discursive essay leaving cert

Leaving Cert English paper 1: A ‘beautiful’ paper which gave opportunities for original writing

Exams got underway at 9.30am for almost 60,000 leaving cert students.

Leaving Cert exams got underway today for more than 60,000 students. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

English paper 1, the first exam for tens of thousands of this year’s Leaving Cert students, was described by teachers as a “beautiful” paper which gave candidates the opportunity for original writing.

The topical paper had an emphasis on “powerful voices” such as Amanda Gorman, the poet who came to global prominence during Joe Biden’s inauguration.

It also gave students the chance to share their thoughts on cancel culture, censorship, the impact of music and the importance of young voices in public debate.

Extracts from an essay by Man Booker Prize winner Ben Okri and Hugo Hamilton’s novel The Pages featured in the comprehending section.

‘I learned to hide my Irish accent, or at least to feel deeply ashamed of it’

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Girl’s jacket kept her afloat until rescuers saved her from sea in Dún Laoghaire during Storm Kathleen

Paul McCormack, English teacher at The Institute of Education, said that, overall, the paper offered opportunities for original, fresh writing.

“The tasks were designed to reward those candidates who have worked hard to develop their insights into personal, narrative, persuasive and argumentative writing,” he said.

Nessa O’Meara, Teachers’ Union of Ireland subject representative and a teacher at Coláiste Eoin in Hacketstown, Co Carlow, said students were “very happy” after the exam, with a text asking them to write the text of a podcast proving particularly popular.

Jamie Dockery, an English teacher at Tyndall College in Co Carlow, said most students were “relatively pleased” with the opportunity to explore and discuss the significance of poetry, music and books.

“Overall, it was a fair exam with plenty of choice and stimulating material for the stronger candidates in particular to sink their teeth into,” said Mr Dockery, who is also a subject expert for Studyclix.

As usual, the paper was divided into three sections: reading comprehension question A; reading comprehension question B, and composition.

However, as a result of Covid-related changes, students were required to answer a composition task and either a question A or a question B task.

Mr McCormack said the three reading comprehension passages were “accessible and thought-provoking”.

“The question A tasks were carefully crafted, with the usual mix of a straightforward comprehension task and a question which required analysis of the writer’s style,” he said.

“The part (ii) questions on all three texts, in which candidates were offered the opportunity to give their thoughts on censorship and cancel culture, the long-lasting impact of music or the importance of youthful voices in public debate, were all both challenging and designed to reward thoughtful, creative thinkers.”

The question B tasks also offered variety, he said.

The three formats were an open letter, a podcast and a newspaper editorial. The topics to be addressed included the status of poetry as a compulsory area of study for the Leaving Cert, the role of music in the writer’s life, and an imaginative response to an instance of censorship.

“All three questions were carefully structured and designed to reward the candidate who is able to put forward a logical, original and informed response,” he said.

Dockery said each of the three texts available in section one were “enticing” and the accompanying questions were generally accessible with the student being asked to explain three insights they gained into the power of either poetry, music or books depending on the text chosen.

What will replace the Leaving Cert?

“Interestingly, however, in a move away from recent exams, students were not invited to use material from their Paper II course in this part of the exam,” he said.

“Instead, they were challenged to offer their considered opinions on the lack of diversity in public debates; whether music has a greater impact on us than books or films; or whether they agree or disagree with censorship and contemporary cancel culture. Some students may have struggled with these particular questions.”

In the composing section, McCormack said the seven composition tasks offered fantastic choice.

It featured two personal essay titles, two short stories, a speech, a discursive essay and a feature article.

The titles required candidates to write on topics as diverse as the nature of fashion, who the powerful voices in modern life are, objects they regard as “faithful companions” and the pleasure, satisfaction and personal growth derived from learning.

