CLAIRE OVERCOMES BLINDNESS IN EXAM SUCCESS
Claire overcomes blindness in exam success
DETERMINATION and hard work in the past year have paid off for a gifted and inspirational teenager from Omagh.
Most GCSE students would be thrilled to learn that they had gained an A*, A and four B grades in their exams, but success is all the sweeter when you have spent the last year of study also overcoming blindness.
The results are those gained by Claire Gallagher, who now wants to study for A levels, with the ultimate aim of going on to study music.
She gained her A* in Irish, an A in English literature, and Bs in RE, music, English language and mathematics.
Along the way, however, she had to drop double award science and geography not because of the work load or the pressure of time due to her recovery. It was simply because the Omagh bomb cruelly robbed of her ability to do practical things such as reading maps.
Claire said she was delighted with her results, which she got on Tuesday morning, and her first reaction was one of not quite believing it.
She said she hoped to get back into Loreto Grammar to study A level music RE and sociology, but first had to undergo an interview with her school principal, Mr. Colm O'Neill.
Claire said her parents were very pleased, and her younger siblings were also delighted.
To make up for the fact that she could no longer see to write, and in addition to the pressures of study, Claire had to master touch typing in order to be able to put things down on paper.
The result was that she was able to type most of the answers to her exam questions unaided, but for mathematics she had to speak her answers to an education adviser who wrote the answers down for her.
It was acknowledged that it would take Claire longer to complete her GCSE papers, so she was given double time.
Her success has been applauded by the school principal, who said everyone was delighted with her results.
"The excellent grades she has achieved in all her subjects are the result of her determination and hard work," Mr. O'Neill said.
"She has been an inspiration to everyone in the school and I would like to pay tribute to her classroom teachers, classroom assistant, peripatetic teacher and her fellow pupils and all those who gave the school so much help and support."
Mr. O'Neill had a special word of praise to Claire's parents and family, who with their gentle encouragement and positive outlook had contributed so much to her success.
DETERMINATION and hard work in the past year have paid off for a gifted and inspirational teenager from Omagh.
Most GCSE students would be thrilled to learn that they had gained an A*, A and four B grades in their exams, but success is all the sweeter when you have spent the last year of study also overcoming blindness.
The results are those gained by Claire Gallagher, who now wants to study for A levels, with the ultimate aim of going on to study music.
She gained her A* in Irish, an A in English literature, and Bs in RE, music, English language and mathematics.
Along the way, however, she had to drop double award science and geography not because of the work load or the pressure of time due to her recovery. It was simply because the Omagh bomb cruelly robbed of her ability to do practical things such as reading maps.
Claire said she was delighted with her results, which she got on Tuesday morning, and her first reaction was one of not quite believing it.
She said she hoped to get back into Loreto Grammar to study A level music RE and sociology, but first had to undergo an interview with her school principal, Mr. Colm O'Neill.
Claire said her parents were very pleased, and her younger siblings were also delighted.
To make up for the fact that she could no longer see to write, and in addition to the pressures of study, Claire had to master touch typing in order to be able to put things down on paper.
The result was that she was able to type most of the answers to her exam questions unaided, but for mathematics she had to speak her answers to an education adviser who wrote the answers down for her.
It was acknowledged that it would take Claire longer to complete her GCSE papers, so she was given double time.
Her success has been applauded by the school principal, who said everyone was delighted with her results.
"The excellent grades she has achieved in all her subjects are the result of her determination and hard work," Mr. O'Neill said.
"She has been an inspiration to everyone in the school and I would like to pay tribute to her classroom teachers, classroom assistant, peripatetic teacher and her fellow pupils and all those who gave the school so much help and support."
Mr. O'Neill had a special word of praise to Claire's parents and family, who with their gentle encouragement and positive outlook had contributed so much to her success.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0720
Published Date: 19-Aug-99
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