STEM Star winners Eoghan Hinchy, Lily O’Callaghan and Abbie O’Connor from Mungret Community College with their winning project ‘Independent Me’.
Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board is proud to congratulate students and staff of Mungret Community College, who claimed the overall title at the sixth annual BD STEM Stars Competition, the largest school STEM event in Munster.
Held at BD Research Centre Ireland (RCI) recently in Castletroy, Limerick, this year’s competition saw record participation, with over 100 students and teachers from 16 secondary schools across the region in attendance. Minister of State for Older People, Kieran O’Donnell TD, who attended this year’s event described it as a “festival of innovation”, commending BD and participating schools for showcasing the next generation of healthcare innovators.
The winning team from Mungret Community College which was made up of students Eoghan Hinchy, Lily O’Callaghan, and Abbie O’Connor was awarded €10,000 for STEM facilities at their school for their innovative project ‘Independent Me’. Their entry is a home-healthcare device designed to support individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease by helping them remember essential daily tasks, reflecting a deep understanding of healthcare needs and a compassionate, tech-driven solution.
The Outstanding Video winning team from Colaiste Chiarain were Patrick Hogan, Liam Power and Matthew Furlong with their teacher Paul Lacey. Photographed presenting them with their award were Sean Wall, Senior R&D Director, Site Leader, Michelle Gallagher, CEO Limerick Chamber, Eimear Brophy, Limerick and Clare ETB and Kieran O’Donnell, Minister of State for Older People and Housing.
Donncha Ó Treasaigh, Director of Schools at Limerick and Clare ETB praised the success of Mungret Community College and the broader impact of the programme: “Limerick and Clare ETB is delighted to support BD STEM Stars, a programme that continues to grow in stature and significance across Munster. The creativity, dedication, and innovation demonstrated by our students – particularly from Mungret Community College – are a testament to what can be achieved through strong industry-education partnerships. This competition is an outstanding example of how collaboration can inspire students and help shape Ireland’s future STEM talent pipeline.”ment. Their innovative project, ‘Independent Me’, demonstrates exactly the kind of meaningful, forward-thinking work that STEM education can inspire.
The BD STEM Stars Competition, supported by Limerick and Clare ETB, was established six years ago by BD (Becton Dickinson) to encourage interest and participation in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) among second-level students. It aligns with Ireland’s national STEM Education Policy, which aims to foster creativity, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving through STEM learning.
Product Category winner Nell McMahon from Desmond College pictured with Sean Wall, Senior R&D Director, Site Leader, Michelle Gallagher, CEO Limerick Chamber, Nell’s teacher Donal Enright, Eimear Brophy, Limerick and Clare ETB and Minister of State for Older People and Housing.
Other ETB Community College students who were recognised for their achievements at this year’s competition included Patrick Hogan, Liam Power and Matthew Furlong from Coláiste Chiaráin, Croom who won Outstanding Video Announcement for ‘SmartSpecs’ and Nell McMahon from Desmond College, Newcastle West who won Best Product for her project ‘A Technological Approach for Bell’s Palsy Patients’.
Sean Wall, BD RCI Site Lead, highlighted the growing enthusiasm for STEM education at this year’s competition “Our BD STEM Stars programme continues to exceed expectations. The students are constantly raising the bar with their inventive healthcare solutions, and we are proud to support and promote Ireland’s national STEM agenda.”
STEM Star winners Eoghan Hinchy, Lily O’Callaghan and Abbie O’Connor from Mungret Community College with their award were Sean Wall, Senior R&D Director, Site Leader and Kieran O’Donnell, Minister of State for Older People and Housing.
BD STEM Stars organiser, Fionnagh Tsang, was also delighted with the competition this year “The STEM Education Policy speaks of children as natural innovators, and this competition proves it year after year. The standard continues to rise, and we are always inspired by the creativity of these young minds.”
BD RCI, located adjacent to the University of Limerick, employs over 370 experts across a variety of STEM fields and plays a vital role in biomedical research and healthcare innovation. The centre’s support of education initiatives like STEM Stars is part of its broader mission to “advance the world of health.”
For more information on the BD STEM Stars programme, visit: https://www.bd.com/en-uk/about-bd/bd-stem-stars
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