IChO Archive

Irish delegation at IChO2017

IChO 2017 international medal winners
IChO2019_TeamIreland
IChO2020 photo

The Irish Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is a competition for Irish students in the final year of second level education who are under twenty on December 31st in the year of the competition.  It is held annually in Dublin City University (DCU). Students from Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (RoI) are invited to take part in the competition.

ChOIRL/IChO 2024

Congratulations to all the participants in ChOIRL 2024 and to the four students who represented Ireland at IChO 2024.

Awards made for ChOIRL 2024:

Highly Commended:

  • Connor Hunter – St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co Antrim
  • Malachy Kinsella – Calasanctius College, Oranmore, Co. Galway
  • Fionn Hamilton McKee – St. Colman’s College, Fermoy, Co. Cork
  • Michael McPeake – St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
  • Yanko Yanchev – Tullamore College, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
  • Brian Martin – St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co Antrim
  • Erin O’Connor – Dalriada School, Ballymoney, Co Antrim
  • Luis Patrick Miranda – Coláiste Chríost Rí, Cork
  • Maahith Malhotra – Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown, Cork
  • Adam Harmon – East Glendalough School, Wicklow
  • Anna McKernan – Calasanctius College, Oranmore, Co. Galway
  • Jake Hamilton – Down High School, Downpatrick, Co Down
  • Zofia Bielicka – St Finians College, Mullingar, Westmeath

Bronze Medals:

  • Xin Qing – Mount Anville Secondary School, Dublin
  • Adam Hartley – Presentation Brothers College, Mardyke, Cork
  • Ben Wrixon – Presentation Brothers College, Mardyke, Cork
  • Anastasia Vakaloudi – Scoil Mhuire Cork, Cork
  • Conn Fyfe – St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
  • Erin Fallows – Dalriada School, Ballymoney, Co Antrim
  • Eoghan Durkan – St. Muredach’s College, Ballina, Co. Mayo
  • Oisin Kelly – St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co. Antrim

Silver Medals:

  • Charlie Vaughan – Presentation Brothers College, Mardyke, Cork
  • Rafael Dale – St. Kevin’s College, Dublin 11
  • Simon Considine – Blackrock College, Blackrock, Dublin
  • Aaron Curran – St Columb’s College, Derry
  • Conor McKenna – Christian Brothers Grammar School, Omagh, Co Tyrone
  • Eoin Plower – St Columb’s College, Derry

Gold Medals:

  • Adam Kay – Regent House Grammar School, Newtownards
  • Amanda Vincent – Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, Belfast

Irish Delegation for International Chemistry Olympiad 2024

The team to represent Ireland at the 56th IChO, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 21st – 30 th July:

  • Eoghan Durkan – St. Muredach’s College, Ballina, Co. Mayo
  • Erin Fallows – Dalriada School, Ballymoney, Co Antrim
  • Conn Fyfe – St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co. Antrim
  • Simon Considine – Blackrock College, Blackrock, Dublin

Team was accompanied by Dr Brian Murphy and Dr Carl Poree.

ChOIRL/IChO 2023

Congratulations to all the participants in ChOIRL 2023 and to the four students who represented Ireland at IChO 2023.

Awards made for ChOIRL 2023:

Highly Commended:

Bronze Medals:

Silver Medals:

Gold Medals:

Irish Delegation for International Chemistry Olympiad 2023

The team that represented Ireland at the 55th IChO, 2023 in Zurich, Switzerland 16th – 25th July:

  • Richard Sheahan – Sandford Park School, Dublin
  • Isobel Mc Sweeney – Newpark Comprehensive School, Dublin
  • Noah Morgan Doyle – Wesley College, Dublin
  • Dominika Ryzwanowicz – Fingal Community College, Dublin

IChO Success:

  • Richard Sheehan – Bronze Medal
  • Isobel McSweeney – Honourable Mention

The team was accompanied by Dr Brian Murphy and Dr Carl Poree.

ChOIRL/IChO 2022

Congratulations to all the participants in ChOIRL 2022 and to the four students who represented Ireland at IChO 2022.

