English
Gaeilge
Sligo Engineering Fair to return with expanded programme and new public attractions
The Sligo Engineering Fair will return to Atlantic Technological University’s (ATU) Sligo campus on Sunday, 1 March 2026, marking the seventh year of the event, which has become a significant fixture in the region’s public engagement calendar.
Running from 12pm to 4pm, the fair is expected to draw large numbers of families, schools, and community groups, continuing its aim of promoting interest in engineering, science, and technology across the North‑West.
Organised by ATU in collaboration with Engineers Ireland North‑West and long‑standing industry partner Abbott, the fair will present an expanded programme of demonstrations, workshops, and interactive exhibitions designed to appeal to a wide public audience.
New elements have been added to this year’s schedule, including a series of roaming characters designed to capture the imagination of younger visitors. Stormtrooper, Jedi Knight, and R2D2‑style droid from Star Wars will roam throughout the campus, adding a theatrical aspect to the event’s public spaces.
The popular talking robot “Alex” will return for 2026, alongside a newly designated virtual reality area, where families will have the opportunity to experience VR pods offering immersive simulations connected to engineering and digital design.
Three live performances by Jay Ryan of RTÉ Junior will take place in the campus library at 12.30pm, 1.30pm, and 3.00pm. Ryan describes the sessions as occasions “where we’ll explore the magic of everyday materials. In this fun and interactive session, we’ll discover the surprising strength of paper and eggs, test our reflexes with a tablecloth trick, and see how balance and air pressure work in action. Perfect for young curious minds.”
Other events include:
- Brickz4Kids workshops in B1201 and B1202
- Robothink robotics workshops in B1080
- Games development workshops with Neil Gannon in B2313
- Engineering Discovery Zone, offering introductory engineering challenges for families
- Tool‑Making demonstrations delivered by ATU’s School of Engineering
- Exhibitions featuring the Civil Defence, Lifeboats, An Garda Síochána, PEM Centre, Engineers Ireland NW, and ATU researchers.
The main concourse will also host free‑play engineering games, robotics demonstrations including Sparky the robot dog, and a range of project displays produced by school groups and university departments.
Speaking ahead of the event, Niall Plunkett, Site Director of Abbott’s Diagnostics business in Sligo, said:
“At Abbott, innovation isn’t just what we do, it’s how we empower our employees to push boundaries, improve lives, and transform the future through meaningful, life‑changing work. Every day, our teams contribute to developing products that help people live better and healthier lives around the world. As we mark 80 years of Abbott in Ireland, we are especially proud to collaborate once again with ATU Sligo and look forward to inspiring students from across the North West through the Sligo Engineering Fair.”
Prof Graham Heaslip, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering & Design at ATU, highlighted the fair’s growing importance as an educational event for the region.
The Sligo Engineering Fair is an important annual celebration of creativity, innovation and community engagement. Each year we are delighted to welcome thousands of visitors to campus to explore the possibilities of engineering through curiosity, play and hands‑on discovery. Events like this help young people imagine new futures and highlight the role engineers play in shaping a better world. We are proud to partner once again with Abbott and Engineers Ireland to deliver this inspiring event for the North‑West region.
Admission to the fair is free, and the ATU canteen will serve hot food throughout the afternoon. Free on‑site parking will be available to the public.
Further details may be found at www.atu.ie/event/sligo-engineering-fair.
Photo Caption: Gemma Lavin – Engineering Trainee (Abbott), Catherine Kennedy, Operations Manager, Faculty of Engineering & Computing (ATU), James Brady – Technical Engineering Manager (Abbott) and Prof Graham Heaslip, Dean Faculty of Engineering and Computing (ATU) at the launch of Sligo Engineering Fair.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Catherine Young
Events administrator
Mob: 086 201 0408
Email: catherine.young@atu.ie
