Kinsale school makes history at robotics competition

Kinsale Community School has won the National VEX Robotics Competition for the fifth time

IT Coordinator Eddie Farren and Transition Year Coordinator Niamh Hay, along with Kinsale Community School winners of the 2023 National VEX robotics competition. Picture: Kinsale Community School

Kinsale Community School has made history by winning the National VEX Robotics Competition for a 5th time and in doing so, earned its place in the World Championships in Dallas, Texas.

Ten of the 13 awards including the Excellence Award, and two Tournament Champion awards were won by four student teams comprising 20 transition-year students from the school.

This year’s VEX robotics competition, supported by Dell Technology Ireland and Munster Technological University, took place in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork and saw 20 nationwide entries who had previously qualified through regional competitions.

Their robots completed a series of challenges in a game called "Spin Up", a complex challenge requiring the student-developed robots to intake and launch discs into nets.

The object of the two-minute game was to attain a higher score than the opposing team by scoring discs in goals.

Their mentors at Kinsale Community School (KCS), Transition year Coordinator Niamh Hay and IT Coordinator and student mentor in the school’s robotics club Eddie Farren also each won a Teacher of the Year award In addition to their victory in the competition, KCS has been actively mentoring local Primary schools in VEX IQ, an initiative which began in 2018.

The initiative was designed to introduce young children to the world of robotics and programming and to foster their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education.

KCS student mentor Eddie Farren said: "This is what sets Kinsale's transition year robotics program apart. It creates student leaders, and the students become the experts creating a self-directed learning culture."

KCS Deputy Principal Kathleen O’Brien said the winning students embody the passion the school has for STEM.

“As a community, we are delighted to cheer on their well-earned success. Their teachers, Niamh Hay and Eddie Farren are a credit to the school and their profession. They richly deserve the Best Teachers Awards for the incredible dedication and hard work they have given in support of these wonderful young people,” she said.

Principal of Kinsale Community School Fergal McCarthy said: "I’m immensely proud of this phenomenal student achievement and beyond grateful to our staff for the guidance they provided to them. The skills learned in this competition will stand the students in great stead in their futures in terms of teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving."