PAPER 1 - QUESTION B

50 marks (12.5% of entire exam)

45 minutes
1.5 – 2 pages in length

Remember: You must answer ONE Question A and ONE Question B. You cannot answer a Question A and B
from the same text.

P – 15 – Answer the question that is asked. Don’t stray off the topic. Be clear on the purpose of the question
and give points that are relevant to what you are being asked.
C – 15 – Remain focused on the question throughout your answer. A well organised answer is a major part of
the marks
L – 15 – If you are writing an article for a newspaper and writing a personal diary entry, would the words and
layout used be different? If so, why? That is efficiency of language use.
M – 5 – Spelling and grammar are important in gaining extra marks.

Previous Questions

2021 ___________________________________________________________________________
2022 ___________________________________________________________________________
2023 ___________________________________________________________________________

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2024____________________________________________________________________________

P A R

P for Purpose – WHAT – are you being asked to write about? A letter? Then you must write a letter
throughout.
A for Audience – WHO – are you writing for? Who is your audience? Who will hear or read what you are
going to write about? Your writing style and language will depend on the who.
R for Register – WHY – are you writing this task? Are you writing to inform, persuade, entertain? Your
writing style and language will again depend on the why.

When you read the question, underline the Purpose, figure out your Audience and decide on the Register
you will need to use. There will always be three parts to a Question B. Answer all three parts to get full marks,
these don’t need to be given equal weight just be sure to answer all three. Number the 3 aspects of the
question to ensure you answer all parts.

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EXAMPLE:

Let’s take the 2025 Text 2 Question B and prepare to answer it:

Write the text of a short talk, to be broadcast to an audience of young people online, on the importance of
facing what you fear. In your talk, you should: describe an occasion where you faced a fear/fears, outline
how you overcame the fear/fears, and explain why others should face their fear/fears, as you did.

P A R

Plan
•

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 •

1 – SPEECHES AND TALKS (Question B and Composing 100 mark)

KEY POINTS
Engage your audience by addressing them in the introduction. Say who you are and explain what you are
going to talk about.

Structure: Speeches must have a beginning, a middle and a conclusion.

Personal pronouns: Using pronouns, like ‘I’ ‘we’ ‘us’ ‘you’ is an effective way of building a relationship with
the reader. “It is up to every one of us here today to tackle climate change.”

Anecdote: Tell a story in your speech that has a meaning, it may be personal or about someone else. It is a
good way to keep people interested. “I recently went to the North Pole, where I saw that many of the ice
caps have melted causing polar bears great distress.

Repetition: This is a very effective tool, as it can have an impact on the listener. “We must do what it takes
to help our planet. We must be the pioneers of the future, we must be the light in the darkness.”

Rhetorical Questions: These questions do not require an answer from the audience but it makes them think
about the issue and gets the audience involved in the speech. “Are we prepared to sacrifice our children’s
lives by taking the easy option?” or “Are we willing to make sacrifices now so our children’s lives can
blossom?”

Triadic Structure: Much like repetition, triadic structure works on the same basis, where similar words are
repeated in threes. It is often said that things said in groups of three have the greatest impact. “We have
sought justice in the past, we seek justice today, and we will seek justice in the future." Or “It is my dream
that one day we will see a world where people can find equality, liberty and freedom.

A call to action: Most speeches have a ‘call to action.’ This means that you are encouraging the listeners to
do something, to make a difference. “I ask each and every one of you to leave this room tonight and do what
you can to halt global warming.”

SAMPLE SPEECH ANSWER Question B

Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘Investment in education pays the greatest interest.’

Good afternoon, my name is John Dowling and I am here today to talk to you about the importance of
education in today’s world.

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As a student who has spent the last fourteen years of his life in the corridors of the Irish education system, I
can empathise with those of you who can’t wait to be free of the shackles of rules, regulations and of course,
homework. But if we consider what our education has done for us since we entered Junior Infants as
hyperactive five year olds, we will perhaps begin to appreciate all that we have learned.
The five year old me couldn’t read, couldn’t write, didn’t know the history of our world and in truth didn’t
know much at all. A series of teachers who we ‘couldn’t be bothered listening to,’ have in fact given us the
greatest gift we are ever likely to receive and that is the gift of learning.

Many of you here today are about to embark on another journey, whether it is a college course, an
apprenticeship or into the world of work, you are going to continue learning. But it is the foundations that
were laid by our many teachers that will allow us to flourish in the years ahead and we will, believe it or not,
look back on these years with fond memories.

I didn’t always have such a positive attitude to education. I didn’t always see the bigger picture but I
remember the moment when my attitude towards school changed and I want to share it with you all here
today. My older brother went to college two years ago and he and a group of his friends decided to help out
a charity, which sent aid to one of the poorest regions of Africa. They worked hard to raise money and they
felt really good about doing something for people in need. A few months passed and he had forgotten about
his good deeds, until one day just before Christmas, a card arrived in the post and it was from ‘Dodi.’ Dodi
was twelve years old and he was writing to my brother to thank him for what he had done. With the money
they had received, a new roof was put on Dodi’s school, which allowed them to resume the classes that had
been cancelled for the previous couple of months. He finished the letter by saying, ‘going back to school is
the greatest Christmas present ever.’

I want you to think about that for a minute and think about the lists you make at Christmas, is education at
the top of it? No, of course it’s not, because we take it for granted. Reading Dodi’s letter gave me a greater
appreciation of education and gave me the focus I needed for studying for my Leaving Cert. I should probably
add in that seeing the craic and banter that my brother was having at college also helped to focus me a little
more, as I was not missing out on that!

Education opens doors, but we must be prepared to take the steps to get through the doors. Education
requires hard work, dedication and an appreciation that learning is never-ending. Education is the great
equaliser, it allows the kid from the rough estate in a bad area to rise up and make his life better. When I

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think of this I am reminded of Tupac’s song, ‘The Rose that Grew from Concrete,’ as it highlights that no
matter where you come from, you can flourish and education is the key.

Education is the key to unlocking bigoted minds. Racism and bigotry thrive on ignorance and it is no
coincidence that civil rights in both America and Northern Ireland came to the fore when blacks and Catholics
were given the right to an education. Education broadens your horizons, removes narrow-mindedness,
allows you to accept pluralism.

In this country, we blindly accepted bigotry. We accepted homophobia, we accepted religious intolerance
and we even accepted clerical abuse. Why? Simply because we had not the wherewithal to question societal
norms. Why was it okay to send an unmarried pregnant woman into captivity without question? Why was it
okay for our children to be beaten by teachers and priests? Why was it okay to ostracise gay people? Because
without an education, we don’t have a voice. Without an education, we feel helpless. Without an education,
we are nothing.

