University Philosophical Society

University Philosophical Society

The crest of the University Philosophical Society
Formation	1683 Reformation: 1842
Type	Student debating union
Headquarters	Trinity College, Dublin
Location	Graduates Memorial Building
Senior Patron	Patrick Prendergast
Website	TCDPhil.com

The University Philosophical Society, commonly known as The Phil, is a student paper-reading and debating society in Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Founded in 1683,^[1] it is often referred to as the oldest student, collegial and paper-reading society in the world.^[1]

The society is based within the Graduates Memorial Building of Trinity College. Throughout its long history it has welcomed many prominent guests and some of its most notable members include Ernest Walton, John Butler Yeats, Samuel Beckett, Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde.

Society

Society Colours

The Phil's members meet every Thursday during term to discuss a paper, debate a motion or hear an address. Traditionally a paper-reading society, meetings sometimes continue the format of responses to a paper rather than debate on a motion.

Its rooms are within the Graduates' Memorial Building (GMB) of Trinity College, which it has shared with the College Historical Society (the Hist) since the building's construction in 1902, where it provides facilities for its members such as a games and a conversation room. The Phil shares the use of its Bram Stoker Room with the College Theological Society (the Theo). It holds most of its meetings in the GMB's Debating Chamber with meetings having an expected audience of above two hundred being held in the larger lecture theatres of the college.

The society also hosts numerous social events, internal competitions, sporting events, blood drives and the occasional concert. It endeavours each year in providing debating workshops, developmental competitions for members and school children. Furthermore, it has a strong history in intervarsity debating competitions, at both an international and national level.

The society publishes The Philander as an annual Freshers' guide to the society.

Membership

Membership of the society is open to all Undergraduate and Postgraduate students, as well as all staff members of Trinity College. It offers four year membership to students of the university. This means that should a person join in their Junior Freshman year they would still be a member for their entire time of study at the college.

History

The history of the University Philosophical Society spans over three centuries, several guises, identifies and name changes.^[1]

Foundation in the 17th century

In 1683, natural philosopher and political writer William Molyneux (b. 1656) founded the Dublin Philosophical Society, with the assistance of his brother Sir Thomas Molyneux and future Provost St George Ashe. They intended it to be the equivalent of the Royal Society in London (with which it maintained cultural ties) as well as the Philosophical Society at the University of Oxford. The society was traditionally a paper reading society; however it also included many demonstrations of the latest science and mathematical endeavour of that era. The first meeting on 15 October 1683 was in the Provost's lodgings at Trinity College, Dublin, a location where members continued to meet.

Sometime after December 1683, Provost Robert Huntington became the society's first Senior Patron, promising protection and assistance, a role the Provost of Trinity College still holds. While at the time no particular precedent existed for Trinity College to recognise it, it can be considered the college's first such society.

On 1 November 1684 William Petty was elected as the first President of the society, and William Molyneux elected as its first Secretary. The current numbering takes this as the first session of the University Philosophical Society.

Reformation in the 19th century

In November 1842,^[2] to mark the original session date the Dublin Philosophical Society was fully reformed under its original name, traditionally meeting on Mondays, to cater for those Trinity College students too young to join other societies in Dublin.

At the time, undergraduates were not allowed to join most College societies, such as the College Historical Society. It then became the Dublin University Philosophical Society in February 1843^[1][2] when it was recognized by the college, with then Provost Franc Sadleir reassuming the traditional role of Senior Patron.

During this time the society had its rooms in No.4 (now House 4) in Parliament Square^[3] with larger meetings taking place within the Examination Hall.

In 1860, the Dublin University Philosophical Society changed its name to the University Philosophical Society. This makes the Phil the oldest, student, paper-reading, and collegial society in the world,^[1] as well as currently being the largest such society in Ireland.

20th Century

The society suffered greatly, with the rest of Trinity College during the First World War. Ireland was still part of the British Empire during the outbreak of the war and so many Irish enlisted. Interestingly however there was a diverse mixture between members who predominantly described as being part of the Protestant Ascendancy and those who believed more in Irish republicanism.

The meetings and overall strength of the society was massively diminished during the period, with there being no Inaugural Meeting from 1913 until 1919 after the end of the war.

From 1913 (229th Session) to 1916 (231st Session) ten officers of the society resigned their positions to enlist. Minutes from the time mention that many more members of the society would go on to enlist, however their names went unrecorded.

In 1919 the names of eight past officers and members of council of the society who had been killed during the war was read aloud at the Opening Meeting.

• James Austin, President 1913-1914 (229th Session).
• AEL West, President 1915-1916 (231st Session).
• Reverend Everard Digges La Touche, Seceratary 1907-1908 (223rd Session).
• JHF Leland, Treasurer 1909-1910 (225th Session).
• Walter Osborne Varian, Treasurer 1915-1916 (231st Session).
• JS West, Registrar 1914-1915 (230th Session).
• Francis George McGibney, Member of Council 1912-1913 (228th Session).
• William Kee, Member of Council 1914-1915 (230th Session).

