The 40th annual Irish Times Debating Competition starts this afternoon with two first round clashes in University College Cork.

This year's competition features the largest number of entries in recent times, according to debate convenor, Seamus Doran. Some 130 teams will compete for the Demosthenes trophy for best team and the Christina Murphy Memorial Trophy for best individual speaker.

The winners will also travel to the United States for a two-week trip sponsored by Aer Lingus and organised by the US National Parliamentary Debate.

UCC's Muireann Ni Chinneide and Elizabeth Barrett took away the team title last year, becoming the first all-woman team to win the competition since it began. Paul Gleeson brought glory to Trinity by taking home the individual trophy. This year's convenor, Doran was one of a team that brought glory to the University of Limerick in 1997.

The opening salvos in UCC will be followed by clashes in Waterford on Thursday, and Limerick on Friday. NUI Galway will host two first rounds on Saturday, November 28th, while Cork Institute of Technology will host the last debates of this month on Monday.

The first round will conclude on Saturday, December 5th in Maynooth. Semi-finals will be held in January, and the final will take place in February.