Can you imagine those things I mentioned happening to Ireland today? You would not accept those things
because education has opened your mind, it has opened your eyes and it has broadened your view of the
world. Our time in secondary school is at an end, but our path in education is just beginning. The foundations
have been laid, it is now up to us to build on them. I will finish with a quote that I want you to remember.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” In August
you will get your passport, my question to you is, ‘where will you go?’

SAMPLE SPEECH FOR COMPOSING (100 MARK QUESTION)

“You are a candidate in the next election for the presidency of Ireland. Write a speech to be
delivered during the election campaign, in which you outline the social and cultural values you
would promote if elected and explain the perception of Ireland you would cultivate abroad,
given the opportunity to do so.”

Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Joe Bloggs and I would like to welcome all of you here tonight to this, my
final speech in this presidential election. It has been a long and arduous campaign and I know that the
journey has only just begun as the real hard work will start when I walk through the hallowed doors of Aras
an Uachtaran.

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For those in front of me here tonight and those listening at home, I want to outline to you what my vision
for Ireland is. Tonight I will address the social and cultural issues that I want to tackle, if elected as your
president. I will also share with you my plan to change the perception of Ireland abroad for the better.

As I’m sure you are all aware, homelessness is an issue that is crippling our nation. Recent statistics show
that over ten thousand people in Ireland are currently homeless. Families are struggling to survive as they
roam the streets desperately looking for the security and safety of a home. Moving from hotel to hotel or
hostel to hostel is no way for any family to live and it breaks my heart to think of the young children, who
have nowhere to call home. Can you imagine trying to do your homework in a crowded room? Can you
imagine trying to feed your family with no cooking facilities? Can you imagine not knowing where you are
going to sleep tonight? Thousands do not have to imagine this scenario, for them this is reality.

As president, I want to work with our current government to tackle this problem once and for all. For a nation
like Ireland to be dealing with such huge numbers of homeless people is embarrassing and I will do my very
best to give these people stability, security and peace of mind. I do not want another Christmas to pass
where children are worried about Santa not knowing where they live. If you share the same aspirations, it is
important that you choose me to lead this country into the future. The elimination of American vulture funds
is the first step in ensuring that we can eradicate homelessness in this country. Wealthy businesses should
not be profiting from the basic rights of our people.

In 1840, over four million people spoke Irish on this island. In our most recent census, only 39% of people
claim to be able to speak some Irish. The percentage of fluent speakers is much lower. We have tried in vain
for decades to revive the language but ladies and gentlemen, there are times when we must admit defeat
and change our tactics.

The current system of teaching Irish to the next generation is simply not working. It has been clearly
established that rote learning and memorisation is a thing of the past, yet we persist in forcing students to
learn off notes about poems and novels, which puts students off the language. Would it not be better if we
taught the next generation to speak the language rather than force them to memorise notes? Irish literature
should be offered as a subject for those who wish to study it but I want to implement a programme where
students learn to speak Irish in a fun and interactive way, which would increase the number of fluent
speakers on this island. I’m sure everyone in the room would love to speak Irish but are haunted by the stress
of memorising phrases for the Leaving Cert. It’s time to change how we approach our national language,
before it is consigned to the dustbin.
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I would like to make equality a cornerstone of my term as president. Ireland led the way as the first country
to legalise same sex marriage by popular vote, but there are so many issues, which still need to be addressed
if we are to be a truly inclusive country.

The way in which members of the travelling community are treated in this country is reminiscent of the
Ireland where we imprisoned unmarried mothers and criminalised members of the gay community.

Travellers face discrimination every day on this island. Their life expectancy is fifteen years less than the
general population, their access to education is limited and they face significant difficulties in gaining
employment. Travellers face difficulties in booking venues for weddings and funerals due to the way in which
they are stereotyped in Ireland. Is it fair that all travellers are blamed for the actions of a few?

Senator Eileen Flynn is a great ambassador for travellers across the island. She gained entry to Trinity College
through an Access Programme and this gave her the platform and qualifications to get involved in social
work. The fact that she is now representing the people of Ireland in Seanad Eireann is testament to the
power of education and highlights the importance of erasing stereotypes in our society. In our last
presidential election, one candidate tried to get elected by demonising and stigmatising the traveller
community. Thankfully, the good people of this country gave him a defiant message that we do not tolerate
the discrimination and bigotry that he tried to amplify. We don’t need pound-shop Donald Trumps, we need
someone who can bring people together, not drive them apart. Ladies and gentlemen, I am that man.

Racism and discrimination are still prevalent in today’s Ireland. We live in a diverse and multicultural Ireland
but unfortunately some people are stuck in the past. As a season ticket holder at Landsdown Road for many
years, I watched in awe at the sheer brilliance of Paul McGrath, one of the first black players to play for
Ireland. The colour of his skin was as irrelevant then as it is today. Now, when I go watch the boys in green,
it provides a microcosm of a changing Ireland. Watching the likes of Gavin Bazunu and Michael Obafemi
wear the green jersey with pride shows how sport can help us break barriers and bring equality to our
society. As Toni, Morrison once said, “There is no such thing as race. None. There is just a human race.”

As President, I want to promote equality and multiculturalism through sport. Who can forget moments like
Paris in 2016 or when Katie won gold in London? Sport brings out the best in all of us and moments like these
bring us together as a country.

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Now, I would like to talk to you about the perception of Ireland abroad. When people across the globe think
of Ireland, it pains me when the drunk leprechaun stereotype is wheeled out again and again. This stereotype
is a vestige of the past, one which has been used to denigrate our people for generations.

As president, I want to cultivate the perception of the real Ireland that we in this room all know. That is an
Ireland of progression, an Ireland of education, an Ireland of beauty and nature, an Ireland of openness and
transparency.

It is no coincidence that the top technological companies in the world are based in our nation’s capital. Yes,
we have a lower corporation tax, but this is not the only reason that Google, Twitter, Facebook and Apple
have setup their bases in Dublin. We have one of the best educated workforces in Europe and are known
around the world for our ability to provide hard-working and competent employees for the world’s best
known organisations.

I would also like to ensure that we are seen as the empathetic and generous country that we are. Our
reaction to the Ukraine invasion has been nothing short of phenomenal. We have opened our homes and
our towns and cities to the people of Ukraine, in the same way other countries offered us help in our time
of need. We have always been known for our Cead Mile Failte and as president, I want to ensure everyone
who comes to our shores are given the welcome they deserve.

