writing a leaving cert history essay

Really Useful Links for Writers: Leaving Cert Essay Writing

Paul FitzSimons

• 29 May 2014

I have good news – the weather will be beautiful next Wednesday. The sun will shine, the skies will be clear, the temperature will be in the twenties. How do I know that? Because it’s the first day of the Leaving Cert Exams.

Besides being the unofficial start of summer, Day 1 of the Leaving is also English Paper 1, the culmination of two years’ work for around fifty thousand English language students.

The Leaving Cert English exam is divided into two papers – Paper 1, which is all about comprehension and composition and Paper 2, which covers The Single Text , The Comparative Study and Poetry. Like the other two-part exams Maths and Irish, English 1 and 2 happen on two different days – the first Wednesday and Thursday mornings of the schedule. Maybe this is to give brains and hands a chance to recover from a hectic morning of essay-writing.

Besides having the aptitude to tell a good story, writing essays at Leaving Cert level requires certain acquired skills, most of which we learn over the years of study prior to the exam. However, there are some aspects of writing the perfect essay that we don’t necessarily pick up or, with the deluge of knowledge that we’re trying to take in, have slipped from our memories. Thankfully, there are plenty of online resources that will fill in those gaps and also offer some additional advice on writing, organisational and time-saving that will prove invaluable on the day.

On the ever useful website LeavingCertEnglish.net – seriously, I wish this had been around in my day – we are given an invaluable guide to preparing for and then sitting down to English Paper 1. Their pages include advice on approaching each essay, what needs to be covered to achieve a passing mark and what flourishes will help to get that all-important A.

After sitting his Leaving Cert in 2011, student and blogger Aidan Curran decided to take the lessons he learned during that traumatic year and share them on his website. His post How To Get An A In English Essay Writing takes us through everything we need to remember coming up to and during the exam. He reminds us that, as essay-writing is not something we can memorize, it makes it both the easiest and most difficult part of the exam.

Most of the above applies to Paper 1 of the exam. Of course, there are also some essays to be written for Paper 2, which deals with curriculum’s prescribed texts, such as the play, novels and poetry. The Clevernotes website offers us some invaluable advice on tackling the second English paper compositions, suggesting that, in order to form a cogent and coherent response to the question asked, an essay must always contain an introduction, a number of well-focused body paragraphs and a conclusion.

For some slightly more tongue-in-cheek advice on essay writing, we can watch video blogger Clisare’s video on Entertainment.ie. She takes us through her unique thoughts on writing both English and Irish essays. She does offer some interesting insight but the fact that she advises us to remind the teacher that ‘Irish is a dead language’ suggests that we should probably take most of her tips with a grán salainn.

If you feel an online tutor will be able to help, check out TutorHunt .

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” – Sydney J. Harris

A Whole Website Dedicated To It.

LeavingCertEnglish.net has all the advice, information and sample exams we need to tackle the Paper 1 essay.

“”Stick to the topic. Have plenty of ideas. Identify problems but also offer solutions.”

http://leavingcertenglish.net/2012/03/inspiration/ .

Them’s The Rules.

LeavingCertEnglish.net takes us through six important rules for writing the perfect essay.

“It’s really important to grab the reader’s attention. Use a quote, or a series of rhetorical questions, a list, or a vivid description.”

http://leavingcertenglish.net/2011/05/six-rules-of-essay-writing/

From The Horse’s Mouth.

Recent Leaving Cert student Aidan Curran takes us his advice on Essay-writing, based on his own experience.

“Obviously, when you get the essay titles first you say “That’s it, I’m screwed, we’ll call it a day”. But if you just look at them, you’ll realise that they can be changed to your strengths.”

http://aidancurran.com/how-to-get-an-a1-in-english-essay-writing-aidan-curran/

It’s Not All About Paper 1, You Know.

English Paper 2, which deals with the subject’s prescribed texts and poetry, also involves some essay writing. Clevernotes tells us how to tackle it.

“The most basic principal of essay writing is that it should be structured. Your essay must form a cogent and coherent response to the question asked.”

https://www.clevernotes.ie/english/hl/leaving-cert/how-to-write-a-paper-two-essay/

And Lastly, Some Proper Serious Advice (Or Maybe Not)

Vlogger Clisare gives us her unique take on Essay Writing.

