News
The wait is almost over for Leaving Cert results
By Niamh Dwyer, Chairperson of the Kerry Branch of Guidance Counsellors
There is no doubt that the path to the Leaving Certificate has been challenging for the Class of 2022 but the end to that journey is in sight with results to be issued on Friday, September 2.
Students will be able to access results online, through the Candidate Self Service Portal (CSSP) from 10am and will also have the option of receiving them in school. To access results online you will need your examination number, CSSP password and PPS number.
This is an extremely anxious time for students and parents. Leaving Certificate results’ day is a significant milestone, marking the end of secondary school and the beginning of the next part of the journey. It is important however to keep the results in perspective and remember that the results neither define you nor prevent you from realising your potential in your chosen pathway after school. Where possible it can be a real comfort to have a parent/guardian, sibling, relative or friend with you when getting the results as it is a day that is filled with lots of different emotions. When you receive your results, you will see the subject, level and grade achieved such as H1, H2, H3, 02, 03 and so on. You will not see actual percentages, the breakdown of marks or the points achieved. If you wish to calculate your points you can do so on the Careers Portal Leaving Cert CAO Points Calculator App, so it is a good idea to download that to your phone beforehand.
Access to Examination Data and Viewing of Scripts
Once the results have been issued there are very important dates and deadlines which students must be aware of. From 12pm on Tuesday, September 6 all students will get access to their examination data through the CSSP. This will include a detailed breakdown of marks in each subject, including each component of the paper such as practicals, project work, orals and so on. You will then have the option to apply to view your examination scripts. Detailed marking schemes for each subject will also be made available to all students. The timeline to apply to view the script is very short. Leaving Certificate students can apply online only via the CSSP from 5pm from Tuesday, September 6 until Wednesday, September 7 at 8pm while LCA students must apply by email. It is important to view exam scripts if you are considering appealing any subject results. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) have stated that all deadlines are strict and final.
A detailed Candidate Information Guide to Results and Appeals will be emailed to all students before the results on Friday September 2. This will include information on which examinations were corrected manually and which were corrected online. Scripts in subjects which were marked online will be available to view online between 9am on Saturday September 10 and 12pm on Sunday September 11. Scripts in subjects which were marked manually will be available for viewing in the schools. Students will be assigned to one of three sessions on Saturday September 10, 9am – 11am, 12pm – 2pm or 3pm – 5pm.
Applications to Appeal
Once students have viewed examination scripts and marking schemes for their subjects, there is the option to apply to appeal the results. Applications to appeal can be made through the CSSP from 9am on Saturday, September 10, up to 12pm on Monday the 12th. It is very important to look carefully at the scripts before applying as it is possible for students to be downgraded as well as upgraded on appeal. No date has been issued for the results of appeal by the SEC, this will be confirmed once the number of applications to appeal are known.
Second-chance Maths exam to meet CAO course requirements
Some HEIs offer students who have not received the required minimum grade in Maths for their chosen course, the opportunity to sit an alternative Maths exam. These exams usually take place in the week after the Leaving Cert results are issued. Details of the HEIs which run these exams can be found in the ‘Important Dates’ section of the CAO website and information on specific dates, exam structure and links to apply are available on the individual HEI websites.
As well as the timeline for results and appeals, the coming weeks will also see the beginning of the CAO offers with Round 1 offers out on September 8 at 2pm. This means that while you will find out results on Friday the 2nd, there is still an anxious wait to learn about what college places you are to be offered. The most important thing to reflect on coming up to the results is that there is not just one pathway open to students - but several. You should celebrate reaching this milestone, safely and appropriately, and be assured that regardless of what results you get, there is a bright future ahead.
Helplines
If you need to contact the SEC around the time of the results, call 090 6442702 or email candidateportal@examinations.ie.
A dedicated SEC Candidate Helpline will also be available.
The National Parents Council Post Primary (NPCPP) will also be running their annual helpline which is supported by qualified guidance counsellors from September 2 to 14 from 2pm-8pm. Students, parents and guardians can contact the Freephone number on 1800 265 165.
Niamh Dwyer is a Guidance Counsellor in Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore, and Chairperson of the Kerry Branch of Guidance Counsellors. She is also a Careers Advisor - For details see www.mycareerplan.ie or follow @mycareerplan on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Killarney hosts successful Irish Open Karate Championships
Over 200 competitors from across Ireland and Europe gathered in Killarney recently for the fifth Irish Open Karate Championships.
