Coláiste Iognáid Debating Society
2009/2010 have seen the Coláiste Iognáid Debating Society maintain its dominant influence in regional and national debating. In addition to having met twenty-five times throughout the academic year, the several school debating teams reached finals in most national competitions and one major international.
Robert Fitzgerald-Bellone joined veteran debaters Cormac McGuinness and Jake Hansen-Shearer for the Denny’s All-Ireland Schools’ Debating Grand Final on April 24 th in UCD. Supported by a busload of school supporters, our three ‘Jes’ speakers were narrowly defeated by Wesley College and Castleknock.
On an international level, Robert Fitzgerald-Bellone and Patrick Higgins were selected to represent Ireland in the International Competition for Young Debaters. They spoke in the Oxford Union on May 15 th. The pair finished in a strong middle position in a field of 192 regional finalists from across the UK, Ireland and South Korea.
In addition to the society’s progress in the Denny’s, March saw success in a regional competition where all four debate teams entered in the NUIG ‘Mace’ broke to the final, and their equal scoring meant a draw for speaking position which allowed David Noone and Patrick Higgins propose in the championship round.
Sarah Healy, Katie Fallon and Sinead Heskin are also to be congratulated for their work enacting the role of the European Commission in leading a mock Council of Europe Meeting of European Ministers. Held at Dublin Castle in March, the event was chaired by Ruairi Quinn TD and televised. Thirty-two schools took part.
Transition Year pupils headed by David Noone,Chris McKeagney,Deidre Folan and PhillippeMadec trained First Year pupils in the art of debating and organised the traditional First Year Debating Competition. Following three rounds of debates, finalists 1C and 1G fought a hard fight in front of the entire First Year on May 20 th. The team from 1X consisting of Sile Lenihan, Bryan Carroll and Aiobhinn Cunningham led by captain Daragh McCarthy were the eventual victors, with Franc O’Neill from 1C winning Runner-up Best Speaker and Aiobhinn Cunningham from 1X with the top speaker’s award.
Finally, the staff team of Mr. Kilraine, Mr. Parkinson, Mr. Sherry and Mr. Harrison successfully proposed and passed the motion that ‘Parents Should be Punished for the Crimes of Their Children’. They were robustly opposed by Cormac McGuinness, Eddie Mullarkey, Owen Binchy and Jake Hansen-Shearer. The debate was attended by a significant number of the school and considerable monies were raised for Slí Éile.
In summary for the 2009/2010 school year:
Concern TY Team (Cora Lenihan, Jessica Hannon, Dean Reidy, Naomi Lawless and Eoin Coughlan) enjoyed three rounds of the Concern Debate competition.
Denny’s: Jake Hansen-Shearer and Cormac McGuinness (Jes A), Robert Fitzgerald-Belone and Andrew Forde (Jes C) broke to the National Quarter Finals in NUIG.
Jake Hansen-Shearer, Cormac McGuinness and Robert Fitzgerald-Bellone broke to the Denny’s Grand Final in UCD.
Robert Fitzgerald-Bellone and Patrick Higgins represented Ireland in the ICYD in the Oxford Union on May 15 th.
Cormac McGuiness: Irish Representative to The European Youth Parliament in Helsinki
Jake Hansen-Shearer: Selected to National Schools’ Debate Team.
Jamie Folan, Ruth McMorrow and Padraig Folan represented the school in the Gael Linn Debating competition. (Debate Coach: Ms. M. Ní Bheaglaoich)
Sarah Healy, Katie Fallon and Sinead Heskin represented the school in the European Mock Council of Ministers meeting in Dublin Castle.
Eavann Murphy, Katie Fallon and Aisling Hanohoe were representatives to the Irish National Session of the European Youth Parliament.
TY pupils organised the First Year Debate Competition. The competition was won by 1X captained by Daragh McCarthy.
The Staff v Student debate competition was held on May 19 th. Mr L. Parkinson, Mr. P.Kilraine, Mr. N. Sherry and Mr. M. Harrison spoke against senior debaters Cormac McGuinness, Jake Hansen-Shearer, Eddie Mullarkey and Owen Binchy.
The society function was held in Milano Restaurant on 19 th May.
