JUNIOR CERT MUSIC:IT WAS A harmonious morning for the Junior Cert students of music who sat a "delightful" paper featuring Mahler, Boney M and sean nós music. "This was a very nice paper indeed," said Mary McFadden, a teacher at Loreto Balbriggan. "Students were very positive coming out."

There was one discordant note, regarding question five. “Question five usually makes reference to ‘Artsongs’,” said Maria Morgan of Jobstown Community College. “Weaker students may have been a bit thrown by its omission.”

Otherwise the paper was accessible and enjoyable, including listening sections on Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and a range of Irish music. “The Irish music section was nicer than in previous years,” said Ms Morgan. “There was a reel, a lament and a march.”

Ms McFadden noted that the keys of D major and B flat major, favourites among students, were both on yesterday’s higher paper. “The triads and backing chords were in keys that the students like to work in. That was a bonus.”