Ciara McLoughlin and Ceara Tonna-Barthet of King’s Inns have been crowned team winners of the 64th Irish Times Debate final, Ireland’s longest running third-level debating competition.
The individual-speaker award went to trainee solicitor Clíodhna McHugh (Arthur Cox) of the Solicitors’ Apprentice Debating Society (SADSI).
UCD BCL ’21 graduate McHugh also won the Christina Murphy memorial trophy for her contribution in favour of the motion that ‘This house believes referendums are no way to run a country’.
The judging panel for the final was chaired by Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell.
The panel commended the exceptionally high standard of debate, noting wit, intelligence and quick thinking.
The final at University College Dublin’s FitzGerald Debating Chamber (22 February) was hosted by UCD’s Literary and Historical Society.