Irish

Leaving Certificate Irish builds upon the language developed during Junior Cycle. All four language skills are further developed in order to enable the learner take an active part in the bilingual society in which we live in today in Ireland. The learner is encouraged to develop and share her/his views on a range of topics. The learner is also prepared during Senior Cycle for further study in or through Irish

Course Overview

Irish is assessed at three levels i.e. Foundation Level, Ordinary Level or Higher Level.

The learner’s oral competency is assessed around Easter of the final year, in an oral examination worth 40%, at each level, of the overall mark. The other three skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing are assessed in June. Aspects of literary works must be studied at Ordinary Level while at Higher Level these same works and additional material must be studied in greater detail.

Course Content

Students at Leaving Certificate are introduced to Irish Literature and culture. The Leaving Certificate exam takes the form of three parts-oral, aural (listening skills) and written examinations. The syllabus has been revised and there is a greater emphasis on the spoken word and trying to be more fluent in our native tongue. The oral exam is now worth 40% of the overall mark and it takes place after the Easter mid-term. Students engage in conversation with an examiner and discuss different topics in Irish.

The aural exam takes place on the same day as the written paper and has been shortened in length as part of the new syllabus. The aural exam now will last about 20-25 minutes. Students will listen to a series of dialogues/conversations and answer questions about the content.

There are four components to the Leaving Certificate examination: an oral exam, a listening comprehension, a language paper and a literature paper.

Exam Structure

Irish is assessed at three levels i.e. Foundation Level, Ordinary Level or Higher Level. The learner’s oral competency is assessed around Easter of the final year, in an oral examination worth 40%, at each level, of the overall mark, and the other three skills are assessed in June. Aspects of literary works must be studied at Ordinary Level while at Higher Level these same works and additional material must be studied in greater detail.

The Irish exam is divided between 2 written exams and an oral exam. The written exam carries 60% of the mark and the Irish oral exam carries 40% of the mark.

Ardleibheal/Higher Level

It is advisable for students who wish to do Higher level to have obtained at least a C but preferably a B in Junior Certificate Higher level.

The course is taught in conjunction with the four main skills of learning a language: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

• Bealtriail (The Oral exam) is an important part of the exam 240 marks (40%) from 2012 onwards.
• The Aural/listening exam. 60 marks (10%)
• There are two written papers. 300 marks (50%)

Paper one – 100mks

• Composition Section with a choice from the following: Write either an essay, a story, an article for a newspaper or a debate/speech.
• Two reading comprehensions usually connected to cultural affairs, famous people, current affairs, etc.

Paper Two – 200mks

This firstly consists of questions on compulsory prose and poetry. There are four stories and one film/drama on the prose course which are also on the ordinary level paper. There is a question on a theme or character or an aspect of the story or film. There are five poems printed on the paper. These poems are also on the ordinary level paper but the standard of answering expected is more detailed. There are eight additional higher level poems on the course.

Drama/Biography/short stories/bealoideas. The candidate is required to write about an Irish language drama that they have studied. Also, the student must answer a question on the History of the Irish language and literature.

Gnathleibheal/Ordinary Level

• Bealtriail: The Oral exam is an important part of the exam. 240 mks (40%) (From 2012 onwards)
  To view the set of twenty picture sequences which will be used in the 2013 Oral Irish Examination (Higher and Ordinary Level) Click here.
• The Aural/listening exam. 60 mks (10%)
• There are two written papers – P 1:100 mks P2 200mks (50%)

Paper one – 100 mks

• A Written Composition Section with a choice out of the following: Write a letter, conversation, story or a paragraph. Usually the letter and paragraph options are topics that are prepared also for the Oral exam.
• There are also two reading comprehensions, one usually about a famous person and the other about something to do with young people, current affairs etc.

Paper Two – 200 mks

This firstly consists of questions on compulsory prose and poetry. There are four stories and one film/drama on the prose course.

Students are required to know a summary of the story/film and also discuss a theme or character. They must answer two questions and there is a choice between two in each case. Three out of the five poems are printed on the paper. Students must answer two questions on the poems. The questions are generally about a theme, a feeling, an explanation of a line or did you enjoy the poem, etc.

Career Possibilities

The study of Irish can help with the following careers:

• Teaching
• Public Service and Politics
• Law
• Public Administration (including jobs in the European Union)
• Journalism
• Acting
• The Media