I’m just out of my Irish Paper 2 exam, and I’m feeling very emotional.
Today was the last day I’ll ever have to speak/use Irish- EVER. (Unless of course I decide to do the Leaving Cert for a third year in a row, which I can safely say will NOT be happening. No matter what. Really.)
Irish and I have had our good times and our bad times, but all the memories I’ll choose to remember are the positive ones.
The séimhius, the urús, the tuiseal whateveritscalled- all amazing.
I’m definitely part of the pro-Irish in school’s argument (Sorry there Emerald!) I do think the syllabus is flawed, and there really is way too much to learn to get a high grade, but nonetheless it’s a beautiful language, and it’s certainly part of our culture, our heritage and our identity.
I’ll miss you, Irish.
Today’s paper was fine, in my opinion. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t awful so I’m just glad to have it out of the way. Hopefully I’ve got an A, but it’s very hard to say. It’s the subject I’d like to do best in, in any case.
The two Higher Level poems which had yet to appear surfaced today, as was predicted, which worked out pretty well for those of us who had decided to risk studying only 2/8 poems in detail this year. In the “Filíocht Ainmnithe” section we got exactly the same poems as last year, which was against predictions, but so be it. The questions for the drama, An Triail, seemed fair enough as well- we were asked to discuss the life of single mothers in the 60s, or talk about how the men cause a lot of the problems in the play.
Being female, I obviously jumped on the “Damn men! Causing all the trouble” bandwagon. Sorry guys, but in this context, you do.
For the Prós section, I talked about the good ol’ Bean Og and the traits of “béaloidis” found in an Cearrbhach Mac Cába. Nothing too challenging, although I did think the question on An Bhean Og could have been worded better.
The only part of the paper that really didn’t agree with me was Stair na Gaeilge. I was hoping to pick up a few easy marks here, but the topics that came up were rather horrific. I had “An Rúraíocht” and “Annála na gCeithre Máistrí” learned pretty well, so that wasn’t too problematic, but I had to make some stuff up about “Na hAisling Polaitiúla” which was quite dismal. I pretty much told the examiner that it was a type of poem whereby the poet falls asleep outdoors and a fairy comes to him in his dreams, enticing him. Enticing him where? I don’t know. Just enticing him. I hadn’t looked at it since last year, so really it was just a random guess. I know there’s something to do with a fairy anyway. Isn’t there?
So, yes. Tomorrow I have French- my least favourite subject.I don’t just dislike French, I abhor it. It frustrates me so much, and the sooner I get it out of the way the better.
I wonder if it’ll be possible to fit a year’s worth of French into a single night? I haven’t gone to classes in quite a while, and I found my folder this morning covered in dust, just lying on my bedroom floor, untouched since my rather dismal French Oral. I’m hoping something about the Recession will appear, that awful “crise”.
Eugh, I suppose it’ll be over “en un clin d’oeil”. I’ve plenty of Red Bull stocked up in any case…
Hey, I’m pro-Irish too!
Actually, what did that Bean Óg question mean!?
Mise fresin! 😀
Stair and I didn’t get along either….just started making stuff up at one stage
Oh, er, yeah, tír gan teanga and all that…
Love the language dearly, HATE the subject immensely.
hey jennie.. what do u want to do next year??
I’m sorry, but just because something is part of our heritage does not legitimise forcing it upon secondary school students. Bloody conflict, for example, has played a pivotal role in Irish history. Does this logically lead to teaching bloody conflict as an element of the cirriculum? No.
And to whom exactly are you referring when you make a sweeping statement about Irish being part of our identity? Clearly you have failed to notice that our identity (and by implication our culture) is an evolving phenomenon, and not trapped in the age of cultural nationalism.
The existence of compulsory Irish is probable directly attributable to colonialism. We have emerged from colonialism now however, and is therefore high time to recognise that we do not need to burden students with anachronistic attempts to eschew British influence.
I’m sure lots of students would be interested in and want to study Irish if the course were managed a bit better.
A bit more emphasis on how to speak the language, a bit less on childish, banal, or even soft-porn (you know the one) poetry.
