The following students and schools received recommendations at this year's Young Scientist competition.
Biological and Ecological
Junior
Group:Fíona O'Donovan, Clodagh O'Dea, Amy Nolan, Accumulation of heavy metals by seaweeds, Mount Sackville Secondary School, Dublin; Seán Hynes, Eamonn Walsh, Conor Phillips, Timed Drug Dispenser, St. Joseph's Secondary School, Mayo; Edain Quinn, An investigation of the anti-pathogenic properties of garlic, Sutton Park School, Dublin; David Murphy, Biochemical absorption of heavy metals in contaminated water, Sutton Park School, Dublin; Jessica O'Connor, Ellen Murray, Aisling Noone, Eye-witness accounts - are they a reliable source of evidence?, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, Cork; Darragh Kinsella, Transition Year - A1 or NG, St. Peter's College Secondary School, Wexford; Marie Doyle, Áine Doyle, To examine some of the effects of the Education Welfare Act 2000 on school communities, Loreto Secondary School, Wexford; Ciaran Healy, Aran Whitty, Sack pain: The effects of schoolbag weight and type on secondary school children, Coláiste Choilm, Cork; Eoin Roche, Daniel Dunbar, Peter Lauraunt, The effects of music on White Coat Syndrome, Gorey Community School, Wexford; Jack Toner, Stephen Noone, Mark Darby, How optical illusions work, Catholic University School, Dublin; Shane Cullen, Luke Connolly, To investigate the public's consumption and perception of fizzy drinks, St. Peter's College Secondary School, Wexford; Colin McDonnell, Do sports drinks improve performance?, Mayfield Community School, Cork.
Individual:Ryan Nichols, The locomotion of spiders, Mayfield Community School, Cork; Tara Rhatigan, Michelle Egan, Louise Crowe, Swim safe with an automatic Inflate-A-Belt, Ursaline Convent, Tipperary; Kayleigh Ryan, Susanne Murphy, Mary McDonnell, The effects of personal constructs on social interaction in adolescence, St. Ailbe's School, Tipperary.
Intermediate
Group:Katie Bell, Lynn McGregor, Jayne Mannion, Observation of sunspots, Confey College, Kildare; Chris Kelly, Declan Johnston, Biodegradable packaging - an alternative?, The King's Hospital, Dublin; Shona Ní Mheachair, Nicole Ní Chearmada, Cillian Ó Buíteach, Diet drinks - the healthier alternative?, Ennis Community School, Clare; Jacqueline Healy, Ann Fagan, Energy drinks: just for thirst - or for a real energy burst?, Moate Community School, Westmeath; Richard O'Shea, Darren Dineen, Conor Costello, Diamagnetism, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, Cork; Orla Noonan, Lance Kerrigan, Fergal Reilly, Faith - a halo over our lives?, Moyne Community School, Longford; Patrick Costello, Why do teenagers drink too much?, Catholic University School, Dublin; Katie O'Hara, Adam Butler, Mary Dunphy, Non-competitive sports programs will improve activity levels in young people, Grennan College, Kilkenny; Sinéad Nig Uidhir, Cliodhna Ní Cheallaigh, Geallúcháin fiacla - éifeachtaí ar do shláinte, Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Kilkenny; Elizabeth McManus, Julie-Anne Baker, Deirdre Fox, An alternative to silage wrap, St. Joseph's College, Westmeath; Sinéad Ní Bhraonáin, Emma Ní Ghrabhartaigh, Siún Ní Mhaongail, Leibhéal mearcair sna h-éisc i dTír Chonaill, Coláiste Ailigh, Donegal; Alan Garry, Christopher Power, Killian Murphy, An investigation into renewable energy and its involvement in Ireland's future, St. Gerald's College, Mayo; Róisín Corcoran, Estelle Purcell, Sara Sorensen, Do coffee beans contain traces of lead?, Loreto College, Dublin; Katie Ryan, Alison Swaine, The anatomy the distribution and the morphology of Pleurococcus, Loreto College, Dublin; Laura Clarke, An investigation into the interesting properties of the number nine, Loreto Secondary School, Dublin; Emma Ní Fhearraigh, Alanna Ní Dhugain, Mary Ní Ghallchóir, Nature's engineers - investigating spider web strength, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, Donegal; Stefan Trieffo, Haniel Tsegaburhan, Locus curves and turtle geometry, Synge Street C.B.S., Dublin; Christine Rohan, Audrey Murphy, Aileen Dillon, Shocking plastics, St. Joseph's College, Westmeath; Richard Crowley, Nicholas Croke, Christopher Walsh, Noise pollution - a study of the effectiveness of sound proofing materials, Kinsale Community School, Cork; Leanna-Maria Gannon, Hilary-Mae Gannon, In search of an algorithmic pattern as applied to the Matroyska doll - part 2, Skerries Community College, Dublin; Àine Gallagher, Holly Murphy, Jennifer McCarthy, Environmental and chemical factors affecting the growth patterns of native tree species along the river Liffey bank, St. Joseph's College, Dublin; Elaine McCarthy, Carly McLaughlin, The investigation of the effect of breakfast on blood sugar, concentration and sports performance, Blackwater Community School, Waterford.
