The Evolution of Debating
in
(1846 - 1996)
A concise historical sketch of the Literary &
Debating Society
The origins of the Literary & Debating Society have been the subject of more than a little speculation down through the years. Some of the more creative and fanciful accounts of its foundation range from the suggestion that the society was founded as an oratorical training ground for British army officers[1] to the equally absurd suggestion that a Wildean type eccentric by the name of Lord Titwig set its standing orders in motion around 1895[2].
What we can tell, by simple numerical deduction is that the society was founded in 1846, as this year it is in its 149th session. At first sight this would itself appear to be incongruous with the fact that students only began to attend the new Queen’s College in 1849, three years after its foundation. One possible explanation is that the society was originally established as a quite independent external society from the then Queen’s College.
Debating forums and discussion groups of
all shades and colours were particularly fashionable in the 19th Century. The
Oxford Union was founded in 1829, its Scottish rival in
With this in mind, I believe that one of
the most credible suggestions is that the Lit. & Deb. evolved from a
discussion group organised in
To understand properly the early years of
the Lit. & Deb. it is important to place student life in its proper
context. The College opened with less then 100 students in attendance. Until
the 1960’s little more then 500 students were enrolled annually at U.C.G. As
such staff and students lived in much closer contact with each other then they
do today. Academics partook in debates just as mush as students did. Ninny of
the first lecturers at Q.C.G. were Oxbridge educated and they would have
transmitted some of the formal parliamentary “cut & thrust” of their
University Debating Unions to the, new society in
There is evidence to support the claim that
in its early years the Society was known as the Literary & Scientific
Society. Membership was confined by the mid-1850’s to staff and students of
Q.C.G. Students came from a great variety of backgrounds. Most notably the
society’s meetings were dominated by Presbyterian students from
Another former Auditor, Frank Hugh
O’Donnell caused uproar at the society by referring to a former English monarch
as “
The training that the society gave many of
its members bore fruit well before the turn of the Century. It caused Lord
Justice J.A. Rentoul of the Central Criminal Court of
England to remark, “I have seen seven
The sort of tension though that existed at meetings prompted the College Authorities to introduce the infamous Rule 13 by the early 1900’s. This rule forbade discussion of the “Irish Question”. The Auditor, M. Breathnach (1908-09) referred indignantly to the rule as “unlucky 13” saying it was the worst misfortune that could fall upon the Society. One only wonders if Breathnach was even half as concerned with openness and tolerance when formulating school curricula for de Valera’s government in later life as First Secretary at the Dept. of Education. Rule 13 was removed in 1922.
With the advent of the Great War many members and former members went off to fight with the British Army, through their involvement with the Irish and Ulster Volunteer Forces. Many doubtless, intoxicated with enthusiasm were in search of their share of the “glories” of war. Tragically the list of the College’s war dead includes many names who had been prominent speakers at the Lit. & Deb. Among those names were James, Isaac and Samuel Flack all of whom had served as auditors of the society.
At this time female involvement in the society was minimal. In an attempt to counteract this “Ladies Nights” were held. This gave the fairer sex, as they were then deemed to be, an opportunity to partake in debate free from the onslaught of male aggression. These nights were very popular among the student body. It enabled the male hecklers to practice their skills on their less experienced fellow scholars. In an attempt to enforce better gender equality regulations were inserted into the Society’s constitution that one of the two society secretaries had to be a lady and, of the four ordinary committee members, two would have to be ladies. Such amendments had little effect, for it wasn’t until 1953-54 that one Mary Swords became the first society Auditrix. Since then only three other women have held the chair, Marie O’Connell (1971-72), Mairead Noone (1973-74) and Paula Walsh (1977-78).
By the 1930 the College was under the
serious threat of closure. Mon. Hynes, the then President adopted the strategy
of proclaiming
Up until the 1960’s academics continued to actively partake in the Society’s debates and administration. However by now their involvement began to be seen as an unwanted interference by authority in student affairs. Doubtless our student members received their new found radicalism from the ideas of their contemporaries in Paris and Berkeley. The 60’s saw prominent students such as Michael D. Higgins and Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh engaging in the heated issues of the time on he floor of the society. Ironically these two men are now prominent establishment figures. The gradual reduction in staff participation in the 60’s did not adversely affect the society. Indeed the society inaugurated its Chain of Office in 1964. The society actually grew in stature and confidence being prominent on the Intervarsity stage.
The
Modern Society
The 1970’s saw a huge expansion in the student population at U.C.G. with the construction of the new Science building the Lit. & Deb. moved from the Greek Hall (College Bar) where it had been resident for almost 130 years to the new Kirwan Theatre. It is hard to quantify what was lost to the society with this move but certainly the new theatre was not quite as intimate as the old room in the Quad.
In 1983 the society won its first Irish Times Debates Final. The team was that of Damian Crawford & Eoin Ó Maoileáin. Crawford later won the International Observer Mace debates and the World University Debating Championship for King’s Inns. Brendan Wilkins and Conor Bowman won the individual award of the Irish Times Debates in 1986 and 1987 respectively. While Bowman was Auditor the society hosted a debate against N.I.H.E. Limerick’s newly formed Lit. & Deb. society. It was their first ever intervarsity. The motion “that there is only one Lit. & Deb.” was designed to provoke more then a little discussion. Not surprisingly the debate broke up in complete disarray but it illustrates that the “joi de vivre” of the society was alive and well.
The Society entered the Guinness Book of
records in 1985, for the longest continuous debate, a mere 2 days. The motion
was “that this house is Green”. The record was lost to
As we face into the 150th Session of the Lit. & Deb., it is a good time to take stock of the Society’s successes and plans for the future. This year has left us more upbeat then ever. We had a record 5 speakers in the Irish Times Final and we won the Observer Mace Debates with the help of Brian Hughes & Mary Cosgrove. The society has also begun to take a more prominent role on the international stage. For the second year running we have sent teams to the World Debating Championships. It leaves it members more upbeat then ever. From its humble beginnings, the Lit & Deb. has nurtured men and women who have gone on to greatness in later life. Long may she continue to do so, as our College motto says, “with God’s Favour”.
Ronan
MacSweeney
Auditor
1993-1994