Of them and those other members who gave up their lives, we can only say that while the University Philosophical Society stands they shall not be forgotten, since such men, by their deaths, have conferred on their Society, and on all connected with them, an honour that does not fade.

— Society Records, extract from the first Opening meeting of the Society in 1919.

The Irish War of Independence began shortly after the beginning of 1919, public and political will to remember those lost during the war was weak. This meant that the names of many more members of the society who were also killed during the First World War went unrecorded by the society.

The Second World War, had a lesser effect on the society, though one notable President of the early 1940s was lawyer, Nigerian independence activist and Supreme Court Chief Justice Udo Udoma.

Dublin University Elizabethan Society

The first female students were admitted to the college in 1904, however they were unable to join any of the student societies that existed at the time. In response to this the Dublin University Elizabethan Society (more commonly known as The Eliz) was founded in 1905.^[4] The society was a female-only debating society, having sent teams to the Irish Times National Debating Championship from relatively early in the competitions history. It also hosted many debates, paper discussions, group discussions and the Eliz Garden Party (within Fellow's Square) which was considered one of the social highlights of Trinity term in the college. Each year the society welcomed esteemed guests to speak on topics regarding the history, the societal limitations of women and feminism. These included such guests as Ninette de Valois, dancer and founder of The Royal Ballet, who visited in late 1964 to celebrate the society's 60th year.^[5]

The society had its rooms in No.6 (now House 6) in Parliament Square, housing many amenities for female students within the college, including one of only a handful of female toilets on the campus.

From the mid-1960s there had been great debate within both the University Philosophical Society and the Dublin University Elizabethan Society regarding a merger of both societies into one. There was strong individual opposition within both societies however, with the resignation of then President of the Phil Gordon Ledbetter over the proposal in 1967^[6] and a vote in 1968^[7] by the Eliz rejected the merger. However, in 1981 the Dublin University Elizabethan Society merged with the University Philosophical Society, which vastly increased female membership and increased debating within the society.

Today as a symbolic gesture, the highest ranking female officer of the Phil is accorded the honorary title of President of the Elizabethan Society.

Current President of the Elizabethan Society
Office	Name
Hon. Treasurer	Ciara O'Leary

Inclusion of Women

In February 1954^[8] the society voted to allow women to attend its meetings (which included paper-reading and debates). A year later the society allowed women full membership, however this decision was vetoed and then overruled by the Board of the college.^[9]

In 1965 Joanna Walmsley presented the first paper by a woman to the society entitled "Tolstoy - Realist or Moralist?"^[10] to the society, with women only being allowed to reply to papers from 1963.

The society voted to admit women to full membership in late Michaelmas term of 1967 (23 November).^[11] Full membership allowed women to attend meetings and the full use of the society's Conversation Room. This had come after some quite heated debate within the society and with college authorities. On 30 November 1967 Elizabeth Hall became the first female member of the society.

21st Century

Today the University Philosophical Society is the largest student society within the college and Ireland. Its meetings include weekly paper readings and debates. Additionally it invites many internationally esteemed guests each year, regularly interviews with public figures, which have included Al Pacino, Desmond Tutu, Angela Merkel and Stephen Fry.

Notable events

Among the notable events held was the demonstration of an early telephone by Stephen Yeates in 1865.

Governance

The Phil is governed by a Council elected by the members of the society each year. There are eight officers: President, Secretary, Treasurer, Registrar, Debates Convenor, Librarian, Steward, and Schools Convenor. All officers are directly elected. In addition to the officers are a fourteen Members of Council. The Members of Council serve as deputies to the officers, aid in the execution of their responsibilities and any other such work necessary for the efficient running of the society. Six are directly elected each year. One of these six is then selected by the Council to serve as Vice President of the society. The Senior Member of Council is also elected in the same manner as the officers of the society and is delegated the responsibility of co-ordinating the other Members of Council. The newly elected Council may then add up to seven further Members of Council via co-option.

Officers, 333rd Session

Position	Name
President	Conn McCarrick
Secretary	Mark Finn
Treasurer	Ciara O'Leary
Registrar	Elizabeth MacBride
Debates Convenor	Harry Higgins
Librarian	David O'Connor
Steward	Conor Nevin
Schools Convenor	Harry Morris
Vice President	Maeve Claffey

Members of Council, 333rd Session

Position	Name
Senior Member of Council	Sorcha Ryder
Pro-Secretary	Umang Kalra, Kate Kleinle
Pro-Treasurer	Ruairc O'Leary
Pro-Debates Convenor	Ryan Grunwell, Sadhbh Nuanán Ní Dhonnabháin, Irene Fuentes McDonnell
Pro Librarian	Jack Counihan, Zahra Khan
Pro-Steward	James Johnston, Shane Kenneally
Pro-Schools Convenor	Katie O'Brien, Sebastian Tozer

The Bram Stoker Club

In addition to its usual events, the society added a sub-group, the Bram Stoker Club (more commonly known as Bram), to its organization in 2011. Named after one of the Phil's most illustrious presidents (Bram Stoker), the club holds weekly afternoon paper-readings on a range of topics. These paper-readings have served to carry on the long tradition of the society, which had fallen slightly out of fashion in recent years.

