🗣 What questions are asked in the Irish oral exam?

The conversation commonly covers your family, home, school, hobbies, holidays, future plans and opinions on wider issues. The examiner may change the wording or ask follow-up questions, so prepare adaptable ideas rather than complete scripts.

⏲ How long is the Leaving Cert Irish oral exam?

The oral generally lasts about 15 minutes and contains four sections: Fáiltiú, Léamh na Filíochta, Comhrá Ginearálta and An tSraith Pictiúr.

👍 How can I improve my Irish oral answers?

Practise speaking aloud regularly and develop each answer with a reason, example or extra detail. Complete mock conversations, practise unpredictable follow-up questions and avoid relying entirely on memorised responses.

Studying For The Leaving Cert Irish Oral Questions

The Leaving Cert Irish oral exam may feel unpredictable, but by knowing what the examiner expects, you can prepare carefully and meaningfully. Treat Irish oral questions as a means to develop ideas rather than memorising scripts. Let's look at the Irish oral topics that appear most often, model responses to help you, and how to develop the fluency and confidence needed to communicate clearly when the assessment begins.

Key Takeaways

The Irish oral exam contributes 40% of the final Leaving Certificate Irish mark.³
Its four sections offer 240 marks in total, with Comhrá Ginearálta carrying 120.⁶
Common questions cover personal information, school, hobbies, future plans and wider opinions.⁵
Students should prepare flexible ideas and examples rather than memorising complete scripts.
Clear pronunciation, active listening and regular speaking practice are more important than speed.
Prescribed poetry and Sraith Pictiúr material must match the student’s examination year.¹

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Understanding the Irish Oral Exam Structure

The first step to acing your test is to understand how it is structured so that you can allocate your time and study Irish effectively. Each component tests a different aspect of spoken Irish, including pronunciation, prepared reading, conversation and storytelling. Understanding what happens in each part can also make the exam feel more manageable.

Person writing on papers beside a notebook and white mug — Understanding the exam structure can help students organise their Irish oral notes and preparation time. | Photo by Unseen Studio

The Irish oral exam contributes

40%

to a student’s final Leaving Certificate Irish mark.³

Component	Approximate time	Marks	Main assessment focus
Fáiltiú	1 minute	5	Personal details and clear initial communication
Léamh na Filíochta	2 minutes	35	Pronunciation, understanding and rhythm
Comhrá Ginearálta	Around 8 minutes	120	Vocabulary range, fluency, accuracy and interaction
An tSraith Pictiúr	Around 4 minutes	80	Narration, language range and question handling
Total	Around 15 minutes	240	Complete Higher and Ordinary Level oral assessment

Components of the Exam

Each component of the Irish Leaving Cert oral exam requires a slightly different preparation method. Practise them separately at first, then combine all four sections in complete mock oral exams.

Across its four sections, the Irish oral exam offers

240

marks in total.⁶

Fáiltiú

During the Fáiltiú, the examiner requests basic personal information. Listen carefully just as you would in the aural exam and answer each question clearly without adding an unnecessary prepared speech. Use this brief section to settle into the exam, become accustomed to the examiner’s voice and begin speaking Irish with confidence.

Léamh na Filíochta

During Léamh na Filíochta, the examiner will choose material from the prescribed poetry for you to read aloud.⁶ Rather than relying on a preferred section, practise every required poem. Do not race through the lines. Read at a steady pace with clear pronunciation and natural phrasing.

Check the Material for Your Examination Year

Prescribed poetry and Sraith Pictiúr material can change between examination cohorts. The Department has issued specific material for candidates sitting Leaving Certificate Irish in 2027 and 2028.¹ Use the material supplied by your school and check the latest official guidance for your examination year. An undated online list may contain sequences or poems that no longer apply.

Comhrá Ginearálta

The Comhrá Ginearálta is a conversation. You may get questions on topics like family, school or hobbies before moving towards future plans, opinions and wider issues. Remember to answer in complete sentences, including reasons and examples where possible.

The Comhrá Ginearálta section carries

120

marks, making it the largest part of the Irish oral exam.⁶

An tSraith Pictiúr

This section tests your ability to describe a series of pictures coherently and accurately. The examiner assesses your vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, and overall proficiency. Points are awarded for your ability to narrate the sequence logically and incorporate relevant idiomatic expressions.

Common Irish Oral Exam Questions

You can't predict what the examiner will ask, but the same broad Irish oral topics appear regularly. You can expect familiar topics like home, family and school before developing into hobbies, plans and opinions.⁵ Use these practice prompts to rehearse changing topics and adding detail to your answers.

