Keith McNamara, David Kennedy and Emmet Clarke, all final year UL Law Plus LL.B. students, recently competed in the prestigious Irish Red Cross Corn Adomnáin intervarsity International Humanitarian Law Competition. This unique competition allows both undergraduate and postgraduate students to put their international humanitarian law knowledge and advocacy skills to the test in simulated exercises and a moot court.

The competition this year was orientated around advocacy skills. Each team had to give advice to organisations such as the International Rescue Committee. This advice centred on the Geneva Convention with regards to war torn countries on issues including the determination of internal/international conflicts, the circumstances when the Red Cross can enter a country and the avenues it must take to get into a country.

The moot was centred around the 1916 rising but in modern day Ireland. David Kennedy was nominated to take part in the prosecution (alongside a member from UCC and QUB) to prosecute the British General who ordered the Helga to bomb Dublin and ‘Peter Pearse’.

The prosecution were acting as the British Government and contended that the rising be considered as an internal conflict rather than an international conflict. Furthermore, they proposed that the national court should deal with both sides of the conflict as opposed the International Criminal Court.

Dr Ger Coffey Director of Mooting said:

“We are very proud of Keith, David and Emmet, very appreciative of their huge personal commitment to the competition, and very privileged to have them represent our Law School in this national competition.

Pictured above: Dr Ger Coffey (Director of Mooting) with Keith McNamara, David Kennedy and Emmet Clarke who received their Certificates of Participation.