Verdict: Leaving Cert Irish - Paper 1Yesterday's Leaving Certificate Irish exam was widely seen as challenging but fair by teachers. However, some criticised the lack of imagination which they said certain questions displayed.
Paper One at higher level featured questions on the threats and dangers of modern life, an opportunity to discuss the life of the single person, and a debate on the role of the Irish Army. The aural exam which followed was also described as difficult but "okay", with no major hitches.
However, one teacher noted that some of the sentences contained in the aural were overlong and difficult to comprehend.
There were also some problems with the comprehension section of the main paper. Some teachers said an article on excavation and heritage was both poorly written and uninspiring for students.
"I thought nearly all the essays had to do with youngsters in today's world, so that was good," said TUI subject representative Mr Donal Ó Loinsigh.
"But while students found the first comprehension piece (on UN peacekeeping in Liberia) okay, they found the second hard and not very interesting. But overall I'm very pleased with the paper, except for the second comprehension."
Ms Máire Ní Laoire, president of the Association for Teachers of Irish, said: "I would have thought there would have been a broader choice, it was quite narrow. But if they had time to relax, there was something there for people.
"In general, students are very happy with Paper One ... but some students didn't find (the excavation piece) hugely interesting,"
Mr Robbie Cronin, ASTI subject representative, said the essay topics were "much better" than last year. But he described the comprehension questions as "very, very poor".
"They've been rambling on about the need to make the curriculum more relevant," he said.
"But modern kids aren't interested in politics in Ireland, not to mention the war in Liberia, for example."
Ms Yvonne O'Toole, a teacher at Holy Faith Secondary School in Clontarf, Dublin and Skoool.ie contributor, disagreed. There was, she said, "huge scope for anything students wanted to write".
"The comprehension section was challenging enough for the level, but it is what you'd expect," she said. "Gone are the days when you can throw down any old essay you can reproduce."
At ordinary level, there was a broad welcome for Paper One, which included comprehension pieces on film star Colin Farrell and Hector Ó hEochagáin from TG4. Ms O'Toole said most of her students "loved it".
However, she pointed out that some might have lost marks due to the layout of the paper, with a fifth question about the Colin Farrell text appearing on a separate page.
Mr Cronin said the use of celebrities such as Farrell showed that a "bit of thought went into it".
"They actually thought, 'What do young people like?'" he said.
"The kids were all buzzing. Overall, it's been a good day."
