‘This is my Olympic gold medal’

BRIGHT LIGHTS Emma-Louise Ruane from Mount St Michael School, Claremorris, and Annie Duffy from Ballinrobe Community School with their Leaving Cert exam results. The Mayo pupils are two of just six students across the country to achieved eight A1s. Pic: Conor McKeown

Claremorris and Ballinrobe students score eight A1s

Ciara Galvin

ONE of Ireland’s top Leaving Certificate students has described achieving eight A1s as her ‘Olympic gold medal’.
Emma-Louise Ruane, a student of Mount Saint Michael Secondary School, Claremorris, was on a high today (Wednesday) after being just one of six people in the country to receive eight A1s.
“It’s still sinking in. I was sick with nerves this morning, and I had to double and triple check my results, I can’t believe it,” said the 18 year old, who lives in Ballindine.
Emma-Louise wasn’t the only Mayo student taking ‘Olympic gold’ with this year’s results, with Annie Duffy from Ballinrobe also achieving top marks in eight subjects.
Daughter of Pat and Michelle Duffy, and a Mayo minor footballer, Annie scored straight As in English, Irish, Maths, German, Chemistry, Applied Maths, Physics and Music. Emma-Louise got A1s in English, Irish, Maths, French, Biology, Chemistry, Accounting and Economics.


Claremorris student Emma-Louise Ruane talks about getting eight A1s in her Leaving Cert, and her parents and school principal share their thoughts on her achievement. Video courtesy of Keith Heneghan of Phocus Photography Ireland.

Claremorris student Emma-Louise now hopes to study Management Science and Information Systems Studies at Trinity College Dublin.
“I want to do MSISS. It’s financial maths with business. I love maths and want to keep it as broad as possible,” she told The Mayo News.
Emma-Louise has been working hard on achieving top marks since ‘Day one’ in Fifth Year. “I love school, I love studying...it’s a labour of love,” she said, adding that she would also study before school each morning. “I would get up early and do maths at 7am. I wanted to get maths out of the way while I was most alert. I would start studying straight away after school and take a break for dinner.”
Emma-Louise is spending the day celebrating with her family, mother Alacoque and father TomΡs and brother James, whose Junior Cert results are due out next month.