McCormack said: “The two short story titles offered lovely stimuli for imaginative narratives, and there was an engaging speech topic, in which the candidate, who had to imagine they are running for the position of President of Ireland, had to discuss their social and cultural values as well as Ireland’s image abroad.”

Dockery also said the composition section of the exam was a “triumph”, with students given a broad range of choice including personal essays, feature articles and “some really attractive short story options.”

Separately, Ms O’Meara reflected the views of many English teachers when she questioned plans to hold English paper one at the end of fifth year in coming years.

“By the end of sixth year, students have a better sense of self and have developed their unique voice and English paper one really allowed that to shine through.

English paper one settles the nerves of the students and also helps sets the tone for the students as they work their way through their exams. If English paper one is being proposed to be examined at the end of fifth year in two years time, will students have fully developed their unique voice by then?” she asked.

Try this one at home:

Leaving Cert, English paper 1, question b (40 marks):

Some students believe that the study of poetry should be an optional rather than a compulsory element of the Leaving Certificate English course.

Write an open letter, to be published on a popular social media platform, to encourage discussion on this topic. In your open letter you should: explain what, if any, value you found in the study of poetry as part of your Leaving Certificate English course, explore the reasons why you think the study of poetry should be an optional or a compulsory element of Leaving Certificate English in the future and seek to anticipate and refute views that might potentially be offered in opposition to your chosen stance.

Carl O'Brien

Carl O'Brien is Education Editor of The Irish Times. He was previously chief reporter and social affairs correspondent

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Types of descriptive essay…

I received an email a few weeks back looking for clarification on desciptive essays. Specifically, what different approaches can students take when writing a descriptive essay?

When it came up as an option on Leaving Cert paper 1 recently, the marking scheme stated that students could adopt a “ narrative or discursive approach “. Confusion often arises here because when we think “ narrative ” we think story – plot, characters, setting. And when we think “ discursive ” we think argument, opinion…

I’ve tried to tease out the ways personal essays, descriptive essays and short stories are related yet distinct in the past, with some limited success. Truth is, the ties that bind them are stronger than any scissors which seeks to cut them apart but with so many marks going for “ clarity of purpose ” [this includes responding to the topic as well as writing within the specified genre] it’s not surprising that both teachers and students seek clarity on what exactly defines each genre.

Here’s a graphic I created for this very purpose, which first appeared in the 2015 Irish Independent Written Word Supplement. You’ll notice that description forms the trunk, or backbone, and feeds into all three.

Looking through a different lens this time, becuase of the email I received, I would say that a narrative descriptive essay has a lot in common with the short story and a discursive descriptive essay has more in common with the personal essay.

If a student or a teacher wanted a definition, I’d say : Descriptive essay with narrative approach = descriptive in style, with a story to tell. Descriptive essay with discursive approach = descriptive in style, with an issue to discuss.

What does this look like in practice?

Here are a few descriptive essays taking a narrative approach (I wrote the first one; junior cycle students wrote the other two):

• http://leavingcertenglish.net/2013/11/fragments-from-a-lost-weekend/
• http://leavingcertenglish.net/2014/03/long-days-journey-into-light/
• http://leavingcertenglish.net/2014/03/a-vivid-memory/

However, a descriptive essay can also take a discursive approach , where the language is descriptive but an issue is also being discussed and the thoughts, opinions, knowledge and understanding of the writer come into play.

Have a look at this example which is extremely descriptive (it uses metaphor throughout) but which is also discussing an issue – bullying: http://leavingcertenglish.net/2014/03/abcs-of-bullying/

Why combine them?

Why not just have descriptive essays be descriptive and discursive essays be discursive?

Well, when an issue is being discussed it’s discursive [all paper two essays are discursive] but a writer can achieve wonderful aesthetic effects, and really engage the reader, if they combine discussion and description.

For me, it helps to remind myself that the boundaries between genres are fluid, and as long as a student embraces some elements of description if asked to write a descriptive essay, they won’t be penalised for the approach they take.