“Always end English Language essays with ‘…and then I woke up.’ Teachers love that.”

http://entertainment.ie/wtf/WATCH-How-to-write-a-leaving-cert-essay/191520.htm

(c) Paul FitzSimons

About the author

Paul FitzSimons is a screenwriter and novelist and has written the novel ‘Burning Matches’ and a number of scripts for film and TV. He has worked as a storyline writer on RTE’s ‘Fair City’. His short stories are published in ‘Who Brought The Biscuits’ by The Naas Harbour Writers. Paul likes crime thrillers, good coffee and Cadbury’s chocolate. He doesn’t like country-and-western music or people who don’t indicate on roundabouts.

Paul also runs the  Script Editing service Paul | The | Editor .  paulfitzsimons.com

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Essay writing tips – Leaving Cert History extended essay

Hey everyone,

After considering it a bit, I’ve decided that today i’ll write about something that might sound boring on the face of it, but i’m almost certain that someone, somewhere at some point will find it useful.

Essay writing. More specifically, the Leaving Cert History extended essay. I know, boring. But, i’ve already managed to help one person with homework so I figure why not make a guide.

It’s been a few years since I sat the Leaving Certificate, so my memories of the extended essay are a bit rusty. But, as I know a few folks that are starting theirs, I figured i’d throw down everything I can remember into one blog post. I reckon that everyone doing history for the Leaving Cert panic-googles at some point. I know because I did.

Your extended essay, or whatever politically correct nonsense they call it now, is an important part of the course. It’s the one part of it that really is under your control. You can write about things, research them at your own pace and produce the essay in your own way. While the exam, as you already know, is a bit of a pot luck with whatever you’ve learned, the essay is something more solid.

When you’re writing the extended essay, it’d be good to start off by considering your topic really carefully. Usually you’ll be given a remit of what you can write about (Anything up to 1990, for example) – while that does, on the face of it, give you a pretty wide ranging choice of topics, this wide range can actually be a bit daunting.

Be as unique as possible when you’re choosing the topic. If an examiner has ten papers in front of him/her – nine about “the war” and one about something they never expected – you can guess which one MIGHT get more marks. Choose something unusual, different but for the love of all things good, choose something that you are interested in and can find good research about .

Seriously, don’t set yourself up doing the history of skirting boards or something else random if you don’t find it interesting. It might look unique on the outside, but you’ll find yourself hating the work and you’ll only suffer in the marks for it.

Find something that interests you and jump into it. Read, read, read, read, ask, read, read and then read a little more. Fill your head with as much stuff as possible. Even if you are, like me, not the best at remembering individual facts, try your best to absorb as much as you can about the topic.

So, to the writing part.

A good method when actually writing the essay is to assume that your examiner knows nothing  about the topic. Nada. Zip. It doesn’t matter if the examiner turns out to be an expert in the foreign policy of the Soviet Union or a maestro of modern history – as far as you should be concerned, he/she’s an expressionless lump of clay with no personality. Taking this approach makes you explain things better, give a little background, etc.

Take nothing for granted. Even if you think “oh, everyone knows that”, still mention/explain whatever the information is, briefly. The best thing you can do is cover all your bases, so to speak. Explain, detail, outline – turn your essay into a handbook of your topic, and you are the expert writer who is explaining it.

Have confidence in your own writing skills, because I guarantee that you do have the ability. As much as it pains me to sound like a teacher (well, hey, I do want to be a professor some day), because I know its probably not what you want to hear – if you put in the research and, more importantly, the confidence  in your own ability – then on the day, when you open your results, you’ll know that you gave it everything and whatever the outcome, you’ve written something unique.

A lot of the above goes for general essay writing across the board. Okay, so i’m not a teacher so I don’t know 100% of this stuff, but I do have experience on the ground – both in school and in college, too.

I’ve a dissertation to do this year for my Bachelor’s degree in European Studies. If you’re in 6th year, then i’ll be in the same boat as you. Okay, so the dissertation is longer – but the basic formula is pretty much the same. While it might not seem like much now, you writing that extended essay will help you later on, I guarantee it.

