It was "crua go maith". Some may even have experienced a seismic shock on reading the paper. Weary Junior Cert. students had to contend with a section on plate tectonics - movements of the rigid plates that make up the earth's crust - in yesterday's higher-level Irish paper. They expected it to be tough and it was. The comprehension would have been more suited to geology students, said one teacher.
Mr Sean de Paor, the TUI subject representative and a teacher at Carna Community School, Co Galway, welcomed the tougher Irish exam at higher-level yesterday. "It was harder than previous years," he said in a very positive voice - not a hint of annoyance or anger to be heard. "I welcome that because there was a huge gap between the Leaving Cert and the Junior Cert higher level before today."
That gap often led students astray in their aspirations for the Leaving Cert, he explained. "Even in the Gaeltacht they found the essay and comprehension fairly difficult. I thought the essays were very abstract and some were of Leaving Cert standard," he said.
Others found the choice to be uninspiring. The reading comprehension was "very, very difficult," he said.
Ms Treasa Ni Chonaola, a teacher at St Michael's College in Ballsbridge, Dublin, said the higher-level "was very testing, as usual, especially the comprehension". She found fault with the poor range of essays, which were "unimaginative and disappointing. If the question on plate tectonics didn't give them a seismic shock, I don't know what would," she said. Ms Maire Ni Laoire, vice-chairwoman of Comhar na Muinteoiri Gaeilge and a teacher at Scoil Muire gan Smal in Blarney, Co Cork, said the paper was "go brea agus bhi anscoip acu". Maidir leis an leamhthuiscint, "bhi orm e a leamh ceithre uaire", a duirt si.
"Bhi na haisti leamh go leor agus bhi easpa spreagachta iontu," a duirt Hilari de Barra, runai ar Chomhar na Muinteoiri Gaeilge agus muinteoir i Meanscoil Naoimh Louis in nDun Dealgan, Co Lu.
As to the ordinary level, Mr de Paor said the paper was "very, very manageable for a lot and unfortunately this would encourage pupils to follow a higher grade in the Leaving Cert." Again, he said, "this leads pupils astray". The unseen poetry was "simple, easy and fair", he said. "The questions were very simple."
Ms Ni Chonaola said it was "very communicative and very simple, well designed and illustrated, not at all intimidating for weaker students". Actor Leonardo di Caprio and cyclist Marc Scanlon featured on the ordinary level. "Ca raibh an bhean" a d'fhiafraigh Ms aire Ni Laoire.
Students were "quite happy" with the aural exam and didn't have any problems with it, she said. Mr de Paor said that some of the questions on the aural were "intricate, complicated and hard to follow". Ms Ni Laoire said the higher-level aural was "quite challenging and difficult in parts" and the ordinary level was "tricky" in parts also.
