The Spike Milligan Public Speaking Competition

The purpose of the Spike Milligan Public Speaking Competition is to raise awareness of mental health issues, foster positive attitudes towards those with mental illness and to give these doctors of the future the opportunity to discuss mental health issues in a public forum.

This is an annual event run by the Irish Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in association with Pfizer Neuroscience.

In October 2002, teams from the 6 medical schools in Ireland: UCC, TCD, NUIG, UCD, RCSI and QUB met for the preliminary round in Galway, Cork and Belfast. The winners of those heats met for the Final in Dublin on Thursday 20^th March 2003.

The final teams were RCSI (Cara Dunne and Ed Killbane) v QUB (Michael Daly and Conor Lambe) v UCC (Karen O’Connor and Ciara Morrissey).

The topic for the evening was ‘The Arts and Mental Health: Is there a link?’

The final was chaired by Dr Michael Boland, President of WONCA and the Judges were Professor Fiona McNicholas of Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin; Dr Brendan Cassidy of the Cluain Mhuire Family Centre, Blackrock, Co. Dublin and Dr Fred Browne of Knockbracken Healthcare Park, Belfast.

A large audience was entertained by sophisticated, challenging and inspiring presentations by each team. UCC were judged to be the winners and received a prize totalling €3000.00 from Pfizer Neuroscience and presented by Dr Colette Halpin, Chairman of the Irish Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

RCSI were the runners up followed by QUB. Both teams also received cash prizes.

The Trophy, a sculpture by the late Dick Joynt was presented to the winning University.