Irish in secondary education in the north
&
languages as core GCSE subjects
The issue of Irish in secondary schools in the north has become a pressing and urgent matter. In 2008 languages were removed as core (or compulsary) subjects at GCSE level and since then the number of students chosing a language, in addition to English, for GCSE (GCSE Irish) has steadily declined. At the same time, due to the continuous increase of Irish Medium Education, the numbers of those taking GCSE Irish in Meánscoileanna Gaeilge are increasing with enrolment figures increasing, with many Gaelscoil students taking Irish in Year 8 or 9, then taking GCSE Gaeilge during Year 12. For those students who attend Irish Medium Primary Schools and transfer to English Medium Secondary Schools,
The below chart displays the overall decline in the total number of school students who undertook GCSE Irish between 2004 and 2024 (Source: CCEA, Tuairisc.ie, Conradh na Gaeilge, Gael Linn).
The overall percentage of students from an Irish Medium background has increased during this 20 year (7% to 31%), period, meaning that in a time where the overall percentage of total students taking GCSE Irish has decreased, the overall percentage of students in the English language secondary system has fallen from 93% to 69%. (Source: CCEA, Tuairisc.ie, Conradh na Gaeilge, Gael Linn).
We can chart those 3 data sets together. The graph below shows that whilst the number of students from an Irish Medium background, (be that an IME primary or IME secondary school) who sits GCSE in Year 8, is increasing, that figure is actually partially hiding the the reality that the number Year 12 English Medium students has drastically decreased over a 20 year period.
Research: In 2022 Conradh na Gaeilge asked a question on GCSE languages and the results can be seen below. The survey was carried out by KANTAR.
Lobbying: As part of the 2022 Assembly Election #Gaelvóta campaign, Conradh na Gaeilge asked candidates to sign up to a number of election pledges. One of those pledges, as can be seen below, included a commitment to reinstate a rule that students must take at least one additional language to GCSE. A majority of MLAs returned to the Assembly, from a range of political parties, were in favour of that pledge.
Further Information:
In 2024 Conradh na Gaeilge, Gael Linn & Tuairisc.ie undertook extensive research into the 2024 and historical figures in the number of students taking, and the number of schools offering, GCSE Irish. Those results were published in two articles in August 2024:
- https://tuairisc.ie/lion-na-ndaltai-a-roghnaionn-gcse-irish/
- https://tuairisc.ie/an-baol-ann-nach-mbeidh-fagtha-ach-dornan-beag-scoileanna-o-thuaidh-ina-ndeantar-staidear-ar-an-ghaeilge-figiuiri-nua/
In 2020 the British Council published the following report regarding Language Trends Northern Ireland in 2021. That report can be accessed here.
In 2018 Gael Linn published a report into Irish in the education system in the north, from primary, secondary to thrid level. Is féidir an taighde sin a léamh anseo.