As president, I will also aim to increase our contributions to those living in abject poverty in places like sub-
saharan Africa and central America. As a first world nation, it is our duty to help those less fortunate. Yes,
there are problems in our country, but that does not mean we cannot help those who are dying from
starvation and disease. I want Ireland to be known for our generosity and our willingness to help those most
in need.

The time for words has ended, now is the time for action. I want to lead this country, but I can only do that
if you give me your number one vote. I want to thank you all for listening and I hope that I am given the
opportunity to implement the changes I have outlined tonight.

Go raibh mile maith agat.

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 2 – PODCASTS (Question B)
KEY POINTS
Podcasts have made an appearance several times now on the Leaving Cert and this has thrown students a
little, but it is a genre that students should be comfortable writing in. The key thing here is to write in the
present tense, as if you are talking directly to a group of people as you write.

In 2022, students were asked to write the text of a podcast discussing the role of music in their lives. Some
students opted for a two person podcast and had a script for the interaction between the presenter and the
interviewee. Other people decided to have a one person podcast, with the entire text written as if they were
talking to an audience.

You should make clear to the examiner that you are aware of the genre and register by referring to the podcast
in your opening. Example: “Welcome to tonight’s podcast of The Music in Me, it’s Shane O’Donnell here and I
will be your host this evening, as we go on a journey through 90’s rock. It’s an honour to be a guest presenter
on this show and I urge you to sit back and enjoy the show.

Note the use of ‘you’ throughout that short exchange, as it is important to address your listeners in your
writing. You should refer to your listeners several times to remind the examiner that you are aware of the
genre.

Again, the content is dictated by the question so make sure that you address all aspects of the question in the
text. Podcasts should have a conversational tone and it should seem like you are chatting to a friend about a
topic you love.

Finishing the podcast gives you the opportunity to thank the listeners and urge them to subscribe to your
channel and give them a heads up of what will be appearing next week. All of these things will give your
podcast a realistic look and feel.

SAMPLE PODCAST ANSWER

“You have been invited to contribute to a podcast series entitled, The Music Playing in Me. The series will
explore the importance of music in the lives of individuals. Write the text for the podcast in which you: reflect
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on the importance of music in your life, discuss some of the particular pieces of music (songs, albums, etc.)
that make up the soundtrack to your own life and share the thoughts and feelings this music evokes in you.”

Hello everyone! Good morning to all my listeners, from Dublin to New York, from London to Sydney. Welcome
back to another episode of The Music Playing In Me, brought to you by Today FM.

In today’s episode, we have a special guest all the way from Donegal explaining how music is an important
factor in their life. Please welcome Hannah.

Thank you Mairead for giving me this opportunity today to explain to everyone tuning in this morning how
music has an essential factor in my life. In the first seventeen years of my life, I have relied on music to be
there for me during tough times and happy times. Music is always there for me when I feel down or when I
am feeling happy. I use music as a way to express how I am feeling and what I am doing. Everywhere I go,
music follows, for example, when I am at a Gaelic football or rugby match, with the national anthem. When I
am at a match or watching it on television, I get to see the emotion of what it feels to the players to sing the
national anthem when they are representing their county or country. I also use music as a way to motivate
me when I am doing any homework or studying in my bedroom.

Music has played a big part in my life and it will continue to play a huge part in my life. One of the songs that
have made me have great satisfaction in completing a task is ‘Greatest day’ by Take That. The one line that
makes this song stand out more than others is the opening line, “Today this could be, the greatest day of our
lives”. I feel that I can achieve anything in one day if I put my mind to it. Now before I continue, I would like to
play the first verse of ‘Greatest Day’, sung by Take That.

“Today this could be, the greatest day of our lives Before it all ends, before we run out of time. Stay close to
me, Stay close to me, Watch the world come alive tonight, Stay close to me”

Welcome back to ‘The Music Playing In Me.’ I hope you liked that small break to listen to one of my favourite
songs. Before I finish this episode, I want to talk about how music evokes feelings in me. The feelings that
music brings out in me are happiness, sadness and even anger.

I listen to these types of songs when I am feeling them. These feelings come from what kind of day I am having
or what events I attend. One of the most recent events I attended was an Ed Sheeran concert last year in
Croke Park. After the concert, I listened to a new artist called Maise Peters. I love going to concerts because I
get exposed to new music that I can enjoy while I’m doing my homework or on a long road trip with my family.

That is all for today. I hope you have enjoyed my small presentation on how music plays such an influential
part in my life and that I hope you can all use music in a similar way to me. Music plays a huge part in my life,
it motivates me and gives me satisfaction after completing the tasks that is asked of me as a fifth-year student
in Donegal.

Thank you all for listening in this morning. Now I will hand it back over to Mairead to close this episode of The
Music Playing In Me.

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Thank you Hannah for that outstanding talk about how music plays such a big part in everyone’s life and how
it can evoke emotion out of us. That’s all we have got time for today folks, tune in next week for another
episode of The Music Playing In Me brought to you by Today FM.

3 – INTRODUCTION TO ESSAYS (Question B)

KEY POINTS

This is a new question that has appeared in the Leaving Cert in recent years. It came up in 2020 and asked
students to write an introduction to a collection of essays on detective fiction. Students were thrown by the
question, as it was something new but this is a simple question, if it is broken down properly.

The first thing that students need to understand is that there is an imaginary collection of essays on a topic
that students then have to write an introduction for. In 2020, the essays were all on detective fiction and
students had to write the introduction. So you have to imagine a series of essays about detectives trying to
solve crimes. Your job is to introduce these essays and welcome the reader to the book.

Think about what the topic of the essays is and what type of stories would appear. There have been essays
about the changes in shopping habits, sporting greats and climate change. You have to imagine what the
essays would be about before you begin your introduction.

Welcome the reader to the book, explain the purpose of the book and what the reader can expect from
reading through the essays. Your content will be dictated by the question and you will usually be asked to
include three main points in your introduction.

Always finish off by telling the reader that you hope that they enjoy the essays.

SAMPLE INTRODUCTION ANSWER

“You have been asked to write the introduction to a new collection of contemporary detective fiction. In your
introduction you should: outline the reasons why you think detective stories have enduring appeal, discuss
some of the personal qualities you believe are essential in a memorable fictional detective, and explain why
you recommend this particular collection of stories to readers.”

You have been asked to write the introduction to a collection of texts that appear on your
Leaving Certificate course. In your introduction you should: outline why these texts have
enduring appeal, discuss the varying genres that appear in the text list, and explain why a
young reader would enjoy these texts.

