Forget the Tramps ball at UCC, forget UCD fashion week, forget even Trinity Ball. The real social highlight of the student season this year will be the 40th anniversary Irish Times debating competition finals in NUI Galway on Febuary 25th.
In the august surroundings of the Kirwan lecture theatre, an assembled host of the great, good, witty and erudite will hear the motion that "this House would call a halt to the tribunals of inquiry". Chairing will be Pat Rabbitte. As well as the intellectual glory of seeing opponents struck dumb by their eloquence, the winners will receive an all-expenses paid jaunt to the US, where they will go on a debating tour.
And the finalists: competing as individuals are Liam Herrick of UCC Philosoph, Louise Rowse from the Law Society, Michael Hourigan from UL Debating Union and Richard Gibbs from UCD Lit & Hist; the teams are Michael Deasy and Ronan Mullen from King's Inns, Barbara O'Neill and Ian Walsh from King's Inns, Robert Cuffe and Colm Green from TCD Phil and Barry Ryan and Aisling Currid from NUI Galway Literary and Debating Society.
