Young speakers address the Hallowed Halls of Trinity

BRAM Stoker, Oliver Stone, Naomi Campbell and Tommy
Tiernan have all spoken at The Trinity College Philosophical Society.

And now, three Southside primary school children aged
12 have followed in their footsteps and engaged in the first ever All Ireland
Primary Schools Debating Competition in the Chamber at The Graduates Memorial
Building.

Mary Heneghan, Andrew Bermingham and Joanne Hussey
from Our Lady’s Grove, Goatstown, took part in the debate with a team from
Scoil Mhuire, in Maree, Oranmore, Co Galway that won the national title and The
Hand Shield.

Both teams had competed in heats that saw 12 in total
from all over the country take part in this first year of the competition,
which is run by the Galway and the Blackrock Education Centres in association
with the Trinity Philosophical Society.

The motion for the debate was: ‘We should ban fatty
foods from lunch boxes’ with the victors proposing the motion in front of an
assembled 300 or so supporters from all over the country.

A vast array of motions have come up in the
competition throughout the year, and include

‘Ireland is morally bankrupt’,

‘Crime pays’ and

‘There are too many subjects in the Junior Certificate’.

Speaking about the new competition, organiser Bernard
Kirk, Director of The Galway Education Centre, said:

“To see children so young
grasp and debate topics of such complexity is astounding. The confidence and
clarity of thought this competition gives to children at such a young age is
impressive to see and a testimony to teachers in Ireland today.

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