The 180th session of the Literary and Debating Society started the semester off strong on Tuesday evening with a light motion: This House Would Negotiate With Terrorists.
The Literary and Debating Society (which is, as everyone knows, the oldest of the university ) returns after a pheonix-from-the-ashes run last year involving a packed house for Catherine Connolly, returning and resurrected publications, and multiple international Model United Nations conferences. (Not to mention an awards sweep at the end of term ).
The society will not be resting on its laurels, however. This year, the literary team will once again publish Literatum and Criterion magazine as well as put on a variety of events for students and the public. The society will also run the Galway Open debating competition on October 26.
And at 2pm on Friday, the debut episode of the Lit & Deb Radio Hour will broadcast live on FlirtFM, with music, a debate report, literary snippets, and an interview with Professor Niall Ó Dochartaigh discussing the week’s topic (terrorism ).
Discussing terrorism on Tuesday night, the first debate of term was was attended by a healthy crop of old timers, exchange students, bright-eyed freshers, and the unofficial mascot of the society.
Prior to the main topic, Private Members time witnessed heated debate on whether This House Would Move Debates Back To Thursdays.
Auditor Muirrean Murphy defended the executive’s decision to break with one hundred and eighty YEARS of tradition and hold weekly debates on Tuesdays rather than going-out night.
While members of the society may be plotting a return to precedent, debates will be held every Tuesday of term, at 7pm in the Kirwan Theatre of the Arts and Science Concourse on the south campus of the university.
The public is welcome to attend and observe debates, which range from the trivial to the topical.
Next week, the house will debate whether The Manosphere Is Damaging Dating Culture. The rest of the term is as follows:
September 22: This House Believes Engineers Aren’t Real (with Engineering Soc )
September 29: This House Believes Europe Must Stand Alone
October 6: This House Believes Sex Work Liberates Women
October 13: This House Would Allow Generative AI In Debates
October 20: This House Believes Identity Politics Is A Distraction
October 27: This House Would Criminalise Gambling (with Poker Soc )
November 3: This House Believes The Revolutionaries’ Efforts Were In Vain
November 10: This House Regrets The Wellness Industry
November 17: This House Regrets The Rise Of LinkedIn Culture
November 24: This House Believes You Can’t Spell Galway Without Gay
Follow @litndeb on Instagram for updates and news about events and tune into FlirtFM this Friday at 2pm for the Lit & Deb Radio Hour.
Disclosure: Gráinne is a full member of the Lit & Deb Committee.
