Leinster Schools’

Congratulations are due to Abigail Boylan and Akshara O’Sullivan, both of 4 Red, who came through a gruelling quarter-final in UCD last Tuesday night and now represent DGS in the Leinster Schools’ semi-final next week.

The girls were speaking as second proposition team on the motion, This House Would require all defendants in criminal trials to be represented by a public lawyer. Despite competing as a team thus far, the girls were both selected as best individuals in their quarter-final and will speak as individuals in the semi’s next week.

It’s a superb achievement for Abigail and Akshara who have been building on their skill-set right throughout the year, and who are now fighting it out with the very best senior-cycle speakers in the province at the final stages of the competition. The step up to seven-minute speeches at quarter-final and beyond is a large one, and getting this far is very exciting for everyone involved.

Just before midterm, in an earlier quarter-final, Charlotte Johnston and Aoife Kierans were unfortunate to exit the competition, despite very strong performances. The girls both spoke on the motion, This house supports a boycott by high-profile celebrities of this year’s academy awards, and, on another night, could well have progressed.

Concern Debating

In other debating news, our senior squad recorded an away win over Ashbourne Community School, opposing the motion, The COP 21 climate agreements will succeed where others have failed. Our debaters have worked hard at adjusting to this competition and, with a superb performance on the night, came away with a very satisfying victory.

Speaking on the night were Abigail Boylan (Captain), Charlotte McShane, Eva Williams and Akshara O’Sullivan.   This, coupled with a bye-win over Colaiste na hInse, and a losing bonus point at home to St Louis’, Carrickmacross, leaves the school with a very credible standing in the competition’s league stages.

College Historical Society Mace

The Trinity College Historical Society Mace senior competition took place over Friday, February 5th and Saturday, February 6th, and saw DGS represented by seven transition year students – Chloe McCann, Charlotte McShane, Jessica Jackson, Sarah-Jane Breagy, Vanessa Swan, Jakob Kellett and Dustin Dai.

Chloe McCann and Charlotte McShane impressed the adjudicators and made it as far as the quarter-final stages on Saturday! Congratulations are due to both on their achievement. It was a first foray into mace-style debating for all concerned, and a very enjoyable experience – apart from, perhaps, the torrential downpour in Dublin on Friday!

Report by Teacher in Charge (Mr Farrar), 25th February 2016