Individual:Gemma Boyle, An investigation into a willow tree bio-filtration system purifying waste water, Rosses Community School, Donegal; Lesley Humphreys, Katie Boyle, Kellie Nwaokorie, Raynaud's Syndrome - a chemical solution to a biological problem, St. Joseph's College, Dublin; Maria Spillane, Gillian Beatty, A study of the effectiveness of soaps in removing bacteria from hands, Mount Mercy College, Cork; Keith Reidy, Daragh O'Connor, Eoin Byrne, Primordial soup: The origins of life, Coláiste An Spioraid Naoimh, Cork.
Senior
Group:Billy Fehin, Mary Ennis, Elephant grass - a further study, Hazelwood College, Limerick; Ruth Fitzpatrick, Amy Murphy, Water pollution in Herbert Park, Muckross Park College, Dublin; Eimear Beardmore, Aisling Donnelly, A comparison of plant growth in different composts, Loreto High School, Dublin; Mairéad Hackett, Niamh Keaveney, Julianne Kennedy, An ecological study of the Cabragh wetlands in the Suir Valley, Presentation Secondary School, Tipperary.
Chemical Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Junior
Group:Laura Connor, Investigation into the safety measures associated with the equine profession, St. Oliver's Community College, Louth; Anne-Marie Flynn, Emma Finlay, Melissa Walsh, Coir, a natural fibre or bio-degradable plastic, a synthetic fibre, for use in maize growth?, St. Joseph's College, Dublin; Laura Sims, Darren O'Gorman, Effects of exposure on Nucella lapillus, Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Clare; Kevin Walsh, Christy Storer, Factors affecting seaweed morphology and growth, Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Clare; Aishling Clancy, Noreen Lynch, Windblow - possible causes, Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Clare; Shona Fitzpatrick, Lorraine Stringer, India Molloy, Exposure and Actinia equinia distribution, Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Clare; Evelyn Linnane, Tess McGovern, How much money are you throwing away?, Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Clare.
Individual:Rónan Kent, Ciaran Greene, Conor McCrave, Junior cycle smokers in Dundalk, De la Salle College, Louth.
Intermediate
Group:Richard Ryan, Evan Bourke, Andrew Curran, The memory remains, but does it? Does music aid memory?, Árdscoil Rís, Dublin; Avril Doyle, Lauren Tebay, Jade Stack, Are people blinded by the science facts?, Coláiste Bríde, Dublin; John Kennedy, Jesse Power, William James, Renewable energy vs fossil fuels, Villier's Secondary School, Limerick; Ellen Overy, Lisa Brady, Jill McQuaid, Who's fitter at the end of the day - students or teachers?, St. Dominic's High School, Dublin; Hadia Paryani, Katie Clarke, Nikki Wong, Factors affecting memory, Mount Sackville Secondary School, Dublin; Oyinkansola Solanke, The mathematics of dancing, Our Ladys College, Louth; Christina Dix, Sinéad Kearney, Docks vs nettles, Maynooth Post Primary School, Kildare.
Individual:Karl Brennan, An investigation of the growth of the potato, St. Gerard's School, Wicklow; Olive Nic Eachmarcaigh, Clíona Ní Mhaeltuile, Oiriúnacht úrscéalta Gaeilge do mheánscoileanna, Coláiste Ailigh, Donegal.
Senior
Group:Maeve Ní Bhuachalla, Denise McSweeney, Use of wireless technology for monitoring livestock, Coláiste Choilm, Cork; Ruairi Williamson, Jonathan McConville, Tronic Warden, Christian Brothers (Abbey) Grammar School, Down.
Social and Behavioural Sciences
Junior
Group:Shamim de Brún, Gráinne Egan, Sinéad Dolan, How to use a plot of land to generate energy, Mount Sackville Secondary School, Dublin; Samantha Steed, Sarah Polly,Using the Faulke's telescope to track a near earth asteroid, Glenlola Collegiate, Down; Conor Cuddy, Conor Harrington, Eoin Jordan, Beat the bookies, Marist College, Westmeath; Niall Farrell, Richard Craven, Gavin Boland, An examination of the effects of music on study, Templeogue College, Dublin; Eoin MacCraith, Niall Giblin, Lab on a chip - liquids in the micro-world, Belvedere College, Dublin; Keith Mooney, Prime Time, Christian Brothers (Abbey) Grammar School, Down; Aoife Cannon, Maeve O'Sullivan, The effects of different musical accompaniment on driving capabilities, Christ King Secondary School, Cork; Sinéad Brosnan, Niamh Crowley, Appearances: are they everything?, Christ King Secondary School, Cork; Orla Fox, Rachel Manning, Katie O'Neill, Seductive Su-Doku Do the numbers matters, Mount Sackville Secondary School, Dublin; Heather Mulcahy, Rebecca Casey, Predicting success in pedigree dogs, Christ King Secondary School, Cork; Susan Mullane, Aishling O'Hea, Vikki O'Connell, The effects of sleep deprivation as a result of the scheduling of night shifts on personnel working in our emergency services, Christ King Secondary School, Cork; Ciara Molloy, Rachel Nolan, Claire Lester, Investigating the effects of make up on pores, Christ King Secondary School, Cork; Elizabeth Swanwick, The influence of handedness on hobby preference and school subjects, Alexandra College, Dublin.
