Tipperary students take home prize at LEGO engineering competition

Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed took home a prize

Team “CMCO Ocean Rovers” from Colaiste Mhuire Co-Ed, Thurles, won the trophy for their Robot Design at the South Dublin FIRST LEGO League SUBMERGED tournament which took place on Wednesday, March 11 in the UCD Student Centre.

Dr Rachel Farrell, Director of the UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education, highlighted the significance of the competition in fostering key digital skills that extend beyond robotics, linking it to broader cybersecurity education and outreach efforts.

"The FIRST LEGO League is not just about building robots - it’s about building future-ready skills. Coding, teamwork, and problem-solving are at the heart of this challenge, mirroring the essential competencies needed in cybersecurity and digital resilience,” she said.

“By working together to design, test, and refine their solutions, students develop the critical thinking and collaborative mindset necessary to tackle complex, real-world challenges. At the UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education, we are proud to support initiatives that inspire the next generation to become innovators in STEM and cybersecurity."

Heats of the hands-on robotics and problem-solving programme take place throughout Ireland this month, with teams of children, aged 10 to 16, learning to think creatively, like scientists and engineers.

The fun challenges involve a robot game and a research project, and this year’s theme will see LEGO technology used to explore the layers of the ocean, bringing fresh ideas to the surface as students ‘sea’ into the future!

Teams will use technical and collaborative skills to explore life beneath the ocean waves in one of the planet’s most complex ecosystems.

At the core of the initiative is a friendly contest, designed to fuel the enthusiasm of the participating students, organisers say. The teams of students and their coaches take on an exciting journey involving research, problem-solving, coding and engineering.