Fifth class were thrilled to welcome two past pupils, Eoin and Ruairí O’Gráinne, brothers of Padraic O’Gráinne, who spoke to the children about their award-winning science projects.
Eoin presented his innovative Compost Immersion project, which uses heat generated from compost to heat water. His project won the EirGrid Cleaner Climate Award at the SciFest 2024 regional competition and a Regeneron special category award at the 2025 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. This success led to Eoin and his project partner competing at the 75th Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Ohio last May.
Ruairí and his team qualified for the 2026 Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition with a project examining how sleep patterns affect quality of sleep in the Health and Wellness category and were placed 3rd overall. Ruairí also won the Mallinckrodt STEM Excellence Award.
Ruairí and Eoin shared their experiences of how their projects began and developed through a great deal of hard work and dedication. They explained that while they have enjoyed great success, they have also faced many setbacks along the way. They left Fifth Class with a powerful message: never give up on your dreams.
