68-year-old in Mayo receives outstanding grade in Leaving Cert exam
David Dinsmore enjoying a well-earned pint in Leonard's of Lahardane after completing his Leaving Cert German examination in June.
Leaving Certificate students around Ireland are receiving their examination results this morning, while a 68-year-old, living in Lahardane, was among those to get the big news.
David Dinsmore, originally interviewed by Tom Byrne of before his German Leaving Certificate examination in June, received his result this morning.
David was over the moon to see a H1 grade before his eyes - stating he "couldn't believe" his fantastic result!
The examination season is coming to a conclusion with students all around Ireland completing their Leaving Cert and Junior Cert papers.
In Gortnor Abbey Secondary School in Crossmolina, there was a rare situation where a 68-year-old man took the German Leaving Certificate examination last Friday.
David Dinsmore, who is originally from Coleraine in Northern Ireland, has been living in Lahardane for 21 years and has always had a keen interest in German.
“I studied German for the O-Level (Junior Cert equivalent) and I was selected to go on an exchange to Wolfsburg in 1971,” David explained.
David did not get the opportunity to study the language for his A-Level (Leaving Cert equivalent) and reflected on it as a choice that he has “regretted” ever since.
After rupturing his Achilles tendon last November, which provided him with time on his hands, David decided to sign up for this year’s German oral and written examination.
“I have been packing two years of study into five or six months so it has been a challenge. The textbooks are geared towards teenagers so there are questions like ‘What are you going to do after your Leaving Cert’,” David laughed - mentioning that he is a well-travelled English teacher who has also worked in financial services.
Before the exam, David got the opportunity to reunite with his former exchange student group in April after getting back in touch with them through WhatsApp.
“When I went back over to Germany this year they had not told me I was going to meet my exchange partner - Jürgen von der Ohe. It brought a tear to my eye when I got to meet him again after all those years,” David said.
The pair reminisced during his return to Wolfsburg, with David saying he plans to take a trip back to central Europe in the future.
