Laois Co Council hosts Civic Reception to honour Team RNS Robotics of Rosenallis National School

TEAM RNS Robotics of Rosenallis National School took centre stage at a Civic Reception held in their honour in Áras an Chontae. Portlaoise on Thursday night.

The honour was bestowed on the pupils following their success as winners of the Engineering Division Judges’ Award at the World VEX IQ Robotics Championships in St Louis, Missouri, earlier this year.

The event was hosted by Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, Cllr Barry Walsh, and was attended by the elected members, Oireachtas members and Angela McEvoy, Director of Services at Laois Co Council  as well as a large group of family, friends and supporters of the students.

Aaron Mackessy, STEM teacher at Rosenallis National School was in attendance alongside the Team RNS students: Katie Murphy, Grace Murphy, Ciara Dunphy, Bobbee Friel, Aislinn Guinan, Hannah Ormonde, Lauren Kenny, Ollie McEvoy, Luke Somers, David Moyles and David Goodwin.

Laois County Council’s STEM engagement programme, co-funded through the EU Just Transition Fund provides workshops, competitions and inclusive outreach to 48 primary and secondary schools in the county.

Following on from receiving funding and equipment, Rosenallis National School set the goal of qualifying for the All-Ireland Vex Robotics Championships.

The team won the Engineering Division Judges’ Award at the World VEX IQ Robotics Championships in St. Louis, Missouri. This award recognises creativity, teamwork and strong engineering skills.

Earlier this year, the team won local and national competitions, including the All-Ireland Teamwork Challenge and the Innovate Award, earning their place at the world finals.

The group also raised over €100,000 with the help of their community to travel to the competition.

Cllr Barry Walsh, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, said: “You are the future of STEM. The skills in mechanics, coding, problem-solving and collaboration that you have mastered will not only serve you well as you continue your education, but they will also help shape the industries and technologies of tomorrow.

On behalf of Laois County Council and the people of this county, I want to say congratulations. You are a phenomenal group and you have proven that big dreams can start in small places.” During his speech he thanked all the teachers and mentors that guided, encouraged and supported the students to help their dream become a reality.

Ollie McEvoy and Aislinn Guinan spoke on behalf of the students.

Ollie McEvoy told the attendees about Team RNS Robotics’ delight at winning. He said:

“To our amazement and excitement, team RNS Robotics were announced as winners of the Judges Award. We could not believe it. We were so happy. We would bring an award home to everyone who made our journey possible. Everyone back home was so happy and proud of us. We would like to thank everyone who has been part of our journey in any way. 2026 is a year we will all remember and talk about. Our VEX Robotics journey was really a dream come true, a trip of a lifetime with memories we will never forget”.

Aislinn Guinan, spoke about the personal impact of this experience. She said: “For me personally, it didn’t just become a hobby – it completely changed the way I see my future. It made me rethink my subjects, and it gave me the confidence to choose engineering. Before this, I’m not sure I believed that it was something I could really do. Being part of this experience showed me that being a girl in STEM isn’t something unusual or out of reach – it’s something real, something achievable and something I’m genuinely excited to be part of”.

Angela McEvoy, Director of Services at Laois County Council congratulated the students. She said: “You stand before us today not just as students, but as trailblazers, world-class innovators, and the pride of County Laois. To go from a village school at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the global stage at the VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis is a fairy-tale journey. You have set the bar high for all your peers in schools across the county.

Your dedication to STEM, your creative robot designs, and your incredible teamwork have shown everyone what can be accomplished when passion meets opportunity. When you presented Ireland to the world, you carried yourselves with a spirit and determination that brought immense joy and pride back home to our community”.

Aaron Mackessy, STEM teacher at Rosenallis National School said: “When you back brave, anything is possible. For the students to do what they did, it shows what we can do in Laois. STEM is alive in Laois, that’s not in any doubt. To see the number of schools engage with the programme and see Laois become a powerhouse in STEM, as we nearly had two teams at the Worlds – amazing!” Also acknowledged at the event was the support given to the students from the Laois County Council’s STEM and Broadband Officers, Seanie Morris and Antoinette Brennan.

The students were presented with individual awards and the school was presented with a certificate of achievement.

Laois County Council extends its congratulations and the best wishes in future competitions.