Awards made for ChOIRL 2022:

Highly Commended:

  • Robert Hough – St. Andrews College Dublin
  • Sam Murphy – Coláiste Chriost Ri, Cork
  • Eamon Lynch – Roscommon Community College
  • Daniel Bevan – Coláiste Chriost Ri, Cork
  • Eric Yong Yu Ng – Caimins Community School, Shannon Co. Clare
  • Alison Martin – Ard Scoil na nDeise, Dungarvan, Co Waterford
  • Sophia Waseem Khan – Gort Community School, Gort, Co Galway

Bronze Medals:

  • Callum Kelly – St. Patrick’s College, Cavan
  • Niall Kehoe – FCJ Secondary School, Bunclody, Co. Wexford
  • William Hartly – Presentation Brothers College, Cork
  • Geothan Gormley – St. Louis Grammar School Ballymena, Co. Antrim

Silver Medals:

  • Fearghal Desmond – Christian Brothers College, Cork
  • Lucy Donalson – St. Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Co Antrim

Gold Medals:

  • Clare Reidy – Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School, Athlone, Co Westmeath
  • Caoimhe McErlaine – St. Louis Grammar School Ballymena, Co Antrim

Irish Delegation for International Chemistry Olympiad 2022

The team that represented Ireland at the 54th IChO, 2022 in Tianjin, China 10th – 17th July:

  • Fearghal Desmond – Christian Brothers College, Cork
  • Clare Reidy – Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School, Athlone, Co Westmeath
  • Caoimhe McErlaine – Louis Grammar School Ballymena, Co Antrim
  • Ceothan Gormley – Louis Grammar School Ballymena, Co. Antrim

IChO Success:

Fearghal Gormley – Bronze Medal

Team was accompanied by Dr Brian Murphy and Dr Carl Poree.

ChOIRL/IChO 2021

Congratulations to all the participants in ChOIRL 2021 and to the four students who represented Ireland at IChO 2021.

Success of Team Ireland at International Chemistry Olympiad 2021

Team Ireland achieved its best success to date in the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), which was held from July 24 to August 2, 2021. All four competing students received awards, which meant the Irish challenge surpassed all previous achievements in the competition.

  • Oisín Ó Feinneadha, St Peter’s College Secondary School, Wexford, and Tong Wu, Clongowes Wood College, Clane, Co Kildare, were awarded silver medals, placing them in the top 10-30% of chemistry students internationally on the world stage.
  • Oscar Despard, Sandford Park School, Ranelagh, Dublin, also received a bronze medal and Aoife Morris, St Aloysius’ College, Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, completed the extraordinary success of Team Ireland by receiving an Honourable Mention award.

The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is an annual competition for the world’s most talented chemistry students at secondary school level. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the competition was held remotely in 2021, rather than in-situ in Japan, with nations around the world represented by individual teams made up of four students who were tested on their chemistry knowledge.

The 53rd International Chemistry Olympiad involved a highly challenging five-hour theoretical examination paper run remotely consisting of nine problems, involving very complex chemistry topics. The competition was one of the largest to take place since its inauguration with 312 student participants from 85 countries competing.

Ireland has successfully participated in the competition since 1997 with a total of 20 bronze medals, 4 honourable mentions and 2 silver medals awarded in 1999 and 2006. 2021 however was the first year that all four members of Team Ireland achieved awards and the first year that Ireland came away with two silver medals in the competition, doubling their overall tally in the competition from two to four.

The journey for the four students to IChO2021 Japan commenced in the Spring of 2021 where over 210 chemistry students from across the island of Ireland participated in Round 1 of the Chemistry Olympiad Ireland competition. This was reduced down to approximately 50 who competed for national metals and highly commended awards. From this group, Team Ireland was chosen after extensive training during the Easter Holidays and further assessment.

The four members of Team Ireland received extensive training for IChO2021 from an expert team of academics from across five Irish higher education institutions –Dr. Carl Poree, Dr. John O’Donoghue and Professor Mike Lyons, Trinity College Dublin; Dr. Elizabeth Gilchrist and Dr. Tim O’Sullivan, University College Cork; Dr. Pat O’Malley, Dr. Odilla Finlayson, Dr. Nessan Kerrigan and Dr. Hasim Ibrahim, Dublin City University; Dr. Brian Murphy, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest;  and Dr Cormac Quigley from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.

The Irish international delegation at IChO2021 included Dr. Brian Murphy, Dr. Carl Poree, Dr. John O’Donoghue and Dr. Elizabeth Gilchrist, who supported the four Irish students throughout the competition in July and who participated in the International Jury at IChO2021.

