Kinsale school breaks record with fifth national robotics crown

KINSALE Community School has cemented its position as the top school in the country for robotics as they qualify for the World Robotics Championship.

Students from the Kinsale secondary school have made history by securing their fifth win at the National VEX VRC competition.

This year’s competition took place on February 23 in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and featured 20 of the best teams from all over Ireland, having previously qualified through regional competitions.

Following their win, the Cork students will now go on to represent Ireland in the upcoming World Championships in Dallas, USA, in April.

Kinsale Community School’s four Robots teams, comprising 20 TY students, impressed the judges with their innovative design, creativity and ability to solve complex problems in engineering and coding.

Their robots completed a series of challenges in this year’s game named “Spin Up” which required the robots to intake and launch discs into nets.

The 2-minute games have two parts, a 15-second autonomous and 1 minute 45-second driving control section.

Fergal McCarthy, principal of Kinsale Community School has said:

“We are 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.”

The Kinsale teams have worked hard for months to perfect their design and programming skills.

The team’s victory is a testament to the school’s dedication to STEM education, with the Kinsale school already having a strong history in BT Young Scientist, and its commitment to inspiring young people to pursue careers in these fields.

In addition to their victory in the VEX VRC competition, Kinsale Community School has also been actively mentoring local Primary schools in VEX IQ.

This initiative, which began in 2018, is designed to introduce young children to the exciting world of robotics and programming and to foster their interest in STEM education.

“This is what sets Kinsale’s TY Robotics program apart. It creates student leaders, and the students become the experts,” said Eddie Farren, IT Coordinator and student mentor in the KCS robotics club expressed.

“We are incredibly proud of the Vex Awards these pupils have achieved through their talent and dedication to their Robotics Programme.

“They embody the passion that Kinsale Community School has for STEM and 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,” said Kathleen O’Brien, KCS Deputy Principal.