Welcome to this latest installment of Detectives on the Beat, where you will find hours of intrigue, mystery
and drama, as you follow in the footsteps of our latest fictional detectives as they undertake some of their
most daring cases yet. This book of contemporary detective fiction is up there with the best we have produced
and I hope you have as much fun reading them as our writers had creating it.

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The enduring appeal of detective fiction can be a mystery for some people, but for me, it points to the curious
nature of human beings, who can’t help but be drawn in by the mystery and intrigue. We, as a species, are
enthralled with the world of crime, a world far removed from our humdrum lives and we love nothing more
than to get lost in the gritty settings of city murders and serial killers. One only has to look at the popularity
of true crime to see how we are fascinated by evil murderers, audacious con-artists and quick witted thieves.

Another aspect that has kept detective fiction alive is how we love to play the detective ourselves. Few readers
can go through these pages without trying to solve the problem ourselves. We are on a journey with our
favourite detectives and we all have our own theory on who did it.

The best detectives in my opinion, are lone wolves, who go against the accepted norms of police duty. They
care little for the rules and their only concern is catching the bad guy, by whatever means necessary. They
should be decisive, determined and not scared to ruffle a few feathers along the way. Some of the best
fictional detectives have complicated personal lives and their flaws only add to their mystique. There have
been many memorable detectives who possess these qualities, like Harry Bosch, Roy Grace or Jimmy McNulty.

This particular collection will appeal to all readers, as there is a mixture of old style murder mysteries, while
the pitfalls of social media and cat-fishing play a central role in others. Each story offers a unique crime that
gives our budding detectives hours of sleepless nights, as they try to narrow down the list of suspects and as
ever, the culprit is not always obvious.

We hope that you enjoy these stories and that they offer you a chance to test your own detective skills on
some of our gruesome crimes. Happy Reading!

4 – MAGAZINE AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES (Question B)

KEY POINTS
If you are asked to write an article for a website or newspaper, the first thing you should consider is the target
audience. For example, you may be asked to write for a broadsheet newspaper or a school website. The
audience for these are very different and will dictate the tone that you will use.

Always try to include features of the genre, so you can include a headline, the author’s name and the date, a
link to follow that author on socials if it is a website article. If it is a newspaper, include a headline and the
author.

You can use facts and statistics to back up your points in the article. These do not have to be real but they
must seem realistic. You can also reference experts in a specific field to reinforce your points.

Use the information from the question when deciding on your content and make sure that you address all
aspects of the question, even if it is only a line. You will lose marks if you miss some of the instructions.

SAMPLE ARTICLE ANSWER

“It is Science Week and you have been asked to write an article for your school’s website about the
increasing role played by technology in schools. In your article you should: describe some of the positive ways
technology is utilised in schools today, discuss whether or not, in your view, technology can be a negative

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influence in schools, and speculate about the role you think technology will play in schools in the future. Your
article may be serious or humorous or both.“

Grange Hill News

Technology: A Help or a Hindrance in the classroom?

Author: Dave Scott 10/03/25

There was a time when laptop computers and overhead projectors were considered cutting edge
technological developments in the world of education, but as we approach the second decade of the 21st
century, we are inundated with new technology that promises to make education easier. The question we
must pose in this new world is, ‘is this new technology positive or negative?’

When we consider how ubiquitous Google Classroom is in every school in Ireland, it is clear that schools are
using technology to help students. Google Classroom removes the need for printed hand-outs and
monotonous note-taking that hinders teaching and learning time, with notes accessible at the touch of a
button. YouTube channels that explain that equation you are having difficulty with or that poem you just can’t
figure out is another positive development and actually encourages independent learning outside the
classroom. There are countless other platforms that have offered help to the struggling student (these can be
accessed here) and as we all know, we can use all the help we can get.

However, we have to be aware of the negative influence of technology in schools. Cyber bullying is a phrase
that is all too common in the corridors of schools on this island and it poses a serious risk to the mental health
of young people. Having students ‘snapping’ every little thing that happens around the school is always going
to lead to problems and we all know that some people take it too far. That is just one of the myriad of problems
that technology poses.

The recent advances in Chat GPT and AI have made it impossible for teachers to know if students are learning
material or asking their pocket assistants for some help. Although Chat GPT may have a place in education,
asking your phone to complete your homework assignments on a daily basis is going to lead to difficulties
when exam time comes around. This recent development has caused the government to stall plans for
continued assessment, as they will not know if the material is plagiarised or the student’s own work.

For people in their late 20’s and early 30’s, it must seem crazy that Chat GPT can do your homework at the
touch of a button. But this begs the question, ‘what will happen in the next ten years?’ Is it possible that school
books will be a thing of the past, with all class materials available on a student’s mobile device? Will the classes
be recorded so you can catch up with what you missed? Could students be able to ‘learn from home’ and not
bother with going to school at all? These are all things that seem impossible but just think about how quickly
the world of technology has changed over the past ten years.

I think that we will have to embrace technology and use it to help our learning. Banning phones is never going
to work. We all know that students have a few spare phones to hand up if we are caught with them in class.
And you never know, perhaps instead of teachers, we will have our very own Chap GPT Assistants on hand to
teach us everything we need to know. Now there is a scary thought!

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For more on AI and technology in our schools, why not follow me on X, click the link to redirect you
__daveywavey25__

SAMPLE OPINION PIECE ANSWER

In TEXT 1, Jeanette Winterson extols the virtues of the arts, arguing that artistic activities are beneficial both
for individuals and for society in general. She also gives her views on the relationship between art and
money. Write an opinion piece, suitable for publication in a broadsheet newspaper, in which you extol the
varied virtues of sport, put forward a reasoned argument to persuade readers that sport benefits both
individuals and society, and give your views on the appropriate relationship between sport and money.

GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME

Dave Scott

“Sport teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to
win and lose-it teaches you about life.” These were the words of American Tennis player Bille Jean King and
they echo across all sports.

Kids across the world participate in sport and it is one of the greatest gifts that parents can give their children.
Working as part of a team, learning to win and lose with dignity and most of all, having fun are some of the
greatest skills that kids can learn. These skills will benefit them throughout their life. Studies show that those
who participate in sport are more likely to be happier in school, more ambitious in their careers and are ten
times less likely to develop heart related problems than those who are not involved in sport.

