The Irish Times Debate, Ireland’s longest-running third level debating competition, is back this year - with a difference.
For the first time in its 60-year history it has moved online due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Any concerns that a virtual platform might lead to reduced numbers taking part have proved unfounded: a total of 120 teams have entered, the highest number in years. (In recent years there have generally been between 80 and 85 teams taking part.)
Just how the nature of debating will be affected by staging it over Zoom is another matter.
Previous winners of the competition - such as late broadcaster Marian Finucane, comedian Dara Ó Briain, politician Ronan Mullen and the late Supreme Court Judge Adrian Hardiman - have all spoken of the crucial importance of winning over the audience to succeed.
Cian Leahy, a former UCD medical student and winner of The Irish Times Debate, feels the shift online will bring limitations and advantages.
“I guess I’d worry that there might be certain skills that come from reading a room and reading that atmosphere and energy in a room and getting feedback on your speech as the speech is ongoing, which you don’t get while everyone is muted on a Zoom call,” he says.
Sandi Ndebele, a former UCD engineering student and runner-up of The Irish Times Debate, has similar apprehensions.
“I think there are a few things there that you would miss. I think there’s the aspect of having a crowd, that thing of how you speak or how you would structure your speeches. You might tell fewer jokes because it’s harder to make people laugh over Zoom or something like that.”
But he says other aspects will come to the fore, like more emotionally impactful rhetoric.
“You can focus more on building rhetoric and stuff like that. It can be more of a thing when you don’t have a crowd to clench it, you focus more on styles of storytelling over Zoom.”
Improved accessibility due to the move online means there is a greater variety of participants this year, says Leahy.
“There were always issues with the fact that it can be anywhere around the country, and if you’re a bit half-hearted about doing it, you’ve never done much debating before, and you’re from IT Tralee, the thought of driving up to Dublin on a Tuesday night might be extremely unappealing,” he says. “ I think there’s a higher rate of people turning up now as it is more accessible.”
Ndebele suspects some newcomers may be more comfortable having their first foray into debating happen behind a computer screen rather than in front of a crowd.
“Some people would have been afraid to do public speaking type stuff in person, maybe the ability to do it over Zoom would bring them out of their shell a little bit to realise ‘I can do this’. Then hopefully that will translate later to a crowd setting.”
So, how can you prepare to put your best foot forward in the competition this year?
Be sure to check out online workshops and latest information on The Irish Times Debate Facebook page: https://fb.me/e/1ukItmkcz
In the meantime, we’ve asked former winners and finalists for their top tips on how to suceed:
1. Read far and wide
You have several weeks to prepare your speech, so you really should know your stuff. You can make reference to anything - statistics relating to contemporary politics, popular culture, classic literature - whatever floats your boat. Use these to bolster your speech, all the while delivering a compelling and convincing argument. Do not get bogged down in references and statistics, allowing them to take over.
2. Research other debates
Search YouTube for some of the best debate speakers in the world and see what they have to say about similar topics and issues. Do not plagiarise from these speeches, but use them to inspire you or allow you to see this topic from a different perspective that you perhaps would not have seen otherwise.
3. Practise practise practise, but don’t be rigid
Write your speech in advance and practise it as much as possible for flow and for timing. If at all possible, practise it in front of someone for feedback. That being said, don’t learn your speech off by heart and stick to it rigidly. Flexibility to address other key issues brought up by other speakers and allowing yourself to fully engage with the debate is important.
4. Play to your strengths
Don’t try and put on a persona or adopt a style that isn’t yours. If humour is your strong point, lean into it, but if not, don’t pepper your speech with dozens of jokes which simply won’t land. Find your strength and whatever will help make your speech as compelling as possible.
5. Body language
How you hold yourself can be important – even behind a computer screen. Try to present yourself well, maintain eye contact (with the camera), and not to fidget.
6. Part of a team
Refer to your teammate’s points in your speech to show cohesion among the team and that your arguments flow together seamlessly. This also allows the audience to hark back to previous points made by your teammates, and keeps your overall objectives and key points at the forefront of their minds.
7. Listen
Listen carefully to your opposition and keep note of what points you wish to rebut. Keep track of who said it and some (not a huge amount, don’t stress yourself) detail of their argument, in order to respond in a comprehensive manner. Don’t try and correct everything the opposition say, you will take up too much of your time.
8. Relax and enjoy it
Take your time and try and get plenty of sleep the night before. Try and put yourself somewhat at ease and your speech will be better for it.
