Foreword

One hundred years ago, when the University lay in the middle of the countryside and only had five students and one professor, the QCG Col1ege Annual came into being. Since 1913 the Literary and Debating Society has been responsible far publishing the QCG/UCG/NUI, Galway Col1ege Annual yearly and has done so, excepting the odd year off when the literary officer was a lazy, good-far-nothing, blackguard...ahem…

This year, however, is not one of those years - Mr Declan Burke has done twice as much as his predecessors, in that he has had not one but two magazines to edit! Criterion, which was launched as part of the Múscailt Arts Festival, has been a huge success and credit must go to Declan for the work he has done in his post.

The 155^th Session has seen the effect of that which is most rare and sacred in the Lit'n'Deb - a woman's touch on the Society. While we broke no world records, certain precedents were set and foundations laid that have benefited the Society this year and one hopes that they will be built upon in the future.

This year we have made every effort to continue Mr Maye's fine work at encouraging people to go to Inter-Varsities - we have had representatives at every Irish IV and at the Oxford Union Inter-Varsity. Jennifer Regan and Barry Ryan made it to the semi-finals at Oxford and came fifth in UL, and Tony McDonnell and Stephen Nolan won the prize for Best Novice team at the UCD Vice-President's Cup. Jennifer Regan and Dave Finn made it to the semi-finals of the Irish Times Competition as individuals.

We held a well-attended guest speaker debate on the Nice Treaty in November, reunited fifteen former auditors of the Society for a debate on the state of the University in modern day Ireland in February, re-launched the literary magazine Criterion, ran two successful Schools' Competitions and joined forces with the Law Society to put on a two-day Debating Inter-Varsity at the end of March.

We also managed to squeeze in some truly memorable social occasions along the way, as the photographs will surely testify. Of many in the Society we can say as Shakespeare did "Drunkenness is his best virtue", you know who you are.

The Lit'n'Deb has held my heart for the past four years and the time has come for me to say good-bye. Many must be thanked for their help and inspiration; Keith Maye, Aisling Currid, Conor Nelson, Ronan Feehily, Dr Aidan Kane, Dr William O'Reilly and all the other former auditors, committee members and academics that have given me advice or helped the Society. The committee have been loyal and hard-working this year and I thank them all for making the 155^th session what it was. I know they will not mind if I single out Mark Hanniffy for special appreciation - I could not have asked for a more supportive and reliable Vice-Auditor this year - Thank you.

If there is anything I can say about my term as Auditor it is that, for better or worse, I did it my way - non, non je ne regrette rien. Best of luck to all who take over for session 156 - and remember – “Eat debating, sleep debating - drink like fishes…”

Elaine Dobbyn, B.A.

Auditor for the 155^th Session of the Literary and Debating Society.