Left to right: outgoing Loreto Leaving Certs Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh (Multyfarnham), Olivia Glynn (Cloughan), Neasa Mangan Lynch (Turin), Emer Molloy (Bunbrosna) and Orla Lynn (Mullingar).

Looking back: Rose of Tralee receives Leaving Cert results

Published: Fri 21 Aug 2026, 8:00 AM

The young lady who won the hearts of the nation and was named Rose of Tralee 2026 was among the students at Loreto College Mullingar who spoke to the Westmeath Examiner on the day she received her Leaving Cert results in 2019.

That incredible girl is Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh, and his is how our then sports editor Paul Hughes reported his conversation with her:

Loreto’s class of 2019 are diverse bunch, and heading for all kinds of careers.

At some stage, we could be electing Multyfarnham’s Caoilfhinn Ní Choiligh to the Dáil. Caoilfhinn – who plays camogie for Crookedwood – will surely tackle student in politics in UCD first.

Unless the threshold for offers go up dramatically, she is confident of securing a place for arts in the Belfield university, where she will study social science, social justice and politics.

When asked if a career in politics is on the horizon, Caoilfhinn gave a very politician-like answer: “I might, we’ll see where it goes!”

She added that she was pleasantly surprised with her maths result.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL STUDENTS RECEIVING THEIR LEAVING CERT RESULTS TODAY.