So, to round it up.

When writing the extended essay for history (or any essay, really):

• Assume that your examiner knows nothing about the topic. Remember, expressionless lump of clay.
• If you have any choice when it comes to the title (often you wont, but hey), choose something which interests you. Along with that, choose something which you’re sure you can research to a good degree (no pun intended).
• Have confidence in your own ability to write them. Even if you think you’re not good at writing, you can only try your best – and I’d bet you’ll surprise yourself.
• Important: If you’re stuck about something, ask your teacher. History teachers (and other teachers, too) come in all shapes, sizes and moods – but below that, they’re all there because they’re all people who want to teach you this stuff. Ask ’em for help if you need it. Can’t hurt.

I’m not sure how useful you folks might find this little guide, but if you find it useful and would like a little more info about it, leave a comment and i’ll see about making it one of my running things. I’m not a teacher, but I can at least help. The Leaving Cert is a big, evil-looking thing. But, with help, it’s just another set of exams.

Let me know what you think. I’m on Twitter usually to be found ranting/shouting about this, that and the world @Meehan990 and if you’re reading this from facebook, feel free to leave a comment there – drop a comment below.

I’m not this boring all the time, I swear.

Hasta luego!

Mark Meehan – 12/09/2011

Spread the word

Filed under Uncategorized

8 responses to “ Essay writing tips – Leaving Cert History extended essay ”

is something like “the beginning of the guitar” ok for a topic?? or “Robert Emmet” ? im taking ordinary level…. i need help…. help -_-

I’d say that the best person to double-check with is your teacher, they would know best. Both of those topic ideas are good, the thing you have to do is make sure that its something you can find information on easily enough and write about. Last thing you want to do is run out of ideas half-way through the essay – not a good feeling!

When I did my extended essay, I ran a few different topics past by teacher to find out what he thought would be best for the time we had. Try that first, and see what happens 🙂

– Mark

what about “1975 – the end of the world” as in when the Jehovah witnesses declared the end of the world and fooled a lot of people… and i could somehow tie it with 20112… or maybe not that would complicate this too much… but would that be an ok heading and theme?

When I was in school, a friend of mine did the history of Louis Vuitton while I did mine on the Partisan movement in WW2 Yugoslavia – so the thing is pretty much open to many different ideas!

“1975 – the end of the world” – That’s an interesting title, and i’d bet that its one that other people would not think of doing. Whatever makes you stand out from the other essays is what you need. Still though, even with a good idea like that, it would be best to get your teacher’s nod of approval before you start into it.

What do you think of “The Salem Witch Trials of 1692” as a topic ???

The best way to be sure if its a good essay title is to see how much literature you can find to read about it. If you can find enough to make yourself well-informed then its perfect 🙂

I have 3 sources for it already 🙂 I just wanted to know if you think it’s different or original ;3

It’s definitely original, I’ve never seen it done 🙂 best to leave the final check to your teacher. Run it by him/her but you should be fine.

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Leaving Cert History: Documents and Essays 2020

This page remains for information only – this course is not currently examinable. For the up to date course, see Complete Guide: H1 Leaving Cert History Guide 2021/22 and 2022/23

This our concise History edition. Our  full guide  include this and more. This version comprises tips, document notes and essays. This is a printable guide of approximately 20,000 words over 64 pages.

LEAVING CERTIFICATE HISTORY: LATER MODERN COURSE

General study and exam tips 

Course layout

Study and revision tips

Section 1: Answering Document-based Questions

Exam timing

Assessing the sources

General skills for answering questions

Question 1: Comprehension

Question 2: Comparison

Question 3: Criticism

Question 4: Context 

Section 1: Document Case Study

The Montgomery bus boycott

Lyndon B. Johnson and the Vietnam war

The Moon landing, 1969

Sample answer:  What was the reaction to the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1956?

Sections 2 and 3: Essay Writing 

Essay skills

Planning and laying out an essay

Other tips and tricks

Sample plan

Section 2: Irish History 

Topic 1: Ireland and the Union, 1815 – 1870

Sample essays: 

a. What were the responses of Charles Trevelyan and/or Asenath Nicholson to Famine in Ireland? (2017)

b. What were the aims of Daniel O’Connell and to what extent did he achieve them?  (2016)

Topic 2: Movements for political and social reform.