You might also want to take a look at this essay I wrote: http://leavingcertenglish.net/2011/05/ict-in-education-conference/

It’s a perfect example of the fluidity of genres.

It begins with a poem [hence, aesthetic use of language] It goes on to discuss an event and an issue – use of ICT in education [hence, discursive ] It takes a descriptive approach throughout [using lists and metaphors and moment by moment description] It ends by linking to a personal story – the death of my friend [hence, a personal essay with a narrative thread holding it together].

I just thought I’d post my reply to this query, as coming up with an answer really got me thinking in depth about how fluid the boundaries between genres can sometimes be… that’s not a bad thing, but it does make assessing with genre as one of the criteria that bit trickier. To my mind, as long as it’s clear that the student is controlling their use of genre conventions, rather than being oblivious to genre, then they should be ok. On the other hand, if a student comes across as having no awareness of genre, audience and register, that’s where problems arise…

One response to “ Types of descriptive essay… ”

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• Leaving Cert. English (Higher) 2015: Paper 1 Section II Composing
• Back to the question >

Preparation

• Information
• You must write a short story. You can take a variety of approaches but generally all short stories have a beginning, middle and end, have at least one character, and have some sense of tension, climax and resolution.
• Ask yourself questions to create ideas: -    Where? -    What? -    Who? -    Why? -    When? -    How?
• Beware of creating an over-long timeline. You have limited space and time. It would be impossible to cover a character’s entire life in 2-4 A4 pages.
• Try to have just 1-3 main characters.
• You have a long time to write this essay. Re-read quickly what you have written to check it for mistakes.
• Create atmosphere and images for the reader — it will improve your writing.
• You must write a story in which the main character transforms when facing a daunting challenge.
• You will be rewarded for employing some of the conventions of a magazine or newspaper layout, e.g. headline, sub-headings, etc.
• Shape your response in a manner appropriate to the register of a magazine or newspaper.
• Think about the role played by romance in our lives. You might consider some of the following: -    The media's obsession with romance -    The popularity of romance as a genre in film and books -    The transforming power of romance.  
• Try to make your article interesting and entertaining.
• Provide a ‘hook’ at the start of the article to make your reader want to read your piece.
• Be careful with structure. You should have a clear introduction and a firm conclusion.
• Never forget your purpose, audience and language register (appropriate style, vocabulary and tone).
• Use all rhetorical devices at your disposal. Some effective examples include: -    Using rhetorical questions -    Flattering your audience -    Using emotive language, strong anecdotes, strong imagery -    Involving the listener -    Creating a sense of unity with the audience.
• Remember your audience; you are speaking to the United Nations Youth Conference.
• Your task is to provoke thought around the issues you wish to discuss.
• What would you consider to be the defining struggles of our age. You may consider some of the following: -    Global warming -    Poverty -    Globalisation -    The role of technology.
• You must consider both the causes and possible solutions to these problems.  
• This title gives you the opportunity to take a number of different approaches but remember it must be a personal account. Your ideas should be at the heart of the essay.
• A personal essay should have a degree of personal reflection.
• Think about the endings in your life. What was significant? You could consider some of the following: -    End of school -    A friendship -    Death -    A relationship.
• Your essay must be descriptive. Concentrate on creating images and atmosphere for the reader. Consider a multi-sensory approach.
• Think about what Ireland is like today. What would a time-traveller make of it? It is important to decide at this stage if your traveller is from the past or present. This will greatly influence his/her observations.
• Plan this essay carefully. Try to create a fluid piece.
• Try to create a lively and engaging piece for the reader.
• You must write a short story. You can take a variety of approaches but generally, all short stories have a beginning, middle and end, have at least one character, and have some sense of tension, climax and resolution.
• You have a long time to write this essay. Re-read what you have written quickly to check it for mistakes.
• You must include a closely guarded secret and its discovery in your answer.
• This is a discursive essay. You should be able to discuss the issues. If you have no ideas on people's privacy and its challenges in a modern world, then avoid this essay.
• Spend time properly planning your essay. Clarity is key to an effective discursive essay.
• Is privacy important to you? Why?
• How has the modern world compromised our privacy? Consider some of the following: -    Facebook -    Snapchat -    Google Chrome -    How much information can be gleaned about you from your profile? -    Is anything on the net really private? -    Reality T.V. -    Celebrity privacy.
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Leaving Cert Politics and Society

Read on to learn about Theories in Action and check out the book!

