Irish Exam for Garda with Public Jobs

PennieRock · 09-11-2016 9:04pm #1

I must take the Irish exam as set out by Public jobs in December. I have asked many what does it involve, I got e-mail saying it's an oral, written and translation.....but what i'm asking is there anyone after taking this exam and what's it like please

TallGlass · 10-11-2016 2:58pm

It's quite hard to get information as it's rare for people to sit it from what I can gather. Just know all the basics is what I guess and get some grinds to try help you out.

ALTHEPAL · 10-11-2016 3:15pm

PennieRock wrote: »

I must take the Irish exam as set out by Public jobs in December. I have asked many what does it involve, I got e-mail saying it's an oral, written and translation.....but what i'm asking is there anyone after taking this exam and what's it like please

I am in the same position as you, however I am not sure when I will be taking the exam as they said they will contact me nearer the time. Can I ask you at what point did they call you for this exam ? as in after what stage and are you from the most recent campaign Sept 2016 or are you from last Jan 2016.
Cheers

Dan 191 · 10-11-2016 3:20pm

This is the only info i could find on the net.....

Irish Language Assessement

As you are aware one of the requirements for the position of Garda Trainee was that candidates must have 2 languages at Leaving Certificate level. If your qualifications do not meet this standard you may apply to be invited to have your level of Irish assessed (both written and oral).

Your assessment will only take place once you have successfully qualified at all other stages of the campaign process. If you qualify at the interview stage your name will be forwarded to Garda HQ to begin processing for the next stage but until such time as you complete and qualify at your Irish Assessment you will not be deemed eligible for the campaign.

1. Oral Assessment (duration 15 minutes)
This will comprise conversation on ordinary topics with two assessors. You will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the main points of standard speech on ordinary topics and enter into conversation using frequently used phrases and vocabulary.

You will be assessed on your ability to communicate in the Irish language under the following criteria:
Fluency, Vocabulary, Grammar and Understanding.

2. Written Assessment (duration 1 hour)
Section 1 Essay (150 - 200 words)
Section 2 Comprehension test
Section 3 Translation from English to Irish

You will be assessed on your ability in written Irish. Criteria may include the following:
Content, Literacy, spelling, use of language, structure and layout, accuracy and grammar.

Subject to you being successful at this assessment, your name will be forwarded to An Garda Síochána in order to be considered for the next stage.

Success at this stage of the selection process is not to be taken as an indication that the Public Appointments Service or the Garda Commissioner consider your application as fulfilling the full range of essential requirements, and is not a guarantee of acceptance as a Garda Trainee. It should be noted that the final decision on entry into training rests with the Garda Commissioner.

ALTHEPAL · 10-11-2016 3:31pm

Dan 191 wrote: »

This is the only info i could find on the net.....

Irish Language Assessement

As you are aware one of the requirements for the position of Garda Trainee was that candidates must have 2 languages at Leaving Certificate level. If your qualifications do not meet this standard you may apply to be invited to have your level of Irish assessed (both written and oral).

Your assessment will only take place once you have successfully qualified at all other stages of the campaign process. If you qualify at the interview stage your name will be forwarded to Garda HQ to begin processing for the next stage but until such time as you complete and qualify at your Irish Assessment you will not be deemed eligible for the campaign.

Thanks for that, So what about yourself, do you need to take this exam too ? Nightmare having to go back and learn it again ha

TallGlass · 10-11-2016 3:39pm

Anyone else find it strange they sent out no sample material for us to look over! Has to be one of the worst run stages. Whats this translating part about, I have heard English to Irish but how hard? All the stages are like asking how long a piece of string is with regards topics.

ALTHEPAL · 10-11-2016 3:48pm

I don't think they do for this Irish exam, I guess we just have to cover everything ! One more hoop to jump through ha

TallGlass · 11-11-2016 5:16pm

Has anyone got any idea on what way it's corrected. Is it graded over all, or if you fail one section you are out? I'm fairly okay on most bar the translation part afraid I will fail it, and wondering if I fail the entire exam then?

