The Law Society of Ireland is inviting Transition Year (TY) students to enter the national Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition.
Now in its fourth year, the national competition aims to inspire young peoples’ legal learning by encouraging students from a wide range of backgrounds to consider contemporary justice issues.
To enter, students are asked to submit a 1,500-word essay examining the topic, “Protecting Voices, Preventing Harm: Legal Challenges in Online Freedom of Speech” by Friday, 21st November.
Last year, 350 students from 52 schools across 16 counties entered the annual national competition. The competition is part of the Law Society’s work to widen access to legal education.
“With this timely essay topic, we encourage students to explore the law and their legal rights and responsibilities while considering freedom of speech,” president of the Law Society, Eamon Harrington said. “Each essay is personal, and this is what makes this competition so unique. We hope this topic will ignite curiosity and will give students a better understanding of the law and how it impacts them and society.
Hazel Barrett, Presentation Secondary School, Listowel, Kerry who was last year’s essay competition winner, said that the competition gave her “a chance to learn more about the law and learn how the legal system can be used to protect people and uphold equal rights.”
The Grainne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition honours the life and legacy of the late Judge Gráinne O’Neill. In 2014, Grainne became the youngest judge in Ireland when she was appointed to the District Court. Gráinne died in 2018 following a period of illness but, during her life and especially during her years as a judge, she worked diligently to apply the law in a fair, rigorous and compassionate manner.
TY students across the country are invited to submit entries – applications close on 21 November. Further information is available on the Law Society website https://www.lawsociety.ie
