What is CCEA AS 2 Irish History?

AS 2 is the Irish history unit of the CCEA AS-Level course, one of the two written AS units. It studies Ireland and its relationship with Britain across a transformative period, typically from 1789 to 1925. The unit moves from the impact of the French Revolution and the United Irishmen, through Catholic Emancipation, the Great Famine and the rise of Home Rule, to the Easter Rising and the partition of Ireland. It is a distinctive strength of CCEA History.

What periods does AS 2 Irish History cover?

The unit covers three broad periods. Ireland 1789 to 1815 deals with the French Revolution, the United Irishmen, the 1798 Rebellion, the Act of Union and Emmet's rising. The Irish question 1815 to 1870 covers O'Connell and Catholic Emancipation, the Great Famine, Young Ireland and the Fenians. Home Rule and partition 1870 to 1925 covers Parnell, the Ulster crisis, the Easter Rising, the War of Independence and partition.

How is AS 2 assessed?

AS 2 is a written examination on the Irish history option. Like AS 1, it includes a source-based question, in which students assess the value and reliability of primary sources, and essay questions requiring a sustained analytical argument and a substantiated judgement. The Irish content is detailed, so precise knowledge of events, figures and dates is essential.

Why is accuracy so important in AS 2 Irish History?

Irish history is contested and emotionally charged, so examiners reward precise, balanced and accurate accounts. Students must distinguish carefully between events such as the Government of Ireland Act of 1920, which created partition, and the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which created the Irish Free State, and between constitutional and physical-force nationalism. Vague or one-sided answers lose marks.

How should I revise CCEA AS 2 Irish History?

Build a clear chronology of the whole period, then learn the key turning points: the 1798 Rebellion and Act of Union, Catholic Emancipation, the Great Famine, the Home Rule crisis, the Easter Rising and partition. Learn the main figures, such as Tone, O'Connell, Parnell, Carson and Craig, and practise both the source question and essays under timed conditions using CCEA past papers.

Northern IrelandHistory

CCEA AS 2 Irish History: a complete overview of Ireland 1789 to 1925, from the United Irishmen to partition

A complete overview of CCEA AS 2 Irish History, covering Ireland from 1789 to 1925. Spans the United Irishmen and the Act of Union, Catholic Emancipation and the Great Famine, and the Home Rule crisis, Easter Rising and partition, with the source and essay skills the unit tests.

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The three periods
How AS 2 is assessed
How to study AS 2 Irish History
The module, dot point by dot point
For the official specification

CCEA AS 2 Irish History is the Irish history unit of the AS-Level course, studying Ireland and its relationship with Britain across the transformative period from 1789 to 1925. It is a distinctive strength of CCEA History, and it rewards precise, balanced and accurate knowledge. This overview maps the period and how to study it.

The three periods

The unit moves through three connected periods that together explain how Ireland reached partition.

Ireland 1789 to 1815: The impact of the French Revolution, the founding and radicalisation of the United Irishmen, the 1798 Rebellion, the Act of Union of 1801, and Robert Emmet's rising of 1803. The theme is revolutionary ideas tested against Irish realities.
The Irish question 1815 to 1870: Daniel O'Connell and Catholic Emancipation, the failed Repeal campaign, the catastrophe of the Great Famine, Young Ireland and the rise of the Fenians, and Gladstone's first response. The theme is mass politics, famine and the birth of physical-force nationalism.
Home Rule and partition 1870 to 1925: Parnell and the Home Rule movement, the Ulster crisis, the 1916 Easter Rising, the rise of Sinn Fein, the War of Independence, and the partition of Ireland. The theme is the hardening of two traditions into separation.

How AS 2 is assessed

AS 2 is a written paper on the Irish history option, combining source and essay tasks.

The source-based question. Assess the value and reliability of primary sources to a historian studying a named Irish issue.
The essays. Build a sustained, analytical argument with a substantiated judgement on a contested Irish question.

How to study AS 2 Irish History

This unit rewards a clear chronology and precise, balanced detail.

Build the chronology. Map the whole period so turning points connect.
Learn the turning points. 1798, the Union, Emancipation, the Famine, the Ulster crisis, the Easter Rising and partition.
Learn the key figures. Tone, O'Connell, Parnell, Carson and Craig, with what each stood for.
Be precise and balanced. Distinguish the 1920 Act (partition) from the 1921 Treaty (the Free State).
Practise with CCEA past papers. Both the source and essay tasks reward board-specific technique.

The module, dot point by dot point

Each period has a specification-level page with worked questions and cross-links, plus a quiz. Browse the full set at /ccea-a-level/history/syllabus.

For the official specification

CCEA publishes the full specification, past papers and mark schemes at ccea.org.uk. Always revise from the current CCEA specification and CCEA's own past papers.

Sources & how we know this

CCEA GCE History specification — CCEA (2016)