Donadea's Gearóid O'Connor honoured for Engineering talents

A Celbridge school has formed an educational partnership with a Clane company to recognise outstanding achievements in engineering.

Salesian College made the announcement at a special presentation ceremony on December 21.

Crystal Air Ltd, based in Butterstream Business Park specialise in the design and installation of air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration systems for the domestic and European market.

The aim of the partnership is to support and reward academic achievement in Leaving Certificate Engineering Technology.

At the ceremony held in Salesian College, David O’Brien, Contracts Director for Crystal Air presented an award to five Leaving Certificate students from the class of 2017 — all of whom had achieved a H1 in higher level Engineering.

One of the five students being honoured was Gearóid O’Connor, who recently received The Young Engineers of the Year Award for achieving first place in Ireland for his work in Leaving Certificate higher level engineering exam 2017.

This national award was presented at an awards ceremony in Letterkenny Co Donegal by the Engineering Technology Teachers Association.

As part of his award Gearóid also received an internship with Randox Teoranta a R&D medical devices company in Donegal where he will get to experience engineering in action.

Gearoid is now pursuing his passion for Engineering in the University of Limerick where he is currently studying Engineering, Design and Manufacture.

Crystal Air, as part of the new partnership, will be providing work placement opportunities for students from the Salesians, allowing them experience engineering at first hand.

Dylan Connolly, Celbridge; Dylan Ryan, Donadea; Caolan Smith, Clane; and Paul Black, Celbridge also scored a H1 in higher level Engineering in the Leaving Cert.