It is a busy season for Bower debaters with twenty different speakers involved in various competitions. On Saturday, 10 February two teams from the Bower Alpha de Beta debating society were successful in the West of Ireland Schools Debating Competition organised by NUIG. Niamh Maher, Renee Menard, Cathy Greene and Jessica Howard progress to the semi-final on 25 March.
On 21 February the Alpha de Beta Society took part in a Model Parliament at the invitation of the law department of NUI Maynooth. Fifth years Kirsten McCormack and Aishling Conroy spoke for the government party on the motion ‘This House Would Support Same Sex Marriage’. Both speakers were highly commended by the Leas Ceann Comháirle of the Dáil, Mícheál Kitt. Although beaten by the girls from Summerhill, Katie McClean and Caroline Kinsella ably represented the Bower at Gabrielle McFadden’s mayoral debate in Athlone Civic Centre on 27 February.
This week, Caroline Kinsella and Niamh Maher will head to Dublin Castle to represent Portugal’s point of view in a debate on fracking, while fifth years have challenged their Marist counterparts to a lunchtime verbal contest on Friday!