West Cork students shine at Young Scientist show

THE talent, hard work, and ingenuity of the students of West Cork has been highlighted by the region’s success at the BT Young Scientist and Technologist show at the RDS in Dublin.

Projects from across the south west were lauded at the competition, with clear signs for the future is in safe hands thanks to these pioneering students.

Philippa McIntosh from Bandon Grammar School was runner-up in the individual overall young Scientist & Technologist of the Year for her project ‘Beyond numbers: The textual challenge of Junior Cycle maths for Dyslexic Students’, with calls for her research to be incorporated into future curriculum design.

Shay Walsh, managing director, BT Ireland, and Minister for Education Norma Foley TD, present the runners up individual award to Philippa McIntosh from Bandon Grammar School for her project on maths and dyslexic students. (Photo: Fennells)

The 16-year-old’s project looked at the readability for dyslexic students of the maths exam in the junior cycle. Dr Sinead Smyth of the judging panel said Philippa’s rigorous research project clearly showed the phrasing of questions on the maths exams meant that students who are actually good at maths but experience reading challenges may be disadvantaged by over-complex wording.

‘This important finding should be taken on board in curriculum design and assessment,’ said Dr Smyth.

Philippa was one of a host of students recognised for their work this year. St Mary’s School trio Leah Bradley, Tara Lane, and Ellie Walsh won the eFlow Sustainable Transport Award as they asked whether the N22 Baile Bhuirne-Macroom bypass really benefits the locals of Macroom.

Ian Cullinane from Kinsale Community College, who won the Geological Survey of Ireland award for his research on AI-powered environmental monitoring and photography drones.

Emily Drinan from Schull Community College claimed the Social & Behavioural Sciences second junior individual award for her project which investigated whether people take the sustainable development goals into account when making purchasing choices. Emily’s research sought to discover, in particular, whether teenagers who consider themselves concerned about equity, and environmental issues are prepared to actually change their food habits.

Eugenie Kelleher from St Mary’s Secondary School Macroom claimed third in the same category for her investigation into the effect of artificial intelligence aids on learning achievements, creativity, and innovative thinking in Irish secondary school students.

Kinsale Community College’s Claire Linehan, Aoife Ferguson, and Aisling Lynch were first in the junior group category for their study into why women’s sport takes a runner-up place in the eyes of spectators compared to men’s sport.

Schull Community College second year student Emily Drinan with President Michael D. Higgins, Sabina Higgins and BTYSTE judge Dr. Nicola Millard at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition in the RDS. (Photo: Fennells)

Tomás Markey from St Brogan’s in Bandon was first in the senior individual for chemical, physical & mathematical sciences for his research into a four-stage advancement towards direct air capture. It was also the EPA special category award winner.

Elliott Cave from Bandon Grammar was third in the intermediate individual technology category for his investigation into noiseless pickups, which was inspired by his own musical journey and the feedback on his guitar.

Éadaoin Farrell and Ciarán Farrell from St Peter’s Community School in Passage West was first in the intermediate group for biological and ecological for their look at effects of weather conditions on roosting birds.

Ronan Moloney from Kinsale Community College took first in the junior individual for his investigation into the impact of a skill-specific plyometrics plan on a juvenile GAA team, while Emily Bertoletti also from Kinsale Community College claimed second in the same category for her work on climate change.

The ECAS 112/SOS for best project in Irish went to Alex Neff from Gaelcholáiste Charraig Ui Leighin for his project, entitled ‘Níos mó Fuacht, Níos mó Cumhacht?’

Lily Cahill from Kinsale Community College was highly commended for her project, ‘Imaginary Friendships’. Also highly commended was Al O’Shea Murphy from St Brogan’s College, Bandon, for a project to investigate school experiences of transgender and cisgender students in Irish secondary schools.

Donagh Flynn, Ben Coffey, and Eoin Maguire from Hamilton High School were similarly recognised for their work, entitled ‘More Mess Less Stress?’

An investigation into farmers attitudes towards rewilding and reforestation of farmland in Ireland entitled ‘Wilder Farms’ by Amy Mc- Cullagh and Ella White from St Mary’s Secondary School Macroom caught the judges’ attention.

A project to design and development an improved kayak paddle by Clonakilty Community College duo Fergus Murphy and Mathew Power was also an eyecatcher, while Sacred Heart Secondary School students Ella O’Sullivan and Ellen Meade probed into the world of food, with a project ‘Honey, It’s Fake!’

Fergus Murphy and Mathew Power from Clonakilty Community College and their project 'Design and Development of an Improved Kayak Paddle'. (Photo: Fennells)

Caoimhin McCarthy and Ciara Galvin from Dunmanway’s Maria Immaculata Community College looked at the dangers of e-cigarettes with their project ‘The Rise of The Planet of The Vapes’. Bandon Grammar’s Brendan Forrest’s project on how random is chess won a display award.

Annie Burke from Colaiste na Toirbhirte’s project ‘Happy Herds are Healthy Herds’ focused on research on cows and their social ranking within the modern dairy herd.

The third class girls from St Joseph’s GNS, Clonakilty were the youngest group taking part and they were awarded one of only 50 BT Primary Science Fair Young Scientist plaques.

These were just some of the local projects which impressed distinguished guests including President Michael D Higgins at the RDS.

Judging on these results the future looks likes bright for West Cork!