Leaving Cert: ‘It requires a lot of mental energy to sit a full exam paper’
Kat Ruane (18) has ADHD and dyspraxia, and finds it hard to manage the timings of exams
Students
Stories related to third level students
Leaving Cert: It’s time to relax, recover and recharge
Okay, it was a short week, but it probably didn’t feel like that for anyone sitting the tests.
Leaving Cert maths, paper one: A song and dance about a bum note
Students were generally relieved with an approachable higher-level maths paper one, but the element of choice allowed them to swerve trickier questions, teachers said.
Leaving Cert geography: Students generally pleased but some difficult questions
Students sitting the Leaving Certificate geography exams were happy with a paper that rewarded preparation while avoiding unexpected questions, teachers have said
Leaving Cert: ‘You just have to go with the child that’s in front of you’
When it comes to our Junior Cycle students, it’s all about continued support and motivation
Leaving Cert: ‘If I don’t do good, then it maybe sets a tone for the rest of my siblings’
Momin Bari is studying seven higher-level subjects and also French at ordinary level
Leaving Cert English paper two a ‘thought-provoking’ paper with ‘no curveballs’
Paper two challenged candidates but was ‘manageable’, teachers say
Fiachna Ó Braonáin’s Leaving Cert: ‘I stayed up very late at night, drinking coffee and cramming’
The musician and broadcaster sat the exams in the summer of 1984
The Leaving Cert according to a guidance counsellor: ‘Their brains have been working so hard ... they need to get fresh air’
Guidance counsellor says students should focus ‘on what they know’ rather than what they feel they do not
The Leaving Cert is dense, demanding and far superior to the UK’s A-levels
With its seven, maybe eight subjects, the Leaving Cert cherishes the value of the generalist. In the UK, a 16-year-old may be studying just three
Leaving Cert home economics paper was ‘unpredictable and will leave some with mixed emotions’
‘Accessible’ higher level paper ‘fully aligned with the syllabus’ across ‘wide range of topics’
Leaving Cert: One down, half-a-dozen or so days to go
Thank you to each of the students, parents and teachers who have shared their views with us
My Leaving Cert: ‘Remembering the fun, very silly, happy-go-lucky people we were is like a warm hug’
Erin McGreehan, TD for Louth
Leaving Cert: ‘Even though it’s foundation maths it’s still very stressful’
Grace McNamara (18) is hoping to do well in English and history
Number sitting Leaving Cert climbs to record level
Over the Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Applied and Junior Cert, 146,553 candidates will sit their exams
Leaving Cert: Just one more sleep to go
Classroom to College: If you are a student, parent or teacher, we have the news, views and information for you
‘Kids after Leaving Cert English look punch drunk’: teacher has his say ahead of ‘tough’ first exam
Sheer amount of handwriting required in answers can make heads – and hands – ache
‘I’m going to do medicine’: Student who left school in second year now aiming for top LC points
Kayleigh Quinn says a comment from a psychiatrist pushed her to do the Junior Cycle exams, which has now led to tackling the Leaving
My Leaving Cert: The school secretary took me to lost property and kitted me out with a new uniform
Author Liz Nugent sat her Leaving Certificate in 1985 and still has nightmares about it
Leaving Cert: How can you, or your child, best get through the next fortnight?
More than 100,000 households begin the Junior Cert and Leaving Cert exams this week. Yes, we said it, because if one person is sitting the June exams, everyone in the family is.
Leaving Cert: ‘I would much rather wear my comfy clothes’ in the exam hall
Eoin Murphy found you sometimes can’t win as a Leaving Cert student, such as when you get too much sun
My Leaving Cert: ‘I was upset with a performance anxiety-related false start’
Fionnuala Moran, broadcaster, sustainability influencer and DJ
Leaving Cert: 10 tips for parents supporting an exam student this month
Pointers on how best to help and encourage a son or daughter in what can be a stressful period
Leaving Cert and diabetes: ‘I used to be going constantly in and out of class, going to the first aid room’
Danny Goff is the eldest child in his house - a positive and a negative when it comes to exam pressure
‘There’s no way I’m going to the US now’: Irish students choose Europe over J1 for summer jobs
Many Leaving Cert and third-level students plan to seek work on the Continent, not the United States, this summer. What are their options?
Inside a Quaker-ethos secondary school in Ireland: ‘There is a high expectation of good behaviour’
There are currently 86 boarders in Newtown School in Waterford City, with more than half from abroad
Are there opportunities for students to explore entrepreneurship while studying?
Across Irish universities there is a growing focus on helping students test ideas, solve real-world problems and, in some cases, develop start-ups
‘You can’t force people to stay’: How to stop the exodus of Irish medical graduates?
Last year, 630 Irish doctors got visas to work in Australia, this year so far it’s 437. A senior medic says the numbers leaving are ‘off the charts’
Newly-qualified doctors could have college fees paid in bid to stem numbers moving abroad
Reduction would be in return for doctors agreeing to work in Irish health service for set period
‘An amazing opportunity’: Science student’s journey from failing chemistry to TU Dublin
High costs put tutoring out of reach for many students but jumpAgrade, a free tuition service, is changing that for some
Did you hear? The Leaving Cert exams are just around the corner
This week in The Irish Times, Conversations with Parents brings you a special episode to help parents and students navigate the next few weeks
Leaving Cert 2026: How to manage the days before the exam and how to tackle the papers
Exam-day performance is determined by physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing, as well as preparedness in the subject
Hear and Dare: Your questions answered at this stage of CAO process
Hear and Dare connect students to supports including financial assistance, academic guidance and orientation
Why summer before sixth year matters for students considering UK university
Applications for UK universities take longer and involve more planning compared to CAO’s
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