Education

Leaving Cert Irish paper one: Plenty of scope for students to write on topics that matter to them

Social media, equality and voices of young people appear in topical exam

Leaving Cert students sat Irish paper one on Monday afternoon. Photograph: Eric Luke

Peter McGuire
Mon Jun 13 2022 - 17:26

Teachers and students have given a broad welcome to the first of this year’s two higher level Irish papers.

John Gavin, founder of LeavingCertIrish.com, said the questions were nicely structured and easy to follow.

“They shouldn’t have posed any major challenges for students who were well-prepared,” he said.

Linda Dolan, Studyclix.ie subject expert and a teacher at Mercy College in Sligo, said that the higher-level paper was student-friendly and topical.

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“From speaking to students, it was clear that they couldn’t fault it,” she said. “It was very straightforward and [had] manageable questions in both sections.”

Dr Michael Casey, Irish teacher at the Institute of Education, agreed that the paper was topical.

“Overall, it was a very fair paper that put students and their lives front and centre,” he said. “It gave plenty of scope to students to write about topics that matter to them.”

All three teachers praised the choice of essay titles.

“The vast majority of students who prepared well would have been very happy with these titles,” said Mr Gavin.

“The first essay title ‘Sochaí na hÉireann sa lá atá inniu ann’ (Irish society today) would have been a very viable and popular option for those students who covered a broad range of topics related to the economy, the health service, poverty, equality, and the education system to an extent.

“Boris [Johnson] would have enjoyed writing about the third essay option ‘Éire agus an tAontas Eorpach’ (Ireland and the European Union). Many students were equipped with phrases relating to Brexit over the past year or two, in addition to the status of the Irish language within the EU, so that may have appealed to a certain type of student i.e. somebody with a deep interest in Anglo-Irish/EU political affairs.”

Mr Gavin said the questions on the cluaistuiscint (listening exam) seemed very fair, with one or two slightly challenging verbs in use.

“It was especially nice to see that Arracht, the hugely successful Irish language film with Dónall Ó Héalaí, got a mention in the final section of the cluastuiscint. Many students would have read about the movie and gone to see it early in the academic year.”

On the ordinary level paper, Ms Dolan said it was practical, up-to-date and relevant.

“Students would have been content with the topics that were offered such as Mo Chairde/ My Friends, Post Samhraidh/ Summer Job and so on,” Ms Dolan said.

“The titles for the Scéal were also very doable and left open for interpretation. Without a doubt, there was something for everyone today on the Ordinary Level paper.”

Try this one at home:

Leaving Cert Irish paper one, higher level

Scríobh AISTE nó ALT NUACHTÁIN / IRISE ar cheann amháin de na hábhair seo.

(a) Sochaí na hÉireann sa lá atá inniu ann.

(b) An tionchar a bhíonn ag na meáin shóisialta ar dhaoine.

(c)  Éire agus an tAontas Eorpach.

(d)  Saol an duine óig in Éirinn – an bhfuil sé ag dul i bhfeabhas nó in olcas?

(e)   Mo laochra.

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