155th Session (2004/2005)

At the AGM of the 154th Session the auditorial election was contested by Niamh Murphy and Derek Doyle, with Niamh winning. Subsequently, over the summer, she dropped out of UCC and therefore Karen Levingstone become acting-auditor until the start of term time. Tony Murphy was then elected at a by-election in October.

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Society Achievements

Nominated: Best society at UCC Societies' Awards
Nominated: www.uccphilosoph.com for best website at UCC Societies' Awards
Nominated: Cork IV for best event at UCC Societies' Awards
Nominated: For best PR at UCC Societies' Awards
Winner: Bene Merenti (Paul Flynn)
Winner: Best Event (Cork Euros - see below)
Short-Listed: Bene Merenti (Tony Murphy)
Nominated: Best Fresher (Tom Flynn, Luke Harris & Dara Gilroy)

Hosts: European Universities' Debating Championships 2005 (See Cork Europeans 2005)

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Competitive Debating Achievements

Finalists: University of Toronto, CUSID BP Championships, Canada (Derek Lande & Erik Eastaugh)
Finalists: UCD Law Society Invitational (Paul Flynn & Diarmuid Early)
Winners: Queens Chancellors Cup, Canada (Derek Lande & Erik Eastaugh)
Semi-Finalists: Oxford IV (Derek Lande & Conor Buckley)
Semi-Finalists: Cambridge IV (Derek Lande & Conor Buckley)
Finalists: Birmingham IV (Derek Doyle & Diarmuid Early)
Finalists: Inner Temple IV (Derek Lande & Diarmuid Early)
Finalist: National Maidens' Debating Competition (Daniel P. McCarthy)
Winner: National Maidens' Debating Competition (Luke Harris)
Semi-Finalists: Galway National Law Debates (Diarmuid Early & Daniel P. McCarthy)
Finalists: Galway National Law Debates (Derek Doyle & Eamonn O'Flaherty)
Winners: Glasgow Ancients (Derek Lande & Conor Buckley)
Finalists: Strathclyde Cup (Conor Buckley & Tom Flynn)
Winners: Strathclyde Cup (Derek Lande & Derek Doyle)
Finalists: Edinburgh IV (Derek Lande & Erin O'Brien)
Finalists: Irish Times Debating Competition Debating Competition (Derek Doyle & Eoghan Gannon)
Finalists: Irish Mace Debating Competition (Derek Lande & Conor Buckley)
Semi-Finalists: UL IV (Daniel P. McCarthy & Paul Flynn)
Finalists: Three speakers in final of UL IV (Derek Lande, Derek Doyle & Diarmuid Early)
Best Speaker on Tab : UL IV (Derek Lande)

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Internal Competitions

UCC Philosophical Society Lord Mayor's Gold Medal Winner: Derek Lande
UCC Philosophical Society Mace Winners: Derek Lande & Derek Doyle
UCC Maiden Speakers Debating Competition Winner: David McGoldrick

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House Meetings

1st Meeting - Monday 4th October 2004: The Cannabis Debate Minutes 155th 1 "That This House Would Free The Weed" Opening Address by Honorary President of the society, Dr. Garret Fitzgerald Proposition Speaker: Cllr. Luke Flanagan (AKA Ming the Merciless) Opposition Speaker: Jan Rosing

2nd Meeting - Monday 11 October 2004: The Israel-Palestine DebateMinutes 155th 2 "That This House Would Tear Down the Wall" Proposition Speaker: Ruairi Quinn TD, former Minister for Finance and Leader of the Labour Party. Opposition Speaker: Tony Murphy.

3rd Meeting - Monday 18 October 2004: The Drugs In Sports DebateMinutes 155th 3 "That This House Would Allow the Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sport" Proposition Speaker: Diarmuid Early, delivering a paper from Professor Ellis Cashmore Opposition Speaker: Dr. Brendan Buckley, Irish Sports Council Anti-Doping Committee

4th Meeting - Monday 1 November 2004: The US Election Debate Minutes 155th 4 "That This House Would Vote Kerry" Proposition Speakers: Kathleen Lynch TD, The Labour Party, and Paul Flynn. Opposition Speakers: Ronan Mullen, Irish Examiner, and Ralph Riegel, Irish Independent.

