Leaving Cert history, so often the bΩte noire of exam students, failed to produce its normal level of controversy or difficulty yesterday.
After several years when the paper has been severely criticised for its obtuse questions and convoluted language, this year's paper was described as "very easy" and "utterly straightforward". Teachers said their students could not believe their luck when the paper landed on their desks.
The higher-level paper even managed to include questions on Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin in section D. Normally, students regard themselves as fortunate to get one or even two of these unsavoury characters in this section.
John O'Sullivan, ASTI history representative, said there was a generous choice of questions. Questions A5 and C5 on course two, however, were worded in a difficult way, he said. He said many students did the question on Nazi Germany, which was "relatively simple".
Donough O'Brien, TUI representative from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, said the paper was easy, but a lot of writing was done, as a result, by students. He said questions on Parnell and Bismarck were relatively standard.
O'Sullivan said the ordinary-level paper was straightforward, although question F3 only referred to "the Russian Revolution, 1917", even though there were two separate revolutions that year.
Economic history was a good paper, said Cormac Harte, in Cork, although some questions asked a lot of Leaving Cert students. He said the higher- and ordinary-level papers are now so similar that most students should consider sitting the higher paper.