Close to 2,000 students in Carlow and Kilkenny face into the Leaving Cert today.
They start with English Paper 1 from half past 9 and due to public health measures, there are more than 5,000 exam centres being used to allow for social distancing.
This year’s sixth years have the option of sitting the exams, accepting calculated grades or choosing both.
1,094 are in Kilkenny, 559 female and 535 males, among whom 1,077 candidates have signed up for accredited grades with 973 for the written exams.
In Carlow, there are 898 examinees, 453 males and 445 females, with 888 down for accredited grades and 799 for the written.
While of the 3,177 sitting the Applied Leaving Cert across the country, 39 are in Kilkenny with 27 in Carlow.
Majella Gleeson is Principal of Colaiste Eamann Ris in Callan and she’s been chatting with our Sue Nunn on The Way It Is – listen back to that here: