An tOnórach Adrian Hardiman, Breitheamh den Chúirt Uachtarach, ag tréaslú le foireann Choláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh, Gearóidín Ní Fhíobhuí (ar chlé) agus Audrey Ní Loinsigh (ar dheis) tar éis a mbua ag Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh Gael Linn 2012 sna Ceithre Chúirt Dé hAoine, 9 Samhain 2012.
Ar an bhfód anois le cúig bliana déag, is in onóir Iar-Uachtarán agus Iar-Phríomh Bhreitheamh na hÉireann, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, atá an comórtas á reáchtáil. Achomharc in aghaidh breithe cúirte a bhíonn i gceist, agus bíonn sonraí an cháis ar fáil roimh ré. Le Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh, is féidir le mic léinn dlí a bhfuil máistreacht acu ar an nGaeilge barr feabhais a chur ar a gcuid scileanna abhcóideachta os comhair breithiúna de chuid na cúirte. Ceadaítear suas le ceathrar ar gach foireann, agus ní gá do bhaill uile na foirne a bheith ina mic léinn ar an gColáiste Tríú Leibhéil céanna.
San iomaíocht arís i mbliana bhí foirne ó Choláiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath, An Coláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh agus Cumann Dlí na hÉireann.
Reáchtáladh réamhbhabhtaí de ardchaighdeán in Óstaí an Rí maidin Dé hAoine agus bhí ar gach foireann dhá thaobh an cháis a réiteach agus a phléadáil. Aighneachtaí béil a mhair tuairim is fiche cúig nóiméad a bhí ceadaithe, mar aon le frisnéis de thrí nóiméad. Foirne ó Choláiste na hOllscoil, Corcaigh agus ón gColáiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath a cháilligh tríd na réamhbhabhtaí.
Bhí an chraobhbhabhta ar siúl sna Ceithre Chúirt an tráthnóna céanna agus is breithiúna den Ardchúirt, An tOnórach Mary Laffoy agus An tOnórach Roderick Murphy, mar aon le breitheamh den Chúirt Uachtarach, An tOnórach Adrian Hardiman, a bhí mar mholtóirí. Thugadar ábhar, struchtúr, cumas argóna agus usáid gutha san áireamh agus iad ag teacht ar a mbreith.
Mhol na breithiúna an sárchaighdeán a bhí bainte amach ag gach foireann, agus fógraíodh gur ag foireann Choláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh, a ghlac taobh an achomharcóra a bhí an bua. Bhí ríméad ar Gearóidín Ní Fhíobhuí agus ar Audrey Ní Loingsigh nuair a bronnadh buantrófaí Gael Linn agus duais €600 orthu. Tháinig Peadar Ó Lamhna agus Simon Mac Giolla Easpaig ón gCóláiste Ollscoile, Baile Átha Cliath, a throid an cás don freagróir, sa dara háit agus fuaireadar duais €300.
Agus é ag tréaslú leis na duaiseoirí, dúirt Antoine Ó Coileáin, Príomhfheidhmeannach Gael Linn: "Cúis sásaimh do Gael Linn an tóir leanúnach atá ag mic léinn dlí ar Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh. Toisc stádas dlíthiúil na Gaeilge in Éirinn agus san AE, tá níos mó deiseanna fostaíochta anois ann ná riamh i gcomhair dlíodóirí a bhfuil máistreacht acu ar an nGaeilge. Is léiriú é ar stádas na Gaeilge sna cúirteanna go bhfuil triúr breitheamh sinsearacha mar mholtóirí ar an mBréagchúirt i mbliana".
Tuilleadh eolais: Niamh de Búrca 01 6753303/087 2623953; Seán Ó Ceallaigh 01 6753299/087 2510980
Leagan Béarla (English language version):
The annual Irish language moot court, Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh, took place in Dublin recently, with first prize going to the team from University College, Cork.
Celebrating fifteen years since its inception, the event is held in memory of the late Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, former President and Chief Justice of Ireland. The competition gives third-level law students an opportunity to display their advocacy skills in an authentic courtroom setting before practicing judges of the Supreme and High Courts. Participants either defend or prosecute in an appeal against a court judgement. Teams may have between one to four members, and it is not necessary for those members to be attending the same third level college.
Competing in Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh once again were teams from University College, Cork, Trinity College, Dublin, University College, Dublin and the Law Society of Ireland.
Preliminary rounds of a high standard were held in the Kings Inns on Friday morning last, 9 November, where all teams had to prepare and plead both sides of the case. Oral submissions for the appellant and the respondent were restricted to twenty five minutes, with three minutes allowed for rebuttal by both sides. The final was held that evening in the Four Courts, presided over by Supreme Court Judge, Adrian Hardiman who were assisted in the adjudication by High Court Judges, The Honourable Roderick Murphy and the The Honourable Mary Laffoy. Oral submissions were judged under the following criteria: courtesy; logical and well constructed presentation; brevity; comprehensiveness; fluency; correct use of statues, cases and precedents; ability to answer Judges' questions; ability to deal with the other side's arguments and lastly, effective use of time given to rebuttal/response to rebuttal.
All the aspiring young barristers were praised for their skills of persuasion, with the main award going to the UCC team, representing the appellant. The delighted winners, Gearóidín Ní Fhíobhuí and Audrey Ní Loingsigh, received a cheque for €600 along with the Gael Linn Perpetual Trophy, while the runners-up from UCD, Peadar Ó Lamhna and Simon Mac Giolla Easpaig, received a cheque for €300.
Presenting the prizes, Gael Linn CEO Antoine Ó Coileáin said: "Gael Linn is pleased that Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh is proving so popular with law students. As a result of the official status of Irish both at home and in the EU, career opportunities for lawyers with high competence in Irish have never been better. Testament to the status of Irish in the courts is the fact that three senior judges are adjudicating at Bréagchúirt Uí Dhálaigh this year".
Further information: Niamh de Búrca 01:6753303/087:262395; niamh@gael-linn.ie