The Exam Squad: Meath students to share exam highs and lows

Dublin casts a long shadow over Dunshaughlin Community College in Co Meath. Rising property prices during the boom led many of the students' parents to move from the capital to one of the many estates that were built at the time.

A small number of pupils retain a sense of connection to Dublin, even if they have never lived there, but most have grown up in Meath, support Meath sports clubs, and feel their primary allegiance to the county.

The school has grown hugely since its establishment 37 years ago, with numbers rising from 700 to about 1,000 in the past few years. It is undergoing a €7 million redevelopment. It employs about 50 permanent staff, plus 30 part-time and contract staff, and is under the auspices of Meath VEC.

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Catherine Vance: MY SONG OF THE LEAVING CERT: For Good, from the musical Wicked; WHAT I’LL BE WATCHING WHEN I SHOULD BE STUDYING: Revenge; MY SUMMER PLANS: Finish my novel, Tears Backstage; WHAT I WANT TO STUDY: Primary school teaching at Marino College; MY DREAM JOB: Actor or author; MY LIFE ONLINE: Occasional Facebook user; MY WEAKNESS: Chocolate; MY STUDY SPACE: My highly organised bedroom, glowing with highlighter pens; FIRST THING I’LL DO WHEN IT’S OVER: Start rehearsals for A Chorus LineEXAM NOTES: eBay or green bin? Bonfire. Photographer: Dara Mac Dónaill

It is in Meath East, widely regarded by political observers as a bellwether constituency. The students seem relatively indifferent to politics, however.

The college boasts strong academic results, with 90 per cent of the last year’s class progressing to publicly funded colleges or universities.

The classrooms are very mixed, with the children of farmers sitting alongside those whose parents commute to work in some of the many multinational firms dotting the M50.

This year, 145 students will sit the Leaving Certificate at the school, while 200 will sit the Junior Cert. The Irish Times will follow six Leaving Cert students at the school, from before the exams through to their results. Each student will write an exam diary.