Courses
ATU celebrates another successful year at WorldSkills Ireland 2026 with five national winners
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) enjoyed another successful year at WorldSkills Ireland 2026, with five students and apprentices crowned national champions and 25 competitors representing the university across a range of skills categories.
The achievements reflect ATU’s continued excellence in applied learning, apprenticeship training and industry-focused education, with competitors demonstrating high levels of technical expertise, innovation and professionalism throughout the national competition.
WorldSkills Ireland brings together learners and apprentices from across the country to compete in skills-based challenges aligned with industry standards. ATU students and apprentices competed across a range of disciplines including carpentry, joinery, cabinetmaking, industrial control, electrical installations, automobile technology, toolmaking and Restaurant Service.
ATU winners at WorldSkills Ireland 2026 are:
- Seoirse Ellison (ATU Sligo) – Carpentry – Co. Donegal (Dunkineely)
- Eoin Ó Ráinne (ATU Connemara) – Cabinetmaking – Co. Galway (Leitir Móir)
- Tom Finan (ATU Sligo) – Joinery – Co. Mayo (Crossmolina)
- Méabh Gannon (ATU Sligo) – Industrial Control – Co. Kildare (Celbridge)
- Colm Lacey (ATU Sligo) – Toolmaking – Co. Clare (Lahinch)
While these five competitors secured category wins, all 25 ATU participants represented the university with distinction, demonstrating the dedication, technical ability and professionalism that underpin ATU’s apprenticeship and skills-based education programmes.
Professor Graham Heaslip, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computing at ATU, said:
We are delighted to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Seoirse, Colm, Eoin, Tom and Méabh at WorldSkills Ireland, but we are equally proud of all 25 ATU competitors who committed themselves to this journey. Their dedication, professionalism and willingness to test themselves on a national stage exemplify the talent being developed across ATU and the strength of our apprenticeship and skills programmes. I also want to acknowledge the lecturers, technical staff and employers whose mentoring and support made this possible. These students are the skilled professionals our region and our industries depend on, and they have done themselves, their families and ATU proud.
For more information on ATU’s apprenticeship and skills programmes, visit www.atu.ie.
Full list of participants:
- Seoirse Ellison – Carpentry (Winner)
- Eoin Ó Ráinne – Cabinetmaking (Winner)
- Tom Finan – Joinery (Winner)
- Méabh Gannon – Industrial Control (Winner)
- Colm Lacey – Toolmaking (Winner)
- Eoghan Tuttlebee – Carpentry
- Matthew Shovlin – Automobile Technology
- Jake Slattery – Carpentry
- Enda Farrell – Industrial Controls
- Kacper Krzykowski – Automobile Technology
- Edward Hempsted – Toolmaking
- Enda Acros – Cabinetmaking
- Chloe Costello – Restaurant Service
- Pavel Kostin – Restaurant Service
- Conall Pakenham – Electrical Installations
- Mark Tracey – Carpentry
- Rory Price – Joinery
- Sean Carnahan – Toolmaking
- Leo Dolan – Carpentry
- Niall Mc Mahon – Cabinetmaking
- Rhys Geoghegan – Toolmaking
- Sean Collier – Cabinetmaking
- Calum Herbert – Industrial Controls
- Shane Daly – Cabinetmaking
- Casey Nolan – Toolmaking
Photo caption: WorldSkills Ireland 2026 winners pictured at the awards ceremony at the RDS in Dublin.
For media enquiries, contact:
Aidan Haughey
Communications Manager
Tel: 086 086 6913
E: aidan.haughey@atu.ie
