Short dresses, fake tan and very, very high heels. A group of girls totter across the road towards the Wesley disco in Donnybrook. Security is high and a Garda van is parked outside the gates. Students going in are frisked and bags are checked by club personnel in fluorescent vests.
"I had some hassle at the gate. They made me get rid of my chewing gum," says Scott McLoughlin, a student from Templeogue. "It was a bit much but I suppose they want to keep the trouble down."
"We all got a letter from the gardaí warning us about alcohol," says Tara Dent, a student at St Louis High School in Rathmines. "Everyone seems sober anyway."
The excitement is palpable. Both girls and boys have made an effort and tickets are in high demand. Students had to register for their tickets in advance and then pick them up before the day. Rumours of touts selling tickets for three and four times their €20 face value abound. "It's a massive night," says Meggan Harrison of the Dominican College in Sion Hill. "The big nights used to be mayhem but they seem to have been better-organised recently."
Strictly alcohol-free, the Wesley disco has been a stalwart of the teen social scene in south Dublin for as long as anyone cares to remember. Tonight, students seem to be celebrating rather than drowning their sorrows. CBC Monkstown student Robert Jordan even has his results sheet with him. "I just had it in my wallet. I'm pretty happy with how I did."
Some 2,000 students gathered at the National Show Centre in Swords.
Scream, an all-ticket event organised by Grooveyard Productions and costing punters €38, began at 8pm. Those who attended were treated to live DJ sets by Bob Sinclair and 2fm's Nikki Hayes.
A good-tempered crowd gathered in the large car park outside. Although a number were drinking, the majority were just there to have a good time.
Amy Dooley, from Edenmore, who was delighted with her "brilliant" results, said she spent most of the day preparing for the party with her friends. She couldn't wait and didn't "need drink to have a good time".
Conor Pearce, from Swords, was pleased with his eight honours and was looking forward to celebrating. "It looks like it should be a good laugh and the security guards seem to be keeping people under control."
One mother said she was "ecstatic" with her daughter's performance in her exams but "nervous" about the celebrations.
"There are Jeeps patrolling around the site to make sure that the students are not getting into trouble. So it's good from my perspective to see they're keeping an eye on them.
"I've asked my daughter not to drink and I'll be back to collect her at 11pm. She's sensible enough, and for those who are sensible and want to have a good time an event like this is a great idea," she said.
James Gavin, the organiser of Scream, said most of the revellers were behaving themselves and they were prepared for any incidents.
"We're here to try to control things as much as possible and we have 14 medics, one doctor and 12 gardaí," he said.