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TheLiterary and Historical Society (L&H) is the oldest society inUniversity College Dublin (UCD), which according to its constitution is the 'College Debating Union'.[1] Founded in 1855 by CardinalJohn Henry Newman, as of 2017 it had over 5000 enrolled members, and has been the largest student society in UCD.[2][3]
The L&H was founded in 1855, a year after the foundation of theCatholic University of Ireland, the precursor to UCD. Both the university and the debating society were founded by FatherJohn Henry Newman (future Cardinal Newman). One of the society's most famous members from this era wasJames Joyce, who presented his paper "Drama and Life" before a crowd of assembled members in 1900.[4] A number of the college's societies, including theUCD Student Union itself, can trace their roots to the L&H.[citation needed]
In 1961, the L&H was temporarily "suspended" by the academic council of UCD.[5]
The society's debates were originally held in the Physics Theatre inEarlsfort Terrace. Following the move of UCD's main campus toBelfield, the society relocated its activities in 1972.[citation needed]
A 150th anniversary book, edited by Frank Callanan SC, was published in 2005 to update James Meenan's centenary history of the society, published in 1955. The book, together with the reprinted centenary history, covers the society's history and includes articles by personalities from its past, includingMaeve Binchy,Owen Dudley Edwards,Vincent Browne,Kevin Myers,Adrian Hardiman andMichael McDowell.[citation needed]
The L&H regularly invites speakers outside of debates. Former speakers have included actorRoger Moore, economistPaul Krugman, linguistNoam Chomsky, Irish politicianJohn Hume, LGBTQ+ activist Rory O'Neil akaPanti Bliss, photographer and bloggerBrandon Stanton, writerBill Bryson, economistJohn Nash and British writerNeil Gaiman.[citation needed]
The society awards Honorary Fellowships andJames Joyce Awards to individuals who have "contributed significantly to a field of human endeavour". Recipients of either of the two awards includeF. W. de Klerk, Rev.Jesse Jackson,[6]Noam Chomsky andPrime Minister of AustraliaJohn Howard, actorRalph Fiennes, actorWill Ferrell,[7] authorJ. K. Rowling,[8] formerUN Chief Weapons InspectorHans Blix, novelistBill Bryson, former England soccer captainGary Lineker,The Beatles' producerGeorge Martin,[9]Monty Python memberMichael Palin,[10] actorMartin Freeman, writerSalman Rushdie.[11] and Irish authorLiz Nugent.[12] In 2025 the society planned to give the award to authorJohn Boyne but later withdrew the offer.[13][14]
The L&H has won a number of international debating competitions and has won TheIrish Times andMace debating competitions as well as international and national intervarsities. The society has attended theWorld Universities Debating Championship, inAsia,Australia,Africa andNorth America, reaching the grand final in both 2000 and 2002. In 1987 and 2006, UCD hosted theWorld Universities Debating Championship.[15]
The society also promotes and organises competitive debating in schools across Ireland through the Schools' Mace, the Leinster Schools Debating Competition (co-organised by Trinity'sCollege Historical Society) and the UCD Junior Schools Debating Competition, which reach secondary schools throughout the country.[citation needed]
The L&H is run by a committee each with specific responsibilities. The committee is chosen by the auditor, who is elected on a yearly basis by the enrolled membership of the society. The auditor is the head of the committee and responsible for the general running of the society. Each session begins around the beginning of March, on the date of the Annual General Meeting. The new auditor for the coming year is appointed at this meeting, either as the result of an election from the enrolled membership or, in cases where a single candidate is unopposed, by nomination.[16]
Notable former auditors of the society include formerPresident of Ireland and Chief JusticeCearbhall Ó Dálaigh, comediansDara Ó Briain andJarlath Regan, suffragist and writerFrancis Sheehy-Skeffington and Irish Supreme Court judgeAdrian Hardiman.James Joyce ran for election to the post of auditor twice, and was defeated on both occasions.[17]Conor Cruise O'Brien served as vice president of the society for a period.[18]
The 153rd session of the society recorded record membership for any university society in Europe. The membership exceeded 5,000 members, surpassing by several hundred the previous record, also set by the L&H in its 150th session. The 159th session of the society again broke this record, making it the university's largest ever society.[19]