Cathal with the band Crann Og.
A Leaving Cert student got a pleasant surprise during his Irish Exam, Paper I, when he realised he had somewhat of a starring role in one of the questions.
Cathal Ó Curráin from Gaoth Dobhair was sitting his aural exam when he realised one of the questions was about the band he plays in.
Cathal said everyone was in fits of laughter in the exam hall when they realised the coincidence.
“I thought it was very funny. I was sitting in the corner, and when we got the paper everyone turned around saying ‘that’s ye’ and I was in fits laughing. I knew the answers before we heard the recording,” he told RTE’s Radio na Gaeltachta.
The questions in the aural comprehension were about Cathal’s music group An Crann Óg from Gaoth Dobhair, of which Cathal is a member.
Another member of the group, Eimhear Nic Comhail, is also sitting her Leaving Cert this year.
“Everyone in the room was laughing, they were slagging me saying ‘fix fix’. It’s great though, 120,000 people did the exam and it’s a great thing for An Crann Óg that we were mentioned in the exam.”
Cathal Ó Curráin, better known as Cathal Banjo, has completed 4 of his exams, with three more next week, and is hoping to study Irish and music in University of Limerick next year.
An Crann Óg is a group of young traditional musicians established by Caitlín and PJ Joe Jack in Gaoth Dobhair in 2007 to encourage and promote traditional music among the younger generation.
