An Gnáthrud, not gnáth at all

tedobrien98

Hi,

Not sure if this thread was made before, and if it was I apologise.

Just wondering if anyone heard or read anything about the SEC being reluctant to put An Gnáthrud on the exam as it's a "touchy subject"? The fact that it hasn't come up since the new course changed would, to me, make it more likely to come up with every passing year... but could it be possible that they're afraid to use it? I know you can't predict the papers but this absence of An Gnáthrud seems like a big void, even more so when you look at the fact that it hasn't come up in Ordinary Level either, where they do two prós in the exam.

If they're afraid to upset anyone, maybe it means they'd give us a very broad question on it? Or on the other hand, maybe they're waiting to give a dirty ould political question and throw us altogether...

Bazinga_N

I don't think it's the fact it's a touchy subject, An Triail deals with a suicidal mother and Gafa tells the story of a boy who overdoes from Heroin. I think it might have something more to do what came to light recently about the author of Seal I Nepeal which comes up as an alternative to An Gnathrud. Give a quick google of Cathal O Searcaigh if you're not sure what I'm talking about.

If a question on Gnathrud does come up it'll be something about how the story gives a good insight into the Troubles in Belfast, or else something about the characters. I doubt it'd be a difficult political question.

Mr Rhode Island Red

Oisin I dtir na nog has come up the past 3 years on the OL paper and I'm hoping they make it 4

A97

Bazinga_N, I don't think that piece of work is the reason why the content has not come up yet. A poem by the same author came up in the Litríocht Bhreise section recently, and both the poem and the work of prose were added to the course a few years after the initial alleged claims were made.

I'm not sure why An Gháthrud has not come up yet. It's hard to read the minds of those who set the exams. 2016 was the year in which there was only one poem and one piece of prose left to cover at higher level, so they must have decided to not do what many would have predicted. I would recommend having some knowledge of the work at least in case it comes up. I don't think you could safely avoid learning it.

spurious

Anything on the syllabus can come up.

Knownastypho

This could also apply to Géibhinn. If sensitive topics are reluctant to be put on the Irish paper, then that would be why both Gnáthrud and Géibhinn have not been on any LC paper. However, this may not be the case. Teachers here are insinuating that one of the two may come up this year, but it has been predicted for years and may not appear.