Dropping Leaving Cert Irish

Mark92 · 22-02-2010 06:21PM #1

I was wondering if it's possible to drop Leaving Cert Irish completley. I moved to Ireland when I was 10, so I was not exempt from taking Irish as a subject. Im in 5th year now and i'm doing terrible in ordinary level Irish (average about 20-30% usually in tests

). To me, it's complete jibberish because I just didn't catch on to it quickly enough in my early years if learning it. The amount of time I put into it now to try and scrape a pass is just not worth the trouble, as I could be using it to study my 6 other subjects (all honours level :eek:). Since Irish is my only ordinary level subject, it won't be included in my CAO points (only the 6 highest marks I was told), so for me it seems a complete waste of time and effort. :mad:
Does anyone know someone who's dropped Irish before? If so, what was the circumstances they were allowed to drop it?
Thanks.

Ronan Keating · 22-02-2010 06:33PM

Mark92 wrote: »

To me, it's complete jibberish

You're not alone there.

pathway33 · 22-02-2010 06:37PM

depends where you want to go to college. Like DCU accepts either a pass in english or irish. UCD wants OD3 in Irish. Look at the entry requirements for colleges that do not insist on a pass in irish and see if you'd be happy there. You're limiting your choices but if there's a course in dcu for example that you'd go for then i'd dump the irish. It's wrecking your head and wrecking your leaving

unknown13 · 22-02-2010 06:53PM

There is a two options one is to do Foundation Irish, two is worker harder in class. Your attitude is terrible. Most of the Universities in Ireland require you to do Irish. The DOE don't hand out exemptions to people with terrible attitudes, they hand them out to people with a genuine difficulties and since you have most likely sat you Junior Cert Irish paper, the chances of you getting the exemption is about 2 %

theowen · 22-02-2010 07:07PM

Mark92 wrote: »

I was wondering if it's possible to drop Leaving Cert Irish completley. I moved to Ireland when I was 10, so I was not exempt from taking Irish as a subject. Im in 5th year now and i'm doing terrible in ordinary level Irish (average about 20-30% usually in tests ). To me, it's complete jibberish because I just didn't catch on to it quickly enough in my early years if learning it. The amount of time I put into it now to try and scrape a pass is just not worth the trouble, as I could be using it to study my 6 other subjects (all honours level :eek:). Since Irish is my only ordinary level subject, it won't be included in my CAO points (only the 6 highest marks I was told), so for me it seems a complete waste of time and effort. :mad:
Does anyone know someone who's dropped Irish before? If so, what was the circumstances they were allowed to drop it?
Thanks.

If you were born outside of Ireland you can, yes. Doesn't matter how old you were when you moved here.

partyatmygaff · 22-02-2010 07:13PM

If your really dead set on dropping Irish just simply sit at the back of class and don't bother interacting with the class. Write any old garbage on any tests you get and just study another subject.

If the teacher kicks you out of the class or sends you to your year head e.t.c. so be it. It's not like your being rude or disrespectful or disruptive, it's just that you want to do what you think is best.

Mark92 · 22-02-2010 07:14PM

unknown13 wrote: »

There is a two options one is to do Foundation Irish, two is worker harder in class. Your attitude is terrible. Most of the Universities in Ireland require you to do Irish. The DOE don't hand out exemptions to people with terrible attitudes, they hand them out to people with a genuine difficulties and since you have most likely sat you Junior Cert Irish paper, the chances of you getting the exemption is about 2 %

Sorry I forgot to add that I wont be going to Uni in Ireland. It's most likely that I'll be moving to either Scotland or Northern Ireland for 3rd level education, so as far as entry requirements are concerned, I wont be needing Irish.
It might seem like i'm not working hard enough or something, but seriously, I am trying my best here. Having more time to study honours math right now would be much more beneficial to me.

Mark92 · 22-02-2010 07:17PM

theowen wrote: »

If you were born outside of Ireland you can, yes. Doesn't matter how old you were when you moved here.

I never knew that. Where did you get this info from?

Ronan Keating · 22-02-2010 07:35PM

You have to have arrived after 5th class or something. Just because someone was born in England and moved to Ireland after a week will not get them exempt. It isn't that easy.

You've done it for JC so you'll be doing it for LC.

anothernight · 22-02-2010 07:47PM

Yeah it's only if you've arrived aged 11 or older.
See here

pathway33 · 22-02-2010 07:55PM

anothernight wrote: »

Yeah it's only if you've arrived aged 11 or older.
See here

isn't that for people who were born here and then moved away and came back again when they were say 12?

OP was not born in Ireland and there doesn't seem to be any age limit for those ......though wouldn't be sure

Does it make any difference when you aren't going to college here anyway. Just stop doing homework and take the beatings :cool:

implausible · 22-02-2010 07:57PM

It doesn't matter if you were exempt when you arrived, you've done the JC, so now you're not.

I really can't understand the whinging about Irish, you only have to do the bare minimum to pass:

1. Practise comprehensions and picking out where the answer is. Learn off the question terms e.g. Cé (who?), Céard/Cad (what?), Ainmnigh (name(
2. Learn off a simple story about an accident-this can fit into any short story
3. Learn off the structure of a letter and common phrases-if you can write an address, a date, the beginning (Conas atá tú? Tá mé go maith) and the end (Feicfidh mé tú go luath, slán go fóill), all you need are 5/6 basic sentences for the middle.
4. Narrow down the poetry to 4 poems and learn off a line by line summary of each. They always ask if you liked the poem so learn off the same answer for EVERY poem.
5. Narrow down the stories and learn off a summary.

For the oral, cover the basics such as mé féin, mo scoil, mo chaithimh aimsire(pastimes). Guesswork will get you through the tape especially if you learn off the question terms.

This should get you through.

anothernight · 22-02-2010 08:12PM

pathway33 wrote: »

isn't that for people who were born here and then moved away and came back again when they were say 12?

OP was not born in Ireland and there doesn't seem to be any age limit for those ......though wouldn't be sure

No. "Students whose primary education up to 11 years of age was received in Northern Ireland or outside Ireland" would be his case, except that he was younger when he came to Ireland.

pathway33 · 22-02-2010 08:18PM

anothernight wrote: »

No. "Students whose primary education up to 11 years of age was received in Northern Ireland or outside Ireland" would be his case, except that he was younger when he came to Ireland.

maybe I'm thinking of the rule for exemption from the NUI entrance requirement. I think it is slightly different to the leaving cert exemption. You could be exempt from Irish for entry to an NUI but not be exempt from irish in the leaving.

I think I might be right on that

theowen · 22-02-2010 08:29PM

Ronan Keating wrote: »

You have to have arrived after 5th class or something. Just because someone was born in England and moved to Ireland after a week will not get them exempt. It isn't that easy.

You've done it for JC so you'll be doing it for LC.

anothernight wrote: »

Yeah it's only if you've arrived aged 11 or older.
See here

pathway33 wrote: »

isn't that for people who were born here and then moved away and came back again when they were say 12?

OP was not born in Ireland and there doesn't seem to be any age limit for those ......though wouldn't be sure

Does it make any difference when you aren't going to college here anyway. Just stop doing homework and take the beatings :cool:

deemark wrote: »

It doesn't matter if you were exempt when you arrived, you've done the JC, so now you're not.

I really can't understand the whinging about Irish, you only have to do the bare minimum to pass:

1. Practise comprehensions and picking out where the answer is. Learn off the question terms e.g. Cé (who?), Céard/Cad (what?), Ainmnigh (name(
2. Learn off a simple story about an accident-this can fit into any short story
3. Learn off the structure of a letter and common phrases-if you can write an address, a date, the beginning (Conas atá tú? Tá mé go maith) and the end (Feicfidh mé tú go luath, slán go fóill), all you need are 5/6 basic sentences for the middle.
4. Narrow down the poetry to 4 poems and learn off a line by line summary of each. They always ask if you liked the poem so learn off the same answer for EVERY poem.
5. Narrow down the stories and learn off a summary.

For the oral, cover the basics such as mé féin, mo scoil, mo chaithimh aimsire(pastimes). Guesswork will get you through the tape especially if you learn off the question terms.

This should get you through.

anothernight wrote: »

No. "Students whose primary education up to 11 years of age was received in Northern Ireland or outside Ireland" would be his case, except that he was younger when he came to Ireland.

pathway33 wrote: »

maybe I'm thinking of the rule for exemption from the NUI entrance requirement. I think it is slightly different to the leaving cert exemption. You could be exempt from Irish for entry to an NUI but not be exempt from irish in the leaving.

I think I might be right on that

I have my letter which says I'm exempt if yous would like to see it. I was unaware myself until this year. The guidance councillor in my new school said that schools are generally hush hush about it because they get a grant for every student doing Irish.
Oh ye I was 5 when I can here, too, and I did LC Irish for the Junior cert:rolleyes:

Mayoegian · 22-02-2010 08:34PM

partyatmygaff wrote: »

If your really dead set on dropping Irish just simply sit at the back of class and don't bother interacting with the class. Write any old garbage on any tests you get and just study another subject.

If the teacher kicks you out of the class or sends you to your year head e.t.c. so be it. It's not like your being rude or disrespectful or disruptive, it's just that you want to do what you think is best.

That's really bad advice.

OP, there's always Foundation Irish!

anothernight · 22-02-2010 08:35PM

theowen wrote: »

Oh ye I was 5 when I can here, too, and I did LC Irish for the Junior cert:rolleyes:

Technically if you came to Ireland speaking no English, they'd give you an exemption. I'm not sure how it works though, as they refused to exempt a few of my friends from doing Irish. I've an exemption myself, both because I didn't speak English and because I only moved to Ireland when I was 13.

