Trust Tommy

So, last Tuesday was the first meeting of the debating society in our school, and we were asked to write a small piece on a motion of our choice before the next class. Now, you know me, I'm not the person to leave it until the last possible minute to do the speech, no way.


But then, of course, I'm not the person to do it at the first available opportunity either :)

So, warts and all (an expression I stole from Patrick) here it is:



For the visually challenged, and/or the lazy among you, here's a transcript of the speech

The motion I chose was that the term Stab City is an unjustified and unfair nickname to give to Limerick.


I think it is a very cruel name to apply to the city. It is a name invented by the media and which is not supported by fact in any way, shape or fashion.

In 2007, there were 10 fatal stabbings in Dublin, while there was only one in Cork and two in Limerick. That’s 5 times as many stabbings in Dublin as in “Stab City”. Does that seem fair to you?

Another unfair thing that stems from the name is the generalization that all of Limerick is the same; rival gangs driving around shooting and stabbing each other. Castletroy would be considered one of the ‘cleaner’ areas of Limerick, in comparison to Moyross or Southill.


Quite recently there was a news story covered in the Independent where a young woman was fired from her job as a hotel receptionist because of claiming that Limerick was a crime ridden city with ‘no redeeming features whatsoever’. While firing here was, in my opinion, a little bit harsh, it brings to light that despite complaining about it so often, Limerick people seem not to try too hard to dispel the rumors and restore Limerick’s good image.

Short, I know, but this was only for the teacher to get to know our writing styles


Yeah, I know, I'm not neat