The exams are starting to spread out as we wrap Day 7 of Leaving Cert 2025. Our Leaving Cert Diary bloggers still have one more each before it's full finished mind.
As part of our ongoing series, with thanks to our friends at Irish Second-Level Students' Union (ISSU), Mayo-based student Chelsea and Wicklow man Rónán react to today's Business exam.
As the Leaving Cert drags on for some, please make sure to check out these exam time tips on minding yourself.
Rónán starts his blog with a seanfhocal
"Ní hé lá na báistí, lá na bpáistí," a deir an seanfhocal - but this wet and windy Thursday proved to be a good one for Business students. Today's Business paper was a fair reflection of the course and gave students the chance to answer on a wide range of topics. The short questions started off with a few tricky ones, including the dreaded figures question for me, but the choice available meant I could avoid it. As with many other papers this year, topical themes came through once again, including a question on ethical practices.
We were given a very nice ABQ this year that focused on the operations of a food production
company, Inis Bia. The first question was the usual banker, asking us to identify the
entrepreneurial traits and skills of the company’s founder Trisha. Next, we had to evaluate the effectiveness of the types of management control used in Inis Bia. Finally, we were asked to describe the functions of human resource management. Overall, it was a generous and manageable ABQ.
For the long questions, I answered Questions 1, 3, 4 and 6. Question 1 included the usual reliable topics of contract and employment law. Question 4 followed up on these topics and also asked about competitive relationships. Question 3 offered a nice variety with a section asking us to differentiate between forms of EU regulation, outline the global marketing mix for a product of our choice, and explore the issue of world trade by explaining barriers to free trade, which felt very relevant in today’s world, especially with figures like Donald Trump back in the spotlight.
The final question I answered was Question 6, which asked about types of insurance suitable for The Royal Oaks Hotel, strategies for managing change in a business, and a straightforward calculation of the hotel manager Gemma’s net annual take-home pay. Other questions across the paper included good opportunities too, such as defining types of business organisations, doing a SWOT analysis and outlining the stages of developing a new product.
Overall, it was a generous paper that gave many chances for students to show their knowledge.
Personally, being able to answer two questions from the same section thanks to the COVID
adjustments was a great help. I’ve now completed the bulk of my exams with a long break until the final day of the Leaving Cert when I’ll sit Politics and Society.
Chelseas signs off with pride and a tired hand...
Veni, Vidi, Vici. One more exam to go.
Today, I sat my Business HL exam, and I must say, it was a lovely paper, even if my hand was cramped from writing non-stop! I had set my clock 30 minutes ahead to stay on track and reduce stress. Did it work? Maybe not perfectly, but it helped enough, and honestly, I'm just relieved to have made it through.
The short questions were a nice surprise, focusing on global and international trade and marketing — just what I hoped would show up. The Applied Business Question this year went as expected. Entrepreneurial skills and characteristics came up, followed by management control and human resources. Section 3 was filled with solid questions; I answered Question 3 about the international environment, and Questions 6, 7 and 8, which focused on managing and business action.
Now, there's just one more exam to go: Economics. The final boss. Once that’s behind me, I can finally declare: Veni, vidi, vici - I came, I saw, I conquered. Like every other student in the country, I’ll soon be entering the waiting phase for results, which begins officially on June 20th.
To the Class of 2026 - Good luck! Know your definitions, review steps and principles, and don’t forget your formulas - they will appear.
To the Class of 2025 - We’re almost there. One last push, then goodbye to cramming and sleep-deprived nights. Summer is near, and soon we’ll proudly say: We did it.
Signing off with pride and a tired hand, Chelsea
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The ISSU
Founded in 2008, the ISSU is the national representative body for school students in the Republic of Ireland. The ISSU is led by students, for students.
