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2008-09 Irish Science Olympiads
Michael A Cotter (DCU) and Ciaran Ennis (IBM) with trophy winners: David Cox, Aoife McCarthy, David McCarthy, Gareth Gamble
On Saturday 31 January 2009 over three hundred secondary school students, from twenty-seven counties, participated in the 2008-09 IBM-DCU Irish Science Olympiad in DCU. The schools were asked to nominate their best science students to take part. Approximately 350 students registered for the four competitions. These students competed for gold, silver and bronze All-Ireland Science Olympiad medals and for places on the Irish 2009 International Biology (IBO), Chemistry (IChO), Computer Programming (IOI) and Physics (IPhO) Olympiads teams.
The annual IBM/DCU Irish Science Olympiad aims to stimulate the active interest of students in science, to promote and reward the pursuit of excellence in the sciences and to convey to the wider community the importance of advanced study and progressive learning in science. This All-Ireland science competition in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Programming and Physics is open to all second-level students.
The students began arriving at DCU at 9.00 am to register for each of the competitions and the three-hour tests began at 11.00 am in each of the four schools. Professor Richard O Kennedy & Elaine Darcy (Biology), Dr. Paraic James (Chemistry), Dr. Ciaran O Conaire and Charlie Daly (Computer Programming) and Dr. Eamonn Cunningham and David Rea (Physics) who are responsible for each section of the Olympiad had teams of DCU staff and postgraduate students ready to administer, supervise and correct the tests.
At 3.30 p.m. the students, many accompanied by their parents and teachers crowded into a packed Larkin Theatre for the closing ceremony where they were each presented with a personalised certificate. Michael A. Cotter (ISO Director) opened the proceedings by welcoming the students, He said: “This event is an ideal avenue for Ireland’s future scientists to showcase their skills to a national audience and potentially on an international stage. Each year the IBM/DCU Irish Science Olympiad provides our students with an ideal platform to equip themselves for a career in the sciences.”
The speakers thanked the parents and teachers for their support and encouragement. They were particularly appreciative of the tremendous effort put in by the DCU staff and postgraduate students in bringing the 2008-09 IBM/DCU Irish Science Olympiad to a successful conclusion.
The invited guests presented medals. Panels of students were chosen from which the four member Irish International Olympiad Teams in each subject will be selected to represent Ireland at one of the Olympiads in Summer 2009.
Biology
| Medal | Student Name | School |
| Trophy | Aoife McCarthy | St. Angela’s School, St. Patrick's Hill, Cork City |
| Gold | Roxanne Lau | Dalriada Grammar School, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim |
| Silver | Piers Murphy | Methodist College, Malone Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim |
| Silver | F. Samuel Duffy | Colaiste Ris, Castlebar Rd., Westport, Mayo |
| Silver | Niall Cosgrave | St. Michael’s College, Ailesbury Road, Dublin 4 |
| Silver | James Peoples | Dalriada Grammar School, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim |
| Bronze | David Neely | St. Columb’s College, Buncrana Rd, Derry, Co. Derry |
| Bronze | Louisa Bradley | John Scottus School, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 |
| Bronze | Han Lu | Methodist College, Malone Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim |
| Bronze | Hannah Javenmard | Colaiste Naomh Mhuire, Sallins Rd., Naas, Co. Kildare |
Chemistry
| Medal | Student Name | School |
| Trophy | Gareth Gamble | Banbridge Academy, Lurgan Rd., Banbridge, Co. Down |
| Gold | Ronan Judge | St. Muredach’s College, Ballina, Co. Mayo |
| Silver | Sean O’Dwyer | Comprehensive School, Causeway, Tralee, Co. Kerry |
| Silver | Ciaran Coney | St. Mary's Grammar School, Magherafelt, Co. Derry |
| Silver | Kristian McCaul | St. Columb’s College, Buncrana Rd, Derry, Co. Derry |
| Silver | Daniel Quill | St. Michael’s College, Ailesbury Road, Dublin 4 |
| Bronze | Gareth McCrudden | Lumen Christi College, Bishop Street, Derry |
| Bronze | Orla Carron | Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin |
| Bronze | Christopher Dorman | Methodist College, Malone Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim |
| Bronze | Patrick Carthy | Mercy Secondary School, Ballymahon, Co. Longford |
Physics
| Medal | Student Name | School |
| Trophy | David Cox | Portadown College, Killicomaine Road, Co. Armagh |
| Gold | John Collison | Castletroy College, Newtown, Castletroy, Co. Limerick |
| Silver | Brajith Srigengan | Methodist College, Malone Road, Belfast, Co. Antrim |
| Silver | Joe Thompson | Colaiste Phobal Ros Cre, Roscrea, Co Tipperary |
| Silver | Zhanzhan He | Coleraine Academical Institution, Co. Londonderry |
| Silver | Philip Flahavan | Clongowes Wood College, Clane, Co. Kildare |
| Bronze | Andrew Kennedy | Banbridge Academy, Lurgan Rd., Banbridge, Co. Down |
| Bronze | Zao Wu | Methodist College, Malone Road, Belfast, Co Antrim |
| Bronze | Peter Farnon | St. Coleman's College, Newry, Co. Down |
| Bronze | Shubhankar Mohan | St Peter’s College, Dunboyne, Co. Meath |
Computer Programming
| Medal | Student Name | School |
| Trophy | David McCarthy | Midleton C.B.S., Midleton, Co. Cork |
| Silver | Simon-Peter Free | Templeogue College, Dublin 6W |
| Bronze | Brian Walsh | St. Colman's College, Fermoy, Co. Cork |
| Bronze | Jared Auty | St. Colman's College Fermoy, Co. Cork |
| Panel | Paul McGarry | St. Peter’s Community School, Passage West, Co. Cork. |
| U - 17 | ||
| Gold | Paul Bunbury | Bridgetown VC, Bridgetown, Co. Wexford. |
| Silver | Ruairí Kenny | Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál, Blarney, Co. Cork |
| Bronze | Shane Walsh | St. Colman’s College, Fermoy, Co Cork |
For Further Information Contact:
Michael A. Cotter
ISO Director, Dublin City University, Dublin 9.
email: michael.cotter@dcu.ie