The Literary and Historical Society (L&H) is University College Dublin's oldest debating society and the official College Debating Union. Foundeed in 1855, it is the most prestigious and well-known student society in Ireland. The society has over 22,000 ordinary members and approximately 3,500 enrolled members. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin - more commonly University College Dublin (UCD) - is Irelands largest university, with over 20,000 students. ... Debate (North American English) or debating (British English) is a formal method of interactive and position representational argument. ...

Activities

House Debates

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 Theatre Q. Personalities central to the topic being discussed are invited to enlighten the house with knowledge and arguments specific to the motion. Motions for debate range from euthanasia (at which a Dutch euthanasiast spoke) to the more light-hearted "Battle of the Sexes" debate, chaired last year by rugby pundit and radio presenter George Hook. Euthanasia (from Ancient Greek: ευθανασία, good death) is the practice of ending the life of a terminally ill person in a painless or minimally painful way, for the purpose of limiting suffering. ... George Hook on the cover of his autobiography George Hook is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. ...

Guest speakers and L&H Accolades

The L&H also regularly invites speakers outside of debates. Recently these speakers have included Roger Moore, Noam Chomsky, John Hume, Bill Bryson, John Nash and Robin Cook. For other persons named Roger Moore, see Roger Moore (disambiguation). ... Avram Noam Chomsky (Hebrew :אברם נועם חומסקי Yiddish: אברם נועם כאמסקי) , Ph. ... John Hume. ... William Bill McGuire Bryson, OBE, (born December 8, 1951) is a best-selling American-born author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on scientific subjects. ... John Nash may refer to: John Nash (1752-1835), British architect John Forbes Nash (born 1928), mathematician, recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics and subject of the novel and film titled A Beautiful Mind. ... Robert Finlayson Cook (28 February 1946 – 6 August 2005) was a politician in the British Labour Party. ...

The Society awards Honorary Fellowships to individuals who have "contributed significantly to a field of human endeavour". The Honorary Fellowship of the L&H is the highest honour that any student body in Ireland can bestow upon an individual. Recent recipients include F. W. De Klerk, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Noam Chomsky and John Howard. President F.W. de Klerk Frederik Willem de Klerk (born March 18, 1936) is a former President of South Africa, serving from September 1989 to May 1994. ... Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. ... Avram Noam Chomsky (Hebrew :אברם נועם חומסקי Yiddish: אברם נועם כאמסקי) , Ph. ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian politician and the 25th Prime Minister of Australia. ...

The Society awards the James Joyce Award to people who have achieved considerable accomplishments in the course of their lives. Amongst those to have received the James Joyce Award are former UN Chief Weapns Inspector Hans Blix, celebrated novelist Bill Bryson, former England soccer captain Gary Lineker and Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan.   (born 28 June 1928 in Uppsala, Sweden) is a Swedish diplomat and politician. ... William Bill McGuire Bryson, OBE, (born December 8, 1951) is a best-selling American-born author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on scientific subjects. ... Gary Winston Lineker, OBE (born 30 November 1960 in Leicester) is a former English international football striker who scored ten goals in two World Cups for the England national team and is currently a sports broadcaster for the BBC. He is also known for appearing in adverts for the Walkers... Graham Linehan (born 1968) is an Irish television writer and director who, often in partnership with Arthur Mathews, has written or co-written a number of popular television comedies. ...

Since the foundation of the Irish state, every Taoiseach and President has addressed the Society. The Taoiseach (IPA: or ) — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach[1], is the head of government of Ireland or prime minister. ... -1...

The Strauss Ball

Each year, the Society hosts UCD's only white tie ball, the Strauss Ball. Each lady attending is given a dance card, which they fill with ten different names. 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. Formal evening dress is more strictly regulated than other forms of dress, and properly consists of: Black tailcoat with silk (ribbed or satin) facings, sharply cut-away at the front Black trousers with a single stripe of satin or braid in the US or two stripes in Europe White stiff... A waltz (German: , Italian: , French: , Spanish: , Catalan: ) is a ballroom and folk dance in   time, done primarily in closed position. ...

Competitive Debating

The L&H is considered the most successful competitive debating society in Ireland, by a significant margin. 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, more than any other Irish society, and has sent teams as far afield as Asia, Australia, Africa and North America. In 2005/2006 UCD hosted the World Universities Debating Championship. The Irish Times is Irelands newspaper of record, launched in the late 1850s. ... British Parliamentary style debate is a common form of academic debate. ... The World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) is the largest debating tournament, and one of the largest annual international student events in the world. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... The World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) is the largest debating tournament, and one of the largest annual international student events in the world. ...

The Society also promotes and organises competitive debating in schools across Ireland through the Schools' Mace, the Denny Schools Debating Competition and the AIB L&H Junior Schools' Competition, all of which reach secondary schools throughout the country. The Denny All-Ireland Schools’ Debating competition is the largest debating competition, at any level, in Ireland. ... AIB can mean: Ireland: an abbreviation for Allied Irish Banks, but not Anglo Irish Bank. ...

History

Foundation

The L&H was founded in 1855, a year before the foundation of the Catholic University of Ireland, the precursor to UCD. Both the university and the debating society were founded by Cardinal John Henry 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. Year 1855 (MDCCCLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Catholic University of Ireland was created as a Roman Catholic university in Dublin, Ireland and was founded in 1851 in response to the Queens University of Ireland and its associated colleges which were considered godless colleges. On May 18 1854 the Catholic University of Ireland was formally established... J H Newman age 23 when he preached his first sermon. ... James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (Irish Séamus Seoighe; 2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish expatriate writer, widely considered to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. ... Year 1900 (MCM) was an exceptional common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar, but a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. ...

Most of the College's societies, including the UCD Student Union itself can trace their roots to the L&H, which is older than the university itself. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

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. Belfield is a suburb located in the south of Irelands capital city Dublin. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The National Concert Hall, or NCH, is a concert hall on Earlsfort Terrace in Dublin. ...

At various occasions, college authorities and external bodies attempted to shut the Society down, most memorably in 1961, when the L&H was suspended by UCD authorities. No such attempts have been successful. Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... UCD can refer to: University College Dublin or their association football club University College Dublin FC Democratic Center Union University of California, Davis User-centered design The Universal Child Database, a government database in the United Kingdom. ...

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 and continues to be the 'bearpit' for debate that it was renowned for since the 1950s. Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... UCD can refer to: University College Dublin or their association football club University College Dublin FC Democratic Center Union University of California, Davis User-centered design The Universal Child Database, a government database in the United Kingdom. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

Book

A 150th Anniversary book, edited by Frank Callanan SC, has been published to update James Meenan’s centenery 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.

Organisation

Auditor and Committee

The L&H is run by a committee of enrolled members, each with a specific portfolio of responsibilities. 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. Committee members include Hugh O'Connor - Treasurer, Jeremy Kinsella - Librarian and James Mountjoy is the Vice Presidents Cup Convenor.

The Auditor for the 153rd Session is Michael MacGrath.

President and Vice-Presidents

These roles are largely ceremonial. The President of the L&H is Dr. Hugh Brady, the President of UCD. There are a number of vice-presidents, mostly made up of former members. UCD can refer to: University College Dublin or their association football club University College Dublin FC Democratic Center Union University of California, Davis User-centered design The Universal Child Database, a government database in the United Kingdom. ...

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.

External links

• Literary and Historical Society Website
• UCD Website