Studied Prose (Pros Roghnach)

Prós Roghnach in the Paper 2 Architecture

Paper 2 lasts 3 hours 5 minutes and is worth 200 marks—a full third of your overall grade. Managing your time across the paper is vital:

For Question 2, four choices are printed on the paper: two on the prescribed course (2A(a) and 2A(b)) and two on the optional course (2B(a) and 2B(b)). You answer one question only across all of Question 2. If your class studied Prós Roghnach, you pick between 2B(a) and 2B(b). The two questions at 2B will usually name a genre—past questions have asked about an dráma roghnach or an gearrscéal roghnach—and you will not know in advance which two genres appear. Prepare all five works so you are covered.

Timing and Length

Thirty marks out of 200 is worth about 25 to 30 minutes in the exam, including two or three minutes to plan. Aim for roughly five paragraphs—an introduction, three developed points supported by the text, and a conclusion—amounting to around 350 to 450 words. Anything much shorter will struggle to carry the textual detail needed for the 25 Eolas marks, while writing more will eat into the 100 marks available for reading comprehension.

The Ceist 4 Trap

Choosing the optional course applies to Ceist 2 (prose) and Ceist 3 (poetry) only. Ceist 4: Litríocht Bhreise (40 marc) is always answered on prescribed material—either one of the additional prose works or one of the five additional poems named in Circular 0070/2024. Optional material of your own choice cannot be used in Ceist 4. Even if your class studies Prós Roghnach, you must prepare the prescribed syllabus for Question 4.

The Five Mandatory Genres and Selection Rules

A complete Prós Roghnach programme requires five texts, each chosen from a distinct genre category:

1. Sliocht béaloidis: An authentic folklore extract or mythological/Fiannaíocht tale.
2. Giota as saothar dírbheathaisnéise nó dialann taistil: An extract from a published autobiography, memoir, or travel diary.
3. Gearrscéal [go huile]: A complete Irish-language short story, studied in full rather than as an extract.
4. Giota as úrscéal: An extract from an Irish-language novel, comparable in length and challenge to the prescribed texts.
5. Dráma [nó giota as] nó Scannán Gaeilge: A play (or extract) or a recognised Irish-language film.

Eligibility Criteria

Teachers choose the texts, but you should understand the rules that govern them:

• Buntéacsanna Gaeilge: Every work must have been written and published in Irish originally. Translations into Irish (aistriúcháin) are strictly forbidden.
• Published and Accessible: All texts must be in print and publicly available.
• No 2027 Prescribed Texts: You cannot use any piece currently on the 2027 common prescribed list (Clann Lir, Athair, Glantóir, An Bóthar go Santiago, Cuairteoir, An tIriseoir, Eoinín na nÉan, or An Féileacán agus an Crann Úll).
• No Junior Cycle or Other Exam Lists: Texts cannot be taken from Díolaim Próis na Meánteistiméireachta, nor can you use material currently or previously prescribed for Junior Cycle Irish or other Leaving Certificate subjects.
• Balance: The five selections must present a balance between serious and lighter themes (ábhar trom agus ábhar éadrom) and maintain gender balance across the writers.

These criteria are strict: an answer based on an ineligible text cannot be credited as a valid Prós Roghnach response.

Transferable Phrase Bank for Prompts

Almost every Ceist 2 prompt finishes with the instruction: Déan plé ar an ráiteas sin (Discuss that statement). The 25 Eolas marks require direct engagement with the statement, while the 5 Cumas Gaeilge marks reward structured, idiomatic phrasing. Use these set expressions to anchor your argument:

Opening (Name the Text and Take a Stand)

• Maidir leis an ngearrscéal roghnach a ndearna mé staidéar air, roghnaigh mé "[Teideal]" le [Údar]. (Regarding the optional short story I studied, I chose "[Title]" by [Author].)
• Aontaím go hiomlán leis an ráiteas sin. (I completely agree with that statement.)
• Aontaím leis an ráiteas sin go pointe áirithe, ach ní aontaím leis ar fad. (I agree with that statement up to a point, but not entirely.)
• Tá dhá ghné i gceist sa ráiteas seo agus pléifidh mé an dá cheann díobh. (There are two elements in this statement and I will discuss both of them.)

Developing Your Points

• Is léir ó thús an scéil go bhfuil... (It is clear from the start of the story that...)
• Léiríonn an t-údar dúinn go... / Nochtar dúinn go... (The author shows us that... / It is revealed to us that...)
• Tá fianaise air seo sa radharc nuair a... (There is evidence of this in the scene where...)
• Mar shampla... / Chomh maith leis sin... / Ar an láimh eile... (For example... / As well as that... / On the other hand...)

Concluding and Summing Up

• Mar fhocal scoir, is dóigh liom go bhfuil an ráiteas cruinn mar... (To conclude, I think the statement is accurate because...)
• Is é sin an fáth go n-aontaím leis an ráiteas sin. (That is why I agree with that statement.)

Foclóir Riachtanach: Tréithe, Téamaí, agus Freagairt

Higher Level questions regularly focus on character traits (tréithe agus iompar an charachtair), relationships (an caidreamh idir...), and central themes. Using exact vocabulary earns content marks and secures the language grade.

