Tipperary science festival has something for all the family

Discover a world of wonder at the Tipperary Festival of Science (TFS) taking place from November 10-17  as part of national Science Week. 

The festival, which was launched in Monastery Primary School in Tipperary Town, will featuring an array of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) based activities for all the family that will engage children and adults in the wonderful world of science. 

The festival, which is led by Mary Immaculate College (MIC) and run in collaboration with LIT Thurles, is expected to attract over 4,000 people and will feature a jam-packed week of activities that will inspire and engage primary and post-primary school students in STEM. 

There will also be a number of public events that will stimulate interest and debate about STEM, and provide families, young people and adults with fun experiences of science and technology. 

Some of the highlights of the festival include Science Magic in MIC Thurles, Lego Education Engineering and Robotics workshops in Nenagh Arts Centre and Clonmel Library, a Bioengineering – Make an Artificial Hand workshop in Roscrea Library, the Eccentric Energy Show in Cashel Library, Plastic Be Gone talk in LIT Thurles, plus much more across the week-long event.

Speaking at the launch of the festival, Dr Maeve Liston, Founder of the Tipperary Festival of Science and Director of Enterprise and Community Engagement at MIC said - 

“The Tipperary Festival of Science has a very distinctive theme running through its programming of events. 

“We have organised highly interactive hands-on STEAM workshops, incorporating design, engineering challenges and problem-solving activities. 

“All of these activities require the application of the scientific method, design thinking, prototyping, construction, testing and retesting.

 “These interdisciplinary events are delivered by a wide range of people, for example STEM professionals, but also contemporary artists and designers from the cultural sector.”

She added -  “The festival is very much in line with the Ireland's 'Innovation 2020' and Science Foundation Ireland's 'Agenda 2020' strategies, to catalyse, inspire and guide the best in STEM education and public engagement, and to stimulate interest, excitement and debate about STEM.”

Concluding Dr Liston thanked the many local businesses, schools and organisations for their generous cooperation in the hosting of these events, specifically Nenagh Arts Centre, Foróige, Youth Space, Tipperary Library Services and The Gallery, Thurles.

This is the fourth year that Mary Immaculate College have run the Tipperary Festival of Science. 

In addition to support from the Irish American Partnership, funding for the festival is being provided by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) under their SFI Discovery Programme.