Our careers teacher (very useless of course) told a girl in my year that she had to sit Irish because she came to Ireland aged 5, but that universities wouldn't expect her to have Irish for entry requirements. I don't know if she was right tbh. It's all so confusing! >_<

theowen · 22-02-2010 08:42PM

anothernight wrote: »

Technically if you came to Ireland speaking no English, they'd give you an exemption. I'm not sure how it works though, as they refused to exempt a few of my friends from doing Irish. I've an exemption myself, both because I didn't speak English and because I only moved to Ireland when I was 13.

Our careers teacher (very useless of course) told a girl in my year that she had to sit Irish because she came to Ireland aged 5, but that universities wouldn't expect her to have Irish for entry requirements. I don't know if she was right tbh. It's all so confusing! >_<

Considering I came from England I was well versed in the language, indeed:rolleyes: Sure I dono, the guidance councillor rang the NUI peps when I was there and asked her straight out "If you were born outside of Ireland, no matter what age, your exempt from Irish right?". And she said they don't even give it consideration but pass it straight through instead.

I asked my teacher in my old school last year and he said he "checked". But he actually didn't and lied to me instead, to get the funding. I'm sure this is what happens to most people tbh.

Moshimoshi · 22-02-2010 08:44PM

If it's any consolation, you can get into Trinity without Irish (as long as you have English + a second language)

pathway33 · 22-02-2010 09:16PM

You can get into UL without irish as long as you have a second language (french / german etc).

Ronan Keating · 22-02-2010 10:01PM

deemark wrote: »

It doesn't matter if you were exempt when you arrived, you've done the JC, so now you're not.

I really can't understand the whinging about Irish, you only have to do the bare minimum to pass:

2. Learn off a simple story about an accident-this can fit into any short story

For the LC?

implausible · 22-02-2010 10:38PM

Ronan Keating wrote: »

For the LC?

At OL, yes. There are more marks going for your Irish than for relevance.

Mark92 · 22-02-2010 10:40PM

Thanks for everyone's advice. So from what I've read, I should be able to drop Irish?

partyatmygaff · 22-02-2010 10:42PM

Mayoegian wrote: »

That's really bad advice.

OP, there's always Foundation Irish!

Not really, if they're dead set on dropping Irish and they're school can't/won't let them then that is their only worthwile option. That is of course if they don't have foundation level available.

If they do then foundation level is the way forward. Anyone can pass foundation level with little work.

unknown13 · 22-02-2010 10:53PM

partyatmygaff wrote: »

If your really dead set on dropping Irish just simply sit at the back of class and don't bother interacting with the class. Write any old garbage on any tests you get and just study another subject.

If the teacher kicks you out of the class or sends you to your year head e.t.c. so be it. It's not like your being rude or disrespectful or disruptive, it's just that you want to do what you think is best.

I agree with one of the fellow posters because this is very bad advice. Telling someone to get kicked out of the class is absolutely stupid because before he does that he will be put on many detentions and possibly suspensions.

He will be kicked out of the Irish class and be put into another Irish class and still have to sit the exam.

implausible · 22-02-2010 10:56PM

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Not really, if they're dead set on dropping Irish and they're school can't/won't let them then that is their only worthwile option. That is of course if they don't have foundation level available.

If they do then foundation level is the way forward. Anyone can pass foundation level with little work.

Foundation level is available everywhere! You sit in the OL class and just ask for the paper on the day.

A word of warning OP, if you sit the OL oral, you can't then drop to FL.

spurious · 22-02-2010 10:59PM

Nobody 'has' to sit any exam.
If the OP does not do his/her oral and stays out the days of the Irish papers in the exams, no Irish mark will show on his/her results.
Irish will not be mentioned on the results sheet.

unknown13 · 22-02-2010 11:00PM

deemark wrote: »

A word of warning OP, if you sit the OL oral, you can't then drop to FL.

What is the difference between the OL and FL oral because the examiner doesn't know what level you are sitting when you do your oral.

partyatmygaff · 22-02-2010 11:04PM

unknown13 wrote: »

I agree with one of the fellow posters because this is very bad advice. Telling someone to get kicked out of the class is absolutely stupid because before he does that he will be put on many detentions and possibly suspensions.

He will be kicked out of the Irish class and be put into another Irish class and still have to sit the exam.

I never said to purposefully ensure you get kicked out of the class. I said stay in the back and do something else worth your time. Discreetly of course. It's better than wasting 5 classes a week doing a language that he believes he has no chance of improving in without compromising his other subjects.

implausible · 22-02-2010 11:05PM

unknown13 wrote: »

What is the difference between the OL and FL oral because the examiner doesn't know what level you are sitting when you do your oral.

They know the level when it's FL. You answer more or less set questions, as opposed to it being 'a wee chat'.

window_licker · 23-02-2010 12:15AM

spurious wrote: »

Nobody 'has' to sit any exam.
If the OP does not do his/her oral and stays out the days of the Irish papers in the exams, no Irish mark will show on his/her results.
Irish will not be mentioned on the results sheet.

really? my teachers said once u sign for it it shows up and if u dont do it its an NG

Dropping Leaving Cert Irish

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