ChOIRL/IChO 2020

Congratulations to all the participants in ChOIRL 2020 and to the four students who represented Ireland at IChO 2020.

Awards made for ChOIRL 2020:

Highly Commended:

8 students

Bronze Medals:

  • Joseph Martyn, St. Muredachs College, Ballina, Co. Mayo,
  • Michael Gadaloff, Blackrock College, Dublin,
  • Ceri Arnott, Wesley College Ballinteer, Dublin
  • Finlay Thomas, Mercy College Secondary School, Woodford, Co. Galway.

Silver Medals:

  • Ben Gault, Coleraine Grammar School
  • Laura Cosgrave, Midleton College, Co. Cork

Gold Medals:

  • Auriel Guarino, Coleraine Grammar School
  • Ariane Hannon, St. Joseph’s College Lucan, Dublin

Irish Delegation for International Chemistry Olympiad 2020

The team to represent Ireland at the 52th IChO, 2020  – organised in Turkiye – but conducted on-line:

  • Auriel Guarno, Coleraine Grammar School,
  • Ceri Arnott, Wesley College Ballinteer, Dublin,
  • Michael Gadaloff, Blackrock College, Dublin
  • Joseph Martyn, St. Muredachs College, Ballina, Co. Mayo.

Team was accompanied by Dr Brian Murphy and Dr Carl Poree.


Highly Commended Students

  • Mati Karski, Coláiste Éanna CBS – Rathfarnham, Dublin
  • Glenn Gilmartin, Institute of Education – Leeson St Lower, Dublin
  • David Kennedy, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh – Sir Harry’s Mall, Limerick
  • Ishita Solanki, St.Louis High School – Rathmines, Dublin

Medal Winners

BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS
  • Ellen O’Carroll, Presentation Secondary School – Loughboy, Kilkenny
  • Conor Boylan, St. Mary’s CBS – Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
  • David Conneely, St. Joseph’s College – Nun’s Island, Galway
  • Auriel Guarino, Coleraine Grammar School – Coleraine, Co Londonderry
SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
  • Conal Bonar, Saint Eunans – Letterkenny, Co Donegal
  • Mark W J Crawford, Dalriada School – Ballymoney, Co Antrim
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
  • Brian Durkan, St. Muredach’s College – Ballina, Co Mayo
  • Oisin McCullagh, St Patrick’s College Maghera – Maghera, Co Derry



IrChO 2019 Gold Medal winners – Brian Durkan and Oisin McCullagh



IrChO 2019 Silver Medal winners – Conal Bonar and Mark Crawford


IrChO 2019 Bronze Medal Winners – Auriel Guarino, David Conneely, Ellen O’Carroll, Conor Boylan


IrChO 2019 Highly Commended – Mati Karski, David Kennedy, Ishita Solanki, Glen Gilmartin


IrChO 2019 All winners with Scientific Committee – Dr Cormac Quigley (GMIT), Dr Pat O’Malley (DCU), Dr Mercedes Vasquez (DCU), Dr Brian Murphy (AIT) and Dr Odilla Finlayson (DCU)

IrChO 2019 Getting them Organised!!

IrChO 2019 During the examination


Irish Delegation for International Chemistry Olympiad 2019

All medal winners were invited to participate in Practical Training and after a further assessment, the top students were selected to represent Ireland at the IChO 2019 (July 21st – 30th) in Paris, France.

The Ireland Team was:

  • Brian Durkan (St Muredach’s College, Ballina, Co. Mayo)
  • Oisin McCullagh (St Patrick’s College, Maghera, Derry)
  • Mark W J Crawford (Dalriada School, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim)
  • David Conneely (St. Joseph’s College, Nun’s Island, Galway)


Ireland Team at IChO 2019: Dr Brian Murphy, Mark Crawford,  Brian Durkan, David Conneely, Oisin McCullagh, Dr Cormac Quigley.

Success at International Chemistry Olympiad 2019

One team member, Brian Durkan from St. Muredach’s College, Ballina, Co Mayo won a bronze medal at the prestigious international event. Congratulations!


Bronze Medal Winner Brian Durkan, with mentors Dr Cormac Quigley and Dr Brian Murphy at IChO 2019.

2018 Irish Competition

IChO 2018 was held on the 10th March 2018.  Application forms were emailed to school principals and each school was invited to nominate up to two of the most enthusiastic and keenest students in the school in chemistry. Over 130 students attended this year’s IChO competition.

