Leaving Cert Irish 2018: Studying for Paper 1

‘Familiar’, ‘accessible’, even ‘easy’ were words used to describe last year’s higher level Irish exam papers – meaning this year’s are likely to be more challenging.

Paper 1

2017’s Paper 1 essays comprised ‘old reliable’ style essay topics such as the education system and sporting scandals.

Nearly everyone expected Brexit or homelessness to appear on the paper, and both did, with the latter topic listed as the speech option under the heading, ‘The housing problem in Ireland today.’

Homelessness

This was a twist on the standard topic of homelessness, requiring candidates to write a few paragraphs on the broader issue, which might deterred some from attempting the question.

Both of these topics appeared under the speech and debate section, something which requires candidates to include a specific style and terminology, hence they might not have suited everyone.

Expect any banker essay titles to appear in a similarly ‘twisted’ form – perhaps a link between Russia’s interference (or lack thereof) in Western politics and their hosting the 2018 World Cup.

Other essay titles covered a broad range of topics including the education system, equality in society, violence around the world, and current political leaders today. If you are well prepared for these topics for the oral exam, you should have had both the vocabulary and fluency to write a very comprehensive composition.

Experts considered all of the questions on the cluaistiscint as well presented and accessible; expect that pattern to continue this year.