A school's Debs, also called Grad or Grads, is the formal ball for students in their final year of secondary school in the Republic of Ireland, [1] analogous to the prom in North American schools or the school formal in Australia. [2] [3] It is most commonly referred to as "the Debs" (from "debutante"), but some schools (mainly boys' or coeducational) call it "the Grad" or "Grads" (from graduation), while in County Donegal, and other parts of Ulster, it is known as "the Prom" or "the Formal". [4] [5] [6] Each ball is associated with a specific school, which may take place during the school year, immediately after the Leaving Certificate examinations in June, or after the results are announced in August. Some schools have a smaller "pre-Debs" some months before the Debs. Other schools, including in Tralee, hold their Debs in January. [7]
A Debs or Grads (known in County Donegal and other parts of Ulster as "the Prom" or "the Formal") [4] [5] [6] is often organised by someone other than the school itself. [8] In some cases, a student committee is created within the school to organise the event in collaboration with selected teachers or parents. [8] [9] [10] Some organisers pay an events company to assist with the event-planning activities.[ citation needed ]
The events are typically held at a hotel or other large function room. [9] A Debs is usually, though not always, a formal dinner, followed by music. Alcohol is almost always served. Traditionally there is a photographer present, who will take individual shots of each couple and throughout the event. It is not uncommon for the event to last all night, with some attendees returning home the following morning, or going for breakfast together. Some hotels provide breakfast. [9]
Some students may worry about being invited or finding a date, but many attend with friends or in a group.[ citation needed ]
People are usually dressed in formal black tie, gowns or dresses. These are often adorned with a corsage. While formal attire is traditional, it is not required for entrance.[ citation needed ] It is customary for men to purchase a corsage, flowers or a box of chocolates for their dates if they are women. [1] [11]
From the mid-1980s onwards, several attempts were made to either ban or curtail the celebration of Debs balls in Ireland. In 1986, for example, the Loreto Order of nuns, who were patron to dozens of girls' schools across the country, issued a decree that school management should not support or participate the organisation of these events. In 1991, a TD with the Progressive Democrats said that they should be banned altogether. [12]
In 1998, at a hearing between Judge Desmond Windle and a school solicitor from Newpark Comprehensive about a late night bar extension, the judge stated that the term "Debs ball" should not be used to describe a school leavers dance because its origins were in "archaic" practices associated with royal courts, and "nothing to do with a Republic". Describing the term as "nonsensical" and "absurd", the judge showed particular disdain for the term as he believed that its use in Ireland derived from the English royal court, despite the word "debutante" being French in origin. [13]
News outlets in 2012 and 2013 published articles featuring the money spent by attendees, on average €695-€825 on the night, including spend on dresses. [14] [15] The events also face criticism as the nights often have a heavy focus on alcohol, and associated by some with "drunkenness and rowdy behaviour". [8]
A promenade dance or promenade, commonly called a prom, is a dance party for high school students. It may be offered in semi-formal black tie or informal suit for boys, and evening gowns for girls. This event is typically held at or near the end of the school year. There may be individual junior and senior proms or they may be combined.
White tie, also called full evening dress or a dress suit, is the most formal evening Western dress code. For men, it consists of a black tail coat worn over a white dress shirt with a starched or pique bib, white piqué waistcoat and the white bow tie worn around a standing wing collar. Mid or high-waisted black trousers with galon, a braid of trim consisting of two silk stripes to conceal the outer seams of the trousers, along with court shoes complete the outfit. Orders, decorations and medals may be worn. Acceptable accessories include a black top hat, white gloves, a white scarf, a pocket watch, a white pocket square, and a boutonnière. Women wear full-length ball or evening gowns with evening gloves and, optionally, tiaras, jewellery, and a small handbag.
A debutante, also spelled débutante, or deb is a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and is presented to society at a formal "debut" or possibly debutante ball. Originally, the term indicated that the woman was old enough to be married, and one purpose of her "coming out" was to display her to eligible bachelors and their families with a view to marriage within a select circle.
A corsage is a small bouquet of flowers worn on a woman's dress or around her wrist for a formal occasion. They are typically given to her by her date. Today, corsages are most commonly seen at homecomings, proms, and similar formal events.
A ball is a formal dance event often characterised by a banquet followed by a social dance. Ball dancing emerged from formal dances during the Middle Ages and carried on through different iterations throughout succeeding centuries, such as the 17th century Baroque dance and the 18th century cotillion. Several variations exists such as the masquerade and debutante ball as well as the more modern prom.
The social season, or season, refers to the traditional annual period in the spring and summer when it is customary for members of the social elite of British society to hold balls, dinner parties and charity events. Until the First World War, it was also the appropriate time to reside in the city rather than in the country in order to attend such events.
Ladies' Gaelic football is an Irish team sport for women. It is the women's equivalent of Gaelic football. Ladies' football is organised by the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association. Two teams of 15 players kick or hand-pass a round ball towards goals at each end of a grass pitch. The sport is an all island sport played in all 4 provinces of Ireland, where the two main competitions are the All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship and the Ladies' National Football League. Both competitions feature teams representing the traditional Gaelic games counties. The 2017 All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship final was the best attended women's sports final of 2017. The 2019 final, after the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Final, was the second largest attendance at any women's sporting final during 2019. Historically Cork and Kerry have been the sport's most successful counties. Waterford, Monaghan and Mayo have also experienced spells of success. In more recent years, 2017 to 2020, Dublin have been the dominant team.
Evening gloves or opera gloves are a type of formal glove that reaches beyond the elbow worn by women.
A boutonnière or buttonhole is a floral decoration, typically a single flower or bud, worn on the lapel of a tuxedo or suit jacket.
The Viennese Opera Ball is an annual charity gala held annually under the auspices of the United States-Austrian Chamber of Commerce. The Ball is organized by Board of Directors, under President Silvia Frieser and Artistic Director Daniel Serafin.
A dance party is a social gathering where dancing is the primary activity. Some dance parties are held in a casual setting and open to the public, such as a rave, or those held in nightclubs.
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