In January 2013, the Club was incorporated into the official laws of the University Philosophical Society by majority vote. This was then officially recognised by the Dublin University Central Societies Committee in March of the same year.

It had its first foray outside of College in 2013, entering the winning team of John Engle and Liam Brophy in that years Irish Times National Debating Championship.^[12]

During the 4th Session, the club welcomed three living descendants of its namesake Bram Stoker. Noel Dobbs, Robin MacCaw and Dacre Stoker met with members of the club and society at large. Each presented papers on the history of Bram Stoker and legacy of Dracula within their family. Also in attendance was distant relative and Senator David Norris. Finally the Stoker family presented the club with portrait of Bram Stoker by Dublin artist Damian Byrne, and a plaque specifying the connection between the society and their ancestor.

Subcommittee members

Year	Session	Chair	Subcommittee Members
2010-2011	1st	--	Clíodhna Ní Ghuidhir and John Engle
2011-2012	2nd	--	Leah Morgan, Brian Higgins, Sch. and Jamie Donnelly
2012-2013	3rd	Sarah Grace	Gavin Tucker, Sch., Fionn McGorry and Keith Murphy
2013-2014	4th	Fionn McGorry	Cormac Henehan, and Turlough Heffernan, Sch.
2014-2015	5th	Liam Hunt	Huda Awan, and Patrick Lavelle, Sch.
2015-2016	6th	Conor Scully	Sophie Donnelly, Sch. and Matthew Collins
2016-2017	7th	Orla Delaney	Bryan Rohan and Conor Nevin
2017-2018	8th	Hugh Fitzgibbon	Nicole O'Sullivan and Andrew Connolly

Competitive debating

The society endeavors each year to enable its membership to engage in competitive debating both externally and internally to the college. This includes holding workshops, regular weekly competitive debates, as well as traveling to other colleges throughout Ireland and abroad to compete in similar competitions.

External Debating Competitions

The society has a strong presence and list of accomplishment on the competitive debating circuit. Having first won the Irish Times National Debating Championship in 1961 the society has gone on to win and place in several other well known debating competitions. These include the John Smith Memorial Mace, World Universities Debating Championship, Irish National Law Debates, Cork IV and the UCD Vice Presidents' Cup IV.

External Debating Competition Success
Year	Competition	Speakers	Result
2016	UCD Vice-Presidents' Cup IV	Chris Costigan & Jack Kearney	Finalists
2016	European Universities Debating Championship	Chris Costigan & Eoin O'Gorman	Quarter-Finalists
2016	European Universities Debating Championship	Stepan Lavrouk & Cormac Henehan	Quarter-Finalists
2016	Maynooth Open	Julie Davis & Conan Quinn	Finalists
2016	Irish Mace	Clare Ni Cheallaigh & Orla Delaney	Finalists
2016	Irish Mace	Stepan Lavrouk & Cormac Henehan	Finalists
2016	Maynooth Open	Stepan Lavrouk & Chris Costigan	Finalists
2016	UCD Pro-Am	Stepan Lavrouk & Andrew Connolly	Win
2016	UCD Pro-Am	Chris Costigan & Jack Kearney	Finalists
2016	Limerick Open	Stepan Lavrouk & Eoin O'Gorman	Win
2016	Irish Times National Debating Championship	Clare Ni Cheallaigh & Hannah Beresford	Finalists
2016	Irish Times National Debating Championship	Sarah Mortell & Caoimhe Stafford	Finalists
2016	Irish National Law Debates	Eoin O'Gorman & Sarah Jennings	Finalists
2016	World Universities Debating Championship	Matthew Collins & Hannah Beresford	Quarter-finalists
2015	Cork Inter-varsity	Michael Barton & Hugh Guidera	Win
2015	UCD Vice-Presidents' Cup IV	Sarah Jennings & Chris Costigan	Finalists
2015	SOAS Inter-varsity	Eoin O'Gorman & Chris Costigan	Finalists
2015	European Universities Debating Championship	Liam Hunt & Naoise Dolan	Quarter-finalists
2015	European Universities Debating Championship	Matthew Collins & Hannah Beresford	Quarter-finalists
2015	Irish Mace	Liam Hunt & Gavin Tucker	Win
2015	Irish Mace	Matthew Collins & Chris Costigan	Finalists
2015	Irish Mace (Novice)	Izzy Sweeney & Aisling Foster	Finalists
2015	National Maidens' Debating Competition	Matthew Collins	Win
2015	Irish Times National Debating Championship	Hugh Guidera & Rónán O'Connor	Win
2015	World Universities Debating Championship	Hugh Guidera & Michael Barton	Semi-finalists
2014	Oxford Inter-varsity	Hugh Guidera & Michael Barton	Finalists
2014	SOAS Inter-varsity	Michael Barton	Best Speaker
2014	SOAS Inter-varsity	Hugh Guidera & Michael Barton	Win
2014	Irish Mace	Rosalind Ní Shúilleabháin & Adam Noonan	Win
2014	Irish National Law Debates	Hugh Guidera & Michael Barton	Win
2014	John Smith Memorial Mace	Rosalind Ní Shúilleabháin & Adam Noonan	Finalists
2013	World Universities Debating Championship	John Calvin Engle III & Adam Noonan	Elimination Round
2013	Irish Times National Debating Championship	John Calvin Engle III & Liam Brophy (Bram Stoker Club)	Win
2013	Irish Times National Debating Championship	Eoin O'Liathain & Brian O'Beirne	2nd
2013	Irish National Law Debates	John Calvin Engle III & Glen Rogers	Finalists
2013	UCD Vice Presidents' Cup IV	Hugh Guidera & Michael Barton	Win
2013	Cork Inter-varsity	Hugh Guidera & Liam Hunt	Finalists
2013	SOAS Inter-varsity	Michael Barton	Best Speaker
2012	World Universities Debating Championship	David Byrne & Ricky McCormack	Elimination Round
2012	Oxford Inter-varsity	John Calvin Engle III & Adam Noonan	Finalists
2012	Cork Inter-varsity	John Calvin Engle III & Adam Noonan	Win
2011	Irish National Law Debates	Rosalind Ní Shúilleabháin & John Calvin Engle III	Win
2011	Irish Mace	Ricky McCormack & Fiachra Fallon Verbruggen	Finalists
2011	Cork Inter-varsity	David Byrne & Ricky McCormack	Finalists
2011	Cork Inter-varsity	Rosalind Ní Shúilleabháin & Fletch Williams	Finalists
2010	Irish National Law Debates	Ruth Faller & Catherine Murphy	Win
2010	UCD Vice Presidents Cup IV	David Byrne & John Calvin Engle III	Finalists
2010	Limerick Debate Open	Jonathan Wyse and David Byrne	Finalists
2009	World Universities Debating Championship	Kiera Healy & Ruth Faller	9th
2008	UCD Vice Presidents Cup IV	Brian O'Beirne	Best Speaker
2007	UCD Vice Presidents Cup IV	Brian O'Beirne	Best Speaker
2000	John Smith Memorial Mace	Bob Cuffe & Fergal Davis	Win
1999	Irish Mace	Niall Boland & Colm O'Mongain	Win
1997	John Smith Memorial Mace	Matthew Magee & Alex Massie	Win
1986	Irish Times National Debating Championship	Declan McCavana & David Keane	Win
1982	Irish Times National Debating Championship	Michael Byrne & Gerry Foley	Win
1961	Irish Times National Debating Championship	Hallam Johnston & Jack Daniels	Win

Internal Debating Competitions

The society runs several internal debating competitions each year. These consist of:

• The Eamon O'Coine Memorial Maiden Speaker's Competition (or "Maidens"); for first-time speakers in college.
• The Jeremy Clarkson Memorial Debating Competition (or "Clarkies"), consisting of a series of regular weekly debates.; satirically named after TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson. Formerly known as The Maggies", after former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher
• The Elizabethan Society Memorial Pro-Am Competition (or "Lizzies"); a competition whereby experienced debaters (Pros) are teamed with less experienced speakers (Ams).
• The J.P Mahaffy Memorial (or "Mahaffy's"); named after former President of the society John Pentland Mahaffy internal debating competition for Junior Freshman ("fresher") teams of two.

Eamon O'Coine Memorial Maiden Speaker's Competition Champions
Session	Champion
331st	Rory O'Sullivan
330th	Christopher Costigan
329th	Ajay Balachandran
328th	Hugh Guidera
327th	Michael Coleman
326th	Rosalind ní Shúilleabháin
325th	Ricky McCormack
324th	Eoin O'Liatháin

Margaret Thatcher Memorial Competition Champions
Session	Champion
331st	Harry Morris
330th	Cormac Henehan
329th	Sarah Upton
328th	Jamie Donnelly
327th	Orfhlaith Sheehy
326th	Adam Noonan
325th	Aengus O Corrain
324th	Harry McEvansoneya

Elizabethan Society Memorial Pro-Am Competition Champions
Session	Champions
331st	Orla Delaney & Doireann O'Brien
330th	Clare Ní Cheallaigh & Aaron Downey
329th	Eimear Gorey & Jamie Donnelly
328th	Lorcan Clarke & Jamie Buckley
327th	Orlfhaith Sheehy & Charlie Ward
326th	Rosalind Ni Shuilleabhain & Lydia Rahill

J.P Mahaffy Memorial Champions
Session	Champions
331st	Mark Finn & Jack Kennedy
330th	Sarah Jennings & Sam Browne

Trinity Inter-varsity

Each year, normally in January, the society jointly with the Hist hosts the Claire Stewart Trinity IV. Before 2015 this consisted of the Trinity Invitational and the Dean Swift Intervarsity. In 2015, the Trinity Invitational was replaced with Trinity Women's Debating Competition.^[13]

Phil Speaks

The Phil Speaks Debating and Public Speaking Initiative, more commonly known as Phil Speaks is a campaign aimed at promoting, as well as developing skills in public speaking and oratory. Formed by the society in 2004 the initiative combines in-school oratory workshops, with Pro–Am (Professional-Amateur) learning competitions to encourage these skills in students of all secondary schools throughout Ireland.

At the end of the contest, the society hosts the Phil Speaks Competitive Weekend modelled on the format of a University Intervarsity Competition held within the Graduates Memorial Building, with the grand final taking place in the Debating Chamber.

Awards

Annually, the society internally awards the author of the best paper and the best chamber speaker from its membership, medals of oratory and composition.

The society also awards the Gold Medal of Honorary Patronage and the Bram Stoker Medal to various esteemed guests each year.

Central Societies Committee of Trinity College, Dublin

The society has a strong record of being the recipient of several awards by the internal Central Societies Committee of Trinity College.

In recent years these include:

Year	Award
2015	Best Large Society.
2013	Individual of the Year, awarded to President Lorcan Clarke (328th Session).
2013	Best Online Web Presence.
2012	Best Large Society.
2011	Individual of the Year, awarded to President Declan Meehan (326th Session).
2010	Best Event, for the Oscar Wilde Festival (jointly awarded to DU Players).

Board of Irish College Societies

The Board of Irish College Societies (BICS) is a national organisation, constituted in 1995, dedicated to providing a national forum for the societies in Ireland's Universities, Colleges and Institutes of Education. The Board is responsible for the promotion of interest in the activities of Irish college societies and of contact and co-operation between them.

The University Philosophical Society has formidable history of achievement:

Year	Award
2013	Best individual (Large Society), awarded to 328th Session President Lorcan Clarke.
2009	Best Event (Large Society), awarded for The Trials of Oscar Wilde.

Honorary patrons

Through its years in college, the Society has recorded the presence of many notable guests, the most distinguished of whom are named honorary patrons of the society. Included amongst these are multiple Nobel Prize laureates, both before and after their receipt of the Prize, such as William Butler Yeats, Heads of State and of Government, notable actors and musicians, as well as well-known intellectuals. Guests have also included all Taoisigh since Charles Haughey.

Academia

• Niall Ferguson, British Historian, Harvard professor.
• Joseph Nye, international relations theorist, former Dean of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.
• George Ritzer, sociologist, Professor at the University of Maryland.
• Edward Saïd, Palestinian-American literary theorist, former University Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University.
• A.C. Grayling, British philosopher. founder and first Master of New College of the Humanities, London.
• John Mearsheimer, international relations theorist, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago.
• Dan Ariely, Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Economics at Duke University.
• Edmund Phelps, Economist, Professor of Political Economy at Columbia University, Nobel Laureate.
• Richard Dawkins, Ethologist, Evolutionary Biologist, Author. (Inaugural Meeting Speaker, 328th Session).
• Arthur T. Benjamin, American mathematician, Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College.

• Brian Greene, American theoretical physicist, Professor at Columbia University.
• Daniel Gilbert, social psychologist and Professor at Harvard University.
• Joseph Stiglitz, American economist and a professor at Columbia University.
• Jane Goodall, primatologist and environmental activist.
• Steven Pinker, psychologist, cognitive scientist, linguist and science author.
• Paul Krugman, American economist and Professor at Princeton University.
• Robert Engle, American economist and Winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics, 2003.
• Eric Maskin, American economist and Winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics, 2007.

Arts

• Helen Mirren, actress, Academy Award winner.
• The Edge, guitarist, keyboardist, and main backing vocalist of rock band U2.
• Johnny Marr, guitarist of the bands The Smiths and Modest Mouse.
• Tom Stoppard, playwright and writer, Academy Award winner.
• Gabriel Byrne, Irish actor, director and producer.
• Al Pacino, American actor and director, Academy Award winner.
• Joanna Lumley, British actress and political activist.
• Oliver Stone, film director, Academy Award winner.
• Tommy Tiernan, Irish comedian.
• Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Irish actor and model.
• David Cronenburg, Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter.

• Jeffrey Archer, actor, playwright and former politician.
• Jon Voight, American actor and political commentator, Academy Award winner.
• Spike Milligan, Irish comedian, writer, poet and playwright.
• Naomi Campbell, supermodel.
• Jack White, musician, lead vocalist of the White Stripes.
• Pete Doherty, singer and songwriter, lead singer of the band The Libertines.
• Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of the band The Cranberries.
• John C. McGinley, American actor and author.
• Chris Blackwell, music producer.
• John C. Reilly, American actor and comedian.
• Courtney Love, American singer songwriter and actress.
• Sir Christopher Lee, renowned and prolific British actor.
• Stephen Fry, British actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director.

• Michael Gambon, Irish film and theatre actor.
• Eric Whitacre, Grammy-winning composer and conductor.
• Hugh Laurie, Golden Globe-winning actor, musician, comedian and author.
• Whoopi Goldberg, comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, Academy Award winner.
• Conan O'Brien, Television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer.
• Seann William Scott, American actor and comedian.
• Bobby McFerrin, American musician and vocalist.
• John Hurt, British actor.
• Dominic West, British actor.
• Jenna Marbles, American entertainer and YouTube personality.
• Nile Rodgers, American musician, producer, composer and guitarist.
• Mitsuko Uchida, classical pianist.
• Kele Okereke, musician and lead singer of Bloc Party.

• Julian Fellowes, actor, novelist, and screenwriter.
• Channing Tatum, American actor, film producer, dancer, and model.
• Jonah Hill, American actor, producer, writer, and comedian.
• Lenny Abrahamson, Irish film and television director.
• Amy Poehler, American actress, comedian, director, producer and writer.
• Simon Amstell, English comedian, television presenter, and actor.
• Steve Coogan, English actor, stand-up comedian, writer, and producer.
• Evelyn Glennie, Scottish virtuoso percussionist.
• Baz Luhrmann, Australian film director, screenwriter and producer.
• Pete Wentz, American musician, primary lyricist for Fall Out Boy.
• "Weird Al" Yankovic, American singer, songwriter, parodist.
• Marjane Satrapi, Iranian-born French graphic novelist, cartoonist, illustrator, film director, and children's book author.^[14]
• Martin Scorsese, American director.

Broadcasting and Journalism

• Germaine Greer, feminist journalist.
• Bill O'Reilly, Fox News presenter.
• Claudia Rosett, investigative journalist.
• Greg Palast, British journalist and author.
• John Simpson, BBC News correspondent.
• Rush Limbaugh, American conservative news pundit.
• Martin Wolf, Economics journalist, Associate Editor and Chief economics commentator at the Financial Times.
• Ira Glass, American public radio personality.
• A. A. Gill, journalist and critic.

• Mona Eltahawy, freelance Egyptian-American journalist and commentator.
• Jon Snow, English journalist, longest-running presenter of Channel 4 News.

Business

• Tommy Hilfiger, American fashion designer and businessman.
• Tim Draper, American venture capitalist.
• Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia.
• Matt Mullenweg, founder of Wordpress.
• Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.
• Christopher Bailey, chief creative director of Burberry.
• Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter.
• JP McManus, entrepreneur.
• Niklas Zennstrom, founder of Skype.
• Chad Hurley, founder of YouTube.
• Olivier Blanchard, chief economist of the IMF.
• Mark Shuttleworth, entrepreneur and space tourist.
• Michael Birch, computer programmer, entrepreneur and founder of social networking website Bebo.
• Justin Cooke, former CMO of Topshop and founder of innovate7.
• Harper Reed, computer programmer and CTO of Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.

• Peter Thiel, American entrepreneur, co-founder of PayPal.

Law

• Susan Denham, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ireland.
• Martin Garbus, American attorney.

Literature

• William Butler Yeats, poet, Nobel Laureate.
• Salman Rushdie, novelist and essayist, Booker Prize Winner.
• Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and writer, Nobel Laureate.
• John Banville, author, Booker Prize Winner.
• John Boyne, Irish novelist.
• John Ralston Saul, Canadian author and essayist.
• Neil Strauss, author and journalist.
• Paul Howard, author and journalist.
• Roddy Doyle, Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter.
• Bill Bryson, American author.
• Daniel Handler, American children's author, better known as Lemony Snicket.
• Siobhán Parkinson, Irish writer, Laureate na nÓg (2010-2012).

Politics and Government

• John Kenneth Galbraith, economist, former US Ambassador to India.
• John Hume, former leader of the SDLP in Northern Ireland, Nobel Laureate.
• Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, former President of France.
• David Trimble, former First Minister of Northern Ireland, Nobel Laureate.
• Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
• Craig Murray, former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan.
• FW De Klerk, former President of South Africa, Nobel Laureate.
• Charles Haughey, former Taoiseach of Ireland.
• Desmond Tutu, Archbishop, Nobel Laureate.
• John McCain, US Senator, 2008 Republican Presidential Candidate.
• Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA Director-General, Nobel Laureate.
• Lindsey Graham, US Senator.

• Mark Malloch Brown, former United Nations Deputy Secretary-General.
• Bob Geldof, organizer of Live Aid and Live 8.
• John Bruton, former Taoiseach of Ireland, former EU Ambassador to the United States.
• James Zogby, political organizer, member of the DNC.
• Albert Reynolds, former Taoiseach of Ireland.
• Garret FitzGerald, former Taoiseach of Ireland.
• John Ritch, World Nuclear Association Director-General.
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg, US Supreme Court Justice.
• Bertie Ahern, former Taoiseach of Ireland.
• Christopher Dodd, US Senator.
• Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi, former RNC Chairman.
• John Podesta, Chief of Staff, Clinton Administration.
• John Negroponte, former US Deputy Secretary of State.
• Peter Sutherland, former Attorney General of Ireland.
• George Galloway, British politician, author and broadcaster.
• Trent Lott, former US Senator.
• François Bourguignon, former Chief Economist of the World Bank.
• Tim Collins OBE, former Colonel 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment.
• Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden.
• Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. (Inaugural Meeting speaker, 327th Session).
• Mary McAleese, eighth President of Ireland.
• Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany. (Inaugural Meeting speaker, 329th Session).
• Neil Harbisson, artist and cyborg activist.
• Emily O'Reilly, former journalist and broadcaster, European Ombudsman of the European Parliament.
• David Petraeus, retired American military officer, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
• Chris Lubbe, inspirational speaker, former bodyguard to Nelson Mandela.

Sports

• Alex Ferguson, former manager of Manchester United football club.
• Eddie Jordan, founder and owner of Jordan Grand Prix.
• Rafael Benítez,^[15] manager of Liverpool football club for their Champions League win in 2005.
• Pádraig Harrington, Irish professional golfer.
• Dana White, American businessman, entrepreneur, and President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
• Steve Redgrave, British rower and five time consecutive Olympic Games gold medal winner.

Other

• Chris Hadfield, Canadian astronaut who was the first Canadian to walk in space.
• Kathryn Bolkovac, former American police investigator, UN International Police Force monitor.

Controversies

Many guests which the Phil has invited over the years have courted controversy. Contributors to its debates included Oswald Mosley during his residence in Ireland. In 1988, the Society invited then–Holocaust denier David Irving to speak. A large protest by students, staff, Jewish groups, socialists, and anti-Nazi activists resulted in the meeting being relocated to a hotel conference room and held in the small hours of the morning. The traditional vote of thanks to Mr Irving for his paper was defeated, which is rare in the society's history.

The address of Austrian politician Jörg Haider to the society in late 2002 led to a protest by self-described anti-fascist activists, which continued through the debate, with noise being made outside the chamber and interjections in the society's proceedings within. An invitation to British National Party (BNP) official Tony Wentworth was revoked after threats of physical action by leftist groups.

Another guest to generate controversy was Islamist Anjem Choudary, who hailed the 9/11 terrorists as martyrs. Former Taoiseach John Bruton threatened to withdraw from a Phil debate later that year over this invitation, which was not withdrawn. Mr Bruton later became an Honorary Patron of the Society, and Anjem Choudary has been invited to speak at the Phil's lectern several times.

In 2011, the Phil encountered controversy when it invited BNP leader Nick Griffin to speak at a Thursday night debate on immigration. After raging protests, talks with college officials and physical threats made to the members and council the invitation was reluctantly withdrawn by the President of the 327th session, Eoin O'Liathain. In a press statement the Phil said that "it is unfortunate that circumstances have arisen under which the planned debate can no longer go ahead without compromising the safety of staff and students".^[16] Despite these challenges the session would go on to be voted Best Society in Trinity College that year.

In 2015, members of the Phil were asked by the President, to collect copies of The University Times after the newspaper printed details of confidential correspondence that had been supplied to the newspaper in the understanding that it would not be referred to in an article. While The University Times subsequently agreed to withdraw the edition of the paper in question from circulation, Trinity News reported that members of council had discussed calling a motion to impeach the president as a result of the society's actions in collecting the newspapers. ^[17] A motion of confidence in the president was later passed at a general meeting of the society.^[18] The incident was cited as one of the factors leading to Samuel Riggs, then the editor of The University Times, agreeing to take a permanent leave of absence from his position.^[19]

Notable members

Academia

• Robert Stawell Ball, ex-Sch., Royal Astronomer of Ireland and Lowndean Professor of Astronomy and Geometry at the University of Cambridge. President, 1860–61.
• Valentine Ball, geologist. Treasurer, 1863–64.
• J.B. Bury, ex-Sch., historian, classicist, Byzantinist and philologist.
• George Coffey, scholar of Irish history and cultural revivalist. President, 1880–81.
• William Macneile Dixon, British academic and author, Regius Professor of English Language and Literature, Glasgow. President, 1889–90, Librarian, 1888–89.
• Mervyn A. Ellison, ex-Sch., astronomer and authority on solar flares. President, 1931–32, Treasurer, 1930–31.
• William Hugh Ferrar, classical scholar. Treasurer, 1855–56.
• John Pentland Mahaffy, ex-Sch.,^[1] classicist and polymath scholar. President, 1858–59.
• Vincent Arthur Smith, Indologist, historian and member of the Imperial Civil Service. President, 1868–69.
• W. J. M. Starkie, Greek scholar.
• William Stokes, doctor and professor of surgery.
• John Lighton Synge, mathematician and physicist. Treasurer, 1917–18.
• Ernest Walton, ex-Sch.,^[1] physicist and Nobel Laureate. Member of Council, 1925-26.
• Trevor West, Sch., mathematician and Senator. Treasurer, 1959–60, Registrar, 1958–59.
• Bertram Windle, British anatomist, archaeologist, scientist and writer. Librarian, 1877–78.