Tréithe Carachtair (Character Traits)

• cineálta (kind)
• cruálach (cruel)
• mailíseach (malicious)
• santach (greedy)
• uaillmhianach (ambitious)
• dílis (loyal)
• leithleasach (selfish)
• mífhoighneach (impatient)
• cúramach (caring, careful)
• cantalach (cranky)
• fuarchúiseach (cold, indifferent)
• cainteach (talkative)
• cúthail (shy)
• misniúil (brave)

Téamaí Lárnacha (Core Themes)

• an t-uaigneas (loneliness)
• an chumhacht (power)
• an dílseacht (loyalty)
• an chruálacht (cruelty)
• an imirce (emigration)
• cúrsaí teaghlaigh (family matters)
• ról na mban sa tsochaí (the role of women in society)
• an bás (death)
• an choimhlint idir na glúnta (conflict between generations)

Freagairt an Lucht Léite nó Féachana (Audience Reaction)

• cuireann an radharc seo alltacht orainn (this scene shocks us)
• mothaímid trua don charachtar (we feel pity for the character)
• braithim gur... (I feel that...)
• fágtar an léitheoir ag machnamh ar... (the reader is left reflecting on...)

Struchtúr agus Teicnící (Structure and Techniques)

• an buaicphointe (the climax)
• an chríoch thragóideach (the tragic ending)
• an teannas (the tension)
• forbairt an charachtair (development of the character)
• gar-amharc (close-up shot)
• atmaisféar bagrach (menacing atmosphere)

Essential Grammar for Literature Responses

Examiners reward clear, accurate Irish over complicated sentences that collapse grammatically. Watch these four areas:

The Copula (Is) vs The Substantive Verb (Tá)

Use the copula when linking a subject to a noun category:

• Is duine cruálach í Catherine. (Catherine is a cruel person.)
• Is carachtar suimiúil é Paul. (Paul is an interesting character.)

Use tá when describing someone directly with an adjective:

• Tá Catherine cruálach. (Catherine is cruel.)
• Tá Paul cainteach. (Paul is talkative.)

Never combine tá directly with a classified noun phrase like Tá Catherine duine cruálach.

The Genitive Case After Nouns

When one noun qualifies another, the second noun takes the tuiseal ginideach:

• tréithe an charachtair (the traits of the character)
• forbairt an chaidrimh (the development of the relationship)
• deireadh an scéil (the end of the story)
• cruthú an teannais (the creation of the tension)

Feminine Nouns After the Article (An)

Singular feminine nouns lenite after an in the common form, and any following adjective lenites as well — except nouns beginning with d, t or s (an dílseacht, an teanga, an tsochaí):

• an bhean chairdiúil (the friendly woman)
• an bhréag mhailíseach (the malicious lie)
• an chríoch thragóideach (the tragic ending)
• an fhearg mhór (the great anger)

Tense Consistency

Keep critical commentary in the present tense (Insíonn sí bréag dó, Feicimid an teannas ag fás). If you shift to the past tense to recount a specific plot detail (Bhog sí an análóir uaidh — she moved the inhaler away from him), do so intentionally and return smoothly to the analytical present.

Author Context and Short Story Structural Shell

Under Circular 0070/2024, examiners may include a short sub-question (focheist ghairid) asking for author background or literary context. Three precise sentences are plenty:

Model Answer for Author Background

Ceist: Scríobh nóta gairid ar údar an tsaothair sin. Is scríbhneoir comhaimseartha Gaeilge é/í [Ainm], a rugadh i [Áit] sa bhliain [Bliain]. Foilsíodh an saothar seo in [Bliain] agus baineann sé le saol na [cathrach / tuaithe / Gaeltachta] sa lá atá inniu ann. Is minic a scríobhann [Ainm] faoi théamaí ar nós an uaignis agus chúrsaí teaghlaigh, agus tá an saothar seo ar aon dul leis sin.

Sample Paragraph Structure for a Short Story

When writing on a short story or novel extract, follow a repeatable shape: statement of point, supporting evidence from the text, character impact, and link back to the exam prompt.

Ar an gcéad dul síos, léirítear dúinn an saol leamh atá ag an bpríomhcharachtar. Caitheann sí an lá ag obair sa teach agus ní bhíonn comhluadar ar bith aici. Tá fianaise air seo sa radharc nuair a labhraíonn sí lena fear céile agus nach dtugann sé aird ar bith uirthi. Fágann an easpa cumarsáide seo go mbraitheann sí uaigneach agus gan luach, agus is é sin bunchloch a míshástachta ar fad.

(First of all, we are shown the dull life the main character has. She spends the day working in the house and has no company at all. There is evidence of this in the scene where she speaks to her husband and he pays her no attention. This lack of communication leaves her feeling lonely and worthless, and that is the foundation of all her dissatisfaction.)

Key terms

Prós: Ábhar Roghnach

The optional prose course on Leaving Certificate Paper 2, requiring five original Irish-language texts covering five specified genres.

Buntéacs Gaeilge

A text originally composed and published in Irish. Translations from other languages are not permitted.

Sliocht béaloidis

A folklore extract; one of the five mandatory genres on the optional course.

Dírbheathaisnéis nó dialann taistil

An extract from an autobiography, memoir, or travel diary; one of the five mandatory genres.

Gearrscéal [go huile]

A complete short story studied in its entirety, rather than an abridged extract.

Giota as úrscéal

An extract from an Irish-language novel of comparable length to the prescribed texts.

Dráma nó Scannán Gaeilge

A play (or scene from one) or an Irish-language film; the fifth required genre category.

Buaicphointe

The dramatic climax or turning point of a narrative where tension peaks.

Coimhlint

Dramatic conflict, either internal within a character or external between opposing figures.

Gar-amharc

A cinematic close-up shot used to highlight character emotion, physical mannerisms, or props.

Atmaisféar bagrach

A menacing or threatening atmosphere created through setting, dialogue, and staging.

Focheist ghairid

A short sub-question on Paper 2 testing author background, historical context, or literary history.