Literary and Historical Society (University College Dublin)
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| Founded | 1855 |
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| Home Page | literaryandhistorical.com |
| President | Professor Andrew J. Deeks |
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Committee Members of the Literary and Historical Society, 162nd Session[1] | |
| Auditor | Donal Naylor |
| Honorary Treasurer | Joshua Kieran-Glennon |
| Honorary Secretary | Aoife Brannigan |
| Honorary Records Secretary | Adam Donnelly |
| Honorary Correspondence Secretary | John Kerr |
The Literary and Historical Society (L&H) is the oldest debating society in University College, Dublin (UCD), which according to its constitution is the 'College Debating Union'.[2] Founded in 1855 by Cardinal John Henry Newman, it is one of the most prestigious and well-known student societies in Ireland. The society has over 5,500 enrolled members and as of 2015, is the largest student society in Europe.[3][4]
In 2013, UCD Alumni Relations carried out a survey of graduates from each decade starting from 1950's and earlier about their time at the university. Out of those surveyed, every generation voted the L&H as the best society.[5]
Activities
House debates
L&H House debates are central to UCD life. The Society gathers once a week to debate a topic of the day. This is the main activity of the society, and typically takes place on Wednesday evenings in the custom-built Garret FitzGerald Debating Chamber, in the UCD Student Centre; in a venue that is usually full to capacity. Personalities central to the topic being discussed are invited to enlighten the house with knowledge and arguments specific to the motion.
Guest speakers and L&H accolades
The L&H also regularly invites speakers outside of debates. These speakers have included actor Roger Moore, economist Paul Krugman, linguist Noam Chomsky, Irish politician John Hume, LGBTQ+ activist Rory O'Neil aka Panti Bliss, photographer and blogger Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York, writer Bill Bryson, economist John Nash and British Writer Neil Gaiman . Guests range from academics to activists, and sometimes controversial figures.
The Society awards Honorary Fellowships and James Joyce Awards to individuals who have "contributed significantly to a field of human endeavour". Recipients of either of the two awards include F. W. de Klerk, Rev. Jesse Jackson,[6] Noam Chomsky and Prime Minister of Australia John Howard, actor Ralph Fiennes, actor Will Ferrell,[7] Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling,[8] former UN Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix, celebrated novelist Bill Bryson, former England soccer captain Gary Lineker, The Beatles' producer George Martin,[9] Monty Python member Michael Palin[10] actor Martin Freeman and writer Salman Rushdie.[11]
Since the foundation of the Irish state, every President and Taoiseach has addressed the Society.
UCD Vice Presidents' Cup IV
The Vice Presidents' Cup is one of the longest running intervarsity on the Irish debating circuit. It draws teams from across the Islands of the North Atlantic (IONA) circuit, alongside European and American teams. It is uniquely acclaimed for a remarkably high level of competitors and adjudicators, and continues to increase its numbers and quality annually.
Occurring in the last week of October each year, its place on the calendar makes it the opening event of the Worlds preparation season.
