Highly anticipated topics appeared on this year’s higher-level Irish paper two, but some unseen elements of the exam were more challenging than in previous years, teachers have said.
Anna Hughes, an Irish teacher at the Institute of Education, said students were relieved that predicted prose and poetry questions appeared on the paper. “But with timing a big factor in the second paper, they will need to have quickly jumped into the comprehensions and got moving through the sections in order to earn the top marks,” she said.
Danielle O’Connell, an Irish teacher with TheTuitionCentre.ie, said that students were pleased to see Cáca Milis and Dís appear on the paper. “They were accompanied by questions that were considered approachable and easy to interpret. Rather than attempting to catch students out, the questions allowed candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the texts they had studied throughout the year.”
Stephen Doyle, Studyclix.ie subject expert and teacher at Moyle Park College in Clondalkin, said that the paper was accessible. “The texts that appeared were widely expected and the questions were straightforward, giving students plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding,” he said.
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He said that reading comprehensions – one focusing on Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, known as Sr Stan, and the other on the issue of fast fashion – were topical and relevant, while the grammar section presented no significant difficulties for those who had put in the work.
The first léamhthuiscint text focused on Sr Stan.
“While many people nationally may have been aware of her work, for many teenagers some of the vocabulary might have been less familiar,” said Hughes. “A good example of this is in the title as not everyone might recognise “siúr” meaning “sister” in the religious context.”
Hughes said that students were required to use their own vocabulary, rather than merely reiterating details from the text, and this may have challenged some of them.
O’Connell said that question 6A was notable for the absence of a tuiseal ginideach question. “This is traditionally a regular feature of the paper,” she said.
[ Leaving Cert Irish paper one: Students glad to see predicted topicsOpens in new window ]
“Instead, students encountered grammar topics that many would consider more accessible, including the briathar saor, modh coinníollach and breischéim na haidiachta. These questions allowed candidates to demonstrate their grammatical knowledge without facing some of the more challenging elements that often appear.”
Hughes said that the litríocht breise section increased the difficulty level.
“Most students around the country will go for either An Triail, A Thig ná Tit Orm or Gafa. The latter two options were very typical questions, but An Triail’s will have caused some to pause. “They should all recognise ‘fulaingíonn’ as ‘suffering’ (a key motif of the text) but this was asked through the specific lens of the social setting’s rules,” Hughes said. “Most will have anticipated a relationships-based question and some will have been thrown.”
At ordinary level, the mood was similarly positive. The reading comprehensions covered Ráth Chairn and the music group The Corrs, and both were manageable, said Doyle.
“The prose section offered a choice between Cáca Milis, Dís and Hurlamaboc, with students answering on two of the three texts.
“The poetry section featured Géibheann, An tEarrach Thiar and An Spailpín Fánach, again requiring answers on two poems.”
Doyle said that both sections were in line with previous years and rewarded those who had prepared well.
“This was a fair and manageable paper that gave ordinary-level students plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding successfully,” Doyle said.
Try this one at home: Leaving Cert Irish, paper two, question 2B
Freagair an cheist thíos ar an scannán roghnach nó ar an dráma roghnach.
- Maidir leis an scannán roghnach a ndearna tú staidéar air le linn do chúrsa, déan plé ar an léargas a thugtar dúinn ar iompar an phríomhcharachtair (na príomhphearsan) agus ar an gcaoi a dtéann iompar an duine sin i bhfeidhm ar imeachtaí an scannáin.
- Ní mór teideal an scannáin sin, mar aon le hainm an scríbhneora, a scríobh síos go cruinn.
