The 2025 Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB) Junior Debate Forum Cup has been won by Mulroy College in Milford.
Magh Éne College in Bundoran took the honours in the Junior Plate competition, and Finn Valley College in Stranorlar won the Junior Rose Bowl competition.
Runners-up in the Junior Debate Forum event were Errigal College, Letterkenny, in the Cup competition, Deele College, Raphoe, in the Plate competition, and the Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town, in the Rose Bowl competition.
The Chief Executive’s Cup for the most impressive debater of the day was awarded to Etain Devenney from Moville Community College.
The debating event for Donegal ETB’s junior students on Tuesday, 11 November last, saw teams from twelve schools battle it out in the opening quarter-finals. They were the Abbey Vocational School in Donegal Town, Coláiste na Carraige, Coláiste Phobail Cholmcille on Tory Island, Crana College in Buncrana, Coláiste Ailigh and Errigal College in Letterkenny, Deele College in Raphoe, Finn Valley College in Stranorlar, Magh Éne College in Bundoran, Moville Community College, Mulroy College in Milford, and St Catherine’s Vocational School in Killybegs.
Over seventy students debated for and against a range of motions reflecting the five ethos values of an ETB school: excellence in education, care, equality, community, and respect. The motions included:
- Excellence in Education: All students would benefit from a four-day academic week.
- Care: It is more important to care for yourself first before caring for others.
- Equality: Cultural appropriation should be celebrated, not discouraged.
- Community: The voting age should be lowered to 16 to ensure that young people have an equal say in the democratic process / Social media has improved human communication.
- Respect: Individuals who witness bullying without intervening share equal responsibility with the bullies.
Donegal ETB’s Ethos Coordinator Eamonn Ryan noted, “Donegal ETB’s Junior Debate Forum offers a unique opportunity for ETB students across the county to come together and respectfully debate issues of national and local concern through the lens of our Core Values. The quality of the debates of these second-year students was superb.”
“It is heartening to see our teenagers thinking critically and expressing themselves confidently and respectfully on issues that matter to them,” he added.
Donegal ETB’s Director of Schools, Dr Martin Gormley, said, “Our Junior Debate Forum event is a great experience for all our students, and those who participated in today’s event were well coached and prepared for the debates by their teachers. We were delighted to welcome back some of our retired staff who, along with other ETB staff members, helped to Chair and Adjudicate during the day. I want to thank them for their support today and also the additional students on each of the adjudication panels who ensured participation of the student voice.”
This event for Donegal ETB Junior students complements the ETB’s Senior Debate Forum, which takes place in March each year.