It is not just individuals who benefit from sport. Society as a whole benefits from sport in so many ways. When
people are involved in sport, their general health is much better than those who are sedentary. This has a
knock on effect on our health services and our mental health services. The cost of running our health service
has spiraled out of control in recent years, due to the high level of obesity in Ireland. Having more people
involved in sport reduces the risk of obesity by 67% and by extension, reduces the burden on our health
system.

Mental health issues among the general population is on the rise in Ireland. Recent studies suggest that those
who play sport are far less likely to develop mental health issues and this takes pressure off the limited
resources we have for mental health services in Ireland.

The other huge benefit to society is the joy that sport brings, either by participating or watching it. Who can
forget the unmistakable feeling of euphoria that was felt when Ireland qualified for the last sixteen of the
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Euros in 2016, when Robbie Brady put the ball in the back of the Italian net? These moments of ecstasy bind
us together and give us so much joy that it offers an escape from the dreary routine of day to day life. What
price can you put on the joy that people get from winning in the world of sport? This brings us to our next
point, which is the growing problem of money and sport.

Recently, we have seen the phenomenon of sports washing becoming a huge issue, especially in the Premier
League. Most young people today don’t realise that Man City were a poor club until Oil Barons from the UAE
government bought them in 2008. Saudi Arabia followed suit by buying Newcastle in 2020. These regimes
have stockpiles of money but are the perpetrators of some of the worst forms of human rights abuses in the
world. Surely their fans can’t turn a blind eye to the terrible deeds carried out by these governments just
because they spend a few million on new players?

Qatar hosted the world Cup in 2022. Homosexuality is banned in this country but they still got to be hosts
because they are a wealthy country. They bought the rights to the World Cup and the bidding process was
engulfed in controversy.

Jordan Henderson, the England captain spoke up about this during the tournament, yet he then went and
joined the Saudi league for obscene amounts of money. What happened to his support of the LGBTQ
community? Sport and money should not be mixed. When a young Jordan Henderson played in his back
garden, do you think he dreamed of playing in Saudi Arabia? Money is ruining football but that does not take
away from the value of sport to individuals around the world.

Millions of kids around the world playing in their own little world cup on a Saturday morning is where you’ll
see the true value of sport, not in the glamorous stadia where money is the new God.

Classwork – Complete Paragraph 3

2023 deferred paper: Every year your former school produces a Careers Handbook. As well as advice and
information on courses and careers, the handbook features articles by former students who have followed
interesting or unusual career paths. It is 2043, and you have been invited to submit an article on your journey
through the world of work for the Careers Handbook. In your article you should: explain what inspired or
motivated you to follow your particular career path, outline some of the challenges and set-backs you
overcame and reflect on what you have learned about yourself in the process.

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 Michelle Galvin – Doctor
(Class of 2025)
“Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”, these were the wise words
of Mr. Corcoran that echoed around the halls of Pobalscoil all those years ago.
I am honoured to be invited back and contribute to this handbook for the Class of 2043.
As some of you are aware, I am the local GP for the greater Sneem area. I am the fourth
generation to work in the practice, taking over from my late mother in 2035. It wasn’t an easy
journey, but one I am extremely proud of achieving.
When I attended Pobalscoil, I wasn’t the most studious in my junior years. I preferred to be
the ‘messer’ and play sports whenever I could. It wasn’t until I suffered a health scare in
transition year that I gained some focus and perspective in life. “You have ‘Alice in
Wonderland’ syndrome Michelle”, the consultant bleakly informed my mother and I. We
were shook to our very core. My recovery was intense, spending months upon months in
Cork University Hospital, where I received the most fantastic care and empathy from staff.
Once I had recovered, I entered 5th year with an intense and burning desire to become one
thing, a doctor.
My journey to this moment wasn’t an easy one. Many hurdles appeared in my way. I
developed a raging gambling addiction in my second year of college. If it moved, I bet on it.
My parents were too wealthy to be given grants, so they funded my college life. Instead of
spending the money on college books, I would blow it all chasing the thrill of the win on a
horse. The disappointment and hurt on my mother’s face when I sat down and admitted my
problem is something that will haunt me forever. Thankfully, I got clean and attended weekly

17
meetings. I took extra classes to make up for what I missed while I was in addiction. I took on
a second job to pay back my parents and clear my debt. That was a rough patch I won’t ever
forget, but one that taught me many valuable life lessons.

Classwork: Feature Article (focuses specifically on one subject)

Write a feature article, to be published in an online magazine, which explores our
fascination with the lives of others, especially famous people. In your article you should:
explain how this fascination has developed through the years, how we as humans can be
influenced by these people, and is this influence positive, negative, or both.

5 – DIARY ENTRIES (Question B)

KEY POINTS

Tone is the most important element – it should be informal, confessional and immediate.

Use the 3 F’s of diary entries when constructing your own entries.

Format-Date in the top right hand corner, ‘dear diary’ to begin and close the entry with ‘until tomorrow,’
followed by your name.

Facts– Facts are the main pieces of news that have happened throughout the day. If you’ve read a
comprehension or a chapter from a novel and you’ve been asked to be one of the characters in order to write
a diary entry, make sure you know what happened to them that day.

Feelings-This is one of the most important aspects of diary entries. It is not enough to simply list the events of
the day, you must explain how these events made you feel. You are supposed to open up to your diary and
show your emotional side..

Here are a few more tips to help you with your diary entry:

1. Write as if the events you are describing have just happened – most people write their diary at night
just before they go to bed, looking back at the events of the day gone by.
2. Because diary entries are written just after an event, the end of each entry can have the writer looking
forward to the following day, wondering what will happen, describing how they hope things will turn
out and possibly fearing the worst.

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 3. Focus on your feelings, thoughts & opinions. Be brutally honest, confide your most intimate secrets,
things you wouldn’t even admit to your best friend. Hold nothing back.
4. Slang can be appropriate here. This is one of the only times that you are expected to write as you
speak. However, remember that you are trying to show the examiner your writing ability. Short snappy
sentences work well.
5. Making a statement and then changing your mind will create a sense of immediacy for the reader
(never do this when making a speech or writing an article) as if you are pouring your thoughts out onto
the page without even thinking them through fully.
6. Witty observations, sarcastic remarks and self-mockery will keep the reader entertained.
7. Choose a significant event /situation not a typical boring day where nothing much happens.
8. Persona? You may be asked to pretend you are a character from one of the texts. If so make sure you
reveal their personality (not your own) in the diary. If you are given the choice of being anyone you
want, choose someone interesting or unusual – Maradonna, Shakespeare, Your Football Boots!
9. If asked to write a series of diary entries write 3 or 4. These can be dated consecutively (Mon / Tues /
Weds) or can be spaced out (Mon / Thurs / Sat).
10. Real life diary entries deal with unrelated events – a car crash Monday, an argument Thursday and a
Sunday football match but fictional diary entries are different. The reader wants a sense of unity and
closure. For this reason, entry one should introduce an issue, entry two should develop & complicate
it, entry three should reveal how it was resolved.

