College Historical Society

The College Historical Society (commonly known as The Hist) was founded in Trinity College in 1770 and traces its creation to the historical society founded by the philosopher Edmund Burke in Dublin in 1747. It is the oldest undergraduate society in the world. It occupies rooms in the Graduates' Memorial Building of Trinity College, Dublin, which it shares with the University Philosophical Society, and the College Theological Society. Its members included many Irish men and women of note, from the republican revolutionary Theobald Wolfe Tone, the noted author Bram Stoker, to the great Conservative and Unionist man of state Edward Carson and, in more recent times, Tánaiste Mary Harney.

History

Foundation

The College Historical Society was founded by Edmund Burke in 1770, with James Reid as its first Auditor, when Burke's Club (founded 1747) merged with the Historical Club (founded 1753). It was a time of great change in Ireland and the Western World, at the height of the Enlightenment and before the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. From its inception it showed itself to be at the forefront of intellectual thought in Ireland, and many of its members later went into politics.

Restrictions and Expulsions

Theobald Wolfe Tone, later leader of the United Irishmen, was elected Auditor in 1785, and Thomas Addis Emmet was a member of the committee. The society was briefly expelled from the College in 1794, but readmitted on the condition that "No question of modern politics shall be debated". In 1797 the poet Thomas Moore and the nationalist Robert Emmet were elected as members. Eight members of The Hist were expelled in 1798 in the run-up to the Rebellion, and a motion was later carried condemning the rebellion, against their former Auditor.

Tension between the society and the college flourished in the early nineteenth century. The auditor was called before the Provost in 1810. In 1812 the provost Dr Thomas Elrington objecting to the motion 'Was Brutus justifiable in putting Julius Caesar to death?'. After a number of members were removed at the request of the College board, the society left the college in 1815.

The Extern Society

The Society continued from 1815 as the Extern Historical Society. Among its members at this time were Isaac Butt, who tried unsuccessfully in 1832 to have the Society readmitted, Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, Thomas Davis and John Blake Dillon and many other notablesof the nationalist cause . In 1843 the Society was refounded within the College after a student petition, again on the condition that no subject of current politics was debated. This regulation remains to this day, however its spirit is often broken by the controversial topics discussed regularly in The Hist.

The Nineteenth Century

The Society continued successfully after that with many lively debates, including the motion on June 10, 1857 'That the Reform Bill of Lord Grey was not framed in accordance with the wants of the country', proposed by Isaac Butt and opposed by Edward Gibson. This era was considered by many to be the high point of the Society, with many of its members moving to high political positions. It was common for the MPs for the University to have served on the Committee of the Hist, such as Edward Gibson and David Plunkett, who were both Auditors, and Edward Carson, who was the Librarian. Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, became auditor in 1872 (Stoker has the unique disctinction of also having been elected President of the Hist's great rival, the University Philosophical Society). In 1864 the Society collected money from its members to erect statues outside the College of Edmund Burke and Oliver Goldsmith.

The Society moved to the Graduates' Memorial Building (GMB) in 1904, which it shares with the University Philosophical Society. The College Board relaxed its rules, allowing such motions as 'That the Gaelic League is deserving of the support of every Irishman' in 1905 and 1906.

The Twentieth Century

The society continued well through the twentieth cenury, although the First World War hit it badly, with 136 of its former members being killed. Eoin O'Mahony was elected Auditor in 1930 and faced impeachment when he raised a toast to Ireland instead of the King. Interestingly, Eoin O'Mahony offered Lord Carson the Presidency of the Society in 1931, although Carson declined due to ill health and former Gold Medallist and future President of Ireland Douglas Hyde was elected instead. Since then both eminent historian R.B. McDowell and writer and commentator Dr. Conor Cruise O' Brien have been President of thr Society. The current President is Dr. David McConnell, a former Librarian and Auditor of the Society, winner of The Irish Times Debating Competition and one of Europe's foremost geneticists.

