University of Limerick Debating Union
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[edit] Purpose
The University of Limerick Debating Union is a society open to the students and staff of the university to engage in debate on topical issues and participates in student inter-varsity debating competitions.
[edit] Crest and motto
The Debating Union moto is Verbum Sapis Sapienti.
[edit] Predecessors
- The John Holland Theatrical Society
- The Literary and Philosophical Society
- The Parliamentary Debating Society
[edit] The John Holland Theatrical Society
The Society was founded in October 1985 in what was then National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick. Between 1985 and 1986 the name of the Society changed on numerous occasions as part of a running joke which saw a new name being adopted every week. The name settled on refers to the lecture theatre on Block D Level 1 on the main building of the University of Limerick where the society held its regular meetings, named after John Philip Holland. (Although the initial Meeting Room was C1-056). At first the Society used a Schools Debating Format with teams of four competing in a league. However this soon gave way to University style debating. Private Members Time was introduced in 1986.
[edit] The Literary and Philosophical Society
The John Holland Theatrical became the "Lit & Phil" in 1988 when the Society's activities had moved to a larger venue. This society retained the John Holland's character and combined formal debating with dramatic and comedic activity.
[edit] The Parliamentary Debating Society
Formed in 1991 to prioritise competitive debate. Initially returned to the roots of Limerick debate by utilising the John Holland Lecture Theatre.
[edit] Competition and Collaboration
The "Lit and Phil" and the "Parl Deb" operated separate societies but had some overlap in membership. The Irish Times Debating Final of 1992-93 was hosted co-operatively between the societies but there remained substantial differences in the aims of the two organisations.
[edit] Formation of the Debating Union
Financial and organisational pressures forced the merger of the Literary and Philosophical and the Parliamentary Debating Societies in the 1994-5 session.
[edit] Successes
- World Championships
- Two Limerick teams have reached the knock out stages of the World Championships, both progressing to the Octo-Finals. Diarmuid Scully & Niamh Lyons did so at the Oxford Union in 1992 and Keith Pigott & Mike Hourigan at University of Toronto in 2002.
- Three Limerick judges have judged the knock out rounds. Mike Ryan (Octo-final University of Melbourne 1993) Colm O'Cinneide (Semi-final Ateneo de Manila 1999) and Colm Flynn (Deputy-Chief Adjudicator and Grand Final Judge, Stellenbosch University 2003, ESL Final and Main Qtr Final Judge University of Toronto in 2002).
- Colm Flynn was Chair of Worlds Council at the 2001 University of Glasgow and 2002 University of Toronto tournaments. He was also Registrar of council at the 2000 tournament in University of Sydney. He was the recipient of the Order of Distinction award at the 2006 World Debating Championships held in University College Dublin
- Irish Times
- Séamus Doran and Pádraic Ó Halloran were the first team representing the University to win the Irish Times Final Debate at Trinity College, Dublin in 1997.
- Pádraic Ó Halloran was also individual runner up in 1995 as was Brian O'Farrell in 1994.
- Cathal Kelly was the first Limerick speaker to reach the semi-final round, as an individual speaker (circa 1989).
- European Universities Debating Championship
- One Limerick team (Ken McDonagh and David Keary) reached the semi-final of the 1999 tournament at Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands and the other team (Michael Hourigan and Caroline Timmons) reached the quarter-final.
- The Debating Union submitted a bid at the 2001 Championships in Portorož, Slovenia to host the 2002 event but the Europeans Council chose University of Haifa, Israel to host. Two UL teams competed (Tadhg O'Shea and Julian Moore), (Gavin Ward and Eoin O'Culain), reaching the semi-finals and quarter-finals respectively.
- Mark Dowling (2001) and Colm Flynn (1999 and 2005) have served as Grand Final Judges at the Championships.
[edit] Structure
The membership elects a committee at the annual general meeting. The highest position is that of Auditor.
