A 20-year-old student with Down's syndrome who yesterday achieved an A1 grade in her Leaving Certificate history exam, plans to study print journalism at Dún Laoghaire College of Further Education in the autumn.
Patricia Carney, Glenageary, Co Dublin, and a student at St Joseph of Cluny secondary school in Killiney, described her overall results as "absolutely fantastic".
She sat three exams in total, and also obtained a B3 in art and a C1 in English.
"After I got my results, it was fantastic," she said yesterday. "I was shaking a little bit beforehand.
"I love writing articles. I'm very excited about the new course."
Her mother, Pat Carney, paid tribute to Patricia, as well as her "incredible bunch" of schoolfriends, who yesterday gathered for a celebratory lunch to mark her achievement.
She also expressed her appreciation for the support which her daughter had received from the staff and teachers at St Joseph of Cluny school.
"Trish writes non-stop. She's always writing. She has a great imagination," she said. "She's always had a great interest in history.
"But I suppose I do feel as if I sat my Leaving Certificate myself.
"My husband even left me a note this morning saying good luck with your results."
Among the modules which Ms Carney will study when she begins her two-year course at the Dún Laoghaire college this autumn are journalism, computers, communications and photography.
Yesterday, she was preparing to take a train to Kinsale, Co Cork, where she will spend a weekend with her family.