'Restless curiosity' delivers hope, says McAleese

IRELAND DID not have oil wells or gold mines but it did have the youth of Ireland and their “restless curiosity”, President Mary McAleese said as she officially opened the 2011 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition at the RDS in Dublin. “Thank God we have that inquisitiveness.”

The President officiated at yesterday’s launch, welcoming students and thanking them for their efforts. “You have filled this place with an electrically charged energy,” she said. “It is like a national grid of intellectual energy.”

Her comments were met with a chorus of cheers as more than 1,100 students showed their enthusiasm at the start of the 47th annual Young Scientist event.

Mrs McAleese described it as “a brilliant landmark event” where the ingenuity and inventiveness of Ireland’s youth could express itself. The event helped deliver hope and confidence in the future, given the contribution that would be made by those involved. “We have your brain power,” she said.

She thanked the students for their role and teachers and parents for their encouragement and help. She thanked the judges who over the next three days will assess every project before selecting one as the BT Young Scientist for 2011.

“You are all entitled to be proud of yourselves,” she said.

The President visited three stands where students from Abbey Christian Brothers GS and Down High School, both Co Down, and Coláiste Phádraig, Lucan, Co Dublin, explained their projects.

The student assembly was meanwhile being entertained by the Gandini juggling team. Earlier Irish band The Minutes played a set to a receptive audience.

Judging started immediately after the opening ceremony and will continue today and into tomorrow. The top four projects including the top two individual and top two group projects will be announced at an awards ceremony tomorrow evening.

• The exhibition opens at 1.30pm today and closes at 5.30pm on Saturday. Adult tickets cost €12 and students and concessions are €6. A family ticket for two adults and three children costs €25.