Ó Searcaigh appears for first time since film controversy

LEAVING CERT IRISH PAPER TWO HIGHER AND ORDINARY LEVEL:THE WORK of controversial poet Cathal Ó Searcaigh appeared on yesterday's higher level paper.

It was the first time students were questioned about his work since a 2008 RTÉ documentary Fairytale of Kathmanduraised concern about his relationships with young men in Nepal

Two years ago, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) decided his work should remain on the syllabus despite the controversy. NCCA members said the private life of any artist should not be a factor in assessing suitability for inclusion in exam texts.

In yesterday’s exam, a “horror” of a drama question marred an otherwise fair Irish higher level paper 2, according to teachers and students.

But most students were still much happier with yesterday’s higher level exam than with Monday’s paper 1.

“Overall it was a good paper,” said ASTI representative Robbie Cronin. “The prose questions were very good. The choice given was decent.”

“We were happy to see Clare sa Spéir turn up,” added Ruth Morrissey, TUI representative. “The questions were as expected really.”

Clare Grealy, an Irish teacher in the Institute of Education, said “There was a new style of question in that section. A 25-mark question was subdivided, which was a significant assistance to students.”

One of the question choices for the book A Thig Ná Tit Ormwas criticised for not having enough scope. "It asked about the influence of music in Maidhc Dainín's life. It was grand, but I just think that writing two and a half pages on the topic would be a challenge," Morrissey said.

There were no issues with the poetry questions. Ó Searcaigh's Níl Aon Nímade an appearance after a number of years in the examination doldrums. "The questions were accessible and doable overall," said Morrissey.

A choice between Uirchill an Chreagáinand An Chéad Drámawas welcomed and the questions accompanying them were deemed challenging but fair. "Most students were expecting one of those poems or the other. Both appeared however," said Grealy.

“One area of difficulty in the poetry was related to An Chéad Dráma,” Grealy said. “A nine-mark question was based on a very specific area of language and this was challenging for students.”

The paper was not without its problems. Most students study An Triailfor the drama section of the paper. Even teachers seemed to have great difficulty deciphering what was being asked in that section. "It was a horror of a question," Cronin said. "I understand the words in the question. Here's a translation: 'The main conflicts of the play grow or develop from human faults or vices, which are concealed under the similarity of love. Discuss.' I still don't understand it."

“My students wrote generally about love and the faults of people,” said Morrissey. “But they were definitely confused by the phrasing of that question.”

In the other option on this question, students could reasonably have expected a question on characters, for example. However, they were instead asked to comment on the use of two dramatic techniques in the development of the main theme. “It’s a question more suited to higher level English than higher level Irish,” commented Morrissey.

Stair na Gaeilge drew no complaints offering students a broad range of questions. “Students should have had no complaints,” Cronin said.

Some minor complaints also accompanied the ordinary level paper although, overall, students and teachers seemed happier with this exam.

The prose section offered a good choice to students and few would have had any trouble with it, according to Cronin. "The expected story, An Bhean Óg,featured on the paper and the questions were phrased using very accessible vocabulary," Grealy said.

There were some difficulties regarding the questions in the poetry section. “The style of question changed,” Cronin said. “Some of the questions in that section were divided into three and four sub-questions which asked students very specific things. Students would have been expecting more general questions on theme or emotions.”