WATCH BT Young Scientist winner Seán O’Sullivan gets a hero’s homecoming at Coláiste Chiaráin

60th BT Young Scientist & Technologist Winner Seán O’Sullivan pictured at a special homecoming event at Coláiste Chiaráin, Croom, County Limerick. The event acknowledged Seán’s achievement and also celebrated Coláiste Chiaráin’s award as Best School in the Republic of Ireland at this year’s exhibition. Pic. Brian Arthur

Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board commends Coláiste Chiaráin Student, Seán O’Sullivan, on Winning 60th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition

Last week Seán O’Sullivan, a 5th year student from Coláiste Chiaráin was announced as this year’s winner of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition and received a homecoming fit for a hero on his return to his school Coláiste Chiaráin in Croom on Monday, January 15, 2024.

Seán, aged 17, won the top prize with his project, VerifyMe: A new approach to authorship attribution in the post-ChatGPT era. The BTYSTE perpetual trophy was presented to Seán at the RDS in Dublin by Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD and Managing Director of BT Ireland, Shay Walsh.

Seán’s school Coláiste Chiaráin is a Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board Community College. ETB Chief Executive, George O’Callaghan, congratulated Seán on his success: “I would like to commend Seán and the entire Coláiste Chiaráin school community on this outstanding achievement.

🌟What a moment🌟

A huge round of applause for this year's winner of #BTYSTE2024 Seán O’Sullivan from @colaiste, Limerick!

We're all blown away by Seán's project '‘VerifyMe: A new approach to authorship attribution in the post-ChatGPT era’

📷 With @BTinIreland MD,@WalshShay pic.twitter.com/z4nGSTgP2M— BT Young Scientist (@BTYSTE) January 12, 2024

“It’s wonderful to see Seán’s dedication to work and commitment to innovation in such a new technology area being recognised with this prestigious award. It’s a special moment too not just for the school, his teachers, his mentor and his fellow students but also for his dad, Principal Gerard O’Sullivan. I extend my congratulations to Gerard, along with Seán’s mum Tara and his siblings Tom and Sarah. I’m sure the homecoming to the school will be a very special occasion for all.”

Seán is the 60th recipient to win the highly coveted trophy, and the top prize of €7,500. He will now also represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) taking place later this year in the European City for Science 2024 – Katowice, Poland.

Seán’s win wasn’t the only success for Coláiste Chiaráin at the 2024 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, with the school picking up the award for Best School Republic of Ireland as well as a Gold Partner Award, 1st Senior Group Technology Category, ATU Award Technology and Highly Commended Technology.

Commenting on the school’s success in this year’s competition, proud Principal, Gerard O’Sullivan, said: “Proud on so many fronts. In particular for the school, the teachers, Seán’s mentor teacher Edel Farrell, the 7 students who represented the school so well in the competition with their 6 projects.”

Congratulations to the entire @colaiste Chiaráin community on the special homecoming event today celebrating 60th BT Young Scientist & Technologist Winner Seán O’Sullivan and Coláiste Chiaráin’s award as Best School in the Republic of Ireland at this year’s exhibition.🤩 @BTYSTE pic.twitter.com/Y9RfWNweWp— Limerick & Clare ETB (@LimClareETB) January 15, 2024

He continued: “Seán deserves this success for the professional approach he took throughout his project. He put in trojan work. STEM, science and innovation is an integral part of our DNA in Coláiste Chiaráin. I couldn’t be happier for the school community that this has been recognised today at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.”

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