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MEATH STUDENT, ELEANOR Murray, is celebrating after a fantastic leaving cert result today.
The 20-year-old from Trim, who has Down syndrome, achieved an overall mark of 93% in her Leaving Certificate Applied.
Eleanor is now looking forward to embarking on a third level course in September.
She told TheJournal.ie that she was thrilled with her results, “I’m really looking forward to starting college in September.”
Eleanor received confirmation this week that she has been accepted on a Sports Management and Coaching Course at Dunboyne Institute of Further Education which starts next month.
The Meath woman is also the only Irish athlete travelling to Mexico for the World Down Syndrome Games later this year where she will compete in swimming.
Her mother, Liz Murray, said: “It is such a fantastic achievement. Eleanor is absolutely over the moon and completely overwhelmed.
Liz thanked the staff at Scoil Mhuire, Trim who she described as “behind Eleanor from day one”.
Every day one of them would come out as I dropped Eleanor off to update me on her progress. I am so proud today. This is a great day.
Pat Clarke is the Chief Executive of Down Syndrome Ireland, he said: “This is an absolutely remarkable achievement by Eleanor and we would like to congratulate her and offer her the very best of luck for commencing college in September.
A person with Down Syndrome wants to be employed and to live independently – and with the right supports and college courses each and every one of them can fulfil their potential.
Eleanor was voted TV3’s Local Legend 2014 after being nominated by her colleagues at the Aura Leisure Centre in Trim where she works part-time for the inspirational role she plays in the community.
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Awesome, I wish her the very best of luck in the future.
Who would press the thumbs down on this!!! What a gobscheen!
This girl is an inspiration. I know some langers in my area and they wouldn’t get close to that and they are considered able
Same idiots who red thumbed you and this also
Serious congrats to her and hope she inspires many more people with DS to follow her footsteps
Well done Eleanor. Time to take on the world.
Well done Eleanor. I hope you enjoy your celebrations and go on to great things.
Well done young lady, best of luck to you! Hard work pays off!!!
Great achievement!!! Well done, best of luck with your future studies. Go celebrate tonight, you deserve it!!!!
Fantastic result.Many congrats
Phenomenal well dome. Onwards and upwards
Well done Eleanor and well done to her mother and the school for backing her all the way. Onwards and upwards young lady.
Congrats and all the best in the future.
Billiant stuff, dispels another set of discriminatory rumour. Best of luck in the future.
What a brilliant achievement. Big congrats to her and the best of luck for the future .
Ahhh that has to be the nicest thing I have read all week, fair play and what a great support system she has in her parents, school and workmates, the way it should be..
Truly brilliant you can do it girl
A lovely story, she should be very proud, as should her parents, I hope the teachers & support staff @ her school get the respect they deserve, and before the dept of education go on another slash and burn of schools, take this story on board and realise the good work that is done in the majority of schools in challenging times of limited resources, I wish her all the best in 3rd level
Why are there so many red thumbs to such an inspiring story. If there is a decent reason why then have the bottle to share it with the rest of us.
I would love to hear the reason for the red thumbs too.
There are sone guys on The Journal who , if you have annoyed them in other threads, will red thumb you where ever they see you.They also seem to have multiple accounts.My theory is that if you have commented negitively of some thing like Isreal or The Catholic Church you are likely to be red thumbed on any thread. It’s just a theory but it’s either that or the Journal have a random ‘red thumb generator’.
Thanks Paddy. Looks like they’ve started on you now. My theory is that the red thumbers are leaving cert failures and are jealous of Eleanor.
It’s just a theory but seems to fit the facts. That and it’s possible to accidently red thumb when scrolling on a smart phone.Combined it looks bad.
23 Can even one give a reason for your red thum?
23 Can even one give a reason for your red thumb.
sometimes ppl accedentally hit the red thumb when going to hit the green thumb… not assuming thats the case in all reds…. u can’t change it once hit…
and well done both mum and student…. upwards and onwards…
A fantastic young lady
All the best with your further endeavors
Great result! Couldn’t say the same for my leaving cert results all those years ago!
Brilliant! It is great to read a good news story. I am sure the young lady’s parents and friends are suitably proud of her outstanding achievement. It is also good to see that the media do not concentrate exclusively on neurotypicals.
That is absolutely brilliant! Congratulations, Eleanor!
Well Done Eleanor.. Great job
A fantastic achievement. Well done Eleanor.
Well done to Eleanor, her mom and dad and the two best brothers a girl could have! ;)
Fair play girl.
Best wishes from the rebel, hope to see ye soon
Billy & Maria
Congratulations to both daughter and mother. Having seen the effort my wife put into getting our non-handicapped kids through school / college, I can only imaging the years of unrelenting hard work this mother has put in to get this result. The daughter received her well earned leaving cert, the mother deserves a ‘mother of the year’ award.
Others doing the exam and not doing so well should take a long hard look at themselves
I know you probably didn’t mean it in such a way but that’s actually a little bit insensitive towards the young lady in the article. Just because she has downs syndrome doesn’t mean that others should automatically be expected to outperform her in exams.
@ mart_n I don’t think that was insensitive, others with fewer challenges haven’t the interest or determination to do as well. I speak as the Mum of a child with special needs who has to work hard to achieve what comes easily to others but he does it as he’s so determined. Well done Eleanor, definitely an inspiration!
I really needed this today. My nephew and niece both did brilliantly today. My son should have been next to do exams but he won’t be doing any. Heartbroken all day for him over it. Great to Down Syndrome isn’t limiting for everyone .My daughter also pointed out that if my son was in mainstream it’s more likely he would have been a waster anyway as he hates school :) well she’s not wrong he does hate school :)
Fantastic!:)
I work with adults with Downes syndrome and Autism-this is magnificent news-more resources need to be put in earlier so this can become the norm!
This fabulous achievement has really cheered me up after reading so much negative news!
:-)
And also well done to the green thumbs :)
Can’t add much to what everybody else had said, but you have my greatest admiration, Eleanor. Showing the rest of us how it’s done. :)
She is a credit to her family and school. Amazing.
This is precisely why we need to promote inclusive school policies that have communities educated together – as communities. Healthy social development for everyone – the student herself, so that she can be a member of society, not “some dependant”. But, also, her fellow students to see that physical diversity. Hopefully, this gives them a broader, less prejudiced outlook.
Fantastic Eleanor. Well done.
A much better result than I could hope to get! Fair play to ya!
What a nice story. Good to see this. Wonderful for this young lass. Very happy for her.
Had to re-read this story once again today. Eleanor, You bring so much joy! In the midst of all that is going on in the world recently .. You bring Joy! .. All the best! :)
Well done and very best of luck!
Congrats all the best with college
Congratulations, amazing work, well done, and wish you all the best in third level, a good story like this does not get enough of recognition.
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