The Irish Times Debate, Ireland’s oldest and most prestigious student debating competition, has returned for a new season.

Running since 1960, The Irish Times Debate is an all-island competition open to every full-time third-level student in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Its objective has remained unchanged for 66 years – to promote excellence in oratory and debating.

This year, for the first time, the debate series will be run in partnership with global law firm DLA Piper, a leading full-service law firm. DLA Piper advises domestic and international clients as part of the company’s global business across more than 40 countries.

Approximately 200 students entered the first round of this season’s competition, which involves participants speaking in teams of two. The successful speakers will progress to the 96 places available in the second round, at which stage each debate will be comprised of four teams of two people and four individual speakers.

By early December, the starting field will have been whittled down to 48 students who will speak in the four debate semi-final rounds in January. A winning team and a winning individual speaker from each semi-final will progress to take the 12 coveted spots in The Irish Times Debate Final which will be held on Friday, February 26th, 2027.

The prize for the winning team is the Demosthenes Trophy (by sculptor Oisín Kelly). The winning individual speaker is awarded the Christina Murphy Memorial Trophy.

The winners are invited to go on a debating tour of the United States, which is hosted by Pax Rhetorica and the National Parliamentary Debating Society of America.

Previous winners include Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell, comedian Dara Ó Briain and the late broadcaster Marian Finucane.

Past champions of The Irish Times Debate

Hist TCD have the most team wins (17) and L&H UCD have the most individual wins (15). Hist TCD are the society with the most overall wins at 29 with L&H UCD at 26 overall.