Irish oral topic	Question in Irish	English meaning	Useful answer content
Personal information	Inis dom fút féin.	Tell me about yourself.	Name, age, home and one personal detail
Home	Cá bhfuil tú i do chónaí?	Where do you live?	Location, type of home and local area
Family	Cé mhéad duine atá i do theaghlach?	How many people are in your family?	Family members and your relationship with them
Local area	Déan cur síos ar an áit ina bhfuil tú i do chónaí.	Describe the place where you live.	Facilities, advantages and disadvantages
School	Déan cur síos ar do scoil.	Describe your school.	Size, facilities, teachers and atmosphere
Subjects	Cad iad na hábhair atá á ndéanamh agat?	What subjects are you studying?	Subjects, levels and preferences
Favourite subject	Cén t-ábhar is fearr leat agus cén fáth?	Which subject do you like best and why?	Subject, reason and a supporting example
Future plans	Cad ba mhaith leat a dhéanamh tar éis na hArdteistiméireachta?	What would you like to do after the Leaving Certificate?	College, work, training, travel or other plans
Hobbies	Cad a dhéanann tú i d’am saor?	What do you do in your free time?	Regular hobbies and reasons for enjoying them
Sport	Cad é an spórt is fearr leat?	What is your favourite sport?	Participation, team, achievements and memorable experiences
Past tense	Cad a rinne tú an deireadh seachtaine seo caite?	What did you do last weekend?	Activities described in chronological order
Social media	Cad é do thuairim faoi na meáin shóisialta?	What is your opinion of social media?	Benefits, risks and your personal view
Young people	Cad iad na fadhbanna is mó atá ag daoine óga sa lá atá inniu ann?	What are the biggest problems facing young people today?	Problem, cause, effect and possible solution
Conditional tense	Cad a dhéanfá dá mbeifeá i do Thaoiseach?	What would you do if you were Taoiseach?	Proposed changes, reasons and likely results

Personal Information

Cad é an saghas duine thú? (What kind of person are you?)

This question allows you to describe your personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses thoughtfully and honestly. You may also be asked about your name, age, family, home, or local area. Answer with direct information and then descriptive details and personal examples.

School and Education

Cad iad na hábhair atá á ndéanamh agat? (What subjects are you studying?)

Be prepared to talk about the subjects you're studying and why you enjoy them. You may also be asked about your teachers, school facilities, homework, examinations and plans after the Leaving Certificate. Support your answers with clear reasons and relevant examples.

Hobbies and Interests

Cad é an spórt is fearr leat? (What is your favourite sport?)

Describe your favourite sport, why you enjoy it, and any achievements or memorable experiences related to that sport.

Cad é an caitheamh aimsire is fearr leat? (What is your favourite pastime?)

Share your hobbies and interests outside of school, such as reading, music, or any other leisure activities you enjoy.

Current Events and Opinions

You may also get questions about wider issues. Irish oral topics could include things like social media, artificial intelligence, housing, environmental concerns and pressures affecting young people. State your opinion clearly and support it with a relevant example. Stronger answers may acknowledge another viewpoint before suggesting a practical solution.

Four students talking around a table with a laptop, tablet and drinks — Practising questions with other students can improve fluency and make follow-up conversations feel more natural. | Photo by Brooke Cagle

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Effective Preparation Strategies

The assessment is distinct from the Written Paper. If you incorporate the right strategies and learning tools and develop your fluency, it can really help improve your grade. Reading notes silently can help with vocabulary and grammar, but you should also practise speaking regularly. Your plan should include conversation, active recall, listening and targeted correction.

Practice Techniques

As with any language, when you first start practising speaking, it is often both challenging and intimidating. The more you learn and grow comfortable speaking it, the faster you will progress! Complete mock orals are a good way to familiarise yourself with the order and pace. Classmates, teachers, or tutors can help you with random questions and unexpected follow-ups. Record your answers to identify areas where you have room for improvement. Try answering the same question in several different ways so that you are not dependent on one memorised response.⁴

Two people holding grey mugs across a white table — Regular one-to-one conversation practice can help students become more comfortable answering unexpected questions. | Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦

Prepare Ideas, Not a Complete Script

A completely memorised answer can be difficult to adapt when the examiner changes the wording or asks an unexpected follow-up question. Prepare each Irish oral topic using a direct answer, a reason, an example and one additional detail. This gives your response a clear structure without making it sound rehearsed. Practise expressing the same idea in two or three different ways.

Vocabulary Building

To do well in the oral assessment, it is essential to practise expanding your vocabulary and develop confidence in your conversational ability. Getting familiar with questions can boost your readiness and comfort level for the test. Organise your vocabulary by topic, such as school, family, hobbies, and future plans. Learn useful nouns, verbs, opinion phrases and connecting expressions.

Pronunciation and Fluency

Speaking clearly is more important than speaking quickly. Listen to native Irish audio, repeat short phrases, and record yourself. Teanglann’s pronunciation database can help with individual words, while Irish-language broadcasts provide examples of natural rhythm and intonation.⁸ Do not use English merely to fill pauses. It is fine to pause briefly while you think. Regular listening and speaking practice will gradually make your delivery sound more confident and natural.⁶

Sample Answers and Model Responses

Model responses are learning tools to study and understand, not scripts to copy. Begin with a direct response, add a reason or personal detail and leave opportunities for the examiner to ask follow-up questions. Adapt the vocabulary and examples to produce truthful, natural answers.

Green paper speech bubble containing three crumpled yellow paper balls — Building an answer around a clear idea, reason and example makes it easier to respond without relying on a fixed script. | Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko