Fox-hunters, fans of TnaG, supporters of democracy and neighbourhood paedophiles will all have their collars soundly felt in coming weeks as the Irish Times Debate reaches the semi-finals. From an initial 120 teams, only 16 teams and 16 individual speakers have made it through to this stage.
Of the universities, only UL has failed to get a speaker through to this stage of the competition, now in its 39th year. The TCD Historical Society dominates the semi-finals, with six teams and one individual speaker competing, followed by old rivals the UCD L&H (three teams, three individuals). The TCD Philosophical Society is represented by three teams and two individual speakers while, the UCC Philosoph has one team and three individuals in the semis.
Also represented, to varying degrees, are the law societies in UCC, TCD and UCD, the UG Political Discussion Society and the UG Lit & Deb, the NUI Maynooth Lit & Deb and the Cadet School.
"It's amazing that anyone wins the thing," says Helen Boyle, convenor of this year's debate. "The first rounds are just culling exercises. They're very tough to get through."
Boyle says Irish debaters are "up there with the best in the world", reflected by the semi-final place achieved by the UCD Law Society in the recent World Debating Championships and the presence of two other former Irish college speakers in the semis, despite the very different style of debating in those championships. "Irish debating is a bit more stylistic and is not so dull," says Boyle. "It's a bloodsport."
The first semi-final takes place this Thursday in the Kirwan Theatre, UCG, at 7.30 p.m. The UG Political Discussion Society will be on home territory for this debate on the motion "That this House would let the Irish language die".
Next Monday, January 26th, the focus switches to UCD at 7.30 p.m., where two L&H teams and one L&H individual speaker will doubtless enjoy vocal support against primarily TCD-dominated opposition. The motion is "That this House would introduce compulsory voting".
The last two semis take place next week. On Wednesday, February 4th, at 7.30 p.m., the TCD Hist hosts a debate on the banning of fox-hunting, where Catherine O'Callaghan of the UCD L&H and Joe Jeffers of the UCD Law Soc will play the role of Christians to the young TCD lions.
Finally, UCC is the venue on Thursday, February 5th at 7.30 p.m., when the semi-finals conclude with the motion "That this house would have a public register of paedophiles". Both the UCC Law Society and the UCC Philosoph will enjoy home advantage against teams from TCD and UCD.
The final of the Irish Times Debate takes place in the Waterford Institute of Technology on Thursday, February 19th.