Women had been refused membership of the society until 1969, when the motion 'That this House reveres the memory of Mrs Pankhurst' was debated with Rosaleen Mills participating (the motion, however, was defeated). The first female Auditor, future Tánaiste Mary Harney, was elected in 1976. Since then the Society has had four female Auditors. The Society's Bicentennial Meeting in 1970 was addressed by US Senator Edward Kennedy at which he called the Society "The greatest of the schools of the orators".

Recent developments have seen the re-opening of the Resource Library, operated in conjunction with the Other Society, which holds over 200 books and is made available as a general study area and library for the use of the members of the Society. The Society has also extensively re-developed the Conversation Room with the addition of better facilities such as wireless internet access. The Society now also holds regualr Debating Workshops which teach the various styles of debating and the basics of writing both a competitive debate and a speech for the Wednesday night debates. The Society also remains an incredibly strong force in competitive debating at both a national and international level having reached the Quarter-Finals of the WUDC in Assumption, Thailand in 2004 and having been represented in the Grand Final of The Irish Times Debating Competition in both 2005 and 2005. The Society has also won this Competition on both the individual and team positions more times than any other debating society in Ireland. The Society also hosted the Worlds' debating compeitition in the 1990s.

The College Historical Society not only organises highly successful meetings every week, it is also responsible for organising Ireland's largest and most succesful debating competitions. The Society, in conjunction with the University Philosophical Society, organises the Claire Stewart Trinity IV, Ireland's largest InterVarsity. It comprises a one-day sixteen team invitational competition, the Kingsmill-Moore Invitational and a two-day MACE debating competition, The Dean Swift InterVarsity. The Trinity IV is the largest such competition in Ireland and is co-convened by the Debates Convenor in conjunction with the Registrar of The Phil. The Claire Stewart Trinity IV is highly prestigious, attracting entrants from Ireland, Britain, Germany and as far afield as Singapore and the U.S.A. The Grand Final of the Kingsmill-Moore Invitational 2006 was chaired by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Society also convenes the Denny Schools Debating Competition (full title: Denny All-Ireland Schools' Debating Competition), the largest non-sporting event for secondary school students in Ireland. The Society originally established the Competition in 1978 and it now enxompasses all regions of Ireland and is run jointly by the largest and oldest debating societies in Ireland, the only example of such co-operation. It is organised by the Librarian.

Wednesday Night Debates

As it was two hundred and thirty six years ago, the main thrust of the society continues to be the weekly debates held each Wednesday Night during term time.

The wide ranging and varied motions give students an opportunity to debate with experts on the specific motion chosen. The motion is usually based on an important issue taking place in current affairs.

The format of the debate continues to be that of British Parliamentary debating, with the propostion and opposition speaking alternatively. The proceedings are controlled by a guest chairperson. At the end of the debate, the audience have an opportunity to decide which side has made the most persuasive argument.

The Society has seen many great and notable figures in recent years with the Northern Ireland debate figuring prominently as one of the consistent highlights of each session. Prominent politicians such as David Ervine, Jeffrey Donaldson and Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume have spoken at this debate. It is often typical for a Government Minister to address The Hist on a contentious topic. In 2005 the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell T.D. unveiled far-reaching proposals for reform of the legal profession at a Hist debate on the matter. The Society continues to address contentious issues with far-reaching implications. In the 236th Session of the Society, over 500 people attempted to gain access to the Abortion Debate which was targeted by Youth Defence protesters and the Euthanasia Debate was recorded for an upcoming documentary on the pro-Euthanasia group Dignitas for the Canadian Discovery Channel. The Inaugural Meeting of the 236th Session was addressed by Dr. Mary Robinson, a former President of Ireland, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Chancellor of the University of Dublin. The Society has also been addressed by every Taoiseach and President of the State. Other recent notbale guests include Reverend Jesse Jackson, George Galloway, Sir Winston Churchill and the afore-mentioned Senator Edward Kennedy.

The Society's debates continue to be one of the highlights of the weekly social calendar in Trinity College Dublin with a consistently engaging and controversial line-up. The Hist serves as the university's forum for students to air and express their views and challenge the leading figures of the day.

