There's tension in the air even if it is a doddle

A doddle - that's how Junior Cert students at Colaiste Mhuire, Parnell Square, Dublin, described yesterday morning's English …

A doddle - that's how Junior Cert students at Colaiste Mhuire, Parnell Square, Dublin, described yesterday morning's English paper. But as they streamed out into the schoolbag-strewn foyer they were subdued.

"You can feel the tension," said the principal, Mr Donall O Conaill. "It's a big day for them. Deep down they feel the pressure.

Tomas Mac Eoin admitted it: "I was a bit worried, but I think I did all right. The first paper is usually good. It's this afternoon's English paper that's hard."

"Much easier than the mocks," was Tomas Mac Riocaird's verdict on the first paper. Yes, he had been a bit worried, but mainly about being on time. "I went to bed at 8 o'clock last night so that I could get up early," he explained. "I woke up at 6 a.m. because I was excited, but I fell back to sleep and my mum had to wake me at 7.30."

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English is one of Fiontan O Cuill's favourite subjects, so he was "fairly confident going into the exam." He'd worked all the day before but took a rest before going to bed at 10.30 p.m. "I'm glad the first paper is over," he said.

Ciaran O Maoileidigh had to stand for an hour on the bus in from Mulhuddart, Co Dublin. He'd been woken very early - at 6.30 a.m. - by his older brother who was worried about him being late. Before the exam he had felt a bit giddy. "But I'd done the work and was looking forward to getting started".

"I had butterflies," confided Gearoid O Cionnaith,"but once I got to school and saw everyone I was grand." Gearoid was in bed early the night before but didn't sleep. It didn't matter though, he just wanted to get going.

Sean O hEachtiarna's biggest worry had been media studies. "I was relieved to see that there were no advertisements. The comic strip was a welcome change. It gave a much broader choice."

After the exam some of the school's 44 Junior Cert students were planning a well earned, Big Mac in Macdonalds. Others whose grannies lived nearby rushed off for a spot of home cooking and tender loving care before returning for the afternoon exam.

In Limerick, the first day's exams at St Enda's Community School went smoothly, according to the headmaster, Mr Pat O'Connor. "We have five centres and everyone got off to a great start," he said. The school's 100 Junior Cert students found paper I easier than paper II.

"The drama questions on paper II were quite hard," said Ann Leonard. "The questions were unexpected." However, she felt that she had done "okay". "I was nervous before the first exam but I settled down on the second paper."

Jennifer Grimes found the poetry questions the most difficult. However, she had revised everything and was satisfied with her performance.

Gillian Bond was surprised by question 2 on paper II. "You were asked to give your own opinions which was better," she admitted, "but I hadn't expected it."