SAMPLE DIARY ENTRY: DIARY ENTRY 1 OF A US SOLDIER IN IRAQ

Dear Diary Thursday, 17 April, 11p.m.

So tired I can hardly see straight. The Captain had us out again on the backstreets of Basra all day. God, the
stares we get from some people! Sometimes I wonder why they can’t see that we’re here to help. Met a
decent old man though called Abdul who gave me some tea – it was pinkish in colour and tasted of pure sugar.
Still, nice gesture all the same.

Around lunchtime, heard the distant puck-pucking of AK47s. I’ve grown used to that feeling of terror and
excitement and get a real thrill from that immediate rush. Took our positions close to the mosque, the safest
spot in town – they wouldn’t dare! The street cleared in a matter of seconds. Waited for an hour or so but in
vain – seems they moved off to bug someplace else. Our orders were not to pursue, as usual.

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This war isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Most of the time I’m bored, waiting for something to happen. Then
when it does, all I can think of are Linda and the kids. I miss them so much. Can’t wait for my next R&R.

Tom

Write the next diary entry that Tom would write.

6 – LETTERS (QUESTION B)
KEY POINTS
You may be asked to write a formal letter, a personal letter or an open letter in the exam. Depending on what
you are asked, you will be expected to know the layout of each of these.

In a formal letter, you need to have your address in the top right hand corner, with the date below.
The recipient’s address goes on the left hand margin below the line with the date. You must also use a formal
tone throughout and sign off with ‘yours sincerely,’ if you named the person in the greeting, or ‘yours
faithfully,’ if you did not name them.

In a personal letter, you need your address in the top right hand corner, with the date below. Personal letters
require a less formal approach, but you should still use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation as this is
your chance to impress the examiner.

In an open letter, you may be asked to publish a letter on social media for everyone to see about a topic you
feel strongly about. There is no need for addresses in an open letter, but it is expected to read like a letter you
are sending to a wider audience.

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With all three letters, it is important that you make sure that you address all aspects of the question and that
your content reflects what you have been asked to write about. Always make a list of your contents and tick
them off when you have addressed them.

SAMPLE LETTER ANSWER – 2021 ANIMAL RIGHTS

“An assertion that other creatures’ lives are somehow lesser than human life has prompted extensive debate
on social media. In order to join in this online debate, write an open letter to be shared on social media, in
which you: state your position in relation to animal rights, explore some of the issues associated with our
current engagement with animals and outline what you see as the major challenges we face as we share the
planet with animals in the future.”

As many of my followers will be aware, I am a strong advocate for animal rights and it is my firm belief that
animals deserve the same rights as humans. Because they cannot speak for themselves, it is important that
people make a stand for animals and make sure that their rights are respected.

Our current engagement with animals is full of hypocrisy and irony. You can’t scroll through any social media
site without seeing pictures of happy families with a lovable, beautiful dog coming strolling behind as they
enjoy a ‘family’ day out. The dog is now a central tenet of families across Ireland and around the world and
they are treated with as much care and affection as the children.

Yet despite our apparent love affair with dogs, we do not show the same empathy and understanding to other
animals in our world. Some of the most magnificent creatures that roam this earth are under threat because
of the actions of selfish humans, who are doing absolutely nothing to address the growing climate emergency.

Polar bears are beautiful creatures that inhabit the arctic and rely on sea ice to hunt and store energy for the
summer and autumn. Because of climate change, the ice is melting earlier and earlier every year meaning that
polar bears are under-nourished and at risk of early death. Oil exploration is also a huge problem for polar
bears with oil leakages and emissions causing poisoning and destruction of habitat. Who can forget the heart
wrenching scenes from the arctic when a baby polar bear was separated from its mother when the ice split,
leaving that baby bear helpless as he drifted off into the ocean, alone without food or protection? If we say
we love animals, we can’t just mean the family dog, we have to help all animals, even ones we may never see.

The same thing is happening to koala bears due to the number of forest fires in the southern hemisphere and
to whales and dolphins, who swim in oceans that we have destroyed with oil spills, plastic and over fishing.
We have been given a chance to share this wonderful planet with these magnificent creatures but it seems
that we are unable to protect these creatures who are on the verge of extinction due to our inability to address
the obvious problems on our planet.

There are many challenges that we will face as we try to come to terms with the damage we have caused over
the past number of decades. One of the biggest challenges will be financial and this is where the leaders of
the G8 need to step forward. Asking people to move from petrol and diesel cars to electric comes with a
considerable cost and is only a viable option for people who are financially secure. We need to provide more
financial assistance to drivers who want to move to electric, which will go some way in addressing the global
climate emergency.

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The same thing needs to be done for homeowners who want to change from solid fuel heating systems that
rely on coal, oil and turf. Changing to a renewable heating system is very costly and unattainable for many
working families.

Another major challenge that we face as we move forward is the denial of climate change. When the former
President of the USA casts doubt on the work of eminent scientists, this has effects on the thoughts of ordinary
people. When Trump pulled the US from the Paris agreement, it showed that people in power were not fully
behind addressing the problems we face. It took a young Scandinavian schoolgirl to call Trump out on his
climate change denial but the damage has been done, we have a percentage of the world’s population who
think the whole thing is a myth. What is it going to take for people to take things seriously? Another tsunami?
Earthquake? Massive flooding? All of these things may affect more humans but they will have even more
effects on animals, who will lose their homes, their food sources and their young.

The fact is we have to do more and the time to start is right now. Please click on the link at the bottom of the
page to pledge two euro to help the polar bears of the arctic. I promise you it’s two euro you’ll never regret
spending.

SAMPLE LETTER ANSWER 2

FORMAL LETTER
“You are a Leaving Cert student during the Covid pandemic. It has been decided that the Leaving Cert will be
cancelled. Write a letter to the Minister for Education expressing your views on the matter. In your letter, you
should: explain how you feel about the decision, describe the difficulties associated with learning outside of
school and give your own opinion on what should be done for students.

