Twin sisters’ identical Leaving Cert results a ‘surprise and a relief’

KILBRIN TWINS HONOURED FOR EXCELLENCE AT CORK ETB CEREMONY

WHEN Leaving Cert results day rolled around last August, a set of twin sisters from north Cork discovered that not only had they each scored highly in their exams, but that they had gotten identical results.

Rachel and Sarah Kiely, 19-year-old twin sisters from Ballygraddy in Kilbrin, each earned an admirable 578 points in their Leaving Cert, a feat which amazed their former teachers at Coláiste Treasa in Kanturk and their family and friends.

The Kiely sisters, both born on March 15, 2005, told The Corkman this week that although they are twins, they are not always comparable in everything that they do. However, they said they had always done similarly well in school but it still came as a surprise when they found out they had gotten the same results.

They said that they had both been “really nervous” in the lead-up to results day and that in a way, it was a relief that they both received the same points.

“We don’t have to compare each other, we don’t have to hold each other on it,” Rachel, who was born a minute earlier than Sarah, said.

The twins explained that their good results, which saw them recognised for their academic excellence at a Cork ETB ceremony held at Rochestown Park Hotel last month, came courtesy of the balanced approach they took to the end of school exams.

“We used to study but we still kept working and we were still playing sports,” Sarah said.

Since receiving their results, the twins have taken separate paths.

Rachel is studying Business with Event Management in LIT while Sarah is working in Mallow and plans to study Biological Science in MTU next year.