Bandons Legal Eagles are bound for New York and mock trial championships

Bound for New York: Back: Rachel Coughlan, Ruth Crowley, Maróg Murphy, Sinead Dart O’Flynn, Becky Collins with (front) Aileen Cremin, Sophie Murphy, Katie Lynch and Ailbhe Fitzgerald. (Photo: Denis Boyle)

By Kieran O’Mahony

BANDON’S young legal eagles are heading to New York this October and they are looking for financial help to help them achieve their goal of becoming World Champions.

The 16 hard working students from Colaiste na Toirbhirte have been busily fundraising for their trip, while at the same time putting in some intensive preparation work during their summer holidays in preparation for the Empire Mock Trials.

Colaiste na Toirbhirte is the only school n Munster to be represented at this prestigious event and this follows on from the students coming second at the National Mock Trials held in Dublin in May.

‘We have been meeting weekly at my house since we got our holidays to prepare our case and the girls have also been working from home on the upcoming trial which is over 150 pages long. They are a great bunch of girls who are very capable and determined to do well,’ said Siobhan Fitzgerald, Transition Year co-ordinator, speaking to The Southern Star. ‘The group is made up of a mixture of students ranging from third years to sixth years and as a result of doing so well in the National Mock Trials, we got a chance to apply for the Empire Mock Trials and we were delighted to find out in June that we were successful.’

So far, the girls have also been busy fundraising for the costly event with a Tea Dance held earlier this summer and they are holding another fundraising Tea Dance in the Munster Arms Hotel on Saturday September 19th from 5pm to 8pm, with music by Oliver Buckley.

They are holding a Fundraising Quiz in Nyhan’s Bar in Bandon on August 21st at 9.30pm

‘It’s so expensive to get them over there and while we have the flights paid for, we are still looking for any help, legal or financial to make sure that they can give their best in New York. As I said they are a determined bunch and as well as prepping for the trial they are equally trying to raise the funds for the trip.’

The students are working on a made-up case that deals with racial discrimination and will be involved in both the prosecution and defence of the case. Lisa McCarthy, another teacher at Colaiste na Toirbhirte, is also helping the students with their case preparation.

‘We looked at the summary of the case and then we put it out to them at a meeting to select two attorneys. They picked their best speakers to represent them including Christina O’ Donovan, Sinéad-Dart O’ Flynn and Ruth Crowley and the silent attorneys are Moróg Murphy and Aileen Cremin. It would be such an accolade for both the girls and the school to be crowned World Champions.’ The Legal Eagles have a Facebook and Twitter page and a dedicated bank account, if any company or business in West Cork would like to contribute to their trip.

The Legal Eagles bank a/c is with AIB Bank, Bandon, Account No: 38500019, Sort Code 934046.