The youngest ever person to sit a Junior Certificate exam has just set herself an even bigger challenge.
12-year-old Cara Darmody from Tipperary recently breezed through the Junior Certificate maths exam, coming out with a grade of 97%.
The fifth class student set herself the task to raise funds for autism services and is now preparing to sit the ordinary level Leaving Cert maths exam.
"I've already put in 100 extra study hours, I've had 17 extra school days so far", she told Newstalk.
Cara has two younger brothers, Neil and John, both of whom are autistic.
Her goal with sitting the exams is to raise awareness for long waiting lists in the healthcare system for people with autism and others.
"I did it for those 18,000 children who are on those waiting lists and also those almost 1,000,000 all over the country on HSE waiting lists", she said.
"It's a national crisis and a national disgrace to be totally honest with you."
"We have a bit of the cirriculum done now but I'm really excited for what's to come
The principal of the local national school told her the result she achieved live on The Late Late Show last night.
Speaking to the show's host Ryan Tubridy last night, Cara said the exam was "really, really tough".
“But I did it for those 18,000 kids who are on the waiting list”, she said.
Cara's father helped her study in the lead up to the big day.
“To get 50 or 60% would be a dream come true. I dream of it every night.”
