Students from Derry, Dublin and Mayo have won this year's Royal Irish Academy chemistry essay competition. The awards were presented yesterday by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr Michael Mulcahy.
The competition is open to secondary school students from schools North and South. Main sponsors for the competition are The Irish Times and AGB Scientific Ltd.
Ms Clare O'Kane (18) won first prize for her essay entitled "Variety Is The spice Of life". It looked at allotropy in the history of chemistry and the chemistry of history. She completed her A-levels in history, English literature and chemistry at St Patrick's College, Maghera, Co Derry, and will begin studies at the University of Edinburgh in English and history next month.
She wins £450 sterling and received a bronze sculpture by John Coen entitled Mnemosyne, a representation of the Greek goddess of knowledge and wisdom. Her prize was sponsored by AGB Scientific Ltd.
Second prize was won by Ms Aisling Byrne (15), a student at Mount Anville secondary school, Co Dublin. Her paper was entitled "The Dating Game" and discussed carbon dating of ancient samples. She also hopes to do English and history at university and she received £250, sponsored by the Royal Society for Chemistry (Irish section).
Mr David Coyle (16) won third prize. A student at St Muredach's College, Ballina, Co Mayo, his essay was "Gene hunters: How chemistry Is Propelling The World Of Genetics". He received £250, sponsored by the Society of Chemical Industry.
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