Page 75 - The Gonzaga Record 1985
P. 75
schools debate. This took place in The foundation of R TE was greeted with
November 1957 when Charles Moloney, the motion, suitably patriotic, 'That R TE
Christopher Robson, and Brendan B. should promote Irish culture.' In
W alsh faced a team from the Rhetoric affirmation of the status that An
Society in Belvedere and defeated them. Chomhdhail had already achieved, a
The growing confidence of An Chomhdhail former member, Charles Lysaght, was in
was augmented the following February by 1960 one of two Irish representatives in the
defeating Belvedere's Poetry Society. In semi-final of the Observer Mace
March 19 58 Brendan W alsh, Killian international University Debating
W alsh, and Brian O'Loughlin defeated Competition in Aberystwyth, his team from
Blackrock College who were defending the the Law students Debating Society having
motion 'That the Safety First Society of won The Irish Times trophy. The second
Ireland should be abolished.' Past V Present debate was held in May
Some of the motions debated in those far- 1960. Mr T.K. Whitaker, then Secretary of
ofT days reflect contemporary events and the Department of Finance, chaired the
mores. In October 1958 the society debated debate, and Dr Garret Fitzgerald, then a
'That Sputniks are a Waste of Money' and University Lecturer, was a guest speaker.
'That jazz was a true art form,' and 'That He maintai ned that Ireland could have an
nobody could claim to be cultured unless he effici ent economy without reproducing the
could appreciate good jazz'. evils of the Engli sh Industrial citi es.
First Major Victories:
The Sixties
But it was only when it began to win its first
major victories that An Chomhdhail started
the long tradition of debating excellence In these early sixties the late John Feeney
which it has retained ever since. was very active in An Chomhdhail, and was
In March 1959 An Chomhdhail won the always an interesting if provocative
Safety First of Ireland debating contest. speaker. In 1963 the Comhdhail won the
The debate was chaired and the cup first Aer Rianta debating contest,
presented by Mr Jack Lynch TD then discussing motions dealing exclusively with
Minister of Education. In May of the same air travel.
year MacDara Woods, Brian O'Loughlin, In 1963 a private member's motion was
and Ross Geoghegan represented Gonzaga proposed and seconded: That the Beatles
in the Under 21 section of the National should be made honorary members of An
Speech Festival, sponsored by the Chomhdhail. The Chairman rejected the
European Youth Campaign. The winners motion on the grounds that the society did
received a holiday in the Grand Duchy of not tolerate insects. The Sixties saw both
Luxembourg, donated by the European Left and Right wing motions carried and
Coal and Steel Community. defeated. It defeated the motion that 'The
election of Barry Goldwater will not
Past v Present Debate necessarily be a disaster.' However, a
month later it defeated a motion : 'That this
The first Past v Present debate took place in house supports the recent builders' strike.'
1959 also. The occasion was chaired by Mr In 1967 the house passed the motion: 'That
Declan Costello, TD (now Mr Justice this house supports the Hippies', but offset
Costello). The present was represented by that with: 'That pop-culture indulges a taste
Brian O'Loughlin, Ross Geoghegan, for fantasy, and weakens our sense of
MacDara Woods, and Fennell Betson, reality.' Strangely enough, the I OOth
while the past team was represented by meeting of An Chomhdhail defeated the
Charles Moloney, Killian Walsh, Brendan motion; 'That corporal punishment has no
W alsh, and Thomas Bieler . place in Irish schools.'
67
November 1957 when Charles Moloney, the motion, suitably patriotic, 'That R TE
Christopher Robson, and Brendan B. should promote Irish culture.' In
W alsh faced a team from the Rhetoric affirmation of the status that An
Society in Belvedere and defeated them. Chomhdhail had already achieved, a
The growing confidence of An Chomhdhail former member, Charles Lysaght, was in
was augmented the following February by 1960 one of two Irish representatives in the
defeating Belvedere's Poetry Society. In semi-final of the Observer Mace
March 19 58 Brendan W alsh, Killian international University Debating
W alsh, and Brian O'Loughlin defeated Competition in Aberystwyth, his team from
Blackrock College who were defending the the Law students Debating Society having
motion 'That the Safety First Society of won The Irish Times trophy. The second
Ireland should be abolished.' Past V Present debate was held in May
Some of the motions debated in those far- 1960. Mr T.K. Whitaker, then Secretary of
ofT days reflect contemporary events and the Department of Finance, chaired the
mores. In October 1958 the society debated debate, and Dr Garret Fitzgerald, then a
'That Sputniks are a Waste of Money' and University Lecturer, was a guest speaker.
'That jazz was a true art form,' and 'That He maintai ned that Ireland could have an
nobody could claim to be cultured unless he effici ent economy without reproducing the
could appreciate good jazz'. evils of the Engli sh Industrial citi es.
First Major Victories:
The Sixties
But it was only when it began to win its first
major victories that An Chomhdhail started
the long tradition of debating excellence In these early sixties the late John Feeney
which it has retained ever since. was very active in An Chomhdhail, and was
In March 1959 An Chomhdhail won the always an interesting if provocative
Safety First of Ireland debating contest. speaker. In 1963 the Comhdhail won the
The debate was chaired and the cup first Aer Rianta debating contest,
presented by Mr Jack Lynch TD then discussing motions dealing exclusively with
Minister of Education. In May of the same air travel.
year MacDara Woods, Brian O'Loughlin, In 1963 a private member's motion was
and Ross Geoghegan represented Gonzaga proposed and seconded: That the Beatles
in the Under 21 section of the National should be made honorary members of An
Speech Festival, sponsored by the Chomhdhail. The Chairman rejected the
European Youth Campaign. The winners motion on the grounds that the society did
received a holiday in the Grand Duchy of not tolerate insects. The Sixties saw both
Luxembourg, donated by the European Left and Right wing motions carried and
Coal and Steel Community. defeated. It defeated the motion that 'The
election of Barry Goldwater will not
Past v Present Debate necessarily be a disaster.' However, a
month later it defeated a motion : 'That this
The first Past v Present debate took place in house supports the recent builders' strike.'
1959 also. The occasion was chaired by Mr In 1967 the house passed the motion: 'That
Declan Costello, TD (now Mr Justice this house supports the Hippies', but offset
Costello). The present was represented by that with: 'That pop-culture indulges a taste
Brian O'Loughlin, Ross Geoghegan, for fantasy, and weakens our sense of
MacDara Woods, and Fennell Betson, reality.' Strangely enough, the I OOth
while the past team was represented by meeting of An Chomhdhail defeated the
Charles Moloney, Killian Walsh, Brendan motion; 'That corporal punishment has no
W alsh, and Thomas Bieler . place in Irish schools.'
67
