Skip to main content

Take Your Irish With You After Your Leaving Cert!

Conradh na Gaeilge congratulates leaving Cert students in the south, encourages them to use their Irish at third level with Irish-language societies

Conradh na Gaeilge sincerely congratulates the students in the south that have passed their Irish exams as they receive Leaving Certificate results today (Wednesday, 12 August 2015), and is encouraging all students to use their Irish at third level by taking part in the Irish-language societies in institutes across the country.

Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill, President of Conradh na Gaeilge says:

 

“Conradh na Gaeilge believes there should be an emphasis on spoken Irish in second level schools north and south, but even more importantly, opportunities to use the language should be made available to students at every level of education. This would mean students could use the Irish they have learned in a practical way on a daily basis, beyond the classroom, in social situations such as those afforded to them through the third level Irish-language societies for example.”

Conradh na Gaeilge is very pleased to see a steady increase in the number of students taking higher-level Irish for the Leaving Certificate – from 16,700 in 2013 to 18,100 last year and 19,500 this year – and to see that 88% of students scored a C or higher in honours Irish this year.

Edel Ní Bhraonáin, Third Level Student Coordinator for Conradh na Gaeilge, says:

 

“Thanks to the students that take their love of Irish with them from secondary school, we have a huge number of Irish-language societies registered with us as branches of Conradh na Gaeilge all over Ireland, and these Irish societies provide students looking to make the most of their Irish at college with a variety of ways to enjoy the language.

 

“The Irish-language societies organise brilliant events on a regular basis, so I would highly recommend all students in first year to sign up as members of the Irish society on their own campus, not only to practise their Irish-language skills after leaving secondary school, but to make friends with other students that are equally excited about the language and having fun!”

MORE INFORMATION:

 

Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha

Vice General Secretary & Advocacy Manager, Conradh na Gaeilge

00 353 (0)87 418 8050 | 00 353 (0)91 567824

 

Edel Ní Bhraonáin,

Third Level Student Coordinator, Conradh na Gaeilge

00 353 (0)87 6289794 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

INFORMATION NOTE:

 

  • Conradh na Gaeilge believes the emphasis should be on spoken Irish for the Leaving Certificate and this should be delivered by developing two syllabi for the Irish language at second level: Teanga na Gaeilge, or Irish Language, to be taught to every student and which would focus on language acquisition; and Saíocht agus Litríocht na Gaeilge, or Irish-Language Literature and Knowledge, which would be offered in the same manner as the likes of applied mathematics as a choice subject to students from the Gaeltacht, from Irish-medium secondary schools or Gaelcholáistí, and from schools that do well in teaching the language well.
  • Conradh na Gaeilge commends all the teachers that had a positive influence on their students receiving high marks in the Irish Leaving Certificate examination this year, and believes the Government needs to provide continuous support and training to teachers teaching Irish.
  • In the meetings organised by the Department of Education and Skills in the south with Gaeltacht groups in the different Gaeltacht areas as part of the recent consultation process on Gaeltacht education, the urgent need to review the Irish Leaving Certificate examination to ensure it caters effectively for the Gaeltacht community was recognised as a key issue, and Conradh na Gaeilge is calling on the Government in the south to undertake this as a matter of urgency as part of the process to develop two syllabi for the Irish language at second level.

 

 

Conradh na Gaeilge

6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2.
Phone: +353 (0) 1 475 7401, Fax: +353 (0) 1 475 7844, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.