Positive reaction to Irish and biology papers as Leaving Cert continues

Emily Walker and Emma Good after sitting Irish Paper 2 at Coláiste Muire, Crosshaven. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Clear questions and a broad gamut of choice made Irish paper 2 and biology popular with students and teachers alike, as the Leaving Cert exams continued on Tuesday.

Overall, both ordinary and higher level biology papers were very fair, offering students plenty of choices and the opportunity to find questions they liked.

Conor O'Leary and Adam Power discuss Irish paper 2 at Coláiste Muire in Crosshaven. Picture: Howard Crowdy

That’s according to Lily Cronin, subject spokesperson with the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI).

The ordinary level paper made great use of diagrams, which tend to always be popular with students, she said.

A host of topical questions made references to a virus, vaccination and antibodies.

“I think it's so important for students to see their lives reflected in what they studied, so it was good to see this in the questions.” 

Overall, two very fair papers that gave students plenty of options, good choices, and the chance to avoid questions they didn’t like.”

This was a view shared by Mairead Glynn, subject representative with the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI).

Orlagh O'Regan, Kelly McCarthy, Ava McCarthy and Sarah O'Neill after Irish paper 2 at Kinsale Community School. Picture: Denis Minihane

“I think it was really fair for both the higher and ordinary level papers, with a good range of questions and nothing unexpected for students,” she said.

Covid-19 made an appearance in a question on both papers. 

“It’s always nice to see the link in the assessment between biology and everyday life," Ms Glynn said.

The higher level paper was challenging in places, but the reasonably well-prepared student would have been well able for this, she added.

Irish paper 2

Irish paper 2 took place on Tuesday morning. Students had three hours to tackle fewer questions than in previous years.

This gave them ample time, according to Eithne Coyne, a teacher at Presentation College, Co Galway, and subject representative with the ASTI.

“Paper 2 was a very feasible paper with few obstacles,” she said.

“There was a broad gamut of choice. The extra literature questions were similar to previous years in both format and content.” 

Oisín Coyle and Conor Gaffney after Irish paper paper 2 at Kinsale Community School. Picture: Denis Minihane

The higher level léamhthuiscintí, reading comprehensions, focused on John Hume and the story of 2020, scéalta ón mbliain 2020, which included topics like homelessness and the Irish language.

Ordinary level saw comprehensions on sport and technology, following the traditional format and content and offering students fair choice. 

“The prose question at higher level was challenging but students didn’t have to answer this question.” 

Leaving Cert exams continue on Wednesday with French and history written exams.