[edit] Past Auditors
- 2006-07 Oisín Collins
- 2005-06 Stuart Wallace/Oisín Collins
- 2004-05 Stuart Wallace
- 2003-04 Judith Lynch (Autumn Semester) Michelle Ni Ghaboid (Spring Semester)
- 2002-03 Sarah Carew
- 2002-03 Timmy Hennessy (Autumn Semester)
- 2001-02 Julian Moore
- 2000-01 Conor Barry (Autumn Semester) Cait NiChochlain (Spring Semester)
- 1999-00 Michael Hourigan
- 1998-99 Tracey Cooney (Autumn Semester) Colm Linnane (Spring Semester)
- 1997-98 Seamus Ryan
- 1996-97 Colm Flynn (Autumn Semester) Niamh MacAteer (Spring Semester)
- 1995-96 John McElligott
- 1994-95 Margaret Stronge-Smith
Parliamentary Debating Society:
- 1993-94 Derek Sheahan
- 1992-93 Diarmuid Scully
Literary & Philosophical Society:
- 1993-94 Matthew Hamilton
- 1992-93 John Maguire (Michaelmas Term), Raymond Hurley (Hilary & Trinity Terms)
- 1991-92 Neville Bourke (Michaelmas Term), John Maguire (Hilary & Trinity Terms)
- 1990-91 Donal Waide
- 1989-90 Neville Bourke
- 1988-89 Alan O'Donnell
John Holland Theatrical Society
- 1987-88 Daniel Murphy
- 1986-87 Stephen MacNamara
- 1985-86 Ian Cullen
[edit] Events
[edit] House debates
The Society holds public debates on both serious and light hearted topics. Some of these drew large crowds to see guest speakers, such on the Northern Ireland Peace Process and the 1995 Divorce Referendum. Among those who have spoken at the Society are Catholic values campaigner Nora Bennis, former Irish government Ministers Michael Noonan and Ray Burke, the late TD Jim Kemmy, former MEP Paddy Lane and former Mayor of Derry Richard Dallas. Then University President Dr. Edward M. Walsh (now President Emeritus) delivered a paper to the society on the idea of a modern university - among those who replied was novelist John Connolly, who was then Education Correspondent for the Irish Times.
[edit] Annual intervarsity
This competition started life as the "Mini-Worlds" in 1994, introducing a worlds-format tournament at this level when most other competitions used a knockout or straight final format at intervarsity level. The competition slowly grew but as the Worlds style format became more popular it was quickly outgrown by large competitions at Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin and University College Cork and indeed the format has become the norm for Irish intervarsities. Nevertheless, the social aspect of the competition, and its usefulness as a preparatory tournament to the European Championship meant that Limerick attracted teams from the US, Germany, France, Greece, Scotland and England over the years.
[edit] Ciaran Treacy Perpetual Trophy
Ciaran was a student who entered the Campus in 1987. His interests included Basketball, Music and Debating. He was known affectionately by his nicknames "Basketball Billy" and "Trasyballs" or just "Trasy". His life came to a premature end on the 7th of October 1989 when he was killed in an automobile accident - just one day after his 21st Birthday.
To preserve his memory a Perpetual Trophy was inaugurated in his name and awarded to the winner of the society's internal individual speaker competition. The Trophy itself contains a miniature of a sculpture of the mythical warrior Cúchulainn (Setanta) - tied to a standing stone with a raven on his shoulder - set on a marble base. The original sculpture, honouring the martyrs of the Easter Uprising of 1916, is called "The Death of Cúchulainn" by Oliver Shepardon and is on display in the General Post Office on O'Connell Street in Dublin.