The society met twenty-five times this year.
The society thank retiring auditor Cormac McGuinness for ensuring the success of school debating throughout the year. His enthusiasm and dedication to debating at the ‘Jes’ have ensured that the society maintains its position at the head of national schools’ debating. Cormac has enjoyed formidable success in schools’ debating during his time in the society. He is twice crowned Regional Schools’ debating champion, was Irish representative to the EYP in Helsinki, and in his transition year, he led the TY team to the quarter finals of the Concern debates. He has a long list of other national awards. Cormac has been involved in the running of a First Year debate competition, regularly coaches juniors, has adjudicated junior competitions and the society wish him the very best in the future.
The Society would also extend their thanks and best wishes to Jake Hansen-Shearer, who, partnering Cormac, is also twice crowned regional debating champion and a runner-up Champion in AIB Philspeaks 2008, a winner of the NUIG Schools’ Mace and member of the very successful 2008 Concern Debate team. He was also one of five pupils in Ireland to be selected to the National Debating Team of 2009/2010.
The society extends its best wishes to both Coláiste Iognáid graduates and expects to see them fighting their rhetorical corners with wit and determination wherever they are! It also thanks the parents who took the time to ferry pupils to all four corners of the UK and Ireland, as well as Mr. M. Spring for his considerable support and coaching over the year.
The incoming Auditor, Robert Fitzgerald-Bellone takes over the reins of this flourishing society and he is particularly keen to encourage debaters from junior years to attend the weekly debates. The school wish him well in his new post.
Debating Society: 2008/9
As is now customary, Coláiste Iognáid has dominated schools’ debating in the West of Ireland and, indeed, nationally. In addition to the successes below, Cormac McGuinness’s and Jake Hansen-Shearer’s assault on the rest of the island of Ireland at the 2009 All-Ireland Final on Saturday 25 th April 2009 is to be noted for its spirit and determination.
Pupils from Coláiste Iognáid were National Finalists in two out of three of the country’s best known and most prestigious English Language debating competitions this year.
In summary, the following achievements portray a flourishing school society at the height of its powers:
2009 Denny’s All Ireland Schools’ Debating Competition.
West of Ireland Finalists: Ciaran Garrett,Manus Lenihan, Darragh O’Brien, Eve-Ann Allen, Cormac McGuinness, Jake Hansen-Shearer.
All Ireland Finalists: Jake Hansen-Shearer and Cormac McGuinnes
2009 Irish Schools National Team:
Final Selection Competitors: Cormac McGuinness and Ciaran Garrett
2009 NUIG Connacht Schools’ Mace:
Senior Champions: Manus Lenihan and Ciaran Garrett.
Junior Champions: Oisin Keogh and Andrew Forde
2009 AIB Phil Speaks:
National Semi-Finalists: Ciaran Garrett and Jake Hansen-Shearer
National Finalist: Cora Lenihan
2009/2010 European Youth Parliament
Cormac McGuinness selected to represent Ireland in Helsinki 2009/10.
2008/2009 TY Concern Team:
Niamh Codeyre, Katie Fallon, Clare Howley, Laura Kaar , Lauren Casserly enjoyed the first round of this competition
2009 First Year Debate Competition was organised by Transition Year pupils. The competition was won by 1G (Niamh Doran, Jamie Nolan, Ruth McMorrow, Padraig Folan). Best individual speaker: Ruth McMorrow (1G), Runner-up best speaker: Ann-Jane Kitt.
The Society met twenty times this year for formal debates after school. The 20 th motion, ‘THW not Restrict Freedom of Speech’, was defeated.
Staff v Student Charity Debate saw staff defeating students by a narrow majority. Mr. P.Kilraine, Mr. L. Parkinson, Mr. T. MacAodh and Mr. M.Harrison represented the staff and Daragh O’Brien, Eve-Anne Allen, ManusLenihan and Ciaran Garrett represented the student body.
Society meal: A large gathering enjoyed an end of term meal on Tuesday, May 19 th.
