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Law students test their IHL skills at Corn Adomnáin 2025
April 8, 2025
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This year saw the most extensive engagement for the competition, with eleven teams of law students from eight institutions competing to win. The teams had the opportunity to meet one another and the exceptional judges at an evening drinks reception held on 28th March 2025. Queens University Belfast Head of School of Law Joan Loughrey delivered welcome remarks, followed by AnnaMarie O’Carroll from the Irish Red Cross. Dr Noel Trew, from the British Red Cross, gave an exciting announcement to students – the winning team would be invited to take part in the next British Red Cross IHL Summer School.
The competition started early the next morning. Teams were asked to take on various roles throughout the morning in different scenarios, all based on a fictitious armed conflict. This included acting as legal advisors to armed forces to advise on protection of healthcare and of cultural property. They also acted as humanitarian workers negotiating access to detainees or to civilian populations under occupation. In one scenario, students had to advise a virtual military mission carried out in real time. Students competing were required to demonstrate a strong understanding of the principles of IHL and rely on their negotiation, presentation and teamwork skills.
In the afternoon, all teams joined together to participate in a treaty negotiation exercise. Each represented a fictitious state negotiating a draft text on autonomous weapons systems. The negotiation was chaired by Hilary Boyle from the Department of Foreign Affairs and David Goddard from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK), who shared insights with the students afterwards on what such negotiations are like in reality.
Other judges on the day comprised of experts in IHL from a variety of different backgrounds and organisations, including academics from various universities, the International Committee of the Red Cross, British Red Cross, the Irish Defence Forces, Blue Shield Ireland, the National Monuments Service. At the end of the day, many of them shared advice on careers in their sectors with the students.
The Law Society of Ireland won the competition, with University College Cork as close runners up. Additionally, Trinity College Dublin won a prize for most impressive performance in the protection of cultural property scenario. This prize was kindly sponsored by the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government.
Irish Red Cross would like to thank Queens University Belfast for hosting the competition and to all the volunteers on the day. This competition is a key event to promote international humanitarian law with future lawyers and leaders in Ireland.
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