A bit more self-expression, a bit less “is mór an scanall é” reguratitive essays.
This blog surprised me in that I think it’s possibly the first time I’ve encountered someone enthusiastic about Leaving Cert Irish. There’s a couple of fluent speakers in my class, and a good few who can speak it naturally enough, myself included, but not one of us actually enjoys the class.
ya im going to have to agree with Liam..
i think its sucj a pity that we spend so long learning how to speak Irish just to end up rote-learning the one essay that “has to come up!”..
The course isnt that reflective of the language as a whole..
god knows its going to be more of a mess when they reduce marks for paper 2 next year”2 the poetry will probably become irrelevant altogether…
you gotta love the gaeilge though >?????
i must have suvconiously left that one out..??
woah the keyboard went crazy there…clearly meant to say subconciously…:D
Gotta side with Emerald here….. irish bleh…
And yes, the recession better come up…… along with racism.
OK people Irish is over,gone forever,
and i think we can all agree it was nice,
but now its onto french(and history for some),
so any ideas on what to expect for tomorrow.
Paul I plan on listening to 2fm’s bit tonight at 7, hopefully that might help
can you listen online..??
I think it’s strange that people can learn a language in less than a year when doing night-courses etc; but most of the students I know can barely string a sentence together in Irish and we’ve been doing it for over 12 years! I agree that it is part of our heritage and all that, but the way that it is taught in our schools is ridiculous.
And also, people have the ability to learn things quicker if they have an enthusiasm for them, so I reckon Irish shouldn’t be compulsory. Why force an ancient language that has no real relevance in modern life onto someone? For that person’s heritage? Do what Des Bishop did and learn it on your own accord.
Yep you can listen to it online, just go to their website!
This is directed at R. Foster.
Is iomaì a daoine you have insulted with your wise little spiel on how Gaeilge is, essentially, a dead language. Yes, you are right, it still remains on the syllabus as ‘anachronistic attempts to eschew British influence.’
Or perhaps it remains on the cirriculum because a collossal 1,570,894 people in Ireland have chosen Irish as their first language (proving any theories about Irish being a dead language ineffective) and many more enjoy the language and our proud of our heritage?
And for those that belive the Irish exam is too broad; I believe that it is compulsary to complete an English leaving cert exam whereby one must cover and study multiple topics such as:
-A Drama (comparatable with the dràmaì in irish, only much bigger) ,
-A Comparative course (which has been excluded from the Irish syllabus, probably for fear of moaning students complaining that the course is too broad)
-A Compilation of Poets/poetry (similar to the filìocht we cover, only the poems are in front of our eyes)
-An Essay (an aiste)
-Two Comprehensions (as with Gaeilge)
-Question B topic (non existant on the Irish paper, but can be compared with Stàir na gaelige lengthwise)
No, I don’t believe the course is too broad. In contrast, I believe it is taught incorrectly in Primary school. The government should make it compulsary for children to attend a gaelscoile, to enable children, while they are still young and absorbent to the things they hear, to obtain a basic understanding and knowledge of Irish. Therefore secondary school isn’t a struggle.
The basic structures of Irish are not taught in secondary school because it is thought that children already have learnt this, as we have learnt basic english structures.
I am a student who has struggled with Irish my whole life, and if Irish was not mandatory, i wouldn’t have chosen it. Just like if maths or even english weren’t compulsary i would chose otherwise. Why should Irish be treated differently?
Here I am now, both Irish papers completed, and i’m actually going to miss it, because Irish stops here doesn’t it?
But instead i’ve had a revelation along with a few friends of mine, we’re going to take Basic Irish classes on as a night-time course while pregnant, and when all my children come into the world, the first word they’ll hear will be Fàilte! And from there, they’ll be conditioned for Irish from then on. We should all do it! Let the next generation be native speakers!
Well this turned into a bit of a rant-I’m off to study French!
