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Galway students take part in US mock trial

Students from Coláiste Iognáid in Galway took part last week in the International ‘Empire’ Mock Trial Competition in Chicago.

The 14 students, with their teachers and coaches, participated in the US event after a victory in the National Mock Trial Competition in the Central Criminal Court last year.

The competition involved arguing two prosecution rounds and two defence rounds on charges of bribery of a witness and the subordination of perjury. 

Each round was a substantive hearing lasting more than three hours, broken down into a pre-trial motion to exclude past actions of a witness, opening and closing arguments, and the direct examination of three witnesses and cross-examination of three witnesses.

The team had to navigate complex issues surrounding hearsay evidence, which required a strong knowledge of the rules of evidence.

Legal knowledge

The Coláiste Iognáid team was: Cian Dolan, Mark Egan, Tara Flynn, Niamh Gleeson, Beth Kelly, Lisa Lennon, Kate Leonard, Rachel Lyons, Olivia Maye, Layla McCann, Róisin Ní Fhátharta, Erin O Conner, Juno Sheridan, and Ted Silke.

The teachers and coaches were Stephen Reilly and Maeve Clancy.

Matthew Mulrooney, a trainee solicitor at RDJ LLP who helped coach the team, praised the students’ level of legal knowledge, advocacy skill, and legal application.

“My only regret is that some will be tempted by other professions, but to the few who will join us, I look forward with excitement to welcoming them as colleagues in the near future,” he added.