Two Mayo students scoop engineering awards

TWO Mayo students have been announced as winners of the Engineers Ireland Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Award 2016, sponsored by Siemens.

Conor Walsh from Ballina and Colm Morley from Ballyhaunis with Caolan Treanor, Scotstown, Monaghan, and Shane Timoney, Ballintra, Co Donegal (all pictured) won the prize of €2,000 for their innovative project titled ‘Automatically fed post driver’.

The design allows tractor operators to drive posts without having to dismount their tractors, significantly improving the safety and efficiency of the process, and was deemed the best innovation by the Engineers Ireland judging panel.

Previously there had been no post drivers that are able to hold, feed and drive a post without the operator having to dismount the tractor.

The Engineers Ireland Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Award is an annual competition that focuses on showcasing innovation excellence amongst engineering third-level students across Ireland.

Dermot Byrne, Engineers Ireland president, said the innovative skills which engineers possess were becoming increasingly valuable in a world of rapid change.