Townparks
Convoy
Co Donegal

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 30th April 2020

Minister for Education

Department of Education and Skills,
Cornamaddy
Athlone
Co. Westmeath
N37 X659

Dear Minister,

My name is __________and I am a Leaving Cert student in __________. I am writing this letter in the hopes
that you will get an insight to what it is like trying to learn Leaving Cert courses from home, ways the
Department and SEC could help alleviate stress in this unusual time and my personal views as a student on
how the 2020 Leaving Cert should proceed.

On the 13th of March, we began online learning. All our teachers had made Google Classrooms as ways to
continue teaching us when we were not at school. Each teacher has used a different, innovative way of
teaching us, from live online classes, pre-recorded videos or uploading different notes and websites we may
find useful. Learning from home has had its difficulties. The environment of a classroom gives motivation,
while the comfort of a bedroom can lead to procrastination. In the morning it feels as though every
notification from each class comes in at the same time. It can be very overwhelming when you feel everything
has to be done at once. It can be difficult to get on top of the workload when you do not have the same
motivation you do when you are in a classroom or the same structure you have during a school day.

Every year Leaving Cert students are under immense stress and this year the stress feels like it is doubled. The
decision to cancel the orals was met with controversy, but every decision made that affects such a large
number of people will never please everyone. I believe it was the right decision and it took a lot of pressure
off of myself and other people’s shoulders. Having us do oral and practical examinations along with the
written exams in such a compact time when we’ve already missed so much face to face teaching and learning
would have been unfair. In order to reduce our stress further I think it would be worth questioning if projects
like the History extended research project and other similar projects should be submitted. These booklets
must be written in class and as they are official booklets they cannot be taken home. If we were to return to
school and have to spend class time writing up a booklet instead of revising material that the teacher may
have found it difficult to explain online or we found difficult to understand, it would be unfair. Marking
schemes should be revised and a certain amount of leeway and understanding should be applied when
marking exams.

With rumours and uncertainty it is hard to stay motivated and study for exams when you don’t know if you
have already been judged based on passed exams or will get a chance to fairly sit the exams you’ve been
preparing for for two years. On social media a quick search of ‘Leaving Cert’ will show you how divided young
people are over how the exams should proceed. I personally would like to see the exams go ahead in Summer
if possible. I would not like to be judged based on my mock results as I don’t feel the mocks are an accurate
representation of two years of preparation. We sit our mocks with the mindset of ‘if we are going to make

23
mistakes, now is the time’. They are used to help us decide if we are at the right level, get us used to the
layout, recognise where points are awarded and allow us to identify what we need to work on.

I don’t believe ‘predicted grades’ from teachers would be a fair judgement of our work either. The teacher
sees us for 40, maybe 80, minutes a day. They do not see the hard work and effort we put in during study
classes and independent study at home. The Leaving Cert is a two year course, in my opinion, it is only fair we
are judged after a full two years. After conversations with my friends I know I am not the only one who feels
that if I don’t get the chance to sit exams this year, I will have to repeat 6th year in order to feel like I have
been given a fair chance. I feel students who want to sit the Leaving this year should be allowed to do so,
provided that it is safe for us to do so.

Thank you for taking time to read this letter.

Yours faithfully,

________________

7 - BLOG ENTRIES (Question B)

KEY POINTS

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 SAMPLE BLOG ANSWER
“You recently attended a climate protest in Dublin. Write a blog for your website based on your experience.
In your blog, you should: Explain how you got to Dublin and how you felt on the journey, describe the
atmosphere of the event and encourage your readers to do more to help reduce their carbon emissions.”

Blogging for Fun

My Trip to Dublin Protest
Author: Emily
Date: 4th August 2020

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Hey guys, welcome back. In last week’s blog we talked about our opinions on the housing crisis Ireland is
facing and now in this week’s blog we will be discussing global warming and what happened at the climate
action protest in Dublin.

Last week I took it upon myself to attend a climate action protest in Dublin for the first time to show my
support and also to encourage the movement.

So firstly, I had to drive four hours to get to Dublin, which was so exhausting but it was definitely worth it.
Once I arrived there the atmosphere was incredible, there were thousands of people standing chanting “No
more coal, no more oil, keep your carbon in the soil”. It was so empowering and it made me so happy to see
so many people care about the environment. The protest was very calm and civil which also eased my nerves
as I was afraid violence would break out but it was the complete opposite. During the protest there were
people going around with petitions for everyone to sign and others were going around showing people
graphs and statistics.

Climate change is a very serious topic and will affect everyone’s lives in the coming years if we don’t stop in
our tracks to do something now. Past generations have ignored all the signs of climate change and left us
now as a group to fix all their past mistakes. The carbon emissions are slowly increasing and it is a fact that
it is causing changes to the climate. Antarctica and the Arctic are getting warmer, the snow is melting,
animals are losing their homes and it needs to stop. Like Greta Thunburg once wisely said “we can no longer
save the world by playing by the rules,” which is such a powerful quote and in reality it is incredibly true.

The government needs to do more when it comes to our planet and you might think “we are just a small
island what can we do?” but you need to get out of that mindset. It has to start somewhere so why not start
here now?

Every single one of you individually can take steps to reduce your carbon footprint, such as cycling instead
of driving everywhere, take public transport to help support your community and reduce the emissions and
reduce energy consumption in your homes.

So now before I end this blog I have created a petition in hopes that all my readers will sign it to help improve
the climate problem. We need to make a move one step at a time as a community if we want anything to
change and signing this petition can make that happen. The link to sign the petition will be at the bottom of
this page.

I really hope you all enjoyed this week’s blog and stay tuned to see what we will be talking about in the
following weeks.

Talk soon, Emily

8 – REVIEW
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 KEY POINTS

• What are you reviewing (book, holiday destination, film), who are you writing the review for
(newspaper, school website) and why are you writing this task (language of persuasion and
information).
• You could be asked to write a review on any number of subjects. TV show, movie, book, concert,
website, travel destination or product.
• Make sure the register/tone of your review is relevant to the audience. The language used to review
a movie for teenagers would be different to a review of a travel destination for a newspaper.
• Follow the below layout when writing a review –

Introduction:

Introduction/Description (main body):

Evaluation:

Recommendation:

SAMPLE REVIEW

QUESTION: Write a review for your school magazine of any film that you have enjoyed. Your review should
encourage other students to go and see it.

Last week, I went to see 'Hot Fuzz', directed by Edgar Wright and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. I had
enjoyed 'Shaun of the Dead', the last film produced by this trio so I had great hopes of 'Hot Fuzz'.