Past Winners and Runner Ups:
| YEAR | WINNER | RUNNER UP |
| 2005-06 | - Sarah Carew | - Michael Keary |
| 2004-05 | - Shane Moloney | - Eoin Gubbins |
| 2003-04 | - John Fitzgibbons | - Shane Moloney |
| 2002-03 | - Paddy Buckley | - ??? |
| 2001-02 | - Grace Lord | - ??? |
| 2000-01 | - Claire McCarthy | - Grace Lord |
| 1999-00 | - Keith Pigott | - Marcus Lynch |
| 1998-99 | - Michael Hourigan | - Claire McCarthy |
| 1997-98 | - Míchael Healy | - Rose Kavanagh |
| 1996-97 | - Colm Linnane | - Claire McCarthy |
| 1995-96 | - Colm Flynn | - Brian O'Farrell |
| 1994-95 | - Padraic O'Halloran | - Colm Flynn |
| 1993-94 | - Brian O'Farrell | - Dearbhla Considine |
| 1992-93 | - Robert O'Meara | - Lorna Kerin |
| 1991-92 | - James Hurley | - John Maguire |
| 1990-91 | - NO CONTEST | |
| 1989-90 | - Colm O'Gairbhigh | - Diarmuid Scully |
-
- There was no Contest held during the Academic Year 1990-91 but the Auditor Donal Waide gave the Award to Eoin Crowley in recognition of his general contribution to the Society during that year.
[edit] Team Debate
The Team competition was traditionally held in Term 1 and has also been called the "O'Mahoney's Debate". Records are not up to date and the competition may not have been held in recent years or may have been combined with the run offs for the World University Debating Championships since 2000. The competition was started in 1995. Unlike the Ciaran Treacy there is no bar on past winners defending their title.
Past Winners and Runner Ups:
| YEAR | WINNER | Individual award |
| 2005-06 | - ??? | - ??? |
| 2004-05 | - Paddy Buckley & Eamonn O'Flynn | - ??? |
| 2003-04 | - Paddy Buckley & Eamonn O'Flynn | - Julian Moore |
| 2002-03 | - Keith Pigott & Mike Hourigan | - Paddy Buckley |
| 2001-02 | - Keith Pigott & Mike Hourigan | - Kate Coughlan |
| 2000-01 | - Claire McCarthy & Barry McLoughlin | - Fiona Clandillon |
| 1999-00 | - ??? | - ??? |
| 1998-99 | - Colm Linnaine & Claire McCarthy | - Barry McLoughlin |
| 1997-98 | - Colm Flynn & Padraic Fox | - Rose Kavanagh |
| 1996-97 | - Colm Flynn & Barry McLoughlin | - Claire McCarthy |
| 1995-96 | - Keith Pigott & John Mc'Elligott | - Thorsten Becker |
| 1994-95 | - Padraig O'Halloran & Colm Leahy | - Barry McLoughlin |
[edit] Honorary Life Members
All past Auditors who hold office for at least one semester are "Life Members" of the Union. In addition the society can vote to award honorary life membership to any individual.
Dr Edward Walsh President of University from its foundation in 1972 to 1998. In recognition of a number of years of both moral and financial support, including making attendance possible at two World Championships, as well as the magnificent work he has done for the University in general.
Brian O'Farrell For distinguished service to the Society, notably for being the first UL debater to reach the Irish Times Final.
Michael Ryan For immense assistance to UL's development in societies, notably in debating and in particular the achievement of the highest Irish participation at Melbourne Worlds.
Anthony Louden-Connolly For incredibly long and diverse participation in the debating world in the British Isles, on the occasion of his visit in late 1995.
Niamh Lyons In recognition of being a member of the first UL team to "break" at the Worlds and of the first UL team in the semi-final of the Irish Times Competition.
Padraig O'Halloran In recognition of his achievement of winning the Irish Times Team Debate (National Championships) in 1997 (teammate Seamus Doran). Padraig was also individual runner up in the competition in 1995.
Séamus Doran In recognition of his achievement of winning the Irish Times Team Debate (National Championships) in 1997 (teammate Padraig O'Halloran).
[edit] Notable alumni
Diarmuid Scully followed his term as Parliamentary Debating Society Auditor with a term as President of University of Limerick Students Union. He became a Limerick City Councillor for Ward 3 in 1999, representing the Fine Gael party. He sought his party's backing for the 2005 term as Mayor. An internal dispute arose which led to Councillor Scully becoming Mayor in July 2005 with the support of other non-Fine Gael councillors. (Councillor Scully's website)
Laura Ryan is a television news journalist for TV3 in Ireland.
Former Auditor John Maguire is a journalist and film critic for [The Irish Independent][1] newspaper. He also keeps a personal[website][2].
