T
o conclude an extraordinarily successful year for the Coláiste Iognáid debate team, top speakers Philip Buckley and Kate Duggan represented Ireland in the ‘International Competition for Young Debaters 2014’ this weekend. Nearly 1000 pupils competed in national qualifiers in February and finally 108 young national finalists from more than ten countries assembled at the world famous ‘Oxford Union’ to debate motions from corporal punishment to international affairs. The ‘Oxford Union’ has hosted speakers from Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton and now it has been graced for the third time with speakers from the ‘Jes’. Whilst the Jes debaters were eventually beaten by teams from Canada, Dulwich College and Eton College, their high ranking puts them in the top twenty of the world’s best debaters! Still only in Junior Certificate level of education, the Galway pair hope for several more returns to Oxford over the next few years!