The debate took place in a packed room in UCCand there was many extremely talented debaters present but it was all right because Coláiste Dún Iascaigh had one of their best on it: Emma Quirke. She was up against several other Munster schools these were: Laurel Hill, Colaiste Spiorad Naomh, Christian Brothers College Cork, Castle Troy, Ard Scoil Ris, Glenstall Limerick, Saint Annes Templemore, and Sacred Heart Clonakilty. But they were no match for Emma and her enthusiastic supporters.
The motion for the debate was that “this house thinks that American intervention should be put to an end” so basically America should stop sticking their noses into everyone else’s business. Emma was in favour of the proposal put forward and in my opinion she crushed it. Now I personally would not like to be against Emma in anything, there is a reason everyone wants her on their team in PE; she is unstoppable!!! But of course her opposition didn’t know that yet but they would certainly find out. The debate began at five thirty and each speaker had seven minutes to speak during which anyone could ask them for a “point of information” and then make a statement against what the speaker said and the speaker would have to quickly respond before going back to their speech (so basically it is a fancy way of saying “oh hang on a second I am going to just interrupt you here in the middle of your speech and tell why everything you are saying is wrong). Emma was the ninth speaker and when she stood up she blew the adjudicators away with both her delivery and how she possessed the ability to take down the entirety of her opposition’s speech in one sentence for example “America doesn’t intervene for humanitarian reasons but rather for corporate ones”. After all the speakers had done their thing everyone was sent upstairs for some pizza (which by the way there was not nearly enough of) and given the chance to chat and size each other up while the adjudicators made their decisions.
After this everyone was brought into a room to hear the results. Two teams and two individuals (six in total from each of the two debates taking place) were allowed through to the final of the Munster debates. I have honestly never heard such excitement from my peers we were screeching and clapping like some sort of deranged group of seals. Emma has now reached the finals this is a huge achievement and both her peers and teachers Catriona Fennessy and John McCarthy could not be more proud of her.
The final will take part in the Aula Maxima in UCC. Emma is Tipperary’s only representative in the final and along the way she has taken down some considerable opposition.
By Samantha Lyons
The motion for the debate was that “this house thinks that American intervention should be put to an end” so basically America should stop sticking their noses into everyone else’s business. Emma was in favour of the proposal put forward and in my opinion she crushed it. Now I personally would not like to be against Emma in anything, there is a reason everyone wants her on their team in PE; she is unstoppable!!! But of course her opposition didn’t know that yet but they would certainly find out. The debate began at five thirty and each speaker had seven minutes to speak during which anyone could ask them for a “point of information” and then make a statement against what the speaker said and the speaker would have to quickly respond before going back to their speech (so basically it is a fancy way of saying “oh hang on a second I am going to just interrupt you here in the middle of your speech and tell why everything you are saying is wrong). Emma was the ninth speaker and when she stood up she blew the adjudicators away with both her delivery and how she possessed the ability to take down the entirety of her opposition’s speech in one sentence for example “America doesn’t intervene for humanitarian reasons but rather for corporate ones”. After all the speakers had done their thing everyone was sent upstairs for some pizza (which by the way there was not nearly enough of) and given the chance to chat and size each other up while the adjudicators made their decisions.
After this everyone was brought into a room to hear the results. Two teams and two individuals (six in total from each of the two debates taking place) were allowed through to the final of the Munster debates. I have honestly never heard such excitement from my peers we were screeching and clapping like some sort of deranged group of seals. Emma has now reached the finals this is a huge achievement and both her peers and teachers Catriona Fennessy and John McCarthy could not be more proud of her.
The final will take part in the Aula Maxima in UCC. Emma is Tipperary’s only representative in the final and along the way she has taken down some considerable opposition.
By Samantha Lyons
