The crowd began to permeate the great halls of Kirwan over an hour before the night was to start. The atmosphere was tense and as the auditor and recording secretary waited in the underbelly of the concourse for the night to begin, they both realised that this was a night of special significance... With crowds echoing days when the Literary and Debating society sat in the great Greek hall, the meeting commenced with over 450 people in attendance. The night was chaired by Stephen Nolan, the great dictator. The recording secretary, ruggedly handsome and dapper as ever, delivered the minutes to great applause and cheers. I got no objections and as I re-took my seat I was showered with rose petals and girls' phone numbers.

Sharon Dillion-Lyons proposed “TTHW welcome the introduction of Anti Social Behaviour Order's.” She talked about most anti-social behaviour falling outside the realms of criminal activity and the negative effects this activity can create, especially the fear it often induces within old people. John Moriarity (arts) opposed and talked about the juvenile justice system becoming a political issue. Next up for proposition was Cathy Egan (law) who really proved that she shouldn't be a law student with her speech on the judicial system. She talked about introducing ASBO's to give the judiciary “a bit of craic.” The ridiculous nature of some ASBO's was taken up, such as the 87 year old man, no longer able to make sarcastic comments. This infuriated me for two reasons. Firstly this is clearly a breach of civil liberties and freedom of speech. Secondly it infuriated me as I am most likely to become that 87 year old, sarcastic and bitter from constant rejection from 18 year olds. Last up for opposition was a first time speaker in the house, Mr. Paddy Duffy (arts) who cried out that the house was being drowned in a sea of facetiousness. He talked expertly of his own experiences. There was nothing for young people to do in his town. He said that by putting money into developing rural facilities for young people we could give young people their chance to flourish. The motion was put to a packed Kirwan and defeated. Here, according to Mark Hannifey, ends the second shortest PMT in recorded history.

Anyway main business was about to begin. The board was set and the pieces were beginning to move. The motion: “TTHW reclaim the tri-colour from Sinn Fein.” The prize: Honour. The proposition: Martin Collins (law), Minister for justice, equality and law reform, Minister Michael Mc Dowell. The opposition: Arthur Morgan (TD and local shiner from Dundalk who enjoys walks along the luminous stand if Blackrock as it gives him a wonderful panorama of Sellafield), Des Dalton (vice-president of republican Sinn Fein.)

First up was Martin Collin (law) said that we “cannot identify with the cause behind the republicans use of the tri-colour.” The flag is supposed to symbolize unity between unionist and nationalist, orange and green. He said that the tri-colour is identified with a small minority of people, and that it is the responsibility of each and every person to ensure a unity of people and a lasting peace, symbolised by the white of the flag.

First up for proposition was Arthur Morgan (T.D.) who, calling the proposition a myth, said that the republican movement had never tried to “claim” the tri-colour. He rejected the idea that the tri-colour shouldn't fly in the north, saying that it encompassed a 32 county Ireland, united in peace and indifferent of colour, class, creed or political ideology. Mr. Morgan also compared the I.R.A. to those who participated in the 1916 rising. He finished by saying that the P.D.'s are a small ruling elite that are focussed only on acquiring more money and wealth for themselves.

Minister Michael McDowell opened for 2 nd proposition by running through his family tree to prove he was a republican and sought a 32 county republic. He said he was under no illusion that the movement had brought about liberty and property rights. He called the unification of green and orange as “the last great task,” where the country would prosper economically. He refuted Mr. Morgan's comments, saying that the I.R.A. could not be compared with those of 1916, as their activities were little more than “sectarian bloodletting,” and not like those of Pearse and Collins. He said that the I.R.A. had set back unity and defined the Irish flag as something it was not. He finished by declaring that he was an Irish Republican and that reunification would come about through reconciliation.

Closing the formal side of main business was Des Daltan. He talked about the proposition tailoring history and misrepresenting a “heroic and sustained war.” He said the war was legitimate and protected the sovereign right of people to self determination. Daltan went on to tell the house of the democratic routes of republicanism, also saying that Sinn Fein never hi-jacked the flag, nor the anthem. He talked about those presently in government hi-jacking 1916 and the hunger strikes for their own political agenda. He finished by saying that Sinn Fein was a credible alternative and was based on principles of democracy.

The motion was opened to the floor and by random selection and complicated mathematics, the auditor was enabled to pick various hands from the floor. First up from the floor was Susan Tracy (commerce) who said that it was not the tri colour, but a green flag with a harp, that flew above the ruins of the G.P.O. in 1916. Tracy went on to say that the tri-colour has become the flag of those who maimed and killed in its name. Another speaker from the floor asked why the Castlerea 4 were still in prison. Maiteas O'Gormain asked that if you're house was attacked wouldn't you defend it, drawing a direct comparison with the troubles in the north. Roisin Mc Grogain (law), partly in song, said that if we are all moving towards a united Ireland , we must take the road of peace and reconciliation. John Francis (former civil engineer) said that the orange tradition had never agreed to the tri-colour, even if it does symbolise peace between green and orange. Luke Mc Donnell (law) said that if it wasn't for the great militant revolutions we would not now have democracy in the greatest countries in the world. Matthew Hall (arts) said that that he was as republican as Fianna Fail was socialist, Fianna fail not being very socialist at all. He asked would the northern people be interested in the proposition's republic. John Mc Quirk (Galway city) said that the tri-colour had been shamed by American troops landing at Shannon for their participation in an “illegal war.” Ciaran Cannon talked about the same he felt when republicans are killing in his name. Simon King (arts) said it had turned into a debate on Irish history.

Robert Rooney was thanked for organising the night and granted a few moments to speak on the motion. So inflated has Mr. Rooney's head become in the last number of months that he insinuated that our most noble auditor was simply following his orders. This is untrue and lead to a heated exchange. When Rooney was permitted to speak, he said that the republican movement had a set meaning. He thanked all the speakers for coming along and asked how did the “Castlereagh 4” bring republicanism closer?

The main speakers were allowed some summation time and as I deem it note worthy it shall be recorded. Morgan said that the Castlereagh 4 were political prisoners under the terms of the Good Friday agreement. Collins stated that the high court had said that they were not political prisoners and said that the incident had been a “miscarriage of humanity” carried out by the I.R.A. Daltan said that he wanted to create an inclusive society. Mc Dowell, closing the debate, talked about the future, saying that if he did not believe Ireland was great he would not be standing for election. The motion was put to the floor and carried.

Like all good things, even the greatest night the Lit & Deb have seen in over two years, had to come to an end. Yet for some it did not end as the debating, drinking, scoring and drunken rambling raged long into the moonless night.