Regional winners of VEX Robotics schools competition announced by ATU
Claremorris, Ballinasloe, Corrandula and Clontuskert National Schools, Headford, Claremorris, Ballinasloe and Oranmore Secondary Schools through to national finals after competing in regional heats of VEX Robotics events hosted by Atlantic Technological University (ATU)
Scoil Muire Gan Smal Claremorris, Creagh NS Ballinasloe, St Augustine’s NS Clontuskert, and Scoil Bhríge agus Bhreandáin Naofa Corrandula are off to represent the Galway-Mayo primary schools in the national VEX final after winning teamwork awards at the Regional VEX IQ 2024 Competition sponsored by Thermoking and hosted by ATU Galway City on Tuesday, 16 January) and Wednesday, 17 January (2024).
The secondary school VEX competition hosted by ATU and sponsored by Boston Scientific ran on Thursday 18 January and saw Presentation College Headford, St Colman’s College Claremorris, Ardscoil Mhuire Ballinasloe, and Calasanctius College Oranmore qualify for the national final.
The VEX Teamwork Challenges comprise of a series of matches where participating school teams compete with their robots working collaboratively to score points. The events, which were the culmination of months of hard work designing, building, trouble-shooting and coding their robots, saw over 500 primary school and 100 secondary school pupils, from 27 national schools and 13 secondary schools, competing for a place in the national finals.
The competition also includes an award for driving and coding skills won by Scoil Muire Gan Smal Claremorris, St Joseph’s NS Ballinrobe and Presentation College Headford, as well as a Design Award won by Scoil Bhreandan Naofa Clonfert, Clontuskert NS, and Ardscoil Mhuire Ballinasloe. The judges gave special recognition to Glencastle NS, Breaffy NS and Calasanctius College Oranmore.
In this Galway-Mayo heats, schools who also took part in the primary school competition include Caltra NS, Eyrecourt NS, St John’s NS Logboy, Cooneal NS, Foxford NS, Cloughanover NS, Facefield NS, Barnatra NS, Headford Boys NS, St Mary’s NS Mountbellew , Brierhill NS, Carnmore NS, Scoil Chomain Naofa NS Roundfort, Ahascragh NS, St Vincent NS Coolarne, Williamstown NS, Claddagh NS, Headford Girls NS.
Other secondary schools who took part include Dominican College Galway, Mount St Michael Claremorris, Galway Community College, St Jarlath’s College Tuam, Holy Rosary College Mountbellew, Colaiste An Chreagain Mountbellew, St Cuan’s College Castleblakeney, St Patrick Comprehensive Schools Shannon.
For the first time, TeenTurn PLUS Robotics and Physics club, funded by Rethink and supported by ATU and Boston Scientific, which met once per month in the Portershed since September, entered a team in the event. A member of the TeenTurn team, Aoibheann Mangan, says “Being a part of the club has been amazing, we would never have had the opportunity to do any robotics or engineering at school and this has made so many of us consider studying mechanical engineering and software engineering in college.”
Julio Zanon, Engineering Fellow at Boston Scientific, says: “It’s overwhelming to see the passion that teenagers have for robotics. We are very proud to sponsor this event and to encourage and support the development of future engineers and scientist.”
Gail Quinn, HR Leader Ireland for Trane Technologies – Thermo King, says: “By sponsoring these events, we are given the opportunity to play an important role in developing the engineers, mathematicians and technology experts of the future.”
Dr Carine Gachon, Head of Department and VEX coordinator for ATU Galway-Mayo, says: “Each year, the challenge is different which requires creativity and problem-solving to overcome the difficulties of the game. This year we saw some amazing designs and were impressed with the pupils’ ability to troubleshoot their robot during the competition.”
The event was hosted by the ATU Galway-May Department of Mechanical & industrial Engineering, sponsored by Trane Technologies - Thermo King for the primary schools, Boston Scientific for the secondary schools, and supported by David Hodge, VEX national coordinator of Munster Technological University (MTU), Ray Bell and Dean Hodge of Offaly County Council and Anthony Bayle from the RECF foundation.
Regina Daly, Atlantic TU Communications
Tel: +353 (0)91 742826 Mob: +353 (0)879618355
regina.daly@atu.ie www.atu.ie/news
Photos by Seán Lydon. Presentation College Headford students, recipients of the Excellence, Teamwork and Skills awards, pictured with sponsors Niall O’Doherty and Ryan Reich from Boston Scientific, ATU Galway-Mayo Vex Coordinator Dr.Carine Gachon on Thursday 18 January 2024 at the ATU Galway VEX VRC 2024 competition.
St Colman’s College Claremorris students, recipient of the Teamwork award, teacher Breandan Conroy , pictured with sponsors Ryan Reich and Niall O’Doherty from Boston Scientific, ATU Galway-Mayo Vex Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon on Thursday 18 January 2024 at the ATU Galway VEX VRC 2024 competition.