Everything you need to know about the 17 Key Thinkers in one book!

Theories in Action covers all the key theorists from the specification, 17 chapters - one chapter per key thinker . Each chapter contains a short bio, and informed coverage of each thinkers' key works, ideas, and concepts.

It explains how their theories relate to the areas of human nature , government and state , society and identity , and economy and globalisation .

Check out the Theories in Action book today!

Relates key theories to contemporary issues

Each chapter relates key theories to contemporary issues by

• Setting context for the theory and where it might apply in everyday situations
• Exploring what key thinkers might say on different issues

Debate and discuss activities on key theorists and contemporary issues support a discursive classroom. What would Hobbes say about the 2020 Belarusian protests, or John Locke on Trump's refusal to concede defeat in the 2020 US Presidential Election?

Supports discursive essay writing

A discursive essay writing guide helps students to successfully write discursive essays that integrate theories with examples and evidence . This is a key requirement for Section C of the Higher Level paper, which counts for 50% of the paper's total marks.

A quick-reference section links topical issues and discursive-essay questions with the relevant key thinkers.

Exam focus and preparation

• Exam-style short answer questions
• Exam-style discursive essay questions
• Addresses the recommendations from the Chief Examiner on Section C of the Higher Level paper

Written by a subject expert and examiner

Gerard Elwood teaches Leaving Certificate Politics and Society at Maynooth Post Primary School, Kildare. He studied Politics and Sociology in both his primary degree and secondary teaching qualifications. He is currently a Higher Level examiner.

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Also, available in the Theories in Action  programme:

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How to Write a Discursive Essay: Tips to Succeed & Examples

So, you need to accomplish your discursive essay writing. The typical questions most students ask are: How do you write it? What is discursive essay?

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A discursive essay is an academic paper that involves a discussion on a particular topic. It is usually assigned to college students. You may be required to write a paper wherein you have to do one of the following:

• argue for the issue or against it;
• present your points of view on both sides;
• provide your unprejudiced opinion on that matter.

Don’t panic!

Check out the tips from  Custom-writing.org  experts below. They will assist you in discursive writing and encourage you to examine essay examples. Moreover, in this article, you’ll also learn about different types of discursive essay, and its introduction, main body, and conclusion structure.

• ❓ What Is It?
• 🏁 Main Types

Introduction

• Basic Don’Ts
• ✏️ Frequent Questions

❓ What Is a Discursive Essay?

First of all, let’s figure out what the discursive essay is.

You may think it’s similar to the argumentative essay. Yes, but there’s a difference between them in the structure and purpose of these two types of assignments:

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We will take a detailed look at how to structure a discursive essay later, and now let’s find out what are the types of this assignment.

Keep reading!

🏁 Discursive Essay: Main Types

You have to think more critically and more in-depth when reviewing all viewpoints and aspects of discursive writing. Check these three main types of essay writing:

• Opinion Essay  requires the author’s opinion on an issue which is stated in the introductory paragraph. It should be clearly presented and followed by reasons and supporting examples. Also, this essay paper should contain an opposing argument that comes before the conclusion. The writer must explain to readers why the mentioned argument is considered to be unconvincing. The writer’s opinion should be restated/summarized in the conclusion.
• For and Against Essay  provides readers with a thorough debate on the topic with the help of opposing points of view. Each point should be discussed objectively and described in details. The introductory paragraph puts the issue under consideration. The main body of this essay paper should present examples, reasons, and arguments supported by justifications. The author’s own opinion with balanced reflections on the topic should be stated only in conclusion.
• Essay Suggesting Solution to a Problem  discusses problems and finds the main solutions. The introduction paragraph explicitly declares a problem and analyses its causes and consequences. The main body of the essay should offer some suggestions for a possible solution to the problem and potential state consequences or expected results. In conclusion, author’s opinion should be distinctly summarized.

