Tiny Laois school makes history with All Ireland title
Rosenallis NS students with teacher Aaron Mackessy and Laois Co Council STEM officer Seanie Morris
A TINY Laois school has made history by winning an All Ireland title, qualifying for world championships in the USA this April.
Brilliant students from Rosenallis NS enjoyed a rapturous homecoming in the village last night, complete with a Garda escort, after they were crowned national robotics champions.
Against all odds, the small rural school defeated large schools from Dublin and across the country at the national finals, which were held at Munster Technological University on Thursday 26 February.
The RNS Robotics group won the teamwork section of the All Ireland VEX IQ competition, with Dromore NS from Donegal.
Although the school has just 74 pupils, Rosenallis NS managed to send two teams to the national finals and incredibly scooped both first and fourth place.
Coached by teacher Aaron Mackessy, RNS Robotics was joined at the event by schoolmates on the Rizzbots team, who came joint-fourth with Laois neighbours from Paddock NS, Mountrath.
Rosenallis NS is not only the first Laois school to have two teams at an All Ireland robotics final but also the first to qualify for the world championships.
Delighted crowds turned out to welcome the champions home to Rosenallis last night, after the team bus enjoyed a Garda escort from Mountmellick. Proud school principal Rory Walsh, staff, students, families and friends congratulated the teams on their amazing achievement.
With their record-making success still sinking in, school management said on social media: ‘Thanks so much to everyone who turned up to welcome the team bus home. We were absolutely gobsmacked, especially by the Garda escort that brought us through Mountmellick, that was a nice touch indeed. The 5.30am start was very much worth it now!’
Even more importantly, they added: ‘You kids conducted yourself with grace, poise and true sportsmanship. We cannot be prouder of you for that.’
After averaging huge scores all day at the championships in Cork, both RNS Robotics and Dromore NS scored a massive 221 points in the final, one of the highest scores ever and even beating some secondary school scores.
The RNS Robotics team is set to represent Ireland at the VEX World Championships in St Louis, Missouri in April, with a flurry of fundraising ideas already in play.
The school particularly paid tribute to Laois Co Council’s broadband officer Antoinette Brennan and STEM engagement officer Seánie Morris, for their exceptional work in promoting robotics programmes in schools.
