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11 Nov 2025

Students in Louth urged to enter national speech writing competition

Can a Louth student win again?

Students in Louth urged to enter national speech writing competition

File photo/Pixabay

Reporter:

Donard McCabe

11 Nov 2025 5:30 PM

ActionAid Ireland is reminding students in Louth aged 14 to 18 to enter the ActionTalks national speech writing competition. Now in its 12th year, the competition has had just one winner hailing from Louth – can a Louth student take home the top prize again this year?
Karol Balfe, CEO of ActionAid Ireland said: “The ActionTalks competition is designed to build students’ research, writing, critical thinking and public speaking skills, as well as giving young people a chance to have their voices heard on global issues.
"We have had a fantastic response already to this year’s competition and hope for more entries from Louth before the deadline of Friday 16th January 2026.”
Entries to the competition can be submitted to ActionAid by email in written form and fifteen successful entrants will go forward to the regional final, with six regional winners winning a €50 voucher each.
At the national final in March, the six finalists will be asked to present their speech to a panel of esteemed judges. The national prize is a €500 voucher for the winner and a €100 voucher for their teacher.
ActionAid is hoping entrants will come up with innovative, well-researched, and creative speeches, using their own unique perspective. 
The ActionTalks competition is a part of ActionAid’s Global Citizenship Education programme funded by Irish Aid. ActionAid’s work focuses on supporting the hardest-to-reach women and girls around the world.
Through its Women’s Rights Programme, also funded by Irish Aid, ActionAid partners with communities in Kenya, Ethiopia and Nepal to eliminate violence against women and girls.
To take part in the ActionTalks competition, students are invited to write a 600 to 800 words speech on one of the following topics:
  1. Fossil Fuel Free Future: What does a fair, fossil fuel-free future look like and what actions can we take to get there?
  2. Education in driving equality: If we want a fairer, stronger, and more equal world, we must start with education. And we must start with girls. Discuss.
  3. Women’s rights organisations and ending violence: If we want a world where women and girls are safe, equal, and free, we must support the women’s rights organisations already working to make that world a reality. Discuss.
To enter, students can ask their teacher for details or visit https://actionaid.ie/speech-writing-competition/

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