A TEAM from University College, Galway has won the annual Irish Times/Gael Linn debating competition in its 21st year.
Mr MacDarn O Cuaig and Mr Coilin O Neachtain, from UCG's Cumann Eigse agus Seanchais, defeated teams from the University of Limerick, University College Cork, and Trinity College Dublin.
They gave a spirited and humorous defence of the motion "Ta Caitlin Ni Uailachain posta le fear an ghaimbin (Cathleen Ni Houlihan is married to a gombeen man)." To mark the 21st anniversary of the debates, the motion was the same as in the inaugural final.
The editor of the Evening Herald, Mr Paul Drury, who captained the winning team in 1976, returned to the podium as guest speaker. He said it was perhaps true that Ireland, in the mythic personification of Cathleen Ni Houlihan was married to a gombeen man, but there was light at the end of the tunnel, because at least now she could seek a divorce.
One of the members of the winning team, Mr O Cuaig, also won photography and sculpture prizes in a weekend student festival organised by Gael Linn in conjunction with the debates.
UCG's "Cumann Craic" won first place in a competition for the best produced radio programme. A team from Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, won prizes for set dancing, accompanied group singing and traditional group singing.
Ms Emma Nic Giolla Gairbh, from UCG, won first prize for solo singing.
A team from Kevin Street Institute of Technology came first in a competition for spontaneous composition. UCC's Irish language society won a prize for designing a home page on the Internet.