Judge Tom O’Donnell presided over the competition at Limerick Courthouse, which TYL plans to hold on an annual basis.

Transition Year Law conducts one-day law modules for Transition Year students, with units including an introduction to the legal system, the court structure in Ireland, the roles of barristers and solicitors, and the law on consent.

Barrister Catherine McLoone, who co-ordinated the competition, offered “a huge congratulations” to the winning team from Laurel Hill.

The team included Nadine McMahon, Lily O’Keeffe, Emily McNamara, Róisín Musgrave, Tara O’Sullivan, Aoife-Marie Costelloe, Isabelle Murphy, Siobhan Penny, Ella Beegan, Ruth Downey, Kacie Dillon, Anna Corcoran, Fiona Kinnevane, Aoife Doyle, Leah White, Hannah Fitzgerald and Samar Hamoudah (jury foreperson).

Each student played a particular role within the trial, ranging from barristers to jury members, and Aoife Doyle won an award for her courtroom sketch.

Ms McLoone told Irish Legal News that Judge O’Donnell “offered some wonderful insights into how a courtroom operates and shared his extensive knowledge with the group”.