Edmund Burke International Student Debate

The Hist hosted the Inaugural Edmund Burke International Debating Competition in the Public Theatre. Teams from North America, Europe, the UK and Ireland, competed over two days on prepared motions. The motion for the final was "This House Believes That Universities Are Failing Societies”.

Mr Justice George Birmingham, President of the Court of Appeal, chaired the judging panel alongside Ted Smyth (ex-Auditor), Marion Cameron (CEO Sipi Metals Corp.), Caitríona Ni Bhriain (TCD Hist Representative at the World Universities Debating Championship), and Kevin Brennan (Convener of the Irish Times IT Public Speaking Competition).

Prizes were awarded to Cora Keegan and Shane Sweeney (Team from UCD L&H) and Benjamin Hoffner-Brodsky (Individual from Harvard University).