TallGlass · 14-11-2016 2:56pm

TallGlass wrote: »

Has anyone got any idea on what way it's corrected. Is it graded over all, or if you fail one section you are out? I'm fairly okay on most bar the translation part afraid I will fail it, and wondering if I fail the entire exam then?

Anyone?

TallGlass · 21-11-2016 9:49pm

How's everyone getting on?

paulmeaney · 22-11-2016 5:03pm

Lost.... Havent done Irish since junior cert and that was a long time ago.... The information that public jobs give out about this section is terrible. Also why don't they do this round on a saturday? struggling to even get the time off work for it.

PennieRock · 22-11-2016 5:42pm

I applied in January

TallGlass · 26-11-2016 11:07am

paulmeaney wrote: »

Lost.... Havent done Irish since junior cert and that was a long time ago.... The information that public jobs give out about this section is terrible. Also why don't they do this round on a saturday? struggling to even get the time off work for it.

Yeah it is definitely one of the stranger stages, every other stage is pretty transparent. I'm a little hopefull about passing. I have put alot of hours into it. Only thing that's poor at the moment is spelling in Irish. I have a tendency to spell as they sound in English. Like 'highage' is how I did spell it , should be 'haghadh' in Irish.

The translation part is the biggest mystery!

TallGlass · 01-12-2016 5:59pm

Has anyone at all literally any idea how its marked?

Megan7290 · 01-12-2016 9:04pm

I have never heard of any irish exam?!?

Cedric87 · 02-12-2016 7:56am

Megan7290 wrote: »

I have never heard of any irish exam?!?

If you don't meet the language requirements i.e. The two languages one of which must be English and a second language.
Most have got Irish passed in the leaving cert or a second language, others who do not have it or failed it have to sit an exam with career services.

Megan7290 · 02-12-2016 11:09am

Cedric87 wrote: »

If you don't meet the language requirements i.e. The two languages one of which must be English and a second language.
Most have got Irish passed in the leaving cert or a second language, others who do not have it or failed it have to sit an exam with career services.

Oh ok I passed in the leaving so I dont have to take it?

Cedric87 · 02-12-2016 11:27am

Megan7290 wrote: »

Oh ok I passed in the leaving so I dont have to take it?

No once you pass it in the leaving you are golden.

TallGlass · 02-12-2016 6:25pm

Cedric87 wrote: »

No once you pass it in the leaving you are golden.

Any ideas on marking. I have heard a few times now if you do not pass a section you fail it all. But they won't give a definition of a section? Is it oral / writing that are sections or is it oral, writing, comprehension and translation that are sections?

PeteK* · 02-12-2016 9:35pm

Megan7290 wrote: »

Oh ok I passed in the leaving so I dont have to take it?

Cedric87 wrote: »

No once you pass it in the leaving you are golden.

As long as it's not Foundation Irish you did in your Leaving Cert.
You may have done French, German, Spanish or some other language, too?
They and all the others count but one must be English or Irish or it can be both of those only.

Cedric87 · 03-12-2016 7:20am

PeteK* wrote: »

As long as it's not Foundation Irish you did in your Leaving Cert.
You may have done French, German, Spanish or some other language, too?
They and all the others count but one must be English or Irish or it can be both of those only.

That's the boat I'm in because I sat foundation Irish. I have Spanish but that was junior cert level and my Spanish. For the leaving was part of a course that I passed but it was a half Spanish half business exam.

want2b · 06-12-2016 10:37am

Just wondering how many people actually have to sit these exams?

TallGlass · 07-12-2016 10:18pm

want2b wrote: »

Just wondering how many people actually have to sit these exams?

Sorry! Around 30/40

vardy98 · 13-12-2016 4:06pm

Could someone clear this up for me if you get the relevant grades in the leaving cert, you don't have to take these Irish tests do you, thanks in advance, its a d3 or over in ordinary level Irish isn't it, thanks again.

Cedric87 · 13-12-2016 4:10pm

vardy98 wrote: »

Could someone clear this up for me if you get the relevant grades in the leaving cert, you don't have to take these Irish tests do you, thanks in advance, its a d3 or over in ordinary level Irish isn't it, thanks again.

