CHRIS KISSANE and David Kenny of Trinity College's Historical Society were last night named the winning team in the final of The Irish TimesDebate 2008 at University College Dublin.
The winner of the individual category was Stephen Boyle from UCD's Literary and Historical Society.
Kissane and Kenny, as well as Boyle, were opposing the motion that "This House believes that Ireland owes a debt of gratitude to the Catholic Church." The winning team received the Demostenes trophy from the presiding judge, Managing Editor of The Irish Times, Eoin McVey.
The Christina Murphy Memorial trophy, awarded to the individual winner, was presented to Mr Boyle.
Runners-up in the team category were Ross McGuire and Marguerite Carter of UCD Law Society, who also opposed the motion.
The runner-up in the individual category, proposing the motion, was John Gallagher of TCD's Historical Society.
Last night's event was chaired by Eamon Gilmore, leader of the Labour Party. A total of 12 speakers took part in the final, which was hosted by the UCD Law Society.
Almost 350 debaters drawn from colleges in the Republic and the North participated in this year's competition, which is celebrating its 48th anniversary this year.
The adjudicators were Eoin McVey, (presiding judge); Prof Brent Northup of Carroll College in the US; Dr Paul Anthony Mc Dermott BL, lecturer in the School of Law at UCD and a former team winner; Dr Philip Nolan, deputy president and registrar of UCD; Rossa Fanning, college lecturer at the School of Law, UCD and a former individual winner; Brendan Kelly, deputy director of Ibec lobby group, Financial Services Ireland, and a former team winner; and Barry Glynn, a former team winner.
The three winners will represent Ireland on a three week debating tour of the US.