Siobhán’s Secret Weapon to Ace Leaving Cert Irish

“Why bother with Irish? Nobody even speaks it anymore!”

If I had a euro for every time I heard this from a student, I’d have a half my pension plan sorted!

As a study skills coach, I’ve seen it all: the subject students love to hate, the one they tolerate, and then there’s Irish—a subject that consistently gets a big “ugh.”

For many, it’s less of a national treasure and more of a national chore.

But before we collectively sigh in unison, let’s take a step back. Why is Irish worth learning?

Here’s a little history lesson: Up until the 19th century, Irish was the language of this country. That’s right! We all spoke Irish until those lads from you-know-where insisted ‘tabhair dom é‘ became ‘tally ho, chaps‘.

So learning Irish isn’t just about acing an exam—it’s about connecting to a piece of our national identity. Pretty cool, right? (Okay, cool-ish. But stick with me.)

Now, I get it. Motivation is tricky when young Cian nearly vomits every time he has to open an Irish text book. Which is why I decided to ask Siobhán Ní Ghiolla Rí of Ardán Languages, an absolute legend in teaching Irish, to spill the beans on how to hack the Leaving Cert Irish exam.

Siobhán has been teaching Irish for 25 years (yes, you read that right—25 years). She’s a Jedi master of turning stressed-out teens into Gaeilge pros. And let me tell you—her insights are pure gold.

Game-Changing Tips for the Exam

Here’s the thing: the oral exam is your secret weapon. Most students don’t realize how much they can boost their overall grade just by nailing the oral.

Siobhán breaks it down step-by-step in our interview, but I highly recommend skipping to minute 17:50 for her jaw-dropping strategy.

This isn’t just good advice—it’s a game-changer.

In fact by being able to have a small 6-minute conversation in Irish you can add as much as 20% to your overall grade.

Even if you’re staring at your textbook right now thinking, Cén fáth? (Why?), her method will have you saying, GAEILGE ABÚ (Hooray for Irish!) when your teen’s grades start to skyrocket.

It will also help you help your teen get ahead of the curve for the upcoming Irish oral exams this Easter.

Here is a link to our interview below 

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For Parents and Teachers

If you’ve got a teen who’s groaning their way through Irish, don’t worry—you’re not alone.

Whether they love Irish or see it as some medieval torture device, this interview is packed with actionable tips to support them.

From simplifying study routines to helping them build confidence in their spoken Irish, there’s something for everyone.

And if you as a parent didn’t like Irish and you don’t know how to help your child study Irish you will get a lot from this interview. You can also check out Siobhán’s excellent resources and e-books for aceing Irish by clicking here.​

Final Thoughts (aka My Shameless Pep Talk)

Listen, Irish might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But with the right approach—and maybe a bit of Siobhán’s Jedi magic—you can go from daunting to doable.

You don’t need to love it to ace it. And who knows? You might even find yourself enjoying the journey along the way.

So grab a cup of cha, dive into the interview, and let’s get those grades moving in the right direction.

Go raibh maith agat, Siobhán!

Until next time, keep RAYSING THE GAME.