| Year | Winning team | Top speaker on tab | Chief adjudicators | Convenors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Chris Edgar & Owen Mooney (Glasgow University Union) | Chris Edgar (GUU) | Clíodhna Ní Chéileachair, Gavin O'Leary and Edward Mancey | Luke Murray and Kevin Roche |
| 2014 | Dee Courtney and Caitriona O'Brien (Trinity College Dublin Historical Society) | Dee Courtney (TCD Hist) | Christine Simpson, Gavin Illsley and Amanda Moorghen | Sean O' Neil |
| 2013 | Michael Barton and Hugh Guidera (TCD Phil) | Michael Barton (TCD Phil) | Anne Valkering and Rebecca Meredith | Niamh Harford |
| 2012 | Andrew Hannon and Ruth Cormican (NUIG Lit&Deb) | Pete Doughton (Sheffield)/Michael Barton (TCD Hist) | Mark Haughton and Maria English | |
| 2011 | Catherine Murphy and John Engle (TCD Hist) | Catherine Murphy | Sam Block and Stephen Boyle | |
| 2010 | Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin and Colm Denny (TCD Hist) | Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin (TCD Hist)/Doug Cochran (Cambridge) | Gregg O'Neill and Ruth Faller | |
| 2009 | Catherine Murphy and Huw Duffy (TCD Hist) | Eoghan Casey (Kings Inns) | Will Jones and Marguerite Carter | |
| 2008 | Anne Byrne and Josephine Curry (TCD Hist) | Brian O'Beirne (TCD Phil)/Brendan Bruen (Kings Inns) | Declan Bruton and Noel McGrath | |
| 2007 | Shane Farragher and John Moriarty (TCD Hist) | Brian O'Beirne (TCD Phil) | Ciaran Lawlor | |
| 2006 | David Boughton and Ciaran Denny (TCD Hist) | Jess Prince (Oxford)/David Kenny (TCD Hist) | Derek Lande | |
| 2005 | Barry Glynn and Morgan Shelley (Kings Inns) | Sam Collins (ULU) | Paul Brady | |
| 2004 | Richard Osborne and Alexis Hearnden (Inner Temple) | Richard Osborne (Inner Temple) | Jeremy Brier |
UCD Earlsfort Open
The Earlsfort Open is a summer debating competition held in July. Founded in 2011, it serves as a preparation competition for the European Universities Debating Championship, held annually in August.
| Year | Winning Team | Top Speaker on Tab | Chief Adjudicators | Convenors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Matt Hazell and John Papantoniou (Cambridge Union) | Clíodhna Ní Chéileachair | Daisy Onubogu, Harish Natajaran and Josh Bailey | Isabelle Wilson, Matthew Hanrahan and Conor Rock |
| 2014 | Robert McCarthy and Cormac Duffy (UCD L&H) | Daisy Onubogu | Sophie Scannell and Karin Merckens | Sean O' Neil |
| 2013 | Michael O'Dwyer and Hannah Lucey (UCD L&H) | Eoghan Casey | Christine Simpson and Paddy Rooney | Niamh Harford |
| 2012 | Sally Rooney and Adam Noonan (TCD Hist) | Hugh Burns | Isabelle Loewe and Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin | |
| 2011 | Muireann O'Dwyer and Eoghan Casey (Comp) | Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin |
L&H Strauss Ball
Each year, the Society hosts UCD's only white tie ball, the Strauss Ball. After waltzes with each person on the card, the orchestra moves aside for the DJ. The Society also hosts various nightclub events throughout the year. The event is run and organised by the social secretaries and strauss ball convenors. The event has become more and more creative and original in recent years.
Competitive debating
The L&H enjoys success as one of the stronger Irish debating institutions. The Society has won a number of international debating competitions and has enjoyed dominance in The Irish Times and Mace debating competitions as well as international and national intervarsities. The Society has attended the World Universities Debating Championship, and progressed further and has sent teams as far afield as Asia, Australia, Africa and North America. In 1987 & 2006, UCD hosted the World Universities Debating Championship.[12]
The Society also promotes and organises competitive debating in schools across Ireland through the Schools' Mace, the Leinster Schools Debating Competition and the UCD Junior Schools Debating Competition, which reach secondary schools throughout the country.
History
Foundation
The L&H was founded in 1855, a year after the foundation of the Catholic University of Ireland, the precursor to UCD. Both the university and the debating society were founded by Father John Henry Newman (future Cardinal Newman). One of the Society's most famous members from this era was James Joyce, who presented his paper "Drama and Life" before a crowd of assembled members in 1900.[13] Conor Cruise O'Brien served as Vice President of the Society during his time in UCD.[14]
Most of the College's societies, including the UCD Student Union itself can trace their roots to the L&H.
Earlsfort years
Before the university moved to Belfield, the debates were held on Saturday nights in the Physics Theatre, in Earlsfort Terrace. Here, the popularity and renown of the L&H flourished and the Society first became known on a national scale. Quite often, events occurring at the Society's debates made front page news in the national press.
At various occasions, college authorities and external bodies attempted to shut the Society down, most memorably in 1961, when the H&L was suspended by UCD authorities.[15] No such attempts have been successful.
