MTSU’s debate team competed in a friendly match against the Irish Times National Debate Champions on March 20, marking the teams 10th annual visit to Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The Irish Times National Debate Team typically visit five to seven universities during their trips to the United States, and for the past five years, MTSU has been their first stop.
Liam Boyce, a law and politics major at the University of Galway, Adrienne Ward, a law and politics major at the University College of Dublin and Rob Fitzpatrick, an English literature major at the University College of Dublin, flew to the U.S. this year to compete.
Ward, who Fitzpatrick called the group’s “shining light” because of her assertive tone and persuasive debating style, has been practicing debate for over 10 years now. She competes in the “Irish Times Debate,” Ireland’s oldest and most prestigious debating competition. The team spends about 40 hours a week practicing, researching, writing and rewriting, Ward said.
Nick Massey, an interactive media major, Sage Robinson, a psychology major and Gus Sanders, a political science major, represented MTSU during the event.
“This is more of a friendly match than an actual competitive debate,” Patrick Richey, MTSU’s head debate coach, said. “Part of the reason is they are guests, but also our styles are different. The way we debate is distinctively different than Europeans and the Irish, specifically.”
American-style debate focuses on winning with structured arguments and in-depth research, while European-style debate emphasizes rhetoric, conversational speaking and wit, Richey said.
In U.S. debates, contestants have 30 minutes to prepare for a round, while European-style debate allows for just 15 minutes of preparation.
The minutes leading up to a debate can be nerve-wracking, but the participants handle the pressure well.
“Even though I’ve been doing it over a year, I still get anxious before every single debate,” Robinson said. “But as soon as I get up there, it kind of goes away once I get in my groove.”
The difference in debate styles was clear.
MTSU’s team spoke faster and focused on facts and research. In contrast, the Irish team utilized a more conversational tone, emphasizing certain words for emotional effect and often incorporating humor into their arguments.
“I always enjoy the Irish because they always find a way to put a fun spin on things,” Massey said. “Where we, on the MTSU side, usually take it more seriously.”
The debate topic, “This House Believes NATO is Obsolete,” engaged the teams in a battle of competitive fun and historical arguments to justify their position, with MTSU on the defensive and the Irish as the negation.
Competing in the U.S. was a new experience for the Irish.
“America’s quite different politically to Ireland,” Ward said. “So, debating in an environment that’s so different is very interesting.”
The debate not only allows both teams to experience each other’s unique debating styles, but it also serves as a platform for cultural exchange, allowing debaters to gain a deeper understanding of the opposing team’s culture.
After the competition, as MTSU students discussed Tennessee’s recent LGBTQ+ legislation, including the drag ban, the Irish team listened with curiosity and confusion.
“But who defines what’s the opposite sex?” Boyce said, highlighting the contrast between the U.S. and Ireland, where citizens can legally change their gender on government documents and are protected by equality laws.
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