Highly Commended

  • Maxim Chopivskyy – Colaiste Criost Ri, Cork
  • Cian McDonnell – Crescent College Comprehensive SJ, Limerick
  • David Naylor – St. Muredachs College, Mayo
  • Larry Brazel – St Augintines College, Waterford
  • Emma Costello – Wesley College, Dublin
  • Alice Decaminada – St. Andrew’s College, Dublin
  • Marina Politis – Sandford Park, Dublin

Highly Commended Students for IChO 2018

Highly Commended Students with IChO 2018 Scientific Committee

Medal Winners

BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS
  • David Bonner – St Columba’s College, Donegal
  • Neil Curtis – Davis College, Cork
  • John Martyn – St. Muredachs college, Mayo
  • David McSharry – Pobalscoil Neasáin, Dublin
SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
  • Philip Krause – Ashton School, Cork
  • David Byrne – St Louis Grammar, Antrim
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
  • Nicholas Pochinkov – St. Gerard’s School, Wicklow
  • Erin Fitzsimons-West – Assumption Grammar School, Down

Medal Winners IChO 2018

Medal Winners with IChO 2018 Scientific Committee

All Winners IChO 2018

All winners with IChO 2018 Scientific Committee

Medal winners and highly commended participants were invited to attend further training during the Easter break, after which the team was selected.

Irish Delegation for International Chemistry Olympiad 2018

The team to represent Ireland at the 50th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2018 in July 19th – 29th in Slovakia & Czech Republic was:

  • David McSharry, Pobalscoil Neasáin, Baldoyle, Dublin 13
  • Erin Fitzsimons-West, Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch, Co. Down
  • Nicholas Pochinkov, St. Gerard’s School, Bray, Co Wicklow
  • Philip Krause, Ashton School, Blackrock Road, Cork

The team was accompanied by the Ireland Mentors, Asst Professor Mercedes Vasquez (Dublin City University) and Dr Brian Murphy (Athlone Institute of Technology).

2017 Irish Competition

IChO 2017 was held on the 1st. April 2017.  Application forms were emailed to school principals and each school was invited to nominate up to two of the most enthusiastic and keenest students in the school in chemistry. Over 130 students attended this year’s IChO competition.

Highly Commended

  • Yan Li, St. Andrew’s College Dublin
  • Clíona Mcmahon, Holy Faith Clontarf
  • Jack Murphy, CBS Charleville
  • Cathal Hosty, Ballyhaunis Community School
  • James McGinley, St Columb’s College
  • Conor Cudden, Christian Brothers College Cork
  • Cal Franklin, St. Augustine’s College
  • Ciara Browne, Carrigaline Community School

Medal Winners

 

  • Michael Hong (Gold medal NI), Methodist College Belfast
  • Darragh Glynn (Gold medal ROI), St. Paul’s College
  • Diarmuid O’Donoghue (Silver medal ROI), Ashton School
  • Alicia Huntley (Silver medal NI), Regent House School
  • Julian Carolan (Bronze medal), Catholic University School
  • Aaron Hannon (Bronze medal), St Muredach’s College
  • Joseph Wickham (Bronze medal), St Peter’s College, Wexford
  • David McMahon (Bronze medal), Coláiste Choilm

Medal winners and highly commended participants were invited to attend further training during the Easter break, after which the team was selected.

Irish Delegation for International Chemistry Olympiad 2017

The team to represent Ireland at the 49th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2017 in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand was:

  • Aaron Hannon, St Muredach’s College, Ballina, Co. Mayo
  • Alicia Huntley, Regent House School, Newtownards, Co.Down
  • Diarmuid O’Donoghue,  Ashton School, Blackrock Road, Cork
  • Michael Yuan Hong, Methodist College, Malone Road, Belfast


From left to right: Dr Cormac Quigley (GMIT), Asst Professor Mercedes Vasquez (DCU), Aaron Hannon, Alicia Huntley,  Michael Yuan Hong, and Diarmuid O’Donoghue

The team was accompanied by the Ireland Mentors, Dr Cormac Quigley (GMIT) and Asst Professor Mercedes Vasquez (DCU).

 

 

Success at International Chemistry Olympiad

Three members of Team Ireland were awarded Bronze medals at the 49th International Chemistry Olympiad in Thailand: Alicia Huntley, Diarmuid O’Donoghue, and Michael Yuan Hong.