Reaction to 2026 Leaving Certificate Irish Paper 1 (Higher Level) by Anna Hughes, Irish teacher at The 91制片厂.
- Open-ended essay questions will have students smiling
- The aural starts with familiar vocabulary from recognisable scenarios by gets more challenging in the final stretch
Paper 1 starts with An听Chluastuiscint听(the aural)听and students usually听deem听this the most challenging part of the exam.听However听those who had religiously practiced the past listening听tests听will find a lot of听very familiar听vocabulary as the examiner reimagines scenarios from previous years. Those familiar with their numbers, months and names will be able to pick out the pertinent answers across the different pieces and dialects. As is typical, the challenge level increases in听Cuid听B and听Cuid听C. Some will have been thrown by 鈥溍achas鈥� (insurance) and so struggled to cover every answer.听That being said there听were lots of places to gather marks as students were able to听attempt听everything.听
The last part of the exam is the compositions and students will have been听very happy听with the selection on offer.听This section is worth 100 marks, 1/6th听of the whole grade and so this section can dictate the听real challenge听of the paper.听Most students gravitate towards to听the听aiste听topics and been glad to see that the predicted topic of Irish and Irish culture appeared. Some might initially be surprised by the absence of overt prompts on听anticipated听areas like听education,听housing听or health care. But those who could decipher 鈥渁听chuireann听isteach听ar鈥澨齛s 鈥渁nnoy鈥� will find听a听wonderfully open-ended question on modern irritants that听gave听them听a platform to air their grievances and show their preparedness. Other titles took a much more focused stance as (c) and (d) tasked听student to contextualise听an听issue within听an international scope. Prompt (d) on climate change was a surprise as the environment appeared on last year鈥檚 paper and some will have thought the sizable overlap might rule it out from today鈥檚 exam. The final听aiste听on 鈥淪谩bh谩ilteacht听ar听l脥ne鈥� (safety online) will have tested students with its more limited approach to the topic of tech.听But听ultimately听they only needed one title that suits them and so there really was something for everyone here.听
While the听aiste听titles tend to be more popular than the听sc茅al, those looking to听write听a short story will have found听ample opportunities听for creativity with prompt relating to 鈥渕eas鈥� (respect) and how travel inspires stories. The debate and speech prompts will have suited many in their topics but been听potentially听limiting in the need to take a听definite proposition or opposition stance.听The debate on 鈥渆verybody is treated fairly in Ireland today鈥� will allow students to reuse material planned for other areas (again education, housing and health care can be applied) but the framework of the debate is more limiting than the听aiste听on annoyances. The speech on the importance of hobbies for young people will have struck a chord with many who can dig into their own experiences.听
Overall, this paper had something for听everyone听and students should leave the exam content that they could attest to the听hard work听they did in the run up to the paper.听听听