Foundation

The L&H was founded in 1855, a year after the foundation of the Catholic University of Ireland, the precursor to UCD. Both the university and the debating society were founded by Father John Henry Newman (future Cardinal Newman). One of the society's most famous members from this era was James Joyce, who presented his paper "Drama and Life" before a crowd of assembled members in 1900.^[4] Conor Cruise O'Brien served as vice president of the society during his time in UCD.^[5]

Most of the college's societies, including the UCD Student Union itself can trace their roots to the L&H.^{[citation needed]}

Location

Before the university moved to Belfield, the debates were held on Saturday nights in the Physics Theatre, in Earlsfort Terrace.^{[citation needed]} At various occasions, college authorities and external bodies attempted to shut the society down, including in 1961, when the L&H was suspended by UCD authorities.^[6] No such attempts have been successful.^{[citation needed]}

In 1972, the society relocated to UCD's Belfield campus, where the majority of students now studied.^{[citation needed]}

Centennial and sesquicentennial histories

A 150th anniversary book, edited by Frank Callanan SC, was published to update James Meenan's centenary history of the society, published in 1955. The book, together with the reprinted centenary history, details the history of the society and includes articles by personalities from the society's past, including Maeve Binchy, Owen Dudley Edwards, Vincent Browne, Kevin Myers, Adrian Hardiman and Michael McDowell.^{[citation needed]}

Guest speakers and accolades

The L&H regularly invites speakers outside of debates. Former speakers have included actor Roger Moore, economist Paul Krugman, linguist Noam Chomsky, Irish politician John Hume, LGBTQ+ activist Rory O'Neil aka Panti Bliss, photographer and blogger Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York, writer Bill Bryson, economist John Nash and British Writer Neil Gaiman .^{[citation needed]}

The society awards Honorary Fellowships and James Joyce Awards to individuals who have "contributed significantly to a field of human endeavour". Recipients of either of the two awards include F. W. de Klerk, Rev. Jesse Jackson,^[7] Noam Chomsky and Prime Minister of Australia John Howard, actor Ralph Fiennes, actor Will Ferrell,^[8] author J. K. Rowling,^[9] former UN Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix, novelist Bill Bryson, former England soccer captain Gary Lineker, The Beatles' producer George Martin,^[10] Monty Python member Michael Palin^[11] actor Martin Freeman, writer Salman Rushdie.^[12] and Irish author Liz Nugent.^[13]

Since the foundation of the Irish state, every President and Taoiseach has addressed the society.^{[citation needed]}

Competitive debating

The L&H has won a number of international debating competitions and has won The Irish Times and Mace debating competitions as well as international and national intervarsities. The society has attended the World Universities Debating Championship, in Asia, Australia, Africa and North America, reaching the grand final in both 2000 and 2002. In 1987 and 2006, UCD hosted the World Universities Debating Championship.^[14]

The society also promotes and organises competitive debating in schools across Ireland through the Schools' Mace, the Leinster Schools Debating Competition (co-organised by Trinity's College Historical Society) and the UCD Junior Schools Debating Competition, which reach secondary schools throughout the country.^{[citation needed]}