LitTalk: In Conversation With Mary McAleese

On Monday, 9th March 2026, at 19:00, the Canada Room in the Lanyon Building hosted the Queen's University of Belfast Literary and Scientific Society's sixth LitTalk of the 177th Session. The event featured Mary McAleese, former President of the Republic of Ireland.

During the event, attendees had the chance to listen to an interview with Ms. McAleese conducted by Daniel Rankin, Deputy Editor of The Gown, the student newspaper at Queen's University Belfast. Following the discussion, participants were given the opportunity to pose questions to Ms. McAleese.

This House Believes Trump's First 100 Days Have Been a Success

Hello, hello, one and all! And welcome to this! The twenty-second ordinary meeting of the one hundred and seventy-sixth session of the Queen's University of Belfast Literary and Scientific Society! The House convened to discuss the motion, "This House Believes Trump's First 100 Days Have Been a Success".

Speaking for the Proposition were Jonathan Massey, Veronica Lam, Liam Harte, and Matthew Shanks, and speaking for the Opposition were Hugh Child, Jack Murray, Thea Karkera, and Noah Ralphs.

Timestamps as follows:

(00:00:00) Order, order!

(00:00:32) Minutes

(00:07:25) Announcements

(00:08:12) Private Members’ Business

(00:14:55) President's Questions

(00:22:17) Vote of Prior Opinion

(00:23:45) Rules of the Debate

(00:24:50) Jonathan Massey, First Prop

(00:32:28) Hugh Child, First Opp

(00:41:00) Veronica Lam, Second Prop

(00:47:51) Jack Murray, Second Opp

(00:54:32) Liam Harte, Third Prop

(01:00:16) Thea Karkera, Third Opp

(01:08:34) Matthew Shanks, Fourth Prop

(01:15:53) Noah Ralphs, Fourth Opp

(01:23:51) Questions from the House

(01:31:45) The Vote

(01:33:05) Announcement Recap

(01:34:15) Meeting adjourned!

Thanks for listening!

Literific AGM 2019

Well, my last recording for the Society before I head off to Belgium. It's been a ride folks. See you in a year!

On 12 March 2019 our members gathered in the Senate Room to amend the Constitution, elect the new Council and reflect on the quality of the 170th Session. 

Elections start at 01:08:29. 

THW Create an EU Superstate

At the beginning of April over 50 members of the society gathered in the Great Hall to send it off for the year and to discuss the issue of Europe and Brexit, the great cloud hanging over our heads. It was a right corker. 

Sorry if the audio's a little hazy in places. The Great Hall echoes like hell. And also sorry this is so late. Exams and every got in the way, but it's here now. My last debate as Tech Officer. Wow...

I'll have the AGM up in a day or two and I'll get all mushy and sentimental then. Stay tuned. 

THR Internet Pornography

Last week 40 Literificans gathered in the Senate room for the penultimate debate of the year. Please enjoy:

"This House Regrets Internet Pornography."

Tune in next week for our final debate on the EU and its policy of "ever-closer union". 

The Annual Dufferin Best Speaker Competition 2019 - TH Supports No-Platforming

So, we gathered this last week for the Annual Dufferin Competition - the internal competition where we decide the best speaker of the year! The British Parliamentary style is used, so it's a 4v4 debate, and the speakers are only told the motion 15 minutes in advance. You get to hear it though. Please enjoy:

"This House Supports No Platforming"

Tune in next week for our debate on the success of Cuba. 

THW Invade Earth

This week 40 members gathered in the Senate Room to discuss whether, should aliens ever come across us and possess the power to do so, it would be in their best interests to invade our dear earth and overthrow humanity. Please enjoy:

"This House Would Invade Earth."

Speeches start at 00:46:03. 

Don't forget to tune in next week for the AGM on Tuesday and our Annual Duffering Competition on Thursday. 

THB The Famine Was a Genocide

This week 50 members gathered in the Senate room to discuss the Great Irish Famine of 1845-49, when the potato crop failed and roughly 1,000,000 people died, with millions more emigrating. Ireland's population still hasn't recovered. In this debate, we discussed whether or not this was a natural disaster or whether it was a more malicious and negligent effort. Please enjoy:

"This House Believes The Famine Was a Genocide."

Speeches start at 00:41:39.

Please tune in next week for our debate: "This House Regrets the Gig economy."

THW Censor Historical Works

Happy New Year everyone! We're back for another semester's worth of debates for you, the people. Last Thursday 45 members gathered in the senate room to discuss censorship and whether it's ever justified. Also Mr Hubble read us a very rude poem about Brexit. Please enjoy:

"This House Would Censor Historical Works"

Speeches start at 00:49:16.

Join us again next week for a nice, spiritual debate about sins and whether we should forgive them or not. 

THW Introduce a Universal Basic Income

Hello once more! Welcome to the penultimate debate of the year! This week, 45 members gathered to debate the issue of the Universal Basic Income policy which has been increasingly discussed in recent years. Please enjoy this week's motion: 

"This House Would Introduce a Universal Basic Income"

Speeches start at 00:42:24.

THW Ban Autonomous Weapons

Hello again to everyone!

This week we gathered in the Senate Room with Queen's Computing Society, and to an audience of over 45 people we debated the issue of killer robots and whether they're good or not. Please enjoy:

"This House Would Ban Autonomous Weapons"

Speeches start at 00:43:23.

Make sure to join us next week for a discussion of the merits of Universal Basic Income. 

THW Separate Art From the Artist

Hello all! This was a very special debate this week. This week we had 8 speakers, all of whom only started speaking this term, come together and debate in order to discover which of them is the best Maiden Speaker of the 170th Session. Who will live up to the name of the founder, E.L. Godkin? 

Now, enjoy the motion: 

"This House Would Separate Art From the Artist."

Speeches start at 00:31:57. 

Join us next week for our joint debate on autonomous weapons with QCS. 

THB Children are the Property of The State

Hello again! The Literific met once again this Thursday, gathering over 50 members in the Senate Room to discuss the issue of children and to what extent we hate the wee oiks. Then, we realised the Children's Commissioner for NI, Koulla Yiasouma, was our guest chair and settled on the motion:

"This House Believes Children Are the Property of the State"

Speeches start at 00:47:16. 

Join us again next week for our special Godkin debate. 

THB Sex Positivity Has Gone Too Far

Well, isn't this a naughty little debate. On Thursday 8 November over 80 people gathered in the Senate Room to discuss the motion: 

"This House Believes Sex Positivity Has Gone Too Far."

Speeches Start at 00:33:22

THB Remains Have No Rights

Hello again! Welcome to our first joint debate of the year, co-hosted by the lovely folks over at the QUB Archaeology Society. We gathered as usual in the Senate Room to discuss whether the dead have rights worth considering. Folks, I introduce you to:

"This House Believes Remains Have No Rights"

Speeches start at 00:41:04.

Join us next week for our debate on sex positivity and whether or not is has outstayed its welcome. 

THW Rather Have Fun Than Get a 2:1

This House Believes Prostitution Should be Legalised

Hello there! Give this a listen: the First Ordinary Meeting of the 170th Session of the Queen's University of Belfast Literary and Scientific Society! The House convened in tour usual Senate Room to debate the motion, "This House Believes Prostitution Should Be Legalised"!