King’s Inns was delighted to host the 2026 Eoin Higgins Memorial Moot. This cross-border mooting event pits students from the Institute of Professional Legal Studies against students from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. The venue rotates annually, with two judges presiding from the host jurisdiction and one from the “visiting” jurisdiction.

This year, the moot scenario – a knotty problem involving European Convention on Human Rights arguments, with a focus on freedom of expression – was designed by Oisín Mag Fhógartaigh BL.

The judging panel was comprised of Mr Justice Paul McLaughlin of the High Court of Northern Ireland (in the chair); the Hon Mr Justice Gerard Hogan of the Supreme Court; and the Hon Ms Justice Ann Power of the Court of Appeal.

The mooters participated in a hard-fought contest in the Four Courts, during which they were peppered with questions from the Bench, before attending dining at King’s Inns. The winners on the day were the King’s Inns team, Adam Connolly, Niko Kawonczyk, Katie O’Brien and Hannah Smullen. Adam Connolly also won the prize for best individual speaker.

Many thanks are due to team coaches Méabh Smyth BL (King’s Inns) and Diane Nixon (IPLS) as well as IPLS Director of Education, Barbara Jemphrey MBE, and Dr Eimear Brown (Dean, King’s Inns) for their help in organising this event.