📑 How to Write a Discursive Essay

Well, it’s time to talk about the structure of a discursive essay. Like most of the assignments, a discursive paper starts with an introduction and ends with a conclusion:

The first question you may ask is how to start a discursive essay introduction. Simple!

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• Give your readers a hook – something that would sound interesting to them.
• Provide a short explanation of the problem. You may use quotations, as well as rhetorical questions.
• Show your readers both sides of the arguments and sum up.

You may be wondering…

Is there something I should avoid in my discursive essay introduction?

Yes. No stereotypes and generalizations, please!

The next step under formal essay writing you should take is to compose the body.

There are a few points you should remember:

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• First and foremost: stay unprejudiced . Assess all of the aspects of an issue. Leave your feelings behind or for another essay type.
• Second: build your argumentation . If you have several arguments for your viewpoint—provide them in separate paragraphs. This will help you to keep your essay comprehensible and distinct. Don’t forget to submit supporting evidence.
• Third: write the body of an essay in an alternate manner. What does it mean? If your first paragraph supports the paper’s argument, then in the second paragraph you should write something in the opposite of it. Such a combination of supporting and opposite paragraphs will make your essay look apparent, and well researched. Besides, it will help you to remain neutral.
• Fourth: include topic sentences and evidence . Write a summary of the argument at the beginning of the paragraph. It will allow the reader to easier understand what the paragraph is about. Provide evidence to show that you’re not making the facts up.

Well, you’ve almost finished your writing. Now you should focus on the last section. Keep reading, and you will learn how to write a conclusion for a discursive essay.

• In the last section, you should summarize your article including the main points, specified in the body paragraphs.
• You may also logically express your opinion. Remember: it should resonate with your evidence stated in the body paragraphs.
• Don’t repeat findings, just summarize them.

Keep it short. Your conclusion length should not exceed one paragraph.

👍 Do’s and Don’ts

Do you want more discursive essay writing tips? Fine! Just check them below:

Basic Do’s of a Discursive Essay

• Write in formal, impersonal style.
• Introduce each point in a separate paragraph
• Use topic sentences for each paragraph
• Write well-developed paragraphs
• Give reasons and examples for each point
• Use sequencing
• Use linking words and phrases
• Make references to other sources and make sure that you follow proper citation style
• Identify used sources

Basic Don’Ts of a Discursive Essay

• Don’t use short forms, like I’ll, don’t, they’ve
• Don’t use informal/colloquial language, for example: old as the hills, ain’t, gonna, etc.
• Don’t use very emotional language, since it might make your discursive article look prejudiced
• Don’t use over-generalizations. Extending the features of some elements from a group more than it is reasonable will lead to generous and inaccurate conclusions.
• Don’t express your personal opinion too insistently
• Don’t refer to statistics without proper referencing (check our citation guides )
• Don’t use personal examples, leave it for a personal experience essay

Well, now you know what discursive essay means, what are its main types, and how to structure it.

