Debating, 2017/2018.
It has been another thoroughly enjoyable and satisfyingly challenging year for Blessington Community College’s debating teams. Reflecting on our endeavours throughout the year we have improved our skills and established ourselves as a force to be reckoned with! This year a total of four junior teams entered University College Dublin’s Junior Debating Competition. Our valiant competitors were; Jean-Luc Morris, Finn Farrell, Radek Dulney, Conor Cowley, Sorcha Nolan, Lysa Tacadao and Milena Mickute.
All of our team members spoke clearly and succinctly in their respective rounds of debating. The students developed their own style and confidence in presenting their opinions on topical and controversial issues throughout the debating process. They were dedicated, giving up their free time to research and discuss the various issues that were presented to them for debate. The motions werevaried and intellectually stimulating, posing a satisfying challenge to the students, and we thank the organisers for the great deal of effort the organising and adjudicating of the event required.
All teams performed excellently throughout the debating competition, and we as a school are very proud of them. We look forward to honing our skills and competing as dedicatedly as ever in the next competition to come along!
Debating, 2016/2017
March 2017
Blessington Community College travelled to Wicklow County Council Chambers again today for the quarter finals of the Wicklow Environmental debating competition. After an extremely competitive debate against worthy opponents, Bray Presentation College, Blessington emerged victorious. Congratulations to the team, Shania Cashin, Emma Gilheany and our captain Pearse Byrne. Thanks also to our eager supporters on the day. Best of luck in the semi-final!
January 2017
After a lot of hard work and practice the day finally came. We went to the second round of the Wicklow Environmental Debate on Friday the 27th of January to debate the motion “Ireland is failing to take action on Climate Change”.
We, Blessington Community College, were proposing the motion with a team made up of 5th Year students; Pearse Byrne, Emma Gilheany and Shania Cashin. We left at 1 o’clock and arrived in the Wicklow County Council Offices in Wicklow Town, where the debate was held, at about two o’clock. After succeeding in our last debate we had high hopes for this one. Nerves took over at the beginning of the day but, as a team, we helped each other through it. We put on our best performance but unfortunately we were not the winning team. Nonetheless, all of us were still very proud of our performance on the day.
Although we did not win we still feel the rewards that Debating gives us daily. We encourage anyone to join a debating team in their school because it gives students a great platform to enhance their social skills, presentational skills and confidence. We have learned to work together as a team and we will always appreciate the skills and qualities we have obtained throughout our time debating. We are all extremely grateful to our teacher Ms Culhane for giving us the opportunity to join the team. Well done to Coláiste Chill Mhantáin who were victorious on the day.