Smiles all round as Irish higher-level is plain sailing

Students at the all-Irish Coláiste Daibhéid in Cork City were pleased with the first Junior Certificate Irish papers.

All 40 of the city centre school’s Junior Certificate candidates took yesterday’s higher-level exam, said deputy principal Richel Ní Longaigh.

Bronagh Ní Tornáil from Blarney said Paper 1 in the morning was “grand”, and thought the listening test at the beginning was particularly easy.

“I was nervous going in but it was grand afterwards, once you get in there everything is fine,” said Bronagh.

Her classmate, Aoife Nic Ruairí from Douglas, was also pleased with the morning’s higher-level exam, but felt Paper 2 in the afternoon might be a bit more stressful.

“It’s going to be harder alright, but it should be okay because we’ve been learning through Irish.

“It definitely gives us an advantage on other students,” she said.

So much so, in fact, she thought Irish Paper 1 was easier than the equivalent English exam on the first day of the Junior Certificate 24 hours earlier. One exam she was not looking forward to, however, is history next week.

“There’s so much writing and learning involved,” she said.

For Dean Ó Torpa, yesterday morning’s Irish Paper 1 was also plain sailing “There’s more pressure in the afternoon. The poetry particularly is harder,” he said.

But the teenager from Mahon was glad to have the first couple of exams behind him. “I thought English was okay as well.”

After all the pressure and build-up, said Bronagh, starting the Junior Certificate was like sitting any summer tests.

“There’s so much pressure on us to do well in the Junior Cert but when you get there, it’s just like another test,” agreed Dean.

Both he and Aoife must wait until the music exam on Wednesday week, June 20, before the Junior Certificate is over.

But Bronagh has a much quicker sweep, as she finishes next Thursday after her science exam.

All three have 11 subjects to take exams in, but students starting the Junior Certificate course in two years should have no more than eight exam subjects, an idea that this group welcomes.

“It’s a better idea, then after Junior Cert you can choose your other subjects for the Leaving,” said Bronagh.

A more immediate change, taking effect this year, is the allocation of 40% of marks for Leaving Certificate Irish to the oral test, instead of the 25% previously given to it.

“We’re learning everything through Irish already so we’ll hopefully have an advantage over everyone,” said Dean.

Would Syliva Plath be one of the featured poets on the Leaving Cert English papers? That was the question for most students on Twitter yesterday.

Niaav — @Niaamh_Ox: If Plath doesn't come up tomorrow, im not doing the poetry question!!

Michael Walker — @MichaelWalkerr: Please let there be no Plath please let there be no Plath please let there be no Plath

Danielle Hayes — @Danielle_Haze: If Plath stands me up i will be sticking my head in the oven.

Sean Hanratty — @Sean_Hanratty: Who said you can't learn a 2-year English course in 4 hours?

For Junior Certs, there were more contemporary stars in mind: Mrs. Shawty Mane — @XGangstaFairyX: I would like to thank the person who put Justin Bieber on my Irish Junior Cert :)

@JedwardMaria: OMFG JEDWARD ON MY JUNIOR CERT IRISH PAPER AGHHHH LE LICKED MY PAPER ;P

Lucy — @JEDWARDXLUCY: so far I'm loving the JC ... Fair City came up in English yesterday and then the twins today in Irish :D

And there were some other other distractions too:

Hayley Davies — @HayleyDavies15: Only in my school the fire alarm would go off during the exam.

Conor Maynard'sLaugh — @Amy_Carolan: I keep forgetting that this is my real junior cert, not the mocks or a class test, no the junior cert

Meanwhile, the non-appearance of Sylvia Plath drew rather an unpleasant reaction from about 4.30pm onward:

Kroc Withakay — @sherlockodile: Knock knock. Who's there? Not fucking Sylvia Plath anyway.

Dan O Malley — @Dansoldout: PLATH YOU BITCH!!!

YoHomeDoggyDawg — @1D_Superhero: The sigh's that came out of everyone's mouth's when we opened our papers to see Plath wasn't there were unnatural

Hayley Mahoney — @Hayley GrimesXxX: No Sylvia Plath or Seamus Heaney! I wanna cry!!!

Stephen lines — @Ste_Lines: Heaney or Plath didn't come up I didn't answer it didnt know any else #sadtimes

Shannon Carlin — @shannonc389: English paper 2: done. Was a wee bit scary when plath wasn't there. :(

Naoms — @x_ItsShowtime: I only studied Plath.. Plath didn't come up.. #EnglishPaper2 #LeavingCert

Mark Hand — @markhand10: People shouldnt be too worried that Plath didnt come up! Only 50 marks/200 and im sure you done a good enough answer on another poet :) #LC

charizard. — @Thee_KarWash: Plath didn't come up omg lol but I knew Kavanagh its all good.

Niamh — @Niamh3x: Plath didn't come up :O sickened :/