Discursive Essay Topics

• Discussion of risk factors that impact human health.  
• Discuss the necessity of understanding cultural heritage to provide efficient health care.  
• Analyze different opinions on withdrawing patients’ treatment. 
• Examine different views on the Civil War . 
• Discuss what hostile emotional states are and how they impact human life.  
• Discuss the meaning of metaphors used by Virgil in Aeneid . 
• Describe different opinions on telehealth in nursing homes. 
• The ethicality of stem cell technology. 
• Explore the effectiveness of motivational interviewing . 
• Discuss how people present themselves online . 
• Discuss the reasons for Coca-Cola’s marketing success.      
• Analyze the food safety issues and the ways to improve the situation.  
• Examine the essential meaning of sleep for people’s physical and mental health.  
• Explore various complications of working with groups . 
• Discussion of the modern issues with virtue ethics . 
• Describe different views on the definition of love . 
• Give the for and against arguments considering food security technologies .  
• Discuss how the concept of the American dream is presented in the film The Great Gatsby .  
• Analyze the influence of family problems on children and suggest ways to improve the situation.  
• Present the various points of view on the ethical concepts of Buddhism . 
• Examine the attitudes towards the problem of homelessness and the suggested ways of its solution.   
• Explore different opinions on the American revolution and its consequences.  
• Discuss various policies and views around the globe on abortion . 
• Discussion of the history of food foraging in different communities.  
• Multiple thoughts on civility on the Internet . 
• Analyze arguments on the effectiveness of hand sanitizers . 
• Discuss the importance of visual aids in learning. 
• Present and evaluate the theories of international development . 
• Discuss how to prevent the spread of the West Nile Virus (WNV). 
• Is embracing renewable energy sources beneficial for both environment and the global economy?    
• Examine the correctness of the statement that the ideology of pleasure is the foundation of social activism .  
• Discussion of the ethical dilemma of population control.  
• Discuss the ethics of experimental studies .  
• Analyze the topic of gun violence and gun control laws.  
• Explore the reasons for opioid crises in the US.  
• Give arguments for and against random drug testing . 
• Discuss the problem of endangered species . 
• Express your opinion on the necessity of parents to be included in children’s education . 
• Present your attitude towards working in a bureaucratic organization . 
• Discuss the issue of the nursing shortage and suggest a solution.  
• Give different viewpoints on the definition of beauty .  
• Analyze the problem of police misconduct . 
• Discuss the description of violence of African people in literature . 
• Examine the views on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory . 
• Describe the various opinions on mysticism and express your attitude towards it.  
• Discuss the diverse standpoints on spirituality . 
• Is nature protection an urgent problem?  
• Analyze different ideas on physical privacy at work . 
• Discussion on the Jewish heritage in nursing. 
• Examine the views on the meaning of life .  

Good luck with your discussions and discursive essays! Be sure to check out the articles on our blog for more academic wisdom. By the way, on the Custom-Writing website, you may find the best essay topics for your academic writing.

And don’t forget to share your opinion in the comments below.

You might also be interested in:

• Friendship Essay: Writing Guide & Topic Ideas about Friendship
• Teamwork Essay: Quick Guide on How to Write a Good Paper
• Compare and Contrast Essay Writing Tips and Examples
• Transportation Essay: Writing Tips and Brilliant Topics

✏️ Discursive Essay FAQ

There is no one definitely correct answer to this question. Like any other essay, the text should have a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The most important thing is that the overall book needs to be cohesive, persuasive, and exciting to read.

An example of a step by step guide is:

1. Take a closer look at the topic, think about the points to cover.

2. Choose the most relevant points and compose the Body of the essay.

3. Add an appropriate Introduction and Conclusion.

To write a good conclusion, you need to have the rest of the essay finished. Does the body of your essay present well-structured points? Great, then see what you can conclude based on that. If possible, make a connection between the introduction and the conclusion.

To ensure that your essay has a perfect structure, start with creating an outline. Based on such a plan, you can present your points step by step. Your text should have a relevant introduction, several points in the main body (with examples), and a logical conclusion.

