Open thread: Tell us your best, worst, and funniest Leaving Cert memories
THE 2025 LEAVING Cert starts today and it's no doubt as painful a prospect for this year's students as it has been for every cohort since the beginning of time.
A record number of candidates are due to sit state exams this year, with Leaving Cert student numbers up 5% and Leaving Cert Applied student numbers up 11%.
As the Class of 2025 ready themselves to start their exams, we're curious to hear from our readers about your memories of the LC – the good, the bad, and the brutal.
Did you wake up late and miss your Maths exam?
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Did the poet your teacher swore would come up fail to make an appearance on English Paper Two?
Did you crack on a high note in your Music practical or nearly drown on your Geography field trip?
Do you still have recurring nightmares about being thrown into an exam hall with no preparation done?
Or maybe you were part of the Covid class that didn't sit it at all?
Relive the pain – or go on, boast about how well it went for you – and comment below with your stories. 625 points up for grabs for the best one.
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Irish Times
15 hours ago
- Irish Times
Leaving Cert French: tricky vocab and grammar questions pose a challenge
Students sitting this morning's higher-level French paper were tested more than usual by tricky vocabulary and grammar questions in the second comprehension question, teachers have said. Barry Hennessy, ASTI subject representative for French, said this was a literary comprehension test, focusing on an author wishing to write a book about an elderly woman he meets by chance. 'Students here needed to read the full text and the questions very closely, both of which were very nuanced at times,' Mr Hennessy, who is a teacher at Coláiste Eanna, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, said. 'Students in the middle ground are likely to have found this passage and the questions quite challenging. READ MORE Leaving Cert French higher level 'Specifically, students were asked to find a verb in the passé composé past tense as opposed to just the past participle of the verb concerned, meaning that they ideally should have included the auxiliary verb but not the subject to achieve full marks.' Mr Hennessy pointed out that students should not worry too much about the tricky vocabulary in question two. 'Overall, a high standard of vocabulary and a careful, methodical approach were necessary to do well on this question,' he said. 'However, it must be pointed out that the marking scheme will be carefully designed and, if necessary, modified to ensure that candidates are rewarded for valid attempts, even where these fall short of full marks.' Elizabeth Lyne, who offers tutoring at and teaches at Coláiste Mhichíl in Limerick, said some familiar topics appeared on the paper, including a diary entry about cancelling a party due to a red weather alert. 'This is similar to a question that appeared a few years ago about cancelling New Year's Eve plans,' she said. 'Students may have been expecting a question on vaping, but what appeared instead was a question on drug use. They would have been able to repurpose material about vaping for this question, and my students would also have the vocabulary to write about health and addiction.' Geraldine Dwyer, subject expert and a teacher at Se. ondary School, Macroom, Co Cork, said that a question on gender equality would be a topic which candidates would have prepared, as it is a core topic. 'The question on engagement in political life would be more challenging and would incorporate a range of issues,' Ms Dwyer said. In the listening comprehension section, Ms Lyne said that some students found a question about criminals accessing a pharmacy to be tricky. Corinne Gavenda, a teacher at the Institute of Education, said that some students might have found it tougher than last year as the pace of the speaker increased. 'However, for some this would be a benefit as it was a better representation of the natural cadence of the language,' said Ms Gavenda. 'Throughout the sections students will be happy with both the material and the vocabulary. Section D was particularly lovely as the topic of introducing uniforms in French schools was expected to appear this year – some students could have guessed the answers. 'The biggest challenge came in Section E as the word 'brisant' (breaking) was essential, but students would be more familiar with 'casse' and so miss out on the exact answer.' Ordinary The ordinary-level French paper was fine, overall, teachers said. 'Candidates and teachers will have been pleased to see the recent pattern of the popular form-filling question in written production focusing on applying for a job,' said Mr Hennessy. 'Candidates will have been well-prepared for and reassured by this question.' Ms Lyne said that it was a doable paper, but that a question about fast fashion may have been more suited to higher-level. Leaving Cert French ordinary level Try this one at home: -Leaving Cert French, higher level, section B, Q4 Selon Santé Publique France, en septembre 2024, 29,9% des jeunes de 17 ans avaient expérimenté le cannabis pendant le mois précédent. Il y a une augmentation dans la co ommation des autres drogues aussi. En Irlande, est‐ce que la consommation de la drogue est un problème parmi les jeunes ?


Irish Examiner
16 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Tough French comprehension exam challenges Leaving Cert students
Leaving Cert students required a high standard of vocabulary and a "careful, methodical approach" to tackle a challenging French reading comprehension on this year's paper. The Leaving Cert exams continued Wednesday morning, as students sat the French exam. The Junior Cycle also progressed with the 2025 Home Economics exam. This morning's Leaving Certificate Higher Level French paper was overall fair, according to Barry Hennessy, ASTI subject spokesperson and teacher at Coláiste Éanna, Dublin. There was a wide variety of familiar topics in the written production section, most of which students would have prepared for in class, he added. While the reading comprehension passages were generally "fine," students faced some challenges with Question 2. "The literary text in particular," he said. "The journalistic reading comprehension, question 1, was on the growing popularity of scouting and the text was overall accessible with lots of familiar vocabulary especially to do with outdoor pursuits and household chores." He added: "As always, some questions required a greater amount of grammatical manipulation or deeper reading of the text, however, this is normal and aims to reward candidates of differing abilities. "The French marking scheme always awards pretty generous partial marks to those whose attempts fall short of grammatical perfection." Question 2 focused on an author who wanted to write a book about an elderly woman he met by chance, Mr Hennessy said. "Students here needed to read the full text and the questions very closely, both of which were very nuanced at times." "Students in the middle ground are likely to have found this passage and the questions quite challenging." "Specifically, students were asked to find a verb in the passé composé past tense as opposed to just the past participle of the verb concerned, meaning that they ideally should have included the auxiliary verb but not the subject to achieve full marks." He reassured students that the marking scheme may be more "lenient" in this area. "Overall, a high standard of vocabulary and a careful, methodical approach were necessary to do well on this question." "However, it must be pointed out that the marking scheme will be carefully designed and, if necessary, modified to ensure that candidates are rewarded for valid attempts, even where these fall short of full marks." He also believed the written production section would have been well received by candidates, with questions on topics such as the benefits of club membership, treatment of older people, a diary entry about whether to cancel a party due to a red weather alert, drug use among young people, and political involvement. "All well-prepared candidates should have found sufficient choice in this section." Ordinary Level The Ordinary Level paper was "fine overall," Mr Hennessy said. "Candidates and teachers will have been pleased to see the recent pattern of the popular form-filling question in written production focusing on applying for a job." "Candidates will have been well-prepared for and reassured by this question." Junior Cycle Meanwhile, Megan Friel, Studyclix subject spokesperson and teacher at Mercy College, Sligo, said she believed this year's Junior Cycle Home Economics paper was 'very doable, fair, and relatable to students' lives.' 'All the short questions were very straightforward with no tricks or curveballs,' she said. As predicted, themes like sustainability and smart technology appeared in the short questions, she added. 'The inclusion of the Return Deposit Scheme, also seen on some mock papers , was likely a welcome relief for students.' 'Overall, the exam featured very topical and student-friendly questions that were manageable and free of unpleasant surprises — sure to bring a smile to both students and teachers.'


Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
‘Thank god Eavan Boland came up!' – Kerry students and teachers give thumbs up to Leaving Cert
A week into the Leaving Cert exams and it's a case of so far so good for both students and teachers as they finished up the last of the three core subjects – English, Maths and Irish – this week and the long awaited finish line finally began to come into view.