The event saw a strong turnout from County Kerry clubs, who competed alongside athletes from Cork, Waterford, Carlow, Roscommon, and Clare. International and cross-border participation included teams from Belfast and Derry, as well as a visiting delegation from Italy.
The Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Martin Grady, officially opened the championships. In his address, he welcomed the visitors to the town and praised the dedication of the competitors, referees, organisers, and sponsors involved in coordinating the high-profile event.
Throughout the day, spectators witnessed a high standard of skill and sportsmanship across various categories. The competition was overseen by a panel of experienced referees from Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Italy, ensuring international judging standards were met.
Interview conducted by Aodhagán Ó Súilleabháin, Cormac Flanagan, and Ryan Twomey.
Name: Kieran O’Leary – Entrepreneur and Killarney businessman.
Year of Graduation: 2005
Occupation: I would be the Jack of all trades and the master of none. I am involved in the hospitality industry. I have Corkery’s Bar, Revive Café, Ruckus Café and I’m a part of Integrity gym, so I do a lot of coaching. The passion by me would be probably in the fitness industry, because I played at a high enough sporting level and that’s come to an end now so I’m kind of concentrating on the coaching early mornings, hospitality day and evening and I have a young family as well so that’s obviously the biggest priority of all.
Could you describe a typical day for you?
I wake up at 5.30 and I am in the Gym for 6am. I work with clients till 8.30 – 9:00am. I then have school drop off, check the stock in the cafes and open Corkery’s. I kind of float around all day, kind of just helping where I can, and then evening time is probably the most hectic, at home, the kids might have football, well the young fella has football, he does a bit of Jiu-Jitsu, and dinner, stop, start, repeat the following day. I work hard, when you’re self-employed it can be difficult, but I try to get down time on Sundays or maybe Wednesdays.
What drew you to St Brendan’s as a school?
It was the sports that kind of drew me. The past pupils that I would have known from the sports clubs and would have seen their careers progress. It’s renowned, the history behind the Sem is unbelievable. I wasn’t really going anywhere else. The history behind it, the stories that come out of it, the people that have progressed and done so well in life. I don’t mean success by wealth, they seem to be happy in their professional life, happy with their life decisions and I suppose the Sem has a huge part playing in that.
Would you have kept in contact with any teachers?
Even now you see older teachers that may be retired or are even still there, they still have a bit of time for you, and they’ll stand in the street and say how are you getting on? We live in a small town, where everyone knows kind of everyone’s business to such an extent, so I think just the camaraderie, friendships and like the great times we had, I’ll always remember that.
Would you have kept in contact with your classmates?
The friends I made. They are lifelong friends. We were lucky enough to be a part of a good few sporting teams, and we would have progressed through the Kerry GAA side of things, and then there’s a lot of them working around here, a few of them abroad, but you’d have your core five or six fellas that you still stay in contact with. Outside of that if you saw past students of the school around the town, of course you’d stop and talk to them.
Were there any specific academic programmes or teaching methods at the school that helped you succeed in what you’re in today?
I didn’t apply myself the way I’d like to which is kind of a regret, but I did Business Studies with Joanna Ryan, she was a very good teacher. I went on to do business which I didn’t complete in IT Tralee, and funnily enough, then I got involved in the business side of things, so it’s funny how things work out. Just because you mightn’t do the best Leaving Cert doesn’t mean that you’re a failure, there’s always an opportunity around the corner and if you’re willing to apply yourself in any shape, way or form then you’ll succeed. It’s all about the mindset, discipline and as I said, my mindset was GAA, maybe even soccer related when I was that age, I could see nothing else, I was a bit blinkered, but as you broaden your horizons as you get a bit older, more mature you realise there’s different ways to go about your goals.
Can you share an example of how a teacher or staff member made a meaningful impact on your growth.
I’d say Seamus Grealy to be honest, because he is an excellent teacher. He was a soccer coach and he would have seen the potential in me and even though the application mightn’t have been there at times. He still persisted and gave me that chance to try and achieve the best possible grade I could within the Leaving Cert year. I would have done honours English even though my mother and father were saying “What are you doing?, you know, because I hadn’t the work done or whatever. The fact that he gave me that kind of TLC. I needed, that kind of arm around the shoulder, to say, listen there’s more in you, try your best, and as you know he can be firm as well, I just found him pretty good to deal with.
Killarney hosts successful Irish Open Karate Championships
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