🔗 References

• Writing an Opinion Essay: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
• How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay: Easy Step-by-Step Guide: Master Class
• Ending the Essay: Conclusions: Harvard College Writing Center
• Academic Writing Style: University of Southern California
• Cite Your Sources: Library Guides at University of California, Santa Cruz
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How to get a H1 in Leaving Cert Politics and Society

In many ways, the Politics and Society course accurately mirrors current affairs. However, this often makes studying overwhelming, as the content seems to branch out in all directions. In this blog, Sam goes through his tips and tricks on getting a H1 in this subject.

Exam Tips & Tricks

Personally, I think it’s a good idea to start with the short questions in order to get the definitions you have rote-learned off my chest.

By starting with this section you also get to refresh your memory on some of the key ideas, which you can then use in your essays. Make sure you don’t spend too long on this section - I would suggest giving yourself 20 minutes maximum .

With those finished, I’d advise skipping straight to the discursive essays .

Whether you want to do one before the documents section and one after or both before is up to you, but I always find that once I’m in the essay zone, I’m there to stay until the job is done!

Each essay should take you no more than 35 minutes . They don’t have to be crazy long, all they need to do is discuss the statement sufficiently.

I would then finish with the documents. Take 45 minutes to read through them thoroughly, answer the questions, and do the mini essay.

Don’t rush through the questions, as each one can be worth up to 20 marks. Word your answers carefully and you stand an excellent chance of picking up most if not all of the marks. Give a bit more thought to those that force you to consider both sources as they tend to carry more marks.

The mini essay at the end of this question is worth 50 marks so it’s a good idea to leave yourself 20 minutes of the 45 to do it properly. This should leave you with ten minutes to read back over the paper.

Don't be afraid to pop some clarifications in the margins if your essays make less sense upon second reading than they did when you were writing them - the examiner will mark it all.

Final words of advice

My final and possibly most important piece of advice to anyone sitting the exam is to get interested, get opinionated, and stay informed.

Politics is a subject that rewards those who commit to it. If you have a genuine interest in the topics you’re writing about,  this subject will also be infinitely easier.

Stay on top of the news, understand the issues in the world around you, and the rest is all about coherent presentation and a little bit of memory work!

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

Best of Luck! You will be great!

The Leaving Cert personal essay is a well loved and virtually permanent feature of Paper 1 (here is some evidence ).

It belongs in the 100 marks Composition section, the single biggest chunk of the English exam.

What is the personal essay?

It calls for a confessional, introspective tone.

Do you like the sound of these questions:

• Remember those times when you did not say what you really thought or felt. Why didn’t you? How do you feel about it now?
• How would you feel about a terrible event of your past if it happened today?
• What did you learn about building family relationships based on the experience of your parents and grandparents?

You get the message – this is serious life stuff! The Leaving Cert personal essay may be one of the only times you truly get to be yourself in a standardised exam.

The marking scheme allows us to interpret the term “personal essay”’ liberally, potentially even entirely or partly as personal (first person) narratives.

How to do well in the personal essay?

Reading such an essay, you should get the feeling that you are learning someone’s deeper thoughts and reflections. It shouldn’t feel like an opinion piece in a newspaper.

Even though a certain stream of consciousness quality is usually acceptable with these essays, remember that clarity (the P of PCLM) always gets priority .

By reading the correct and H1 sample essays below, you will learn how much to write, what kind of themes come up again and again and how you may be able to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

‘To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people just exist.’ – Oscar Wilde

Personal essay: pleasures particular to you for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post author: Martina
• Post published: April 18, 2019
• Post category: #625Lab / English / PCLM / Personal essay

Write a personal essay on what you perceive to be the pleasures particular to you. #625Lab. Corrected by an experienced examiner, graded as 83/100 with feedback on how to improve…

Personal essay: a time in your life in which you felt you were treated unfairly for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: March 22, 2019

Write a personal essay on a time in your life in which you felt you were treated unfairly. #625Lab. Corrected by an experienced examiner, graded as 79/100 with feedback on…

Personal essay: moments of insight and revelation for Leaving Cert English #625Lab (Divorce)

• Post published: September 23, 2018
• Post category: #625Lab / English / Personal essay

