Presentation Secondary School, Tralee, student CAOIMHE Normile was lying in on the morning of the Leaving Certificate results unaware that her Leaving Certificate results were causing a bit of stir.

One of only three 9 A1 students in the country, Caoimhe was catching up after “a few late nights” at the Puck Fair.

“I slept in a bit longer than usual,” she told the Irish Independent.

But if Caoimhe had a slower than usual start to the day, the pace quickened rapidly after she arrived at Presentation Secondary School, Tralee, Co Kerry.

After principal Sheila Pontillo handed her the results, Caoimhe couldn’t believe her eyes.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all, I was ecstatic and then I burst out crying,” she said.

The 17-year-old from Tarbert now hopes to study medicine at University College Cork (UCC).

Her recipe for success was simple: “I worked over the past two years, but I took breaks as well, which helped me to relax.”

“I am at every Munster match in Thomond Park”, she said.

Caoimhe, whose father Chris is a vet and whose mother, Jacqueline is a maths and science teacher, spent the day celebrating with family.

Proud father Chris said they were delighted. “She’s a great girl. She is not a bookworm; she does her work but still manages to do other stuff. She strikes a good balance.”

Her 9A1s were in Irish, english, maths, French, accounting, physics, chemistry, biology and applied maths.

CEIST congratulates Caoimhe and all students who worked so hard to get the best result they possibly could achieve.