=)
Liam, apparently it meant something about annoyance, or unhappy. Something. I said she was lonely and because of it she has -a whatever the word was.-
Ooh An Triail…. I jumped on the damn you men one, only to be halfway through it and realise I couldn’t think of any men besides Padraig and Seanin. Seanin, who’s in it for like…2 lines?!
So y’know what I did? I picked someone who was in it for all of no lines. Yes, I in fact wrote ‘An Triail: The Prequel’ in my panic. I said Maire’s Dad screwed it all up for her Mam which made her a bitter cold bitch, while in turn affected Maire, so while it wasn’t technicallllllly his fault for being dead, indirectly, it was all his fault. So there, dead man, your fault now.
I walked out of the exam and remembered she has two brothers. TWO.
Rest was grand. I had only learned Fianniacht though, and glanced at Caitlín Maude & Eithne Strong before going in (It’s realllllly easy to pick up thing about people’s lives in like 4 seconds, I don’t understand why everyone rushes for the awkward long annoying paragraphs….), so yeah, the poets were there, but only Ruraiocht, which was a bit unfair, but what can you do.
New poll in the forums, Blogger of the year award 2009. Vote or die(of shame)!
http://leaving-cert.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=90
Firstly, I wasn’t aware that having an opinion against the majority made you Declan Ganley! Actually…I don’t think it does.
Secondly, I wasn’t condemning Irish as a whole language (especially to brand it a “dead” language), I was condemning the subject’s compulsory status. I thought that was reasonably evident, but it appears that it wasn’t. Suffice it to say that I was not “essentially” implying anything that was not explicitly present. That post is to be read black letter.
Go away Robert Frost! Nobody likes your poetry!
Listening to 2fm lady floundering on countdown to 306 is CLASSIC.
Last night, she advised students to disregard all questions that have come up previously. Everything on today’s paper came up between 07 and 08, with the exception of the Higher poems.
She’s insisting that the Stair section was a misprint. Tee hee.
I’m listening to!
She thinks they stapled the wrong sheet onto the exam!
I wish i did business………
Irish.. gneasúil. I’m guessing a lot of you didn’t have Business today. Which I’ll just say for anyone else who comes on here complaining.. was terribly fair and repetitive of other years. Delicious business waffle. mmm.
Screw off Irish haters. Ok.. Non PC.. and a lazy argument.. but you never appreciate Irish until you’re on a bus full of people from different countries (all fairly fluent in English) and in the midst you’re speaking Irish with a mate.. telling a story about the girl beside him who’s Lithuanian.
You see that? That’s as a result of being “forced” to learn Irish.
Now politely BAIN AS. :p
End of rant.
HaHa, French women sound funny….
Doesn’t she! Don’t forget to clean your desks
I actually couldn’t believe it when I saw those Stair topics as well though.
Was ridiculously horrified, as were a lot of people I’d say.
I learned 10 topics reallllllly well. 10.
Like, that’s freakin’ LOADS.
And one of them came up- An Rúraíocht.
I kinda knew na hAnnála, but as for na HAisling- gah.
I hated it 🙁
“Be relaxed in a leaving cert kinda way”
What does the French woman tip by the by?
I’m nowhere near a radio…
Oh and “R. Foster”… I’m in a harsh “guy didn’t get much sleep” last night mood and I’m just going to say that I read you’re post there and you know what?
You’re the Declan Ganley of leaving-cert.net.
Just general stuff, know verbs like passe comp=2 words.
Highlight major points blah blah
*OH THE HARSHNESS*
IRISH PAPER 2 (O) WHAT A JOKE HAHA!!
EVERY ONE IN OR EXAM CENTER LEFT AFTER TO THE FIRST HALF HOUR TO AN HOUR QUIET A GREAT DAY FOR IRISH MUST SAY LOL!!
HOLY SHIT BUSINESS I DONT NO IF I DID AMAZING OR SHIT I DONT NO IF I ANS THINGS RIGHT OR NOT OHHHHH SHIT :(:(:(
NEWAY FUCKKIT:p!!!!
XXXXXXXX
Vague French woman says – Social Inequalities.
Go over to Maths meh-Grace’s blog there and look at what i’ve written too. I couldn’t write things in for both blogs
*Sharp intake of breath*
Irish.
