IN PICTURES: Laois students compete to win Inter Schools Debate Final
Some of the most eloquant and erudite young people in Laois met this week to battle out the final of the Senior Laois Inter- School debate competition.
On Monday March 14, senior debating teams from Portlaoise College Colaiste Íosagáin met head to head in the final, held in Laois County Council's chambers, home to many a passionate political debate.
The motion debated was ‘That in the 100 years since we gained independence Ireland has lost its cultural identity’.
The chamber was filled with family and friends who came to support the teams.
It was by all accounts a closely fought debate with Colaiste Íosagáin proving themselves to be a brilliant team but in the end it was Portlaoise College who were victorious and managed to take home the senior trophy for the first time since 2014.
The Portlaoise College team consisted of Catriona Dillon (Captain), Fionn Abbey, Callen Dunne, Suzanne Gabrysiak and Noor Fatima (who unfortunately missed the competition due to illness)
On the same day shortly after the debate the Best Speaker Shield took place.
This was a competition for people who had been a member of a team in previous rounds of the competition and had been selected by the judges as the best individual speaker in that debate.
There were speakers from St Mary’s CBS, Scoil Críost Rí, Heywood Community School, Colaiste Íosagáin and Portlaoise College selected.
The topic given was ‘I want to believe’.
Three students from Portlaoise College took part in the competition, Ben Campbell, Saoirse Fox and Catriona Dillon. In the end Ben took home Gold as overall best individual speaker.
St Mary’s CBS congratulated their two entrants who came a close first and second runner up.
“Congratulations to James Finegan and Luke Walsh who scooped first and second runner up in the Laois Best Individual Speaker Competition. They performed brilliantly, and we are delighted that we have two in the best three in the county. Their speeches were eloquent, engaging and highly entertaining. Well done lads!”