Macra na Feirme National Debating Finals will be in county Tipperary hotel this weekend

Macra na Feirme’s top orators will gather in the Horse & Jockey Hotel near Thurles this Saturday night, February 10, to compete in the rural youth organisation’s national debating finals.

The South Tipperary branch of Macra na Feirme is hosting the highly competitive Senior and Novice debating finals.

The political sparring in the Dáil chamber will pale in comparison to the cut and thrust of the arguments and point scoring between the debating teams in what is regarded as one of Macra’s most prestigious competitions.

Many of the leaders of Ireland’s farming organisations have honed their public speaking skills at Macra debating contests.

Awbeg Macra debating team from Avondhu, county Cork will take on Callan Macra from county Kilkenny in the Senior Final.

Awbeg Macra will propose the motion that: “Seanad Éireann should be abolished” while Callan Macra will oppose the motion.

Clare Macra and Clonakilty Macra will do battle in the Novice final.

Clonakilty Macra will propose the motion that: “The Ireland of Today is not youth friendly” while Clare Macra will argue in opposition to the motion.

Edel Ryan of Clonoulty/Rossmore Macra na Feirme, who is in charge of South Tipp Macra’s hosting of the national finals, encouraged members of the public interested in a good debate as well as Macra members from all over the county to attend the debating finals.

She said the debating competitions are very competitive within Macra especially among clubs in certain counties where even to qualify from the county final is difficult.

“A lot of preparation, coaching and practice goes into it,” she said.

A team from South Tipp Macra qualified for the national quarter-finals of the Novice debating competition that took place at the end of last year.

The team’s members will no doubt be watching the finals closely on Saturday night to see how can hone their debating skills to progress further in the competition next year.

Edel pointed out that South Tipperary Macra was encouraged to apply to host the national debating finals at the Horse & Jockey Hotel after the success of a debate about Ireland’s membership of the EU at the hotel in May last year.

South and North Tipperary Macra hosted the debate in partnership with Tipperary County Council to mark the 50th anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the EU.

“Macra President Elaine Houlihan attended the debate and asked if we wanted to apply to host the Macra national debating finals as as this was obviously a brilliant venue. So we did apply and got the event,” she said.

Entry to the Macra na Feirme National Debating Finals is free of charge with doors opening at 7.30pm and competition starting at 8pm.

Entrance doors will be closed once the debating begins.

A raffle is being organised in lieu of an entrance fee.