5th Meeting - Monday 8 November 2004: The Prostitution Debate Minutes 155th 5 "That This House Would Legalise Prostitution" Proposition Speaker: Mary Ellen Ring, Barrister Opposition Speaker: Paul Reynolds, RTE Crime Correspondent

6th Meeting - Monday 15 November 2004:The Alcohol Debate Minutes 155th 6 "That This House Favours Restrictive Alcohol Laws" Proposition Speaker: Senator John Minihan, Progressive Democrats (replacing Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell) Opposition Speaker: Derek Doyle

7th Meeting - Monday 22 November 2004: The InterParty Debate Minutes 155th 7 In association with UCC Government Society - "Is Ireland Closer to Boston or Berlin?" Speakers Included: Liz McManus TD, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Dan Boyle TD, Green Party Cllr. Colm Burke, Fine Gael Ald. Mick Barry, Socialist Party

8th Metting - Monday 29 November 2004: The Final of the Philosoph Mace Minutes 155th 8 "That This House Believes Osama Had A Point" First Proposition: Diarmuid Early and Tony Murphy First Opposition: Luke Harris and Jerry O Donovan Second Proposition: Stephen Commane and Fergal O Brien Second Opposition: Derek Lande and Derek Doyle

9th Meeting - Monday 6 Decemeber 2004: The Arts Debate Minutes 155th 9 "That This House Believes an Arts Degree isn't Worth The Paper It's Written On" Proposition Speaker: Jerry O Donovan Opposition Speaker: Andrew King, UCC English Dept.

10th Meeting - Monday 13 December 2004: The MistletoeMinutes 155th 10 No Public Debate.

11th Meeting - Thursday 20 January 2005: The Abortion Debate Minutes 155th 11 "That This House Would Legalise Abortion in Ireland" Proposition Speakers: Ivana Bacik, Labour Party and Reid Professor of Law (TCD), and Dr. Mary Favier, Doctors for Choice. Opposition Speakers: Dr. Joe McCaroll and Audrey Dillon, Pro-Life Campaign.

12th Meeting - Monday 24 January 2005: RAG week Stand-Up Competition MC: Packie O' Callaghan, Comedian

13th Meeting - Monday 31 January 2005: The Nuclear Power Debate Minutes 155th 12 "That This House Would Introduce Nuclear Power in Ireland" Proposition Speaker: Dr. Paddy McCarthy, UCC Physics Dept. Opposition Speaker: Eamon Ryan TD, Green Party

14th Meeting - Monday 7 February 2005: The Restructuring Debate Minutes 155th 13 "That This House Would Restructure UCC" Speaker: Padraig MacAmhlaoibh, UCC Students Union

15th Meeting - Monday 14 February 2005: The Final of the Lord Mayor's Gold Medal Minutes 155th 14 "That This House Would Abandon Space Exploration"

16th Meeting - Monday 21 February 2005: The Neutrality Debate Minutes 155th 15 "That This House Would Abandon Irish Neutrality" Proposition Speaker: Johnathan Hoare, Fine Gael Opposition Speaker: Eddie Horgan, Plaintiff in legal case against Irish Government regarding the use of Shannon Airport by US Forces.

17th Meeting - Monday 28 February 2005 Minutes 155th 16 Extended Private Members Time Debate

18th Meeting - Monday 7 March 2005: The Gay Marriage Debate Minutes 155th 17 "That This House Would Legalise Gay Marriage in Ireland" Proposition Speakers: Marie Mullholland, Journalist and Civil rights campaigner, and Cllr Peter Kelly, Fine Gael. Opposition Speakers: Marwan Boustani, UCC Muslim Cultural Society, and Diarmuid Early.

19th Meeting - Monday 14 March 2005: The Sinn Fein Debate Minutes 155th 18 "That This House Believes that Sinn Fein has no place in Government" Proposition Speaker: Eoghan Harris, Sunday Independent Opposition Speaker: Nollaig O Gadhra, Conradh na Gaeilge

Extraordinary General Meetings

Grand Final of the Cork IV 2004 - 4 December 2004 - Aula Maxima, UCC Minutes 155th IV "That This House Would Negotiate With Terrorists"

Grand Final of the Denny Munster Schools Competition 2005 - 6 March 2005 - Boole 4, UCC Minutes 155th Schools "That This House Would Directly Elect the Pope"

Grand Final of the European Universities Debating Championships 2005 - 21 March 2005 - Silversprings Hotel, Cork Minutes 155th Euros "That This House Would Allow the Use of Racial Profiling in Criminal Investigations"

Annual General Meeting Minutes 155th AGM Thursday 24 March, 2005.

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