There was a great buzz in the school on Friday,20 May as the final of the Bugler Shield senior debating competition and the First Year Public Speaking took place simultaneously.
Senior students assembled in the central area to listen to a very serious debate for the Bugler Shield. The competition, hosted annually by the Alpha de Beta Society, is a very popular event on the Bower calendar since the shield was located in a press in the convent a few years ago.
Using debating skills honed during many a lunch time debate, all of the contestants performed convincingly as they argued for or against the motion ‘That This House Would Enshrine the Death Penalty in Irish Law’. Proposing the motion were Emma Haran, Claire Lemass and Bronagh McCormack while the opposing speakers were Aibhlin Clabby, Nuala Commins and Corrina Mbugua.
Local politician and current mayor of Athlone Frankie Keena and John Curran TD for Dublin West were kind enough to adjudicate the competition and were impressed that the speakers acquitted themselves so well.
The winner of the award for the best individual speaker award was Aibhlin Clabby, while the team prize went to the opposition of Aibhlin, Nuala and Corrina. Well done to all speakers.
