Coláiste Mhuire awaiting Young Scientist verdict on ‘record’ level of 2026 entries
A record number of entries has been submitted by a local school for this year’s Stripe Young Scientist Competition.
The Coláiste Mhuire STEM Team has been working on projects spanning technology, science, and innovation – and excitement is building as the team eagerly await results in the coming week on which ones have been selected to go to the RDS for the competition, just after Christmas.
It’s been a busy and inspiring term for the STEM Team, who continue to lead the way in creativity, collaboration, and curiosity.
Students have been working closely with Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) to explore additive manufacturing and 3D printing, and are looking forward to an upcoming industry visit to Decotek Automotive, where they’ll experience first-hand how design and engineering come together in the manufacturing process. The team are also branching into new areas, VEX Robotics and Kinia H2GP Sprint training, supported by Westmeath County Council. Those initiatives reflect the team’s commitment to hands-on learning, innovation, and sustainability.
The STEM Alumni Team continue to play an important role in guiding and mentoring current students. Their ongoing involvement highlights the strong sense of community and continuity that defines the STEM programme.
With continued support from Ericsson and Microsoft, and preparations already under way for SciFest later this year, the future looks bright for the Coláiste Mhuire STEM Team.
Maths Week 2025
Another record was set during Maths Week at Coláiste Mhuire at which the focus was on numbers, logic and learning in action. The record was that every student from first to sixth year took part in fun quizzes, games, and interactive workshops designed to make mathematics engaging and enjoyable.
The Coláiste Mhuire fifth and sixth year higher level maths students attended a career talk with actuary Cathal Coyle, who spoke about the world of data, risk, and probability in his profession.
This talk sparked huge interest among students considering STEM careers.
Senior students also took part in the Maggie Gough Mathematics Competition, run by the Irish Mathematics Teachers Association, showcasing their problem-solving and logical reasoning skills.
Statistics success
A special congratulations goes to sixth year student Sean Murphy, who achieved third place nationally at the CSO Ireland John Hooper Medal for Statistics for his outstanding work in data analysis; a remarkable achievement in one of Ireland’s most respected and prestigious schools competitions.
Named after John Hooper, the first director of Statistics of the Irish Free State, the competition encourages students across the island of Ireland to use statistics to identify real-world problems, analyse data, and present their findings visually and effectively.
“It’s an invaluable opportunity for students to develop analytical thinking and communication skills, and Sean’s success reflects both his talent and the strong mathematical foundation provided by Coláiste Mhuire,” said a school spokesperson.