The Literary & Debating Society is a

student society A student society, student association, university society, student club, university club, or student organization is a society or an organization, operated by students at a university, college, or other educational institution, whose membership t ...

at the

University of Galway The University of Galway () is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. The university was founded in 1845 as "Queen's College, Galway". It was known as "University College, Galway" (UCG) () from 1908 to 1997 and as ...

. It was founded as the ''Literary and Scientific Society'' in 1846, and incorporated into the then

Queen's College, Galway The University of Galway () is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. The university was founded in 1845 as "Queen's College, Galway". It was known as "University College, Galway" (UCG) () from 1908 to 1997 and as ...

, in 1852. It has as its objective "the promotion of oratory among the students of the University, and the faculty of clear thinking and sound reasoning upon matters which may be deemed to be of vital importance".

History

The Literary and Debating Society of the University of Galway (also known as "Lit & Deb") was founded in the 1840s. At an early meeting of the society, John J. Gibson reputedly outlined the purpose of the society, stating that:

" he society will elicit the latent sparks of genius in a few individuals, and send forth men of enlightened views and cultivated tastes . and that those men may..issue forth from this hall, who, vying with the great spirits of the past, shall illumine the future"

During the 1960s, tensions began to develop between the society and the college authorities. In 1960, a debate on the motion "That the death-knell of Sinn Féin has sounded", due to be chaired by Owen Sheehy-Skeffington, was banned by the college authorities, leading to questions in

Dáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...

. In 1964, during the auditorship of Michael J. O’Connor, the society was suspended from the college following an incident involving a poster. The Lit & Deb found refuge during this suspension with the Dominican Nuns at Taylor's Hill, and held several debates in the Rosary Hall of their school there. The society soon returned to the college and resumed its meetings in the Greek Hall. The auditor's chain of office was introduced in 1965, under the auditorship of

Michael D. Higgins Michael Daniel Higgins (; born 18 April 1941) is an Irish politician, poet, broadcaster, and sociologist who has been serving as the president of Ireland since 2011. Entering national politics through the Labour Party, he served as a senator ...

President's Medal

The President’s Medal is the society’s highest accolade. Originally it was an award given to members who excelled in the field of oratory however it fell out of use in the 1950s. In recent times, the committee has resurrected the award and it is now an accolade that recognises the achievements of those outside the society, who excel in particular field. Among the recipients of the award are;

Roddy Doyle Roderick Doyle (born 8 May 1958) is an Irish novelist, dramatist and screenwriter. He is the author of eleven novels for adults, eight books for children, seven plays and screenplays, and dozens of short stories. Several of his books have been ...

Ardal O'Hanlon Ardal O'Hanlon (; born 8 October 1965) is an Irish comedian, actor, and author. He played Father Dougal McGuire in ''Father Ted'' (1995–1998), George Sunday/Thermoman in ''My Hero (British TV series), My Hero'' (2000–2006), and DI Jack Moone ...

, Patrick McCabe, Prof.

Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American professor and public intellectual known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a ...

, US Senator

Mike Gravel Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel ( ; May 13, 1930 – June 26, 2021) was an American politician and writer who represented Alaska in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1981 as a member of the Democratic Party. He ran for president twice: in 200 ...

, Congressman

Bruce Morrison Bruce Andrew Morrison (born October 8, 1944) is an American attorney, lobbyist and Democratic Party politician who represented Connecticut in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1991. In 1990, he was the unsuccessful Democr ...

Desmond Tutu Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop ...

, Nobel Prize winner Prof.

Edmund Phelps Edmund Strother Phelps (born July 26, 1933) is an American economist and the recipient of the 2006 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Early in his career, he became known for his research at Yale's Cowles Foundation in the first half o ...

and former Taoiseach

Bertie Ahern Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, and as Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008. A Teachta Dála (TD) from 1977 to 2011, he served ...

was presented with the President's Medal in his hotel after the event on campus had to be abandoned because of a demonstrations by students.

Activities

The society has a strong involvement in external debating, with several winners of the Irish Times Debating Competition and the World University Debating Championship among its

alumni Alumni (: alumnus () or alumna ()) are former students or graduates of a school, college, or university. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for groups of women, and alums (: alum) or alumns (: alumn) as gender-neutral alternatives. Th ...

. The Lit & Deb traditionally publishes two magazines. "U.C.G.", the college annual, was founded as "Q.C.G." in 1902, and had responsibility for its publication entrusted to the society in 1914. "Criterion", a literary magazine which was founded by the college's now defunct Arts Society in the 1950s, was revived by the Lit & Deb during the 2001-2002 session, with the responsibility of its publication given to the Literary Convenor, a member of the society's committee. The Lit & Deb also has a connection with schools debating, and hosts the West of Ireland section of the All-Ireland Schools Debating Competition. It also runs workshops and tutorials for secondary school debaters.

Notable auditors and vice-auditors

* 1974-1975 Patsy McGarry (Arts) * 1964-1965

(Arts) * 1963-1964

(Arts) * 1960-1961

Pádraig MacKernan Pádraig MacKernan (24 April 1940 – 25 January 2010) was an Irish diplomat who served as Secretary General of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs as well as Irish Ambassador to both France and the United States and as an Irish member of t ...

(Arts) * 1931-1932

Gerard Anthony Hayes-McCoy Gerard A. Hayes-McCoy (1911–1975) was an Irish historian regarded as one of the leading Irish historians of his generation. Life Family Gerard Anthony Hayes-McCoy was born in Galway on 15 August 1911, of Thomas Hayes-McCoy and Mary Kathleen H ...

(Arts) * 1928-1929 Martin J. Newell (Science) * 1923-1924 Patrick J. Lenihan (Arts) * 1893-1894 John Guy Rutledge (Law) * 1873-1874 John Gordon (Law) * 1867-1868 Thomas Power O'Connor (Literary Division, Arts) * 1866-1867

Michael Francis Ward Michael Francis Ward (1845 – 17 June 1881) was an Irish doctor, surgeon, politician and nationalist MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as member of the Home Rule League represented Galway Borou ...

(Medicine) * 1864-1865

Frank Hugh O'Donnell Frank Hugh O'Donnell (also Frank Hugh O'Cahan O'Donnell), born Francis Hugh MacDonald (9 October 1846 – 2 November 1916) was an Irish writer, journalist and Irish nationalism, nationalist politician. Early life O'Donnell was born in an army ...

(Literary Division, Arts) * 1863-1864

Antony MacDonnell Lord MacDonnell Antony Patrick MacDonnell, 1st Baron MacDonnell, (7 March 1844 – 9 June 1925), known as Sir Antony MacDonnell between 1893 and 1908, was an Irish civil servant, much involved in the Indian land reform and famine relief in Ind ...

(Arts) * 1862-1863 John Atkinson (Science Division, Arts) * 1861-1862 John Monroe (Law)

References

External links