You are fine once you've passed it in the leaving cert

vardy98 · 13-12-2016 5:34pm

Thanks for your reply Cedric86, I was starting to freak out, I can relax now, cheers.

Cedric87 · 13-12-2016 5:44pm

vardy98 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply Cedric86, I was starting to freak out, I can relax now, cheers.

Haha yeah I'll have to sit it myself but sure I've to do interviews first.

leixlipgirl · 06-01-2017 2:07pm

Any word on when the next irish exam is?

TallGlass · 06-01-2017 5:36pm

leixlipgirl wrote: »

Any word on when the next irish exam is?

I would expect it too be after all the interviews are completed. As in nearly at the end of the OOM. So you could be looking at 6/9 months away. I'd my interview August and then Irish exam December so that might give you a timeline.

leixlipgirl · 06-01-2017 5:41pm

TallGlass wrote: »

leixlipgirl wrote: »

Any word on when the next irish exam is?

I would expect it too be after all the interviews are completed. As in nearly at the end of the OOM. So you could be looking at 6/9 months away. I'd my interview August and then Irish exam December so that might give you a timeline.[/quote great thank you have interview on the 17th of january how did the exam go for you? Any tips?

leixlipgirl · 06-01-2017 6:12pm

leixlipgirl wrote: »

TallGlass wrote: »

I would expect it too be after all the interviews are completed. As in nearly at the end of the OOM. So you could be looking at 6/9 months away. I'd my interview August and then Irish exam December so that might give you a timeline.[/quote

great thank you have interview on the 17th of january how did the exam go for you? Any tips?

Eddyrio5 · 24-01-2017 3:27pm

Has anyone actually undergone the exam? If so how'd you find it? And any idea on the pass mark? And did you find out soon enough if you passed?

paddyr1991 · 02-02-2017 2:43pm

Hey,

Has anyone on here previously sat the Irish test and willing to divulge further on it? Really freaking out!!

TIA

Eddyrio5 · 02-02-2017 2:50pm

paddyr1991 wrote: »

Hey,

Has anyone on here previously sat the Irish test and willing to divulge further on it? Really freaking out!!

TIA

Im in the same boat as you it seems. Wonder if anyone can shed any light on the exam.

ALTHEPAL · 02-02-2017 10:11pm

Hi all I'm in the same boat and I have to sit some Irish exam with public jobs . Can anyone who has done this exam in the past give me any advise, maybe send me a PM
Thanks

CONGUI · 06-02-2017 2:44pm

Alright lads,

done my irish interview in december and it was fairly tough. i went to an all irish school for 14 years and then studied it in college and still found it tough. You have a panel of 3 interviewing you all fluent obviously and one person in the corner monitoring it. it's ok to use a few words of english and to ask them to repeat what they asked or to ask in a different way if you don't understand. afterwards you've two written exams only short tho one is translating english to Irish (fairly basic) and the other was to write a short piece about a chosen subject or to discuss should guards be armed. All in all if you're fluent just practice your answer for the 5 competencies and if you're just chancing your arm with the Irish good luck

Eddyrio5 · 06-02-2017 3:16pm

Wow. That doesnt fill me with much confidence. Im getting private tuition but from what you're saying even that probably wont help. Is the oral a full on interview like at stage 3?

Eddyrio5 · 06-02-2017 3:17pm

Also CONGUI did you pass and what score did you get? just a matter of interest

CONGUI · 06-02-2017 3:28pm

I had applied through the general stream also and passed both and it was the exact same but just through Irish a full on interview,.. now before hand i tried to brush up as mush as i could because i was gicking myself which made it worse but if you have your answers studied and fresh in your head you should be ok, the interviewers try help as much as you can,.. i placed 8th out of all the applicants through Irish

Eddyrio5 · 06-02-2017 3:34pm

Ah right so with the irish stream you had a full on interview? But general stream not?
Im just going to have to make sure i have as much as possible fresh in my head. Any other tips?
And well done that good going that 8th.

TallGlass · 06-02-2017 3:53pm

Eddyrio5 wrote: »

Ah right so with the irish stream you had a full on interview? But general stream not?
Im just going to have to make sure i have as much as possible fresh in my head. Any other tips?
And well done that good going that 8th.

