The John Smith Memorial Mace (known as the Observer Mace from 1954 to 1995) was an annual debating tournament (British Parliamentary format) contested by universities in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Currently, the Scottish Mace is the only tournament to continue to run annually.
The equivalent competition for secondary schools is the ESU Schools Mace.
History The competition was founded in 1954 by the journalist Kenneth Harris of The Observer newspaper,The journalist who saved The Observer The Guardian, 3 July 2005 and was sponsored by the newspaper until 1995. It was then renamed the John Smith Memorial Mace in honour of British Labour Party leader John Smith, who won the tournament as a member of the Glasgow University team in 1962, and died in 1994.
The competition has been held annually since 1954, except for 1977, when no tournament was organised. In the early years, neither Oxbridge debating societies (the Oxford Union nor the Cambridge Union) participated. Glasgow University Union has been the most successful institution in the competition's history, winning the tournament 16 times, most recently in 2018.
In addition to John Smith, other notable former winners include Charles Kennedy, Donald Dewar, John Nicolson, Lord Hunt of Wirral and Professor Anthony Clare.
Format Since 1993, the competition has been run by the English-Speaking Union, with assistance from regional convenors. Four regional tournaments are held each year for universities in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Irish tournament is open to teams from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The winners of these four regional competitions then go on to face each other in the International Final, which is held each spring to determine the overall champions.
No International Final has been held since 2019, when the English-Speaking Union removed its sponsorship of the competition. Only the Scottish Mace (which served as the regional qualifier and national championship for Scotland) has continued consistently, with the Irish Mace (which served as the regional qualifier and national championship for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) continuing in most years and the Welsh Mace (sometimes known as Welsh Nationals, which served as the regional qualifier and national championship for Wales) continuing in some years.
All debates in the competition are held using the British Parliamentary debate format. Speeches in the International Final and regional finals are seven minutes long, which is similar to most other British Parliamentary format tournaments, where speeches are usually seven or five minutes long. Until 2001, speeches in the tournament's finals were ten minutes long.
The Mace is considered by many debaters to be effectively an overall championship for the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the regional qualifying tournaments serving effectively as national championships for England, Scotland and Wales. The Irish Times National Debating Championship served as the Irish qualifier for the Mace in the 1960s, but is now run separately.
Past champions
YearInstitution / SocietySpeakers2018Glasgow University UnionOwen Mooney & Zannah Muir2017Oxford UnionTeck Wei Tan & Louis Collier2016University College DublinAodhán Peelo & Clíodhna Ní Chéileachair2015Cambridge UnionAshish Kumar & Michael Dunn Goekjian2014Cambridge UnionKitty Parker Brooks & Ben Adams2013Trinity College Dublin Historical SocietySally Rooney & Ian Curran2012University College Dublin Literary & Historical SocietyCiarán Garrett & Michael O'Dwyer2011Cambridge UnionDoug Cochran & Maria English2010University of EdinburghPaul Brown & Sebastian Osborn2009Oxford UnionJonathan Leader Maynard & Alex Worsnip2008Lincoln's InnUsman Ahmed & Hannah Klein2007Cambridge UnionSam Block & Adam Bott2006King's InnsBarry Glynn & Mark Murphy2005Lincoln's InnFiona Dewar & Sebastian Isaac2004Cambridge UnionHarriet Jones-Fenleigh & Nicholas Tan2003University College Cork Law SocietyStephen Coutts & Cian Murphy2002Lincoln's InnDennis Kavanagh & George Payne2001University College Dublin Literary & Historical SocietyPaul Brady & Colin Walsh2000Trinity College Dublin Philosophical SocietyBob Cuffe & Fergal Davis1999University of EdinburghAndrew Jessop & Richard Wilkins1998 University of Edinburgh Ben Foss & Colm O'Cinneide1997 Trinity College Dublin Philosophical Society Matthew Magee & Alex Massie1996 University of Edinburgh Bob Dalrymple & Stephen Magee1995 Glasgow University Union Manus Blessing & Duncan Hamilton1994 Oxford Union Rufus Black & Rod Clayton1993 Gray's Inn David Langwallner & Alan Maclean1992 Glasgow University Union Robin Marshall & Paul Sinclair1991 Middle Temple Jeremy Callman & Adam Deacock1990 Glasgow University Union Graeme Cleugh & Andrew Peterson1989 Trinity College Dublin Historical Society Anthony Whelan & Malachy McAllister1988 University College Cork Philosophical Society Adrian Hunt & Tim Murphy1987 Glasgow University Union Jardine Simpson & John Fletcher1986 King's Inns Dermot Horgan & Damien Crawford1985 Glasgow University Union Michael McKirdy & Angus Maciver1984 University College Dublin Literary & Historical Society Shane Murphy & Patrick Whyms1983 Glasgow University Union Michael Macfarlane & John Nicolson1982 Glasgow University Union Charles Kennedy & Clark McGinn1981 Lincoln's Inn Oliver Wise & Anthony Trace1980 Middle Temple Nicholas Mostyn & John Lyons1979 University College Dublin Law Society Donal O'Donnell & Conor Gearty1978 University College Dublin Law Society Donal O'Donnell & Conor Gearty1977 No tournament1976 Inner Temple Oliver Ross & Martin Russell1975 Inner Temple Ian Bullock & Edward Croff1974 Glasgow University Union Alistair Burrow & Martin MacLachlan1973 Ealing College Barrie Hawkins & Bob Meaton1972 Glasgow University Union Alan Gamble & Alistair Robertson1971 Inner Temple John M Aspinall & Dennis M Singham1970 University College Cardiff John Crook & Nick Jenkins1969 Cambridge Union Rajeev Dhavan & Nicholas Stadlen1968 University of Strathclyde James Hutchison & Victor MacColl1967 Glasgow University Union Colin MacKay & Matthew McQueen1966 Trinity College Dublin Historical Society David J McConnell & Cian Ó hÉigeartaigh1965 University of Bristol Bob Marshall-Andrews & David Hunt1964 University College Dublin Literary & Historical Society Anthony Clare & Patrick Cosgrave1963 Glasgow University Union Donald Dewar & Malcom MacKenzie1962 Glasgow University Union A Gordon Hunter & John Smith1961 University of Edinburgh Russell Johnston & David Harcus1960 University College Cardiff Vincent Kane & Mary O'Neill1959 University College Dublin Literary & Historical Society Godfrey Agbim & Owen Dudley Edwards1958 Birkbeck College Ernest C. Dalrymple-Alford & Fred Crawford1957 Glasgow University Union Ronald Anderson & James Gordon1956 Glasgow University Union Roger McCormick & J Scott Bernie1955 Glasgow University Union J Dickson Mabon & Andrew Kennedy1954 Ruskin College Tom Megahy & William McCarthy
Most victories
Institution/SocietyVictoriesGlasgow University Union16Cambridge Union6University of Edinburgh5Lincoln's Inn4University College Dublin Literary & Historical Society4Inner Temple3Oxford Union3Trinity College Dublin Philosophical Society2Trinity College Dublin Historical Society2King's Inns2University College Dublin Law Society2Middle Temple2University College Cardiff2University College Cork Philosophical Society1University College Cork Law Society1Gray's Inn1University of Bristol1Ealing College1Birkbeck College1Ruskin College1University of Strathclyde1
Victories by country
ScotlandEnglandIrelandWales2121142
Winners of recent national qualifying tournaments
English Mace
YearUniversitySpeakers2017–2018Durham UnionTim Sharpe & Rosie Vorri2016–2017Oxford UnionTeck Wei Tan & Louis Collier2015–2016Cambridge UnionRuairidh Macintosh & John Papantoniou2014–2015Cambridge UnionAshish Kumar & Michael Dunn Goekjian2013–2014Cambridge UnionKitty Parker Brooks & Ben Adams2012–2013Kaplan Law SchoolCharlotte Thomas & Stuart Cribb2011–2012Oxford UnionWill Jones & Carin Hunt2010–2011Cambridge UnionDoug Cochran & Maria English2009–2010Cambridge UnionDoug Cochran & Uven Chong2008–2009Oxford UnionJonathan Leader Maynard & Alex Worsnip2007–2008Lincoln's InnUsman Ahmed & Hannah Klein2006–2007Cambridge UnionSam Block & Adam Bott2005–2006Cambridge UnionNick Devlin & Alyson Thompson2004–2005Lincoln's InnFiona Dewar & Sebastian Isaac2003–2004Cambridge UnionHarriet Jones-Fenleigh & Nicholas Tan2002–2003Cambridge UnionJames Acton & Patrick Emerson2001–2002Lincoln's InnDennis Kavanagh & George Payne
Irish Mace
YearUniversitySpeakers2021–2022Trinity College Dublin Historical SocietyCaoimhinn Hamill & Jack Williams2020–2021University College Dublin Law SocietyCaoilainn Carey & Alysia Cloake2019–2020N/AN/A2018–2019Trinity College Dublin Philosophical SocietyRyan Grunwell & Harry Morris2017–2018Trinity College Dublin Historical SocietyDaniel Gilligan & Rory O'Sullivan2016–2017Trinity College Dublin Philosophical SocietySarah Jennings & Christopher Costigan2015–2016University College DublinAodhán Peelo & Clíodhna Ní Chéileachair2014–2015Trinity College Dublin Philosophical SocietyGavin Tucker & Liam Hunt2013–2014Trinity College Dublin Philosophical SocietyRosalind Ní Shúilleabháin & Adam Noonan2012–2013Trinity College Dublin Historical SocietySally Rooney & Ian Curran2011–2012University College Dublin Literary & Historical SocietyCiarán Garrett & Michael O'Dwyer2010–2011Trinity College Dublin Historical SocietyNiamh Ní Mhaoileoin & Huw Duffy2009–2010Honorable Society of King's InnsEoghan Casey & Paddy Rooney2008–2009Trinity College Dublin Historical SocietyJosephine Curry & Shane Farragher2007–2008University College Dublin Law SocietyMarguerite Carter & Ross McGuire2006–2007University College Dublin Literary & Historical SocietyFrank Kennedy & Noel McGrath2005–2006King's InnsBarry Glynn & Mark Murphy2004–2005King's InnsLeo Mulrooney & Rory Stains2003–2004University College Dublin Law SocietySam Collins & David Whelan2002–2003University College Cork Law SocietyStephen Coutts & Cian Murphy2001–2002Trinity College Dublin Historical SocietyManus De Barra & Jim McElroy2000–2001University College Dublin Literary & Historical SocietyPaul Brady & Ian Walsh1999–2000Trinity College Dublin Philosophical SocietyRobert Cuffe & Fergal Davis1998–1999Trinity College Dublin Philosophical SocietyNiall Boland & Colm O'Mongain1997–1998Trinity College Dublin Historical SocietyAdrian Langan & Aoife Titley1996–1997King's InnsPaul McDermott & Colm O'Cinneide1995–1996University College Galway Literary & Debating SocietyMary Cosgrove & Brian Hughes1994–1995University College Dublin Literary & Historical SocietyMarcus Dowling & Dara Ó Briain1993–1994King's InnsKerida Naidoo & Newman1992–1993University College Dublin Literary & Historical SocietyMichael Hodgins & Mark Rafferty1991–1992University College Dublin Literary & Historical SocietyMichael Hodgins & Mark Rafferty
Scottish Mace