GCSE Gaeilge (2017)

The CCEA GCSE Gaeilge specification enhances students’ positive attitude towards the Irish language, culture and literature and helps them become effective and accurate users of Irish.

It builds on the range of Irish language skills that students acquire in Irish-medium education. It also helps students prepare for AS level Irish, as it has more literature content than the other GCSE languages specifications. This gives students opportunities to improve their skills in analysis, collating, comparison and cross-referencing.

In addition, students widen their awareness and understanding of Irish-speaking communities and develop their practical use of Irish.

This qualification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills developed through the Language and Literacy Area of Learning.

Areas explored include The Individual and Society, The World around Me, Employability, Irish Language Communities and Literature in Irish. Students also investigate the use of language, grammar and syntax and translate a text from English into Irish and from Irish into English.

This is a linear qualification: students take all the assessment at the end of the course.

The specification has four components:

  • Component 1: Listening and Speaking in Gaeilge
  • Component 2: Reading and Writing in Gaeilge
  • Component 3: Reading in Gaeilge
  • Component 4: Writing in Gaeilge.

Current Specification

First teaching: from September 2017
First assessment: from Summer 2019
First award: from Summer 2019
QAN: 603/1313/4
Subject code: 5012
Guided learning hours: 120
Qualification level: 1/2

Skills developed through our GCSE Gaeilge

This specification supports the Northern Ireland Curriculum at Key Stage 4 and gives students further opportunities to achieve their potential and develop skills for life.

Learning Gaeilge promotes good communication skills, such as presenting information effectively in speech and writing, as well as valuable transferable skills such as teamwork, problem solving and independent thinking. It promotes cross-cultural skills, working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, and understanding of local and global cultural perspectives. In an increasingly interconnected world, the skills you gain through studying a language can prepare you to succeed in a variety of careers such as business, education and other professional fields. 

GCSE Gaeilge also helps students to develop a richness in the language that will benefit anyone considering GCE Irish. 

For more information on this specification contact:

Philip Cummings
Subject Officer
(028) 9590 5146
Joan Jennings
Specification Support Officer
(028) 9026 1439