The society thank retiring auditor Ciaran Garrett for ensuring the success of school debating throughout the year. His enthusiasm and dedication to debating at the ‘Jes’ have ensured that the society maintains its position at the head of national schools’ debating. Ciaran is a founding member of the society and has enjoyed formidable success in schools’ debating whilst at the helm. Described as one of the finest summation speakers in his age-group, Ciaran is Runner-Up National Champion, winner of the NUIG Schools’ Mace, twice in the final selection competition for the Irish Team and he has a long list of other national awards. He has been involved in the initiating of a First Year debate competition, has adjudicated junior competitions and the society wish him the very best in the future.
The Society would also extend their thanks and best wishes to Manus Lenihan, who is Runner-Up National Champion 2008, Runner-up Champion in AIB Philspeaks 2007, winner of the NUIG Schools’ Mace and captain of a very successful 2007 Concern Debate team. The society will miss his often controversial, but always entertaining, witty and heartfelt contributions to House debates.
Finally, Sixth Year pupils Daragh O’Brien and Eve-Ann Allen also graduate after a similarly successful career debating at the school and must be thanked for their considerable contributions to the continuing success of the this society.
The society extends its best wishes to all four Coláiste Iognáid graduates and expects the Irish Times National Debating Championship, the Bar or the Daíl to benefit from their oratorical skills in the future!
Coláiste Iognáid win West of Ireland Debating Championship.
For the fourth consecutive year, the ‘Jes’ has won the ‘Denny’s West of Ireland Schools’ Debating Championship’. On Saturday, Fifth Year pupils at the school, Cormac McGuinness and Jake Hansen-Shearer, defeated schools from all over Connacht to bring the team trophy back to Sea Road. In front of a large audience in the Aula Maxima, NUIG, they successfully proposed the motion that ‘ Ireland was in need of a recession’. In April, McGuinness and Hansen-Shearer travel down to Trinity College, Dublin in their quest for the All-Ireland title in the national schools’ debating finals.
January 18 th 2009
The society started the new calendar year with a louder bang than usual with all speakers through to the West of Ireland Finals. For the Denny’s debating team, it’s another clean sweep!
The school Congratulates the entire ‘Jes’ senior debating contingent. All ‘Jes’ speakers progress to the West of Ireland Final (All-Ireland Semi-Final) on Saturday, January 31 st as a result of their clean sweep at the Semi-Finals at NUIG.
Beating schools from all over Connacht, the ‘Jes’ is the only school in the country to have succeeded sending all its permitted speakers to provincial finals.
Well done to:
Jes B: Darragh O’Brien, Eve-Ann Allen
Jes C: Cormac McGuinness, Jake Hansen-Shearer
Individual Speaker: Ciaran Garrett
Individual Speaker: Manus Lenihan
With many thanks to their loyal supporters who attended last night, the society would welcome an even larger audience at the Provincial Final on Saturday 31 st January. With the individual competition seeing Ciaran Garrett against Manus Lenihan: sparks will fly!
Winter 2009 has started with what has become customary success for the Coláiste Iognáid debating society.
The Transition Year ‘Concern’ Debate team (Claire Howley, Lauren Casserly, Niamh Codeyre, Laura Kaar and Kate Fallon) have gained three points so far in their campaign and meet Gort in January.
The Senior ‘Denny’s’ teams have all progressed through to the All-Ireland Quarter Final. Coláiste Iognáid is the only school in the country to have got 100% of its speakers through to this round. Team members Cormac McGuinness, Jake Hansen-Shearer, Eve-Anne Allen and Darragh O’Brien join individual speakers (and last year’s champions) Ciaran Garrett and Manus Lenihan for this particular showdown in January. The society awaits the clash of Garrett and Lenihan with relish.
With good speakers in First, Second and Third Year training regularly, the society is in a strong position to dominate in the forthcoming AIB and NUIG Mace competitions starting in January.
The society, under auditor Ciaran Garrett, organised eleven weekly in-house debates which regularly attracted a large number of speakers and audience from the school. Motions ranged from ‘This House Would Make the ‘Jes’ Fee-paying’, ‘This House Would Ban the Leaving Cert.’ to ‘This House Would Not Have Children’. The society meets every Tuesday in the Library at 4:10. Younger speakers, even if they have never debated before, are particularly encouraged to attend.
