PCDS Masthead
The Paris Debate
.

Welcome To The People's College Debating Society

The debating teams of PCDS and Paris Toastmasters

winners

Paris Toastmasters and People's College Debating Society Paris debate March 2016.
 

 

25 Years of Debating with The People's College

The People´s College Debating Society founded 1993 will re-commence on Wednesday 20th September 2017, at 8:00pm at the Teachers Club, 36 Parnell Square West. Dublin 1. The Debating Society meets every second Wednesday.

To improving your speaking abilities to sharpening your skills of argument and hearing from high profile speakers on thought provoking topics, the Debating Society in its 25th year is proud to represent The People´s College.
Anyone who wishes to increase their confidence or self esteem should attend our first meeting on 20th September.

We place a large emphasis on the social side of the club and injecting a lot of fun into our proceedings. This year, we travelled to Paris debating against Toastmasters and other venues in Ireland.

These weekends are great fun and we are already organising more for the next year. We encourage new members to participate in our sessions but nobody is under pressure and it is up to the individual to proceed at the pace they feel comfortable with.

 

We host short topic sessions, internal debates and external debates as well as workshops on humour, debating, public speaking and related topics. Debaters go on to be our leaders in society and business, and for some it is the stepping-stone that changes their life.

The People´s College Debating Society is a non profit making society that resides in The People's College Parnell Square to allow anyone to participate in a debate-based activity that promotes the development of communication, interpersonal and leadership skills.

The People´s College encourages positive interaction between all its members so that each participant, from every background, feels supported and comfortable in the environment in which they participate.


 

Contact the Society

Bernie Grant 848 1650 Email bernie.grant@hotmail.com
Helen Collins 623 1509 Email collinshelen007@gmail.com
Martin Baldwin 086 0217616 Email mjbaldwin@eircom.net

Improve your confidence and communication skills

Think clearly under pressure

 

Experience teamwork

Get your point across with confidence

Improve listening and social skills

Promote self-esteem and confidence

All in a friendly and supportive environment


"It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it."

Joseph Joubert
 

Motions Debated

  • That Climate Change is a Fallacy.
  • That the Citizens of Europe are well served by the Instutes of the European Union.
  • That Immigration Benefits Ireland.
  • That Privacy is Obsolete.
  • That Dublin would be better with a Directly Mayor.
  • That Private Health Care is Unjust.
  • The Irish People have a Good Sense of Humor.
 

The People's College Logo

Lecturn
If queried not many students will know the history and meaning of their College Logo. The origin and meaning is as follows:

It was designed by Michael O'Brien of O'Brien Press, while a student of the College in the early days, for the College magazine, then called "The Beacon".

Michael O'Brien described the creation of the logo: "I designed the logo used on the cover 'of The Beacon'. It was a flame into which sat the thinking figure of Aristotle -'Master of them know'. The original statue is located in the Plazzo Spada in Rome"

For the record, Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato at the famous Academy. Following Plato's death. Aristotle became the tutor of Alexander the Great. Aristotle's school was the Lyceum.

A quotation of Aristotle's, which is appropriate to the college is: 'It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it'.