Irish teacher Séadhan De Poire from the Dublin Academy of Education is here with study tips for students sitting Higher Level Leaving Cert Irish mock examinations.
Before you begin preparing for the Higher Level Irish mock exam, it's important to understand how the exam is structured and where your efforts will have the biggest impact. In class, every topic is taught with equal care and attention.
However, in the Higher Level Irish exam, three sections alone make up 73% of the total marks. These are the Irish oral (40%), the Composition (16.7%), and the Reading Comprehensions (16.7%). Focusing your study on these key areas will give you the best chance of success, as they play a huge role in determining your overall grade.
Oral Exam Focus on general conversation topics such as:
- Myself
- My family
- My area
- My school
- My hobbies
- Social media
- Holidays
- Exams
You should also prepare 10 picture sequences in advance.
Essay
Most students benefit greatly from having a strong generic opening and closing paragraph prepared. Review the essays covered in class and link your ideas to current or topical news stories where possible.
Reading Comprehensions
Practice really is key here. There is very little to "learn off" in advance. Students can copy answers for Questions 1-5 directly from the text, but Question 6 (b) must be written in your own words. The best preparation is to complete one comprehension per week between now and the mocks.
The mocks are not about being perfect, they’re about learning what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve. Use them wisely, stay organised, and remember: small, consistent effort now makes a huge difference later.
The mocks are not about being perfect, they're about learning what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve. Use them wisely, stay organised, and remember: small, consistent effort now makes a huge difference later. Here is a rough study plan that you could use and tweak to suit you.
Study Plan Week 1
- Monday - 6 to 7pm 1. Aiste
- Tuesday - Free time
- Wednesday - 6.45pm to 7.15pm 1. Sraith 1,2,3
- Thursday - 5pm to 6pm 1. Mé féin 2. Mo theaghlach 3. Mo cheantar 4. Mo scoil
- Friday - Free time
- Saturday - 11am to 12pm Answer reading comprehension & Study for Question 6B.
- Sunday - Free time
Study Plan Week 2
- Monday - 6pm to 7pm 1. Aiste
- Tuesday - 6.45pm to 7.15pm 1. Sraith 4,5 & 6
- Wednesday - Free time
- Thursday - 5pm to 6pm 1. Ollscoil 2. Laethanta Saoire 3. Na Meáin Shóisialta
- Friday - Free time
- Saturday - 11am to 12pm 1. Answer reading comprehension & Study for Question 6B.
- Sunday - Free time
You can also get more great tips from Séadhan taken from Study Hub 2025 here!
More about Séadhan
Séadhan De Poire is a fluent Irish speaker with over a decade of experience in education and language instruction. He has held several leadership positions, including serving as Deputy Principal in The Dublin Academy for four years, where he played a key role in academic and administrative development.
