Public Speaking Competition Finals
The IrFUW Public Speaking Final, hosted this year by the Galway association, was held at UCD on Saturday 7th March. This competition for girls aged Under 15 is one of the highlights of the IrFUW calendar. Each Irish association had held its First Round Heats in the weeks before.
The TWG Heat had taken place in TCD on Saturday 22nd February. It was coordinated by Majella Kelleher who has taken over the running of this event. Majella gratefully acknowledged the support and assistance she received from former coordinator Madeleine Nesbitt. The adjudicators were TWG past-president Mary Morrissey and Kathleen O'Toole (TAP Programme, TCD). The Winning Team was St Joseph of Cluny, Killiney, and the Best Speaker was from Bailieborough Community School, Co. Cavan. These worthy winners went forward two weeks later to the Final.
The energy and excitement was palpable on Saturday 7th March as the pupils and their teachers and families arrived at UCD, along with the competition coordinators and members from the four Irish women graduate associations.
The St Joseph of Cluny team (TWG) joined the winning teams from the other associations in the Final: St Leo's College Carlow (UCD WGA), Presentation College Tuam (Galway WGA) and Rathmore Grammar School (QWG). The Best Speaker from TWG represented Bailieborough Community School Cavan, and the Best Speaker from Galway WGA attends Scoil Mhuire agus Padraig, Swinford. The Best Speakers going through to the Final from UCD and QWG came from within the finalist teams.
Margaret O'Dwyer from the Galway association introduced the competition. The adjudicators were Suzanne O'Connell and Katherine Geoghan. The girls spoke on topics as diverse as "Are we doing too little too late to save the environment?", "Animals as friends", "Plastic is destroying the environment", "Competitive sport can teach us about life", "Education is more than school" and, somewhat ominously at the time "Dangers to health of modern living".
The winning school was Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast, and the runners-up Presentation College Tuam. The Best Speaker was from St Leo's College Carlow. IrFUW President Frances Patton presented the prizes. This year, as always, all present were bowled over by the talent of these young girls. They were described as "amazing...confident, passionate about their topics" and the impression from the day was that "the future is in good hands".
