The new-look Leaving Cert English course got its first outing yesterday, and while the format and layout were well received, some of the themes were described as "insular" and "out of touch". Many students had difficulty with the amount of reading involved in the papers. Teachers, however, were relieved that both papers were similar to sample papers circulated earlier this year by the Department of Education. Higher-level paper 1 was criticised by some pupils and teachers for using "Irishness" as its theme. Joseph Byrne, ASTI subject representative at St Joseph of Cluny in Killiney, Co Dublin, said many of his students described the focus on Ireland as "navel gazing". He said students nowadays were more "outward looking and less insular" and found the emphasis on Irishness strange and "not really relevant to them". Kate Bateman of Stratford College, Rathgar, Dublin, said the paper was "safe and cautious". She said some of the topics were "straight from a Bord Fβilte brochure", but students at least could get to grips with them. Byrne said the use of figures like Martin Mansergh, the Taoiseach's special advisor, was not really relevant to young people. "Mr Mansergh, while involved in very important work, is not really an icon for the average 17-year-old." He said a humorous piece by Ulster poet Ciaran Carson - about a Newry man who sells a hole in a field to a neighbour - struck many students as "paddywhackery". However, he said pupils found the layout of the paper user-friendly and "there were no ambushes". Tom Carroll of Cistercian College, Roscrea, Co Tipperary, said the paper could be regarded as limited. "Because it is a new course I think those setting it went for the cautious approach."

Fiona de Buis, from Waterville, Co Kerry, disagreed. She said both papers showed how varied the new course was. She said the theme of Irishness was broad enough to allow students to express themselves and give an opinion. Carroll said poets such as Michael Longley, Elizabeth Bishop and Philip Larkin came up on paper 2 and they were prepared by most students. However he said the decision to split the second comparative question was "a little confusing". Bateman said the second paper allowed those with flair "to show it" and said the poetry section was a "dream". De Buis said the questions in paper 2 were "open-ended and not prescriptive". She said the new course meant students were expected to do more than just "re-hash" material. "They have to be able to evaluate and analyse. They are rewarded for having an opinion and they are asked to give it directly," she said. She said ordinary-level paper 1 was fair, varied and its theme of "the future" was perfect for Leaving Cert students. "That is the thing probably most on their mind at that age.". She said some of the compositions seemed pessimistic, but this may have helped some students. "Those kind of themes can often be a stimulus for students. They give the student a chance to say such a bleak outlook is not right." Bateman pointed out that paper 1 at ordinary level did not have word counts attached for many of the questions and time management was consequently difficult for students.