Two more students from the L&H society at University College Dublin (UCD) have secured a team place at the final of The Irish Times Debate after winning Friday night’s semi-final in Cork.
The third of four semi-finals in the competition, which is in its 65th year, was held at University College Cork and was chaired by economist and senior lecturer at UCC Dr Brian Turner.
Four teams and four individuals representing societies from UCD, Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Galway and the Solicitors’ Apprentice Debating Society of Ireland took part and debated on the motion that “this House believes that the best government is that which governs least.”
UCD students Rob Fitzpatrick and Adrianne Ward who debated in favour of the motion were the winning team, while Tom Frances from Trinity College Dublin’s Historical Society was the winning individual.
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Mr Frances, who also debated in favour of the motion, became the second individual from TCD’s Historical Society to earn an individual place in the final.
Adjudicators included Oliver McKenna, an economics student and 2023 individual winner of the competition; Sandi Ndebele, a chemical engineer and 2020 convenor; Stephen O’Sullivan, a team finalist last year; and barrister Brian Leahy.
The Irish Times Debate competition, which began in 1960, is an all-island debating championship for third-level students. Former winners include President Michael D Higgins, broadcaster Marian Finucane and former president Mary Robinson.
Finalists for this year’s competition so far include Stéphane de Baréid and Coleman Hegarty, a team from the L&H society at UCD, and individual Irene Kellegher from the Cadet School, which is responsible for the training and education of officer cadets for the Defence Forces.
David Rattigan and Emer Nolan, from the Solicitors’ Apprentice Debating Society of Ireland, and Mary Woods, from TCD’s Historical Society, became finalists after winning the semi-final held in the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin on Thursday.
The winning teams and individuals from the four semi-finals, the last of which is scheduled for February 7th, will debate in the 65th final at Queen’s University Belfast on February 28th.
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