A school's Debs, also called Grad or Grads, is the formal ball for students in their final year of

secondary school in the Republic of Ireland The levels of Ireland's education are primary, secondary and higher (often known as "third-level" or tertiary) education. In recent years further education has grown immensely with 51% of working age adults having completed higher education b ...

, analogous to the

prom A promenade dance, commonly called a prom, is a dance party for high school students. It may be offered in semi-formal black tie or informal suit for boys, and evening gowns for girls. This event is typically held near the end of the school yea ...

in North American schools or the

school formal A promenade dance, commonly called a prom, is a dance party for high school students. It may be offered in semi-formal black tie or informal suit for boys, and evening gowns for girls. This event is typically held near the end of the school year ...

in Australia. It is most commonly referred to as the "Debs" (from "

debutante A debutante, also spelled débutante, ( ; from french: débutante , "female beginner") or deb is a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and, as a new adult, is presented to society at a formal " ...

") but some schools (mainly boys' or coeducational) call it the "Grad" or "Grads" (from

graduation Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...

). Each ball is associated with a specific school, which may take place during the school year, immediately after the

Leaving Certificate A secondary school leaving qualification is a document signifying that the holder has fulfilled any secondary education requirements of their locality, often including the passage of a final qualification examination. For each leaving certifica ...

examinations in June, or after the results are announced in August. Some schools have a smaller "pre-Debs" some months before the Debs. Other schools, including in

Tralee Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...

, hold their Debs in January.

Organisation

A Debs or Grads is often organised by someone other than the school itself. In some cases, a student committee is created within the school to organise the event in collaboration with selected teachers or parents. Some organisers pay an events company to assist with the event-planning activities. The events are typically held at a hotel or other large function room. A Debs is usually, though not always, a formal dinner, followed by music. Alcohol is almost always served. Traditionally there is a photographer present, who will take individual shots of each couple and throughout the event. It is not uncommon for the event to last all night, with some attendees returning home the following morning, or going for breakfast together. Some hotels provide breakfast.

Participation

Some students may worry about being invited or finding a

date Date or dates may refer to: *Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'') Social activity *Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner **Group dating *Play date, an ...

, but many attend with friends or in a group. People are usually dressed in formal

black tie Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element fo ...

gown A gown, from the Saxon word, ''gunna'', is a usually loose outer garment from knee-to-full-length worn by men and women in Europe from the Early Middle Ages to the 17th century, and continuing today in certain professions; later, the term ''gown ...

s or

dress A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that covers ...

es. These are often adorned with a

corsage A corsage is a small bouquet of flowers worn on a woman's dress or around her wrist for a formal occasion. They are typically given to her by her date. Today, corsages are most commonly seen at homecomings, proms, and similar formal events. In ...

. While formal attire is traditional, it is not required for entrance. It is customary for men to purchase a corsage, flowers or a box of chocolates for their dates if they are women.

Controversy

In 1998, at a hearing between Judge Desmond Windle and a school solicitor from Newpark Comprehensive about a late night bar extension, the judge stated that the term "Debs ball" should not be used to describe a school leavers dance because its origins were in "archaic" practices associated with royal courts, and "nothing to do with a Republic". Describing the term as "nonsensical" and "absurd", the judge showed particular disdain for the term as he believed that its use in Ireland derived from the English royal court, despite the word "debutante" being French in origin. News outlets in 2012 and 2013 published articles featuring the money spent by attendees, on average €695-€825 on the night, including spend on dresses. The events also face criticism as the nights often have a heavy focus on alcohol, and associated by some with "drunkenness and rowdy behaviour".

References

{{Reflist School dances Education in the Republic of Ireland Irish youth culture