Over 500 projects from primary schools around the country, including 10 schools from Galway, were showcased at this year’s sixth annual ESB Science Blast, the RDS Foundation’s flagship Science and Technology Programme, which took place from 4th to 7th March.
Pupils from Galway showcased their experiment and discussed their investigation with a STEM expert. The judging was non-competitive and aimed at growing pupils’ interest and passion for STEM.
Strong themes emerging from schools this year included climate change, biodiversity, the impact of fast fashion and questions related to physical and mental health.
Participating schools in Galway included Newtown National School, Ballinasloe, Scoil Éanna Bullaun, Loughrea, and Scoil Eoin Pól II, Inis Mór. Their projects featured questions such as: Can animals fight off disease better than humans? How do you make your fruit last longer? Cén chaoi a n-oibríonn painéil ghréine?
Speaking at the event, Niamh De Loughry, Deputy Chief Executive of the RDS Foundation, said: “It’s wonderful to see such a great turnout for our key Science and Technology Programme from primary schools across the length and breadth of Ireland, including Galway. I’m also delighted that we welcomed an even split of repeat attenders and ‘first timer’ primary schools to the RDS this year, with over a quarter of all Gaelscoileanna taking part in the dedicated day for Irish speaking schools, on 7th March.”
The Dublin event took place over four days in RDS Simmonscourt, from 4th to 7th March, and included a lá speisialta do Ghaelscoileanna agus do scoileanna Ghaeltachta.
Over 55,000 children have participated in ESB Science Blast to date, making it the largest primary school programme on the island of Ireland, and one of the largest programmes of its kind in Europe.
