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Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
'Accessible' Leaving Cert history exam will have left some students 'bitterly disappointed'
Students who were hoping to see Charles Stewart Parnell or the Montgomery Bus Boycott appear on this year's Leaving Cert history will be 'bitterly disappointed' with an otherwise accessible exam. The Leaving Cert 2025 exams continued on Wednesday afternoon with history. This year's higher level paper, which requires students to tackle one document-based question as well as three essay-style questions, was 'accessible', according to ASTI subject spokesman Philip Irwin. "I thought it was a good paper for students.' In particular, he liked this year's documents question, which focused on the Jarrow March of 1936. 'That was one of three case studies in the dictatorship and democracy in Europe section. The other two are the show trials in Stalin's Russia, which came up last year, and the Nuremberg rallies," Mr Irwin said. 'I would suspect that students were more looking for the Nuremberg rallies [to appear on the exam].' The sources supplied in the question were good, he added. This included a government statement issued at the time, and the other an extract from a newspaper report about the Jarrow March. 'The questions on it were also good, with one asking students to compare and contrast the documents. It was an interesting question overall, and I think that students would have found it accessible and doable. The Irish history section included some good general questions, but students may have found a question on Éamon de Valera's leadership more challenging, he added. Students were asked to discuss how effective his leadership was during the Treaty negotiations, Civil War, and during the Second World War. 'Quite a bit to deal with there, sometimes those questions are either or, so that was more challenging.' Another challenging question appeared in the US history section, which asked students to discuss how and why religion became an increasingly powerful force in American life between 1945 to 1989. Many students will have been surprised not to see questions on Charles Stewart Parnell or the Montgomery Bus Boycott appear on the higher-level paper, according to teacher and Studyclix subject spokesman Jamie Dockery. 'Those who placed all their bets on these topics, undoubtedly a sizeable number, will be bitterly disappointed," Mr Dockery said. However, there was much to be pleased with in this paper. The ordinary level paper should also have been generally well received by students and teachers, Mr Dockery added. The Jarrow March was also the focus of the documents question, he added. 'I very much welcome the higher and ordinary level exam having similar questions, particularly considering that the average senior history groups will have higher and ordinary Level students learning together in the one class.' "Many of the main personalities from Irish history found their way into the exam, he added. This including O'Connell, Yeats, Cosgrave and de Valera. 'Women will also well represented in the guise of Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington and Countess Markievicz and Maureen O'Hara, among others. "As a history teacher, my hope for any exams is that it will give the diligent and hardworking student a chance to show off all they know, and this exam certainly did that.' Read More Tough French comprehension exam challenges Leaving Cert students
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Leaving Cert history: A tricky paper where students were pushed to think on their feet
Students may have been thrown by questions with narrower focuses on the higher-level history exam, while the reappearance of topics from last year will have upset some, teachers have said. Stephen Tonge, a history teacher at the Institute of Education, said that students faced a very tricky paper that pushed them to edit together elements of topics under pressure. 'Students who opened section one's documents-based question will be pleased with the topic of the Jarrow March,' said Mr Tonge. 'While document B was perhaps a little longer than you'd like for such a pressurised environment, the first three questions were very approachable. READ MORE 'At question four, the challenge increases. Being asked to 'argue your case' on the failure of the march is an unusually narrow focus and while students could easily approach it, and it would tax them to write a fully robust answer in order to get the marks.' Leaving Cert history, higher level: later modern: Studyclix subject expert Jamie Dockery, a teacher at Tyndall College in Carlow said that, at first glance, the exam may have looked like a daunting prospect for students. 'Many will have been surprised not to see questions on Charles Stewart Parnell or the Montgomery Bus Boycott,' Mr Dockery said. 'Those who placed all their bets on these topics – undoubtedly a sizeable number – will be bitterly disappointed.' Mr Tonge said that the most surprising element of the paper was topic five: politics and society in Northern Ireland, 1949-93. 'The questions themselves were not particularly difficult but three of the four questions returned to topics from last year's exam. Leaving Cert history, higher level, early modern: 'In a curriculum as vast as history, students and teachers often must prioritise some elements over others, and the reappearance of questions on Lord Brookeborough and the Coleraine University Controversy will be an unpleasant surprise. 'If students had thoroughly prepared this case study, they would be fine, but many would not have anticipated a second outing for such comparatively minor elements of the topic,' said Mr Tonge. There was, however, there was much to be pleased with in the paper, said Mr Dockery. 'The 'movements for reform' section featured an interesting question comparing the successes of Michael Davitt and James Larkin, two reformers with shared ideals but from different eras. 'Éamon de Valera was widely expected to appear on the paper, given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of his death – and 'the long fellow' didn't disappoint. The question was broad, covering his role in the Treaty negotiations, the Civil War, and World War II. 'As with last year's paper, women featured prominently, with questions on Isabella Tod, Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, Bernadette Devlin, Mary Robinson, Sylvia Meehan, Simone de Beauvoir, and Nadine Gordimer,' said Mr Dockery. Mr Tonge said that 'Europe and the wider world' topics were also varied and offered the well-prepared candidate the opportunity to do well. Ordinary On the ordinary-level paper, Mr Dockery said it had many similarities to the higher-level exam. 'It can often be more predictable and accessible in that its higher-level counterpart – should have been generally well received by students and teachers. Again, the Jarrow March was the focus of the documents-based question,' he said. 'I very much welcome the higher and ordinary-level exam having similar questions, particularly considering that the average senior history groups will have higher and ordinary-level students learning together in the one class.' Many of the main personalities from Irish History found their way into the exam including O'Connell, Yeats, Davitt, Douglas Hyde, Collins, Cosgrave and de Valera, he said. 'Women were also well represented in the guise of Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington and Countess Markievicz and Maureen O'Hara, among others. 'The 'Europe and the Wider World' topics were also varied and offered the well-prepared candidate the opportunity to do well,' said Mr Dockery. Leaving Cert history, ordinary level: Try this one at home: -Leaving Cert history, section two, topic one: Ireland: Topic 1 Ireland and the Union, 1815-1870 1. What was the impact of the Great Famine on life in Ireland both during and after the Famine, 1845-1870? 2. What did Young Ireland and Fenianism contribute to Irish nationalism? 3. In what ways did Cardinal Paul Cullen influence political attitudes and religious practices? 4. What developments took place in science and technology, 1815-1870?