Arts

• Norman Rodway, ex-Sch., actor.
• John Butler Yeats,^[1] artist and father of William Butler Yeats.

Broadcasting and Journalism

• Daire Brehan, Irish broadcaster, barrister and actress. Secretary, 1976–77.
• Sarah Carey, columnist and broadcaster. Registrar, 1991–92.
• Marc Coleman, economics editor of Newstalk and columnist for the Sunday Independent. Secretary, 1992–93.
• Ken Early, journalist and sports broadcaster. Steward, 1998–99.
• Alex Massie, prominent Scottish journalist. Steward, 1996–97.

Law

• James Campbell, 1st Baron Glenavy, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Attorney-General for Ireland, Solicitor-General for Ireland, Member of Parliament and later first Chairman of the Free State Senate.
• Richard Cherry, Attorney-General for Ireland and Liberal MP. Secretary, 1879–80.
• Gerald Fitzgibbon, ex-Sch., Solicitor-General for Ireland, 1877–78 and Lord Justice of Appeal. Secretary, 1857–58.
• Jonathan Pim (1858-1949), Solicitor-General for Ireland, Attorney-General for Ireland and Lord Justice of Ireland in the aftermath of the Easter Rising. President, 1883–84, Secretary, 1882–83, Librarian, 1881–82.
• Udo Udoma,^[1] former Justice of the Nigerian Supreme Court, former Chief Justice of Uganda. President, 1942–43, Secretary, 1941–42, Librarian, 1940–41.

Literature

• Edmund John Armstrong, poet. President, 1864–65.
• Samuel Beckett, ex-Sch.,^[1] dramatist and poet, Nobel Laureate.
• Kate Cruise O'Brien, author.
• Edward Dowden, poet and critic. President, 1862–63, Secretary, 1861–62.
• Standish James O'Grady, author, journalist and historian. Secretary, 1866–67.
• Bram Stoker,^[1] novelist and short story writer. President, 1868–69, Secretary, 1867–68.
• Oscar Wilde,^[1] author, playwright and poet.
• Gabriel Fielding,^[20] author and poet. Nom de plume of Dr Alan Barnsley 1935-1939. Winner Silver Medal in Oratory 1939.

Nobility

• Charles Austin Thomas Robert John Joseph ffrench, 6th Baron ffrench, 1868–1955. Deputy Lieutenant of County Galway.
• Charles Edward MacDermot, The Mac Dermot, Prince of Coolavin, 1904–47. Registrar, 1883–84. His son and successor, Charles John MacDermot (Prince of Coolavin, 1947–79), was also a member.
• Martin Morris, 2nd Baron Killanin, Conservative peer. Secretary, 1888–89.

Politics and Government

• Gerald Brunskill, Unionist MP. Treasurer, 1887–88, Registrar, 1886–87.
• Nessa Childers MEP, Member of European Parliament. Registrar, 1977–78, SMC 1976–77.
• Paschal Donohoe TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Secretary, 1993–94.
• Cecil Harmsworth, 1st Baron Harmsworth, Liberal MP, businessman and brother of press barons Lord Northcliffe and Lord Rothermere. Registrar, 1889–90.
• Caesar Litton Falkiner, Unionist MP. President, 1885–86, Treasurer, 1884–85, Librarian, 1883–84.
• David Norris, ex-Sch., Senator and gay rights campaigner.
• George Noble Plunkett, anti-treaty republican, member of the First Dáil and Ireland's first Minister for Foreign Affairs, 1919–21.
• James Wallace Quinton, chief commissioner of Assam from 1889 until his murder by rebels in Manipur in 1891. President, 1855–56, Secretary, 1854–55.
• Mary Robinson, ex-Sch., former President of Ireland and UN Human Rights Commissioner.
• Robert Rowlette, TD, Senator and doctor. Secretary, 1895–96.

Religion

• Hugh Dunlop Brown, President of the Irish Baptist Association, theologian and prominent unionist.
• John Baptist Crozier, Anglican bishop. President, 1874–75, Secretary, 1873–4, Treasurer, 1872–73.
• Ralph Creed Meredith, chaplain to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. President, 1910–11, Secretary, 1909–10.
• Charles D'Arcy, ex-Sch., Anglican bishop. Treasurer, 1883–84.
• James Walsh, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, 1908–18.

References

External links

• TCDPhil.com
• Assorted records of the Society