The Leaving Certificate brought joy and in some cases anguish to households throughout the county last week. As attention swept to the projected 5,000 students nationwide who were left contemplating their next move, Longford siblings Christine and David Reilly were busy celebrating their own results and plotting their next moves towards third level qualifications.

Both Christine and David, who are members from Longford’s Travelling Community, are rightly proud of their exam results. Travellers’ organisations are continually urging young Travellers to continue with their education in order to increase their career opportunities. As such, Longford Traveller Movement is keen to highlight David and Christine’s success in their exams.

David, however, is not yearning for any additional praise but is instead keeping his focus firmly entrenched on securing a place on his first choice course - Business and Computers in Athlone Institute of Technology.

“I was a bit surprised I did that well,” he replied with a brief shrug of the shoulders. “I found the studying hard alright and to keep concentrated. Business would have been my favourite. I hope to Business and Computers in Athlone. I did the exams in Templemichael College. I thought the business was interesting and I liked it a lot.”

David explained just how he managed to complete the biggest State exam in Ireland alongside hundreds of thousands of his peers, a feat which now looks like paying off with his college place all but secured.

“I don’t really know what I want to do just yet. I was at the college for five years. I’m glad it’s over now. It wasn’t hard for me, it was easy enough,” David glibly confessed.

A key component in David and Christine’s recent success has been the result of a close affiliation with the Longford Traveller Movement on the town’s Great Water Street. Having decided to remain in mainstream studies, both David and Christine have profited immensely from the experience.

“I come in here most days and teach myself to type. I would come in here to revise because it’s kind of noisy at home. It helped me a good bit,” he confided.

As co-ordinator of the small yet welcoming organisation, Fionnuala Spillane outlined the role both she and her colleagues at the Longford Traveller Movement have played in the overall development of David and Christine as they prepare for third level studies.

“They have been coming in since they started their Leaving Cert here. They were invited to come in and visit us just to see if there was any support that Longford Traveller Movement could offer because we are delighted that they are Travellers that are doing the Leaving Cert. They are not the only two doing the Leaving Cert this year as there are some doing their exams through Youthreach.