 While most participants represent institutions in the Republic of Ireland, institutions in Northern Ireland are also eligible.The Union of Students in Ireland approached "The Irish Times" in 1960 to secure sponsorship for an Irish equivalent of the "Observer" Mace, a debating competition started in Britain in 1954.The "Debating Union of Ireland" was formed for a time, but later "The Irish Times" would appoint a student convenor each year, often a previous year's winner.