Shane with his exam results

Clara's Shane celebrates 625 points

Eighteen year old Shane O’Keeffe from Clara had lots to celebrate yesterday.

The Ard Scoil Chiarain Naofa student found out as soon as the results were released at 9am that he had scored the maximum points possible - 625 including bonus points for Maths - in the State exams.

With next Monday’s CAO offers now just a formality for him, Shane said he’s now looking forward to moving on to the next step in his education by studying Maths in NUI Maynooth.

The son of farmer Tommy and HSE employee Geraldine opted to pick up his results in person at Ard Scoil Chiaran, arriving there some 20 minutes before the results were officially released.

“I was nervous because everyone wanted me to do really well and were wishing me the best of luck,” the student who picked up seven As and three Bs in his Junior Cert exams admitted.

When the results were finally released Shane went into a classroom to open them alone, and admitted to being shocked when he saw just how well he had done.

Shane’s results include A1s in English, French, Maths, Applied Maths, Accounting and Physics as well as A2s in Geography, Biology and Irish.

At exam time he said he was pleased with all papers and with his own performance in all exams bar Biology. His good result in Irish was his main surprise, he said, as he admitted it was the one subject that may have suffered at the expense of his others.

“It was the subject that I tried the least for,” he admitted. “I neglected it.” Neglect might mean something different in Shane’s dictionary it seems however, as an A2 proves both aptitude and commitment to the subject.

Shane said he’s always applied himself in school, and he’s now looking forward to following in his 20-year-old brother Seosamh’s steps and going on to third level education.

Seosamh is studying History and Politics in NUI Galway, but it’s east to Maynooth that Shane is headed for.

With the university’s three year Maths degree offered at 535 points last year, Shane is confident next Monday - CAO offers day - will be just a formality.

Though unsure of what he’d like to work at in the future, he’s certain a move to studying Maths in university is right for him in the immediate future.

“My friends who are in college say it’s fantastic, the best years of your life, so I can’t wait to be honest,” he said of the adventure that lies ahead. He won’t be alone either, as some of his classmates are also hoping for courses at Maynooth in September.

Asked for tips that could be passed on to future Leaving Cert exam students, Shane says it’s important to continue to make time for hobbies. For him hobbies over the past few years have included hanging out with friends, going to the cinema and playing cards.

The subjects he chose are ones he said he needed to apply himself to rather than just learn off facts, and so applying himself to homework over the course of fifth and sixth year was also important he said.

“I’d like to thank my teachers, my family and my friends for the support,” he added. “Particularly my teachers, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to achieve it without them.” Shane’s family is also in for some thanks, for their support and for accommodating the work that was needed in the run up to the exams. “I was never short of a cup of tea,” Shane joked.

Shane’s principal at Ard Scoil Chiarain Roger Geagan said the student’s great results were a “major excitement” on results day at the school. “We’re very proud of him here, as we would be for all of our Leaving Cert students,” he said. “He’s been an absolute pleasure to have in the school. We recognised his potential early on and are delighted we were able to facilitate him in reaching that potential.”

Mr Geagan also congratulated the 26 other Leaving Cert students and the 14 Leaving Cert Applied students at the school who got results on Wednesday. “They all did extremely well,” he said.