The TeamWork champions Creagh NS pupils, pictured with their teachers Shane Dolan, Sarah Spellman, Diarmuid O’Brien, sponsors Gabriel Walsh, Isobel Foye, Marie dunne, Gail Quinn, Thomas Lefebvre, Andreena Joyce, Colm Mitchell and Georgina Mongey from Trane Technologies International – Thermo King, ATU Galway-Mayo VEX Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon, Offaly County Council VEX Coordinator Ray Bell on Tuesday, 16 January 2024 at the VEX IQ 2024 competition. Photo by Sean Lydon.
The teamwork and Skill champions, Scoil Muire Gan Smal Claremorris pupils, and their teacher Laura Prendergast, ATU Galway-Mayo VEX Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon, Offaly County Council VEX Coordinator Ray Bell, sponsors Gabriel Walsh, Isobel Foye, Marie dunne, Gail Quinn, Andreena Joyce, Thomas Lefebvre, Colm Mitchell and Georgina Mongey from Trane Technologies International – Thermo King, on Tuesday 16 January 2024 at the VEX IQ 2024 competition. Photo by Sean Lydon
Teamwork Champions, Scoil Bhríge agus Bhreandáin Naofa Corrandula NS Pupils pictured with their teachers Annette O’Malley and Darragh Glynn, ATU Galway-Mayo Head of Engineering Prof Graham Heaslip, ATU Galway-Mayo VEX Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon and sponsors Soazic Fagnére, Clodagh Naughton, Peadar Conneely, Mike Hedderman, Caroline McDonnell, Gail Quinn, Isobel Foyle, Thomas Lefebvre and Colm Mitchell from Trane Technologies International on Wednesday 17 January 2024 at the VEX IQ 2024 competition. Photo by Sean Lydon.
Clontuskert NS pupils, teamwork champions and recipients of the Design award, pictured with their teachers Kate Murray, Katie Feehily and Teresa Nevin, ATU Galway-Mayo Head of Engineering Prof Graham Heaslip, sponsors, Soazic Fagnére, Clodagh Naughton, Peadar Conneely, Mike Hedderman, Caroline McDonnell, Gail Quinn, Thomas Lefebvre and Colm Mitchell from Trane Technologies International – Thermo King and ATU Galway-Mayo VEX Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon, on Wednesday 17 January 2024 at the VEX IQ 2024 competition. Photo by Sean Lydon
Ardscoil Mhuire Ballinasloe students, recipients of the Design award, pictured with sponsor Niall O’Doherty from Boston Scientific, ATU Galway-Mayo Vex Coordinator Dr.Carine Gachon and teacher Karl Elliffe on Thursday, 18 January 2024 at the ATU Galway VEX VRC 2024 competition.
Clonfert NS pupils, Design award recipients, pictured with ATU Galway-Mayo Head of Engineering Prof Graham Heaslip, ATU Galway-Mayo VEX Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon, sponsors Gabriel Walsh, Isobel Foye, Marie dunne, Gail Quinn, Andreena Joyce, Thomas Lefebvre, Colm Mitchell and Georgina Mongey from Trane Technologies International – Thermo King, teachers Anne-Marie Hyland and Nicola Gilmartin on Tuesday, 16 January 2024 at the VEX IQ 2024 competition. Photo by Sean Lydon
St Joseph NS Ballinrobe, Recipients of the Skills award, Teachers Edel Roche and Sean Flannelly.
Pictured with with ATU Galway-Mayo Head of Engineering Prof Graham Heaslip, sponsors, Soazic Fagnére, Clodagh Naughton, Peadar Conneely, Mike Hedderman, Caroline McDonnell, Gail Quinn, Isobel Foyle, Thomas Lefebvre and Colm Mitchell from Trane Technologies International – Thermo King and ATU Galway-Mayo VEX Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon, on Wednesday 17 January 2024 at the VEX IQ 2024 competition. Photo by Sean Lydon
Calasanctius College Oranmore, recipients of the Judges award, teach Joann Dempsey.
pictured with sponsor Niall O’Doherty from Boston Scientific, ATU Galway-Mayo Vex Coordinator Dr.Carine Gachon on Thursday, 18 January 2024 at the ATU Galway VEX VRC 2024 competition.
Breaffy NS pupils, recipients of the Judges award, pictured with their teachers Kevin Duggan, Ciaran Hennelly and John Moran, sponsors Gabriel Walsh, Isobel Foye, Marie dunne, Gail Quinn, Andreena Joyce, Thomas Lefebvre, Colm Mitchell, Georgina Mongey from Trane Technologies International – Thermo King and ATU Galway-Mayo VEX Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon, on Tuesday, 16 January 2024 at the VEX IQ 2024 competition. Photo by Sean Lydon.
Glencastle NS pupils, recipients of the Judges award, pictured with ATU Galway-Mayo Head of Engineering Prof Graham Heaslip, ATU Galway-Mayo VEX Coordinator Dr Carine Gachon, sponsors Isobel Foye, Clodagh Naughton, Peadar Conneely, Mike Hedderman, Caroline McDonnell, Gail Quinn, Colm Mitchell and Thomas Lefebvre from Trane Technologies International – Thermo King, teachers Clara Holmes and Lisa Coarolan on Wednesday 17 January 2024 at the VEX IQ 2024 competition. Photo by Sean Lydon.