Sample essay:

a. How did Unionism develop during the period 1886 – 1914? (2011)

b. What did one or more of the following contribute to cultural revival during the period 1870- 1914: the GAA; the Gaelic League; the Anglo-Irish Literary Revival? (2012)

Topic 3: The pursuit of sovereignty and the impact of partition.

Sample Essay: What was the significance of the Eucharistic Congress, 1932?

Topic 5: Politics and society in Northern Ireland

Religion, Culture and Science

Sample essay:  What was the contribution of the Apprentice Boys of Derry to the celebration of religious and cultural identity among that city’s unionist minority? (2006)

Topic 6: Government, economy and society in the Republic of Ireland, 1949 – 1989:

Sample essay: How did Anglo-Irish relations develop during the period 1949-1989? (2012)

Section 3: Europe and the Wider World 

Topic 3: Dictatorship and Democracy in Europe

Sample essay:  How effective were Stalin’s moves for change during his time as leader of Russia?

The rise of Fascism (Italy and Germany)Sample essay: How did dictators use propaganda and/or terror to maintain their power?

With our guide on History, you will get:

access to general LC History quiz on 625points

access to our informal History FAQ video

priority access to 625Lab: we will give you feedback on one typed up answer corrected. Use the  625Lab submission form  and your essay will be moved to the top of the queue

priority access for Leaving Cert study advice. Email [email protected] with your query

the notes as detailed above

Does it come in the post? 

It’s a pdf download, so no need to wait for the postman. You automatically get a download link straight into your email inbox. If you run into any problems with the download, we will sort you out – simply reply to the email you get from us.  

Can I print it? 

Yes. All notes are printable. 

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Advancing history education

LC HISTORY - ESSAYS & TOPICS

LEAVING CERT HISTORY

- ESSAY-WRITING & TOPICS -

The following presentations on LC History , which are mainly aimed at providing guidance for LC students , but are open to both teachers & students , will be held on:

Monday, 29 March, 8.00 pm

Improving LC History Essay-writing (38 minutes)

Patrick Hickey, Boherbue Comprehensive School

........................

Tuesday, 30 March, 8.00 pm

Dictatorship & Democracy (39)

Jimmy Condon, St Colman's College, Fermoy

Pursuit of Sovereignty - Anglo-Irish Relations, 1923-49 (32)

Vincent Foley, Patrician Academy, Mallow

Wednesday, 31 March, 8.00 pm

Politics & Society in Northern Ireland (57)

Vincent O'Connell, Hamilton High School, Bandon

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How to get a H1 in Leaving Cert History

To some, History can seem like a challenging subject. The amount of information that you're expected to know by the end of 6th year might feel overwhelming, however once you break down each topic into a select number of essay titles, the information required is actually much more manageable. In this blog, Vicky goes through her tips and tricks on getting a H1 in this subject.

Find out which study method suits you

Everyone studies in a different way: some people find that flashcards help them retain the information easier, some prefer to learn from bullet point essay plans, and some like to watch historical documentaries on Netflix or YouTube!

Personally, I used a study method that was quite alternative, but it was the only method that worked for me in the long run. Since I am a visual learner, I took an essay and illustrated it into a graphic novel or comic book style. I typically had three cartoon images per paragraph and I would write the key dates or statistics in bold or bubble writing throughout the comic. It may have taken slightly longer to prepare than flashcards but once I had them drawn I could easily recall them without any issues. Perhaps if you struggle with the more familiar study methods then you could give this one a try! 

Practice your timing 

This tip is vital. You could have everything else planned and prepared to perfection and still end up falling at the final hurdle if you do not consider timing! History may be one of the most demanding subjects out there with regard to timing, having to write 3 long essays, 1 short essay and answer a comprehension all in the space of 2 hours and 50 minutes and so it’s crucial that you know the exact length of time that it takes you to write out the content. You should dedicate no more than 40 minutes to each question. 

If you find that you're going over the limit of 40 minutes, cut the essay down. Remember that this is not an English essay, so no need for flowery prose and filler language. History essays are fact-based and you should easily be able to fit an essay into the given time.

