Debs (ball)

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, analogous to the prom in North American schools or the school formal in Australia. 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). 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.