Presidents and Vice-Presidents

Presidents of the Society since 1843-

• The Rev. Franc Sadleir, D.D., Provost of Trinity College 1843-1852
• The Rev. Richard MacDonnell, D.D., Provost of Trinity College 1852-1854
• The Right Hon. Sir Joseph Napier, LL.D., Lord Chancellor 1854-1883
• The Right Hon. Lord Ashbourne, LL.D., Lord Chancellor 1883-1913
• The Right Hon. Sir John Ross, Lord Chancellor 1913-1925
• The Right Hon. Lord Glenavy, LL.D., Lord Chancellor, Chairman of the Senate of the Irish Free State, Vice-Chancellor of the University 1925-1931
• His Excellency Douglas Hyde, LL.D., Litt.D., President of Ireland 1931-1949
• Sir Robert W. Tate, M.A., Litt.D., S.F.T.C.D. 1950-1953
• Frederick Boland, LL.D., Irish Representative at the UN, President of the UN General Assembly, Chancellor of the University, Medallist 1953-1983
• Dr Donal Conor Cruise O’Brien, B.A., Ph.D., Litt.D., M.R.I.A., T.D., Medallist 1983-2003
• Prof. David John McConnell, B.A., Ph.D., F.T.C.D., M.R.I.A., F.Z.S.I. ex-Auditor, Medallist 2003-

Current Vice-Presidents

• Professor R.B. McDowell Professor Emeritus
• John N. Ross, Former solicitor and Senator for Dublin University
• Stephen G. Harris
• William Arthur Watts, Former Provost
• Mary Robinson, Former Senator and President of Ireland
• Professor Gary H. Holbrook
• Michael J. Cameron, Former Auditor
• Shane Ross Senator for Dublin University
• David Norris Senator for Dublin University
• Senator Mary Henry
• Eric Lowry, Former Auditor
• The Hon. Justice Declan N. O. Budd, Justice of the High Court
• David O'Sullivan, European Community Director General for Trade
• Sir Brian Williamson, Former Auditor and prominent banker

Notable Auditors

• Theobald Wolfe Tone, 1785-86, Leader of the Society of the United Irishmen
• Echlin Molyneaux, 1821-27
• Isaac Butt, 1832-33, Leader of the Nationalist Party 1874-1880
• Joseph Sheridan LeFanu, 1838-39
• Edward Gibson, 1858-59, Later Lord Ashbourne, Lord Chancellor of Ireland
• Bram Stoker, 1872-73, author of Dracula
• James Kilfedder, 1950-51, Leader of the Ulster Popular Unionist Party 1980-1995
• Mary Harney, 1976-77, Leader of the Progressive Democrats 1993-2006

Other Notable Members

• Thomas Addis Emmet, United Irishman
• Thomas Moore, Poet
• Robert Emmet, Revolutionary
• Thomas Davis, Politician and poet
• John Blake Dillon, Irish Patriot
• John Pentland Mahaffy, Classicist
• William Edward Hartpole Lecky, MP
• Edward Carson, Leader of the Unionist Party 1910-1921
• Douglas Hyde, Poet and President of Ireland 1938-1945
• Brian Lenihan, Jr, Minister of State

Committee Structure

The Committee of the College Historical Society consists of 13 individuals: 6 Officers (Auditor, Treasurer, Correspondence Secretary, Record Secretary, Censor and Librarian), 6 Members of Committee and a Debates Convenor. All but one of these positions is directly elected: the Debates Convenor, whose role is to encourage and develop competitive debating within the society with specific responsibility for co-hosting the Trinity IV (comprised of the Kingsmill-Moore Invitational and Dean Swift IV) with the University Philosophical Society. The Convenor is appointed by the Auditor with the approval of the Committee following each annual election. The position was added in the 234th Session. It existed previously for two years off committee.

It is the only role on Committee that does not require direct democratic election by the members of the society (though the nominee must be ratified by the elected Committee). It is also the only position that is not filled at commencement of the Session - meaning that candidates that have lost elections for other positions may be appointed Debates Convenor.

The Members of Committee (MCs) have traditionally been assigned to an Officer based on the order of their election, with the first MC as Senior Member of Committee, the second as Pro-Treasurer, and so on.

References

• Official Site of The Hist