On the day of the exam, the first tip I would give would be to bring a watch with you. As previously mentioned, the exam is heavily time-dependent and so you do not want to be wasting precious time craning your neck and squinting your eyes to the giant clock on the wall of the exam hall!

Keep calm and carry on

Breathe and remain calm: the more stress you place upon yourself, the less clearly you will be able to think and recall facts. Take the first 10 minutes of the exam to scan through the paper and highlighting the essay titles that you're capable of doing. If there are more than one per topic then choose the question that you feel more confident in answering and that suits your particular range of knowledge better. 

Fail to prepare ...

... then prepare to fail. One of the most important tips I have for you is to plan all three essays in accordance to the question before you even start the exam. Remember, your OE will be based on how well you answered the question so you must be aware of what the question is asking of you. You could write 100 pages on the Moon Landing but end up getting 0 marks if you don't accurately answer the question! 

What I did was write out bullet points which were simply brief sentences describing what each paragraph is about, followed by the key dates and statistics. This way you can easily reference the plans later on in the exam, when you will likely be exhausted and less focused. You will not have to worry about wasting time trying to recall a certain date mid-way through writing the essay and thus lose your train of thought.

Don't leave early!

Finally, if you do happen to write all the content very quickly and find that you have extra time at the end, do NOT leave early! Revise the essays that you have written. Fact check and date check that everything is accurate and you did not omit any information. You can always improve your essays or DBQ responses in the extra time.

For more tips and tricks, read our History Guide by clicking the button below.

Best of luck in the exam! 

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• Jan 28, 2023

Mastering Irish Essay Phrases for Leaving Cert Success - Tips and Tricks for Achieving Success

Updated: Sep 28, 2023

Introduction

Irish essay writing can be challenging for Leaving Certificate students, but mastering a few key phrases can make a big difference in your grade. In this blog post, we will cover some of the most commonly used Irish essay phrases that can help you to improve your writing and achieve success in your exams.

"Introductory Phrases"

• Tá sé seo i gceist: This is the topic at hand

• Tá sé tábhachtach a thabhairt faoi deara: It is important to note

• Is é an chaoi a ndéanann mé: The way I would go about

• Tá sé ábhar dúshlánach: It is a challenging subject

• Déanfaidh mé iarracht: I will attempt

"Transitional Phrases"

• Mar sin féin: Nevertheless

• Ar an gcaoi chéanna: In the same way

• Is é an fhírinne: The truth is

• I gcomparáid le: In comparison to

• Dá réir sin: Therefore

"Concluding Phrases"

• D'fhéadfadh sé a bheith: It could be argued

• Is é mo dhearbhú: My conclusion is

• Ar deireadh: In conclusion

• Tá sé éasca a fháil amach: It is easy to see

What are some common Irish essay phrases that are useful for Leaving Cert students to know?

Some common Irish essay phrases that are useful for Leaving Cert students to know include "ar an gcéad dul síos" (to begin with), "mar shampla" (for example), and "chun an pointe seo" (up to this point).

How can using Irish essay phrases in a Leaving Cert essay help to improve a student's grade?

Using Irish essay phrases in a Leaving Cert essay can help to improve a student's grade by demonstrating their proficiency in the Irish language and their ability to effectively express themselves in it. Additionally, it can also showcase a student's understanding of Irish culture and history which is an important component of the Leaving Cert Irish exam.

By incorporating these commonly used Irish essay phrases into your writing, you can improve the structure and fluency of your essays. Practice using these phrases in your own writing and you will find that your essays will become more polished and effective. Remember to also focus on other important writing skills such as organization, clarity, and strong arguments. With hard work and dedication, you can achieve success in your Leaving Certificate exams.

Are you a leaving certificate student struggling with Irish?

Our Irish grinds service offers expert, personalized tutoring to help you achieve your goals. Our team of experienced and knowledgeable instructors will provide individualized support and guidance to ensure that you have the tools and knowledge you need to succeed in your exams.

Plus, with access to our comprehensive online study notes and regular progress assessments, you'll have the support you need to feel confident and prepared. Don't hesitate, sign up for our Irish grinds today and take the first step towards success.

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