All too often, high expectations are dashed by a tired, clichéd re-hashing of the same themes and the trotting
out of the same old jokes, but not in this case. Pegg and Wright are as hilarious as ever and there are brilliant
cameo appearances by Steve Coogan and Bill Nighy among others, not to mention a startlingly funny
performance by Timothy Dalton, playing a sleazy supermarket manager.

The basic storyline is simple, Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is the finest cop London has to offer, with an arrest
record 400% higher than any other officer on the force. He’s so good; he makes everyone else look bad. As
a result, Angel’s superiors send him to a place where his talents won’t be quite so embarrassing -- the sleepy
and seemingly crime-free village of Sandford. Once there, he is partnered with the well-meaning but
overeager police officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). Danny is a huge action movie fan and believes his
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new big-city partner might just be a real-life "bad boy," and his chance to experience the life of gunfights
and car chases he so longs for. Angel is quick to dismiss this as childish fantasy and Danny’s puppy-like
enthusiasm only adds to Angel’s growing frustration. However, as a series of grisly accidents rocks the village,
Angel is convinced that Sandford is not what it seems and as the intrigue deepens, Danny’s dreams of high-
octane, car-chasing, gun fighting, all-out action seem more and more like a reality. It's time for these small-
town cops to break out some big-city justice.

'Hot Fuzz' brilliantly pokes fun at all those high-speed, special effects-laden, high-mortality American cop
films by bringing all the elements of such movies to the most unlikely setting of rural England. I think its
appeal will be most appreciated by those of us who were raised on a diet of such films as the clichés and
stereotypes are sent up in an incredibly clever way.

I went to see this film with a mixed group, both girls and boys: some lovers of rom-coms, some of action
movies and some of horror films. Every one of us thoroughly enjoyed 'Hot Fuzz', possibly the first time that
we have all agreed on a film's appeal.

If you haven't seen 'Hot Fuzz' already, go this weekend. You won't regret it. 5 out of 5!

10 – Proposal (Question B)
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 KEY POINTS

• A proposal is written when submitting a request, making an or suggestion, or urging a person or

organisation to take a specific action or embark on a project idea. The tone used will depend on the
nature and purpose of the propose (serious or personal).
• Begin with the following heading layout

FAO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT:

• Follow this by briefly explaining who you are and if possible any qualifications/qualities you have that
would make your proposal relevant/stand out (member of the school community in which you are
proposing a new club/society for).
• Next paragraph should explain what your proposal is. Follow this by why you are proposing this (unless
it specifically states that an organisation is looking for proposals).
• The main body should include information on the proposal in more detail. Use informative and
persuasive language to push your idea. Explain how your proposal can be carried out (time frame,
finances, people involved). Sell your idea by stating the benefits that your proposal would bring about
if it was accepted.
• Summarise your proposal in the conclusion and thank the person for taking the time to read it. Sign
off in a formal way (Yours Sincerely, Mary) and the date.

Heading Layout
FAO
FROM
DATE
SUBJECT

Conclude with a
brief recap of
your propsal and
Who you are and
thank them for
why you matter
taking the time to
read your
proposal

What am I
proposing

What and why

Benefits if the
you are
proposal is
proposing this
selected
idea

Give more detail

and information
on your idea
(bullet point if
neccessary)

29
Question (2012)

Write a proposal, to be submitted to the relevant authority (e.g. local council or national body), suggesting
one event or person you believe should be commemorated. Explain why you feel this person or event should
be commemorated and suggest what form this commemoration might take.

SAMPLE PROPOSAL ANSWER

FAO: Dublin City Council

FROM: Mary McCarthy

DATE: 20/10/2018

SUBJECT: Proposal to Commemorate W.B. Yeats – Ireland’s Finest Poet

Background:
Dublin City Council has invited submissions to suggest an event or person that should be commemorated.
In the following proposal I will outline why I believe W.B. Yeats is the ideal person to be commemorated. I
will also briefly outline what form this commemoration might take.

Introduction:
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) is arguably Ireland’s finest and most popular poet. He won the
prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923. He also co-founded the Irish Literary Theatre in 1899. This
theatre would later become known as the Abbey Theatre and is still our national theatre today. He was
also active in Irish politics, becoming a senator in the upper house of the Oireachtas in 1922.

Why should Yeats be commemorated?

• Yeats was partly responsible for the Irish Literary Revival.
• His work with the Irish Literary Theatre laid the foundations for the strong theatrical tradition we
have today. Yeats nurtured new theatrical talent and brought playwrights like Synge and O’Casey to
the stage.
• As a Noble Prize winning poet, his work is universally loved. A commemoration of his work could
harness this popularity and bring many tourists to Ireland.
• He played a prominent part in Irish politics and contributed to many areas of Irish life, including
educational reform and supervising the design of the new coinage.
• This commemoration could build on the popularity of the Yeats exhibition in the National Library.

Form of Commemoration:
A celebration of Yeats’s work and his contribution to Irish culture should take the form of a weeklong W.B.
Yeats festival. Events during the festival would include:

• An international poetry competition culminating in a major poetry reading recital.

• An international playwright competition with the winner’s play being staged in the Abbey Theatre.
• Staging of Yeats’s plays in the Abbey Theatre.
• A Yeats symposium on his work, which will include lectures from leading academics and poetry
readings from Irish celebrities.
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• An even bigger and more interactive exhibition on Yeats in the National Library.
• A billboard campaign around the city featuring Yeats’s poetry.
• An evening of music celebrating the poetry of W.B. Yeats. Artists who have adapted the poet’s work to
music will be invited to perform.

Conclusion:
I believe that the W.B. Yeats festival will provide an excellent opportunity to boost tourism and to improve
the cultural life of our island. I would be happy to discuss this proposal in more detail at any time.

Signed: ____________________________
Date: ___________

2024 text 2 – sample question

11 – Report (Question B)
KEY POINTS

• A report is a factual, concise document written for a particular purpose and audience which gives
information as a result of research and findings.
• You can invent your facts and figures but keep it somewhat realistic.
• Use accurate and informative language. Avoid personal and emotive language and do not use ‘I’.
• Use the following layout –

TITLE OF REPORT: Must reference the question being asked.

INTRODUCTION: Introduce the subject of the report, who requested the report and the aims of carrying out
the report.

FACTS AND FINDINGS: Present the facts and findings of the report. Bullet points can be used to present
these facts and findings. You can invent these facts and figures.

CONCLUSIONS: Conclude with an analysis of the event, situation, issue or problem based on your findings.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Make 2 or 3 recommendations based on the findings. These should be realistic,

attainable and help solve the problems outlined in the report.

SIGN AND DATE

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