I love it. Absolutely LOVE it, but I do agree that it’s taught badly in schools. The syllabus doesn’t really cut it with me.
Nonetheless, I love Paper 1. I love the oral.
I just love the language in general.
It’ll be missed.
Hate an Bhean Og. Cunt.
Di- I’m hoping to do Medicine. I can see myself settling for Pharmacy if the whole HPAT/ Repeated LC doesn’t work out for me, as I know I already have enough points for that.
Adrian- You, Sir, are a legend.
@ella
“But instead i’ve had a revelation along with a few friends of mine, we’re going to take Basic Irish classes on as a night-time course while pregnant, and when all my children come into the world, the first word they’ll hear will be Fàilte! And from there, they’ll be conditioned for Irish from then on. We should all do it! Let the next generation be native speakers!”
People like you
fucking
terrify me.
Srsly?
+1
Discussing HAVING children is so fucking terrifying. I’m still a child as far as I’m concerned.
Definitely don’t think the world needs another similar version of me tbh…
Also: fuck this shit
LOL, THX 4 DA COMMENT BBZ XOXOXOX
Chantelle- seems as though most people did tbh.
I had some fun making stuff up though!
Jennie, did you vote on the blogger of the year, Grace ‘accidentally’ voted for herself, so you should probably vote for yourself also to keep things fair.
I avoid the forum tbh…
Plus, I’m like, the antiChrist or some shit. People don’t like arrogance, it stresses them, out.
Not my fault I’m so amazing…
Erm… The stair wasn’t such a stupid mistakes. While the exact same topics came up, two were in a different order. Hence it wasn’t some sheet with lasts years ones just “lying around”.
French must be a really big deal for you guys. Everyone I heard talking about it has been stressing about it. Jennie anyone that has a good chance of getting 600 in their Leaving cert IS amazing. I remember once my guidance councilor told me I was a genius and with a ‘little’ bit of work i could easily get 600 points. It was after some kinda like iq test but not, you know the one we did in third year? That dream rapidly evaporated though…..
French is also the language of cunts.
Cunts.
Can’t wait to be finished with it.
Please note- I’m not a racist. I just really fucking hate French.
Hated the Stair na Gaeilge topics !!
Haha- Jennie. Same here ! Hope it gets some marks ! 🙁
Unfortunately french isn’t as bluffable :9.
Eugh this is going to be a long night.
J’en ai marre…
oh is aoibhinn liom an ghaeilge! agus ta bron orm nach mbeidh me ag usaid na teanga aris! Aontaim go huile is go hiomlan leat, a jennie! but in all fairness French is so much easier than Irish! You can make it up on the day though. What would mr codd say, jennie??? I’m sure ur french oral was better than mine!
I actually love Yelle! Been listening to her all night!
(It’s pretty much the only French study I’ve done all year- <3)
And Aidan?
Mr Codd would probably say “Jennie, why haven’t you been in class for the last few weeks? I’ve seen you walking around the school!”. A nice, direct quote there.
Then he’d give me the French Award (seriusly proud of that tbh) and we’d be friends again.
And you cruel bastard for using irish NOW!
French is the language of Luuv.
I’m afraid I didn’t even understand what those 2 French words meant…
Oh yeah. FML, I should have known the first one.
As for the eh, Souffle Bleurgh thing, well, eh,
no, just FML.
Deep breaths Jennie.
French is a great language. That music is seriously popular in France right now. So says my mate Quentin.
It’s wacky and zany and as camp as xams (no offence to anyone intended) but I guarantee you’ll replay it… at least once.
Wey. Small world. I’m a bit of a music experimentalist. And dude.. no Irish. Chaleureusement Adrian
Souffle bleugh
@Jennie. Commenting issues fixed. Cheers for the *focking* tip off loike. :p
Chaleur… etc means warmly.
Souffle is well.. souffle..
but with bleugh…
As in SUFFLE BLEUGH. Translates to “What the fuck” in tallaght.
Hilarious
Fatal Bazooka > Yelle