The Dublin City University Debating Society is the oldest Society in the University, having been founded in 1980 with the first enrollment of students to what was then the National Institute for Higher Education. As the University has expanded the Debate Society has incorporated the older debating tradition of its constituent institutions, including The Mater Dei Institute of Education (1966), St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra (1875), All Hallows College (1842) and the Church of Ireland College of Education (1811).

DCU Debate is a society that cultivates and fosters the ancient, but useful, art of debate. The society aims to encourage the personal development of its members, whether that be in relation to self-confidence or simply fine-tuning our arguments. In that respect, we hold in high regard the idea that everyone should be heard and endeavor to make no judgments on the person speaking, only on their arguments. Persuasion is the name of the game here. Convince your fellow members you are right by exploring and experimenting with the different strategies used in argument.

During the year join us for a range of debates. From weekly short debates that vary in topic to large, end of semester, debate tournaments. Guest speakers will also pepper our year, bolstering our knowledge and providing workshops to develop our skills.

Debating has become synonymous with politics but we do not intend to restrict ourselves to political topics. We firmly believe in operating an open and accessible forum in which everyone, with an interest in any subject, can come along and debate.

DCU Debate Society

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