Teachers found it difficult to find any flaws with the second set of Irish papers and were hopeful of high grades come mid-August.
While the papers were modern in theme, old staples like Peig Sayers still featured, albeit in a greatly reduced role.
While nobody wanted to make firm predictions, teachers said anyone who put in a decent amount of work would be "handsomely rewarded".
On the higher-level paper, D≤mhnall ╙ Loinsigh, of Colβiste Mac Aogβin in Macroom, Co Cork, said "there were no snags at all".
He said the fil∅ocht ainmnithe combined the old and new. He said the poem Mac Eile Ag Imeacht concerned immigration and was relevant to recent history. He said questions on it and Chlaon MΘ Mo Cheann were fair.
Ma∅re ┴ine Nic An Iomaire in Carna, Co Galway, said the use of a play, An Lasair Choille, posed some challenges, but the question on it was fair.
Mβire N∅ Laoire, ASTI representative in Blarney, Co Cork, said the question on the autobiographical piece, A Thig Nβ Tit Orm, was "well pitched". She said the paper was relatively easy and some students did not need the extra 20 minutes. She complimented the "gender balance" in the choice of Irish writers in Stair na Gaeilge section (a). These included Peig Sayers, MβirΘad N∅ Ghrβda and S∅le N∅ ChΘilleachair. But unlike the old Irish course, students could opt to steer clear of Sayers.
Loinsigh was a little concerned about the question on A Thig Nβ Tit Orm, which concentrated on the brother and parents of the main character. "Many students may not have prepared something on them," he said.
On the ordinary-level paper, N∅ Laoire said students were required to write a lot, but it was a reasonable and "student-friendly" paper. She said there were few words pupils would not have understood. Among the words students needed to know in ceist 1, section (b) were Θad (jealousy), dra∅ocht (wonder), greann (humour) and br≤n (sadness). ╙ Loinsigh said, however, that even when these words were required, other options were included.
Nic An Iomaire, referring to the aural on Thursday, said one or two students found it hard, though they would have been familiar with the Donegal dialect. She said the majority found the tape very satisfactory.