JLTI

In order to encourage and promote Japanese language education in Ireland, JLTI and the Embassy of Japan in Ireland jointly host an annual Japanese speech contest.

The 17th Japanese Speech Contest took place on Saturday 9th March, 2019.

Application forms : General Category and Secondary School Category

Reference: Judging Criteria

Application Deadline : Please note that each category has a different closing date.
Secondary School Category (TY & LC1 Group): 11 February 2019
Secondary School Category (LC2 Group): 18 February 2019
General Category: 22 February 2019

Criteria for Participation

• Participants must not be Japanese native speakers and should be resident in Ireland for more than six months at the time of application
• (General Category): Participants cannot have lived in Japan for longer than 5 years in total.
• (Secondary School Category): Participants must be studying Japanese for the Leaving Certificate in Ireland, and may not have taken more than two weeks total of classes of Japanese in Japan.
• Neither participants themselves nor their immediate family members may be members of the JLTI.
• Past winners may not enter the same category.
• Participants should submit the application form and their speech script to the JLTI Committee by e-mail by the deadline.

Organised by
Japanese Language Teachers of Ireland (JLTI) The Embassy of Japan

Supported by
The Japan Foundation The Japan Business Society in Ireland Department of Education and Science

List of the winners

The 17th Contest: 9 March 2019

• General Category: Aaron Mischa Goldstein “Thank you Karaoke”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Aya Abubakar “My Friend”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Cahir O’Donnell

The 16th Contest: 10 March 2018

• General Category: Olaedo Opara “Making New Friends One Sentence at a Time”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Stephanie McWilliams “My Friend”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Evan Kenny

The 15th Contest: 4 March 2017

• General Category: Neil Montague “In the Age of Globalisation, Can Using Their Own Language Help Countries to Maintain Their Distinctiveness?”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Nicole D’Alton “My Favourite Town”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Isabelle Price

The 14th Contest: 5 March 2016

• General Category: Leonardo Vitor Firmo Cavalheiro “Airplane to a New World”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Min Ji Jung “My Favourite Band”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Roisin Neville

The 13th Contest: 7 March 2015

• General Category: Shereen Perera “‘I Don’t Get This Place’ - Overcoming Culture Shock”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Amber Thompson “My Favourite Movie”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Ryan Daly

The 12th Contest: 22 March 2014

• General Category: Joe Moore “The Tiger’s Cave”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Simon Benson “My favourite people”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Patrik Malec

The 11th Contest: 2 March 2013

• General Category: Rebecca Bourke “A Silent World”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Soh-Hyun In “My Dream”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Chloe Carroll

The 10th Contest: 3 March 2012

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Nina Ruminska “Kendo and I”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Daniel Quinn “Japan and I”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Tami Mulligan “My Hobbies”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Orla Delaney

The 9th Contest: 5 March 2011

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Richie Kirwan “Thank You Japan!”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Jo Jo Li “The Charms of Modern Japanese Music”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Asma Almaksy “My Dream”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Shelly Carlyle

The 8th Contest: 6 March 2010

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Danielle O’Brien “Developments in Japan’s Entertainment Industry”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Anthony Kelly “Japan and I”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Jojo Li “My Hobbies”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Ruadhan Treacy

The 7th Contest: 21 February 2009

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Maria Oleynik “Japan and I (What is Manyoushuu to me?)”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Danielle O’Brien “The Appeal of Japan”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Rebecca Bourke “My Friend”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Lauren Healy

The 6th Contest: 1 March 2008

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Edel Waters “Japan and I”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Ian Suttle “Japan and I”
• Secondary School: Leaving Cert. 2: Gloria Soon “My Hobbies”
• Secondary School: Transition Year / Leaving Cert. 1: Aoife McCarthy

The 5th Contest: 10 March 2007

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Eddy Ospina “Kanazawa and I”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Maria Oleinik “Japan and I: Hokkaido and Its Surrounding Islands”
• Secondary School: Samantha Marie Garcia

The 4th Contest: 11 March 2006

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Colm Caffrey “More Than Music”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Myra Mohar “Japanese Memories”
• Secondary School: Anthony Robinson

The 3rd Contest: 26 February 2005

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Donagh O’Sullivan “Life with Children”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Tara Madden “My Father’s Zen Garden”
• Secondary School: Beibhinn Kelly

The 2nd Contest: 21 February 2004

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Niall McGrath “Irish Fighting Spirit”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Marguerite Ryan “I Think We’re Turning Japanese”
• Secondary School: Mark Aristizabal

The 1st Contest: 22 February 2003

• Intermediate / Advanced Level: Jingde Yang “The Power of Words”
• Beginner / Intermediate Level: Caoilfhionn Nic Fheara “Differences between Irish & Japanese Secondary School Students”
• Secondary School: Mark Aristizabal