English Paper 1: the longest diary entry I will ever make

EXAM DIARY:MANY YOUNG Irish men and women daydream about playing in an All-Ireland final in Croke Park.

Yesterday’s first English paper gave me the opportunity to talk about my version of that daydream, which I’m happy to say has already come true. When you’ve achieved a lifelong ambition before sitting your Leaving Cert, it’s nice to be able to tell the examiners about it.

So, my essay on daydreaming featured me in the dressing room under the Hogan Stand after the final, dreaming about the days when this was only a daydream.

The rest of the paper was equally inspirational. I was asked to take sides on the whole question of zoos – not something I’d ever really thought about, to be honest.

Still, it’s good to jump to conclusions under pressure. Amazing how you can develop a strong opinion on something in a matter of 20 minutes. I’ve never even been to Dublin Zoo, but based on today’s exam, they could take me on as press officer, or chief exhibit, or whatever.

I also got the chance to get sentimental about school in a question about the best photographs to use in a class exhibition.

I opted for a picture of my friends, the best I’ll ever have (shout out to Robert, Peter, Aidan, Martin, Kathryn, Edel, Mark and Niamh).

I also chose a picture of a teacher (that’s you, Ms Loftus). I stuck in a picture of graduation day. I know a lot of my friends think it’s the beginning of freedom, but actually, it’s the end. Here’s where the responsibility starts.

So whoever corrects my paper will get a pretty good idea of what I’m all about. It was quite cleansing, putting it all out there in the longest diary entry I will ever make.

I was relaxed heading into the exam, though. I had made a pact with myself not to play football this week, but I got around it by playing hurling instead. Well, a bit of a puck around the field, anyway.

This morning when I left the house my parents had already gone to work, so it was left to my older brother Seanie to give me the support and motivation I needed heading into my first exam. He’s been through it all recently so he was the best man to give me the pep talk I needed. He drove me to school, and I’ll never forget what he said to me as I stepped out of the car.

“I’ll pick you up here at 12.20, Aidan.”

At that moment, I never felt closer to my brother.

Aidan O’Shea is a student of St Gerald’s College, Castlebar, and an intercounty footballer with Mayo