 St Aidan's CBS, Whitehall, Dublin, Ireland |
 |
| St Aidan's CBS, Whitehall, Dublin, Ireland |
|
For the second year running St Aidans’ debating team has enjoyed considerable success at the greatly expanded AIB Phil ‘Speaks’ Competition with Andrew Linn reaching the Grand Final. After two rounds and dozens of debates the adjudicators of the nation-wide competition have whittled down the two hundred or so original debaters that entered to a mere ten.
David E. Doyle, Cathal Ormond, Paul Blanchfield, Cathal Gavin, Karl Elliott, Robert Ryan all put in sterling performances in the first round, speaking on topics as varied as the environment and religious fundamentalism. However it was Anthony Madden and Andrew Linn that made it through the Semi-final, debating with students from the four provinces on March 23rd in the sumptuous surroundings of the Philosophical Society’s Conversation room in Trinity College. It was here that the selection for the grand final was made, and Andrew Linn, former winner of the junior competition - competing now as a senior - was put through on the basis of his fine oratory.
The Grand Final will be a black tie dinner and speech affair and take place in Trinity College on April 16th. It will be hosted by RTE rugby pundit George Hook. Many thanks to the debating team, their teachers and Mr Reynolds for providing funding for their entry.
T. O’Connor
