Winners announced at the Young Scientist Exhibition in Dublin.
In his first official function as Minister for Transport and Power Michael O'Kennedy opens the Aer Lingus Young Scientist Exhibition at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) in Dublin.
With just under 370 exhibitors only two of the 32 counties are not represented and almost 25 per cent of the prizes are awarded to competitors from Northern Ireland.
The first prize of £300 and a trophy is presented to Tadgh O’Beaglaoich, a Leaving Certificate pupil at North Monastery Christian Brothers School (CBS) in Cork. His project is a study of the chemical composition of the substances found on a stretch of seashore with particular reference to inorganic constituents.
Tadgh O’Beaglaoich’s research took place over a three year period with the aim of determining if any of the substances contained in sea water can be exploited commercially. He is not disappointed by his findings,
I didn’t make the world, you know, I can’t help that, my aim was to find an answer to a question and I found the answer.
Runner-up in the boys' section is Gerard Cleary, a student at St Michael's College, Drumclay, Enniskillen in County Fermanagh. He entered a study on anti-bacterial techniques.
The runner-up in the girls’ section is 14 year old Mary Kelly, a pupil at Our Lady's Secondary School, Castleblayney, County Monaghan, She analysed the soil of her county to find out how it can be improved to help the small farmers of the area. Both runners up win a prize of £120.
One of the most popular stands at the exhibition is a demonstration of amateur radio activities by Terenure College Radio Club.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 5 January 1973. The reporter is Tom McCaughren.
