Winners of the Irish Times Team Debating Competition 
Last updated Mar-98 by Colm Flynn
Link to Irish Times Website
The Irish National Championships are sponsored each year by The Irish Times Newspaper.  Each year 150-170 teams enter the competition and this is down to 4 teams and 4 individuals for the Final.  The preliminary rounds start in November and are held in colleges throughout the country.  The Semi-Finals & final are usually held at the end of January/ start of February
The competition is slightly different from other Debating competitions as it has both Teams and Individuals in the latter Rounds.  The First rounds contain only teams but the adjudicators can put through Individuals as well as teams from each round.
The speaking order for the final & semi-finals is as follows.

The team trophy is called the Demosthenes trophy and the individual prize is the Christina Murphy Memorial trophy.

Team Competition
Year Team Speaker 1 Speaker 2
1960 Kings Inns Aidan Browne Charles Lysaght
1961 Phil TCD Hallem Johnston Jack Daniels
1962 QUB John Murtagh Michael Egan
1963 L&H UCD Patrick Cosgrave Anthony Clare
1964 L&H UCD Patrick Cosgrave Anthony Clare
1965 Hist TCD David McConnell Cian O'h'Eigeartaigh
1966 Hist TCD David McConnell Cian O'h'Eigeartaigh
1967 Philosoph UCC Donnacha O'Corrain Anthony Adolph
1968 L&H UCD Roddy Buckley Dermot Gleeson
1969 QUB Brendan Keenan Derek Davis
1970 L&H UCD Neal Clarke Donal O'Riain
1971 Hist TCD Donal Deeny Gregory Murphy
1972 Hist TCD Donal Deeny Frank Bannister
1973 QUB Billy McRory Jimmy Hughes
1974 Hist TCD David O'Sullivan James Connolly
1975 NUU Michael Hughes Kevin Cahill
1976 L&H UCD Paul Gill Gerry Danaher
1977 Maynooth Pat Hennessy Gerry Maher
1978 Law Soc UCD Conor Gearty Donal O'Donnell
1979 Law Soc UCD Conor Gearty John O'Donnell
1980 L&H UCD Maurice Biggar Eugene McCague
1981 L&H UCD Charlie Meehan Gerry Stembridge
1982 Phil TCD Michael Byrne Gerry Foley
1983 Lit & Deb UCG Eoin O'Maoileoin Damian Crawford
1984 Hist TCD Eoin McCullough Brian Murray
1985 Philosoph UCC David Holland Brian Hassett
1986 Phil TCD Declan McCavana David Keane
1987 Hist TCD Aidan Kane Paul Gavin
1988 Philosoph UCC Adrian Hunt Tim Murphy
1989 Kings Inns Maeve Collins Pat Twomey
1990 Philosoph UCC Brendan Lenihan DonO'Sullivan
1991 Kings Inns Tim O'Leary Pat Treacy
1992 L&H UCD Johanna Farrelly Pat O'Keeffe
1993 Hist TCD Brendan Foley Gavin Titley
1994 L&H UCD Dara O'Briain Marcus Dowling
1995 Philosoph UCC Alan Roberts Diarmuid Conway
1996 Kings Inns Helen Boyle Paul McDermott
1997 UL Debating Union Seamus Doran  Padraic O'Halloran
1998 Philosoph UCC Muireann Ni Cinneide Elizabeth Barrett
1999 L&H UCD Caoilfhionn Gallagher Bernadette Quigley
Last Updated on 06/03/99
By Colm Flynn


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© 1999 Colm Flynn. All Rights Reserved.