Birr Community School wins European Debating Title

ST BRENDAN'S Community School, Birr, has won the European Debating title, a massive achievement for the school in a prestigious competition.
The competition was held in the European Parliament in Brussels last week and the St. Brendan’s Community School Debating team of Cillian O’Meara, Éabha McDowall, Josie Flanagan, and Jacek Rudnicki excelled, showing intelligence, verve and wit. They also showed they had obviously been well schooled in the St Brendan's classrooms! The senior debating team delivered a flawless performance throughout their history-making day winning all four debates.
They were facing fierce competition from top-tier schools across Europe. During their remarkable achievement they displayed confidence, clarity, and razor-sharp argumentation; these fine qualities standing out in every round.
The Motion in the fourth and final debate was, “We live in a post-truth world”. St Brendan's spoke in opposition to this Motion during which they showed philosophical insight, real world awareness, and a mastery of persuasive rhetoric.
"The team rose to the challenge brilliantly," a staff member told The Midland Tribune, "showcasing the power of critical thinking and teamwork. They achieved an undeniable win against a strong Hungarian team.
"A massive thank you to their dedicated coaches, Ms Beverley Lavin and Ms Mairead Keyes, whose guidance and support were invaluable throughout.
"We are incredibly proud of our champions; they’ve made our school, our teachers, and our entire community proud."