Write a personal essay in which you reflect on moments of insight and revelation you have experienced. (2017) #625Lab. Theme: divorce. Some parts of this essay are outstanding, but it…

Personal Essay: Uncertain about what you want for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: April 23, 2018

Write a personal essay in which you reflect on an occasion in your life when you felt uncertain about what you wanted. #625Lab. Wonderfully reflective, revelatory personal essay dealing with loss.…

Personal essay about significant endings for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: April 7, 2018

Write a personal essay about your response to an ending, or endings, in your life that you consider significant. (100 marks)   Stellar stuff via #625Lab. If you want to send…

Personal Essay: Moments of Insight and Revelation for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: February 25, 2018

Write a personal essay in which you reflect on moments of insight and revelation you have experienced (2017). This is a good attempt at a personal essay showing a lot…

Write a personal essay about one or more moments of uncertainty you have experienced #625Lab

• Post published: February 15, 2018

This essay below is a beautiful exemplar of the genre of personal essay, full of cathartic confessions, teenage going on middle-aged angst and some incredibly deep insights and lessons learnt.…

Personal Essay: Experience of Dramatic Arts for Leaving Cert English #625Lab

• Post published: November 9, 2017

Write a personal essay about your experience (as a performer and/or audience member) of the dramatic arts; plays, musicals, concerts, comedy etc. (2010) You may also like: Complete Guide to…

Leaving Cert English Personal Essay: Irishness #625Lab

• Post published: October 1, 2017
• Post category: #625Lab / English / Personal essay / Too long

“The shoes of Irishness fit me well.” Write a personal essay in which you explore your sense of what it means to be Irish. (2001) This is a good essay…

Leaving Cert English Personal Essay: Pretence and Unvarnished Truth #625Lab

• Post published: September 18, 2017

“Let’s stop all this pretence and tell each other the unvarnished truth for a change.”   Write a personal essay in response to this statement. (2006) This is an essay…

Leaving Cert English Personal Essay: Useless Clutter #625Lab

• Post published: September 10, 2017

The village shops in Sara Baume’s novel contain a “surplus of useless clutter”.  Write a personal essay in which you reflect on the “useless clutter” that is a feature of…

Write a personal essay on the tension you find between the everyday treadmill and the gilded promises of life

• Post published: June 5, 2017
• Post category: English / Personal essay

Write a personal essay on the tension you find between the everyday treadmill and the gilded promises of life. (2013) Themes: social norms, choice, philosophy, religion ‘To live is the…

Leaving Cert English Personal Essay: one or more moments of uncertainty you have experienced.

• Post published: June 4, 2017

Write a personal essay about one or more moments of uncertainty you have experienced. Themes: social disadvantage, divorce, homelessness Note: this is a personal essay, but it has a plot…

Write a personal essay in which you describe a place that you consider beautiful

• Post published: February 1, 2017

Themes: religion, family Please note that we are apolitical. We just like good essays. This came up on the 2008 paper. This essay is on the short side of the…

Personal Essay: Not all problems are physical

• Post published: October 23, 2016

'Not all problems are physical'. Write a personal essay about your response to this statement in light of experiences your life that you consider significant. Themes: mental health, anxiety ‘It is…

Personal Essay: Moments of Uncertainty

• Post published: September 26, 2016

  Write a personal essay about one or more moments of uncertainty you have experienced.  Themes: sexuality, social conflict Candidates may adopt a variety of approaches (serious, humorous, anecdotal, discursive,…

How To Improve Your Grade If Your Teacher Isn’t Giving You Feedback

• Post published: November 3, 2014
• Post category: Durcan / English / Hamlet / Personal essay / Short Story / T.S. Eliot / Video

- How to write a strong introduction- How to craft impactful sentences- Common grammar, syntax and style problems- How to stay relevant to the question- Examples from Hamlet, Personal Essays,…