Masters of the Universe

Never mind The Skull and Bones, The Bullingdon and The Stonecutters: the most exclusive and powerful club in the land is the St. Conleth’s Past Pupil Debating Society! No, it is not officially listed anywhere, and charter members such as Ian Hastings (2006) and Michael O’Dwyer (2010) may well deny their membership, wary of alienating the Trumpites and the Sorosians (respectfully), and slowing their inexorable climb to world power, but the club certainly exists: just wander into the lobby of the Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvédère in Davos in late May this year and you may well run into those two sipping Gibsons at the bar and… oh, look who just walked in? It is Conor White (Captain, 2015)… I wonder what he is doing here?

Ah yes, Conor White, he who ruled the Class of 2015 with an iron grip and velvet glove, before being selected for Ad Astra at UCD and completing a Master’s in Law at Cambridge, has officially joined the party. Conor leapt the last rung by being crowned (with Ross Merriman) Team Champions of the 2022 Irish Times Debate… or should we call it the St. Conleth’s Alumni Debate? Conor joins fellow Conlethian Past Pupil winners Daniel Gilligan (2016), Kevin Roche (2013) and Liam Brophy (2010); all of whom, needless to say, are also in ‘the club’. Conor and his partner argued convincingly in support of the motion ‘That this house believes that COVID-19 has shown that Ireland is not up to the challenges of the 21st century.’ Probably true, but perhaps also just setting the stage for a coup d’état by the boys during the next emergency? Stay tuned…

by Charles Latvis