On the Belfield campus
In 1972, the Society again relocated, this time to UCD's Belfield campus, where the majority of students now studied. Since this time the Society has grown in size and popularity due to the novice but dangerous initiation tasks that committee members carry out. Notably, in 1957 an unnamed committee member came close to being expelled after an event that the college refuses to disclose. The L&H continues to be the 'bearpit' for debate that it was renowned for since the 1950s.
Centennial and sesquicentennial histories
A 150th Anniversary book, edited by Frank Callanan SC, has been published to update James Meenan’s centenary history of the society, published in 1955. The book, together with the reprinted centenary history, details the complete story of Ireland's most famous debating society and comprises a range of articles by various personalities from the L&H's past on the last 50 years of the Society, including Maeve Binchy, Owen Dudley Edwards, Vincent Browne, Kevin Myers, Adrian Hardiman and Michael McDowell .
Organisation
Auditor and committee
The L&H is run by a committee of enrolled members, each with a specific portfolio of responsibilities.[16] The committee is chosen by the Auditor, who is elected on a yearly basis by the enrolled membership of the Society. The Auditor is the head of the committee and responsible for the general running of the Society. Each Session begins in or around the beginning of the month of March, on the date of the annual AGM. The new Auditor for the coming year is appointed at this meeting, either as the result of an election from the enrolled membership or, in cases where a single candidate is unopposed, by nomination. Notable former auditors of the Society include former President of Ireland and Chief Justice Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, comedians Dara Ó Briain and Jarlath Regan, notable suffragist and writer Francis Sheehy-Skeffington and Irish Supreme Court judge Adrian Hardiman. Notably, James Joyce ran for election to the post of auditor twice, and was defeated on both occasions.
The 153rd session of the Society recorded record membership for any University society in Europe. The membership exceeded 5,000 members, surpassing by several hundred the previous record, also set by the L&H in its 150th session. The most recent 159th session of the society yet again broke this record, making it the university's largest ever society.[17]
President and vice presidents
These roles are largely ceremonial. The President of the L&H is Professor Andrew J Deeks, the President of UCD. There are a number of vice-presidents, mostly made up of former members.
Funding
The Society has received an increased amount of funding in recent years, due to corporate sponsorship and college contributions. The Society receives far less funding from College authorities than its yearly calendar of events demands, and as such seeks corporate sponsorship to cover the costs of each Session. The current title sponsor of the Society is Arthur Cox solicitors, and the Society has in recent years received associate sponsorship from Deloitte and Phantom FM.
See also
References
- ↑ The Literary and Historical Society - Committee
- ↑ http://www.ucd.ie/lnh/constitution.pdf The Constitution of the Literary and Historical Society (PDF)
- ↑ http://www.collegetribune.ie/index.php/2011/09/lh-displace-lawsoc-as-biggest-ucd-society/
- ↑ http://www.universityobserver.ie/2011/10/04/lh-membership/
- ↑ - UCD.ie - University College Dublin Alumni Relations Survey. Accessed: 4 December 2013
- ↑ "Use of Shannon puts Ireland in line of fire, says Jesse Jackson" The Irish Times November 11, 2004
- ↑ "Joyce award for Ferrell who will catch up on his reading" The Irish Times January 01, 2008
- ↑ "Author has starstruck students under her spell" The Irish Times November 02, 2008
- ↑ "Martinmania: students celebrate The Beatles' producer" The Irish Times September 27, 2008
- ↑ independent.ie "Back to his roots Students honour Palin" The Irish Independent March 27, 2008
- ↑ "Salmon Rushdie honoured at UCD" The Irish Times October 09, 2008
- ↑ "University of Toronto wins world debating finals". The Irish Times. January 1, 2006.
- ↑ http://www.themodernword.com/joyce/joyce_chronology.html
- ↑ Callanan, Frank (21 December 2008). "Conor Cruise O'Brien". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2011-01-17.
- ↑ trinitynewsarchive.ie - Trinity New - Thursday June 1 1961 - Tense Struggle in UCD, The L. and H. will Fight
- ↑ http://www.ucd.ie/lnh/constitution.pdf
- ↑ http://www.literaryandhistorical.com
External links
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