Mary Immaculate secondary School was visited last Thursday by Geological Survey Ireland
who presented certificates to three recent winners of the Geological Survey Ireland award at
the BT Young Scientist and Technology exhibition. Those presenting the certificates were
Koen Verbruggen, Director of GSI and Siobhán Power, senior geologist with GSI. Laura
Reilly from the QuakeShake project in DIAS also attended and spoke about the QuakeShake
project.
As well as presenting the certificates they visited a number of classes in the school and spoke
about the work of GSI and careers in geology. They also spoke about Tellus, which is a
national mapping programme that collects information on the geology of Ireland. The survey
uses a specialist twin engine aircraft to collect data and flies at 60m above ground level. They
said that it will be collecting data in North Clare in the near future and that they will let us
know when it will be working in our area.
The school was also presented with a seismograph with which they will be able to record
seismic activity from around the world in real time.
First to be presented with certificates was the 2021 winner, Oisín Jackson with his project
entitled “An investigation into the differences in height of adjoining clints and seeing if
prevailing wind may contribute to their formation.”
The next presentation was to the 2022 winner Anna-Mae O’Driscoll with her project that had
the title “Does the Limestone in the Burren Keep it as Warm as People Say?”
The final presentation was to this year’s winner of the award in January, Béibhinn
O’Loughlin who had a project where she was “Looking for tiny fossils hidden in the Burren
limestone.”
As well as receiving their certificates each recipient got a bag of GSI merchandise. The
school principal was also presented with certificates for the school.
While presenting the certificates they noted that the school has won the GSI award on four
occasions, the most of any school in the country.
The school was also delighted that Dr. Eamon Doyle, geologist with Burren and Cliffs of
Moher UNESCO Global Geopark was able to attend the ceremony and also visited a number
of classes. Dr. Doyle also made a presentation of a copy of Stone, Water and Ice, A geology
trip through the Burren to the Koen, Siobhán and Laura.
He also presented the book to Mona Hynes, principal of Mary Immaculate Secondary School
and John Sims, who has been a young scientist mentor for the past 36 years.
The three recipients will be speaking at the Geopark Academy 2025 which will be held at the
Burren College of Art on May 24 th 2025. John Sims will also be addressing the Geopark
Academy on the history of Young Scientists at Mary Immaculate Secondary School.