that they had another full sibling, John. The long-lost siblings are now seeking help as they believe they have a fourth sibling. As part of a new RTÉ documentary called The Phone Box Babies, the family hope it will encourage their sibling to get in touch. The programme follows them as they uncover untold stories that reflect the Ireland of the past. Their mother was a young Catholic woman from the Republic of Ireland who, in the 1940s, began an affair with a married Protestant man from Northern Ireland, who was 17 years her senior and had 14 children of his own. This affair endured for decades and, in that time, David, John, and Helen were born – and given up. Speaking about the documentary, Helen said: "This documentary has opened up the lines of communication about our biological parents, with people willing to share their stories. "I hope the documentary fosters understanding and empathy, especially about what it's like to have to question your roots. I hope it encourages people to be open and receptive to helping others with similar experiences. The longing for connection with family is valid and deeply human." During the documentary, the siblings confront some painful truths about their parents' complex relationship, who are both dead. And while they unravel the impact the abandonment had on their lives, Helen, David and John open their arms to new family members. They discover they have many half-siblings and are determined to unearth the buried secrets of their family's past, in the hope that it will bring them closer together.
