"We're just so excited, " explains Karen Shevlin, 18, from Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, somewhat unnecessarily. "We're off to Santa Ponsa for a week before we get our Leaving Cert results.

We're going to go mad."

They are not alone. It is the start of the August bank holiday weekend, what has become in recent years one of the most popular times for Leaving Cert students to take their first holiday abroad without their parents. This month, groups as small as six and as large as 40 will take on the popular resorts of Costa Del Sol, the Canary Islands, Ibiza, Majorca, Crete and Cyprus.

Madness will most certainly ensue.

The group from Carrickmacross, all aged 18, have arrived in the airport with a mental checklist of What Not To Do from their worried parents. "We're to stay together at all times, don't drink too much, don't get into the sea or go swimming at night, we're not to go off with people we don't know, " recites Lisa O'Neill.

"They'd love us to just stay in our hotel rooms for the week, but that's not going to happen!"

For Lydia O'Reilly, this isn't just her first trip abroad alone, it's her first trip abroad, ever.

"I've never been on a plane before, " she confides. "I can't wait."

The girls were all in school together in Carrickmacross and planned this long-awaited trip last autumn. "We're all friends and we all wanted to go away, so we decided we might as well do it together, " says Louise Lynch. "We didn't actually pick Santa Ponsa; one of the girls went into the travel agent and they said we should go there. I hope they haven't put us somewhere desperate.

We really want to have a good time."

Post-Leaving Cert holidays now play a major part of the travel agent's booking season, with thousands of students expected to travel abroad this summer. "It is a growing market that has expanded beyond all recognition, " says Clem Walsh of Budget Travel.

"Even five years ago, Leaving Cert holidays weren't really there in serious numbers, but now it is very popular all around the country."

However, with two young Irish men drowning and two teenagers receiving gunshot wounds in Spanish resorts last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs has issued warnings to students to take care and avoid excessive alcohol while on holidays. Staff in local consulates have also received special training on how to deal with such problems as students' losing passports, getting arrested and having accidents on both road and water.

"Our parents are definitely a bit worried, but it'll be grand, " says Emma McMahon, as the group prepares to check in.

Her cousins, triplets Vicky, Louise and Sarah McMahon, have had to hear more of the same from their parents. "But they know we'll all be together."

For the 15 boys from Clondalkin, Co Dublin, who are heading to Tenerife for two weeks, minding themselves isn't quite such a high priority.

"We're going to get locked, " says Sean Dunne, 18. "And check out the local scenery, " he adds.

"He means birds, " explains his mate. "It's going to be some session."

The exam results are coming out on Wednesday 16 August, when the boys will still be away on holiday. "I'm going to check my results online that day, " says Seamus Gallagher, 18. "That should be a heavy night."

Dunne is more pessimistic.

"I'm going to wait until I'm home before I get them, " he says gloomily. "I probably failed anyway."

Thoughts of the results aren't far away from the thoughts of the Carrickmacross group either.

"That's why we picked this week to just have a big party before the results come out and try and keep our mind off it, " says Shevlin. "Then we'll come back to our doom, I suppose!"

And with that thought put firmly aside for later, all 14 gather their bags and file onto the escalator, laughing and waving as they go.