The Irish Oral, is pretty much like a mini Irish interview TBH.

CONGUI · 06-02-2017 3:58pm

Yeah there was no irish test with the general stream! try be as calm as you can yano these people are doing this how many times a day they don't try trip you up although the main interviewer (the man in the middle) does question you on nearly everything you say so try answer confidently and don't panic if you pause for a few seconds to gather your thoughts i just kept saying caithfidh mé é seo a athstrig i mo intinn yano,.. I let them know when i went in that my irish might be a bit rusty as it had been a while since I last spoke it. they also asked why would you want to be a garda in the gaelteacth and at the end they give you a chance to say anything you might have forgot to say or any reason why you thing you'd be suited to the role of a garda so if you want to make up something and have it ready to say

CramCycle · 06-02-2017 4:02pm

@ CONGUI Do you mind me asking why you had to do an Irish interview as presumably having gone to college you sat Irish or a third language in secondary school, and since it was an Irish school, I presume you passed Irish. Are there other reasons they ask you to do an Irish test? Is it to work in the Gaeltacht area? great that someone has experience of these tests nonetheless.

CONGUI · 06-02-2017 4:06pm

have you done any of the preparation courses for the interview? you can compare it to the oral yeah but they expect you to be able to have a flowing conversation as well as that the interview is based on 5 competencies a guard should have so that's the main thing they will ask you like can you tell me a time when you showed resilience blah blah

CONGUI · 06-02-2017 4:12pm

It's only if you applied through the special Irish stream.From previous experience i knew that if I didn't place as high in the general stream that I'd be brought in sooner through the Irish stream so I went for both and funny enough did well enough in both. wait and see I'll fail the physical

Eddyrio5 · 06-02-2017 4:16pm

CONGUI wrote: »

have you done any of the preparation courses for the interview? you can compare it to the oral yeah but they expect you to be able to have a flowing conversation as well as that the interview is based on 5 competencies a guard should have so that's the main thing they will ask you like can you tell me a time when you showed resilience blah blah

Im a tad confused now, so the oral for the general stream IS an interview similar to stage 3 based on competancies? Or is that the irish stream you are talking about?

CONGUI · 06-02-2017 4:21pm

If you went through the general stream there was no Irish test. the irish and english interviews are the exact same both based around 5 competencies a guard should have .. think they're on garda.ie

Eddyrio5 · 06-02-2017 4:23pm

CONGUI wrote: »

If you went through the general stream there was no Irish test. the irish and english interviews are the exact same both based around 5 competencies a guard should have .. think they're on garda.ie

Ah right i get you now. Ive passed the interview side of things. Just Irish exam as my spanish grade i did in school is to low and then my medical/fitness/ vetting. Have you got a date as yet for your medical?

TallGlass · 06-02-2017 4:23pm

Eddyrio5 wrote: »

Im a tad confused now, so the oral for the general stream IS an interview similar to stage 3 based on competancies? Or is that the irish stream you are talking about?

He's talking about the Irish stream.

But there are similarities between the Irish stream interview and the Irish assessment. As in you'll be asked about yourself, age, where you live, holidays away, why you want to be Garda etc.. It's just your not expected to perform as good as someone going to the Irish stream.

CONGUI · 06-02-2017 4:30pm

Exactly, still no date for the physical had the open day on the 28TH of Jan and haven't heard anything since.. absolutely ****ting myself supposed to be going to vegas in march and amsterdam in april

TallGlass · 06-02-2017 4:34pm

CONGUI wrote: »

Exactly, still no date for the physical had the open day on the 28TH of Jan and haven't heard anything since.. absolutely ****ting myself supposed to be going to vegas in march and amsterdam in april

Just get at it. I wouldn't be waiting around CONGUI, it's not a matter if you get a date, it's a matter of when you get a date.

I'm in the same boat as you, haven't got a date but getting a head start on majority of the PT with training in the gym. The world and life still has to go on, so don't hold up your life on it! But I would start training now and not wait for a date TBH.

Irish Exam for Garda with Public Jobs

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