Individual:Katie O'Sullivan, Megan Lohan, Youth and religion: an attitude problem?, Holy Rosary College, Galway; Laura McDunphy, Ciara Tuohy, Jennifer Hughes, Wasted youths: tipsy teenagers, Dominican College, Dublin; Bethany Bailie, Emma Furlong, Zita Fox, Mozart, mnemonics, mint and memory?, Eureka Secondary School, Meath; Dorothy Kavanagh, Sadhbh O'Brien, An evaluation of the knowledge and attitudes of female transition year students in Dublin to breastfeeding, Loreto College, Dublin.
Intermediate
Group:Hannah Nic Stiofáin, Áine Ní Cheitinn, Oisín Mac An Ghoill, An gaol atá idir meon cathrach agus meon baillte beaga agus tuiscint sóisialta, Coláiste Ailigh, Donegal; Kate Mitchel, Jenny Houlihan, Róisín Bourke, What not to wear?, Laurel Hill Secondary School, Limerick; Howard Helen, How stress influences an individual's performance in the completion of a task using the tower of Hanoi, Newtown School, Waterford; Aisling Billington, Clare Kealey, One night can last a lifetime, Loreto High School, Dublin; Grace Twohig, Lisa Canty, The food pyramid - a serving full of facts please!, John the Baptist Community School, Limerick; Sìomha Connolly, Spend spend spend, Dominican College, Wicklow; Aishling Donohue, Alwynne McGeever, An awareness study of Down Syndrome in our school, St. Aidan's Comprehensive School, Cavan; David Cullen, Cian Coakley, William Prasitka, Active brain, hot body, St. Conleth's College, Dublin; Jilly McAteer, Caroline McNally, Debbie Maguire, Having a bad chair day?, Dominican College, Dublin; Maeve Kilroy, Gráinne Doolan, Andrea Doolin, The good, the bad and the ugly of the Young Scientist competition, Convent of Mercy Secondary School, Roscommon; Yvonne Mahoney, Jade Casholt, Sports drinks - do they really work?, St. Wolstan's Community School, Kildare; Joshua Wade, Robert Kinsella, Shane Kileen, She brains, he brains, Arklow Community College, Wicklow; Laura Cunningham, T.J. Durkin, Eilis Everard, The effects marriage break-ups have on teens, St. Oliver's Community College, Louth; Róisín Scanlan, Louisa May Hantahan, Shauna Molloy, The environmental impact of flight paths serving Dublin Airport, St. Dominic's High School, Dublin; Alison Cawley, Audrey Whyte, Seona Rossi, Does subliminal messaging have varying effects on different groups of people?, Holy Faith Secondary School, Dublin; Louise McNamara, Sinéad Whelan, Does increased health awareness lead to better eating habits in teenagers?, Coláiste Lorcáin, Kildare; Jason Murray, Shane McQuillan, Daniel Cumiskey, The great mosher / scanger divide, Patrician High School, Monaghan; Amy O'Connell, Aoife Duignan, The influence of birth order on teenage drinking of alcohol, Sacred Heart Secondary School, Dublin; Aoife Carroll, James Hehir, Joanne Galligan, Growing beyond genders - the effect of gender roles on pupils in an Irish post primary school, John the Baptist Community School, Limerick; Gráinne Walsh, Christina Toomey, Do sight, smell and colour affect your perception of taste?, Blackwater Community School, Waterford; Maea Lenei Buhre, The sleeping habits of Dublin teenagers, St. Louis' High School, Dublin; Ciara O'Connor, Quality of life and stress in Irish teenagers: what's important?, Rathdown School, Dublin; Martin Thompson, Andrew Guthrie, An investigation into the drinking water in the Balbriggan area, Balbriggin Community College, Dublin; Emmet Ryan, Kevin Ryan, Stephen Cullinan, Tackling obesity: same food less fat, Cistercian College, Tipperary; Rowan Moorkens-O'Reilly, Philip Dix, Cillian Barden, The isopoda of Pollardstown fen, St. Mary's College, Dublin; Victoria McNaughton, Gráinne Morgan, Caoimhe McReynolds, The effect of body size on the number of eggs laid by female spiders Zygiella X-notata, and the rate of parasitoidism by Hymenopteran Wasps, St. Catherine's College, Armagh; Áine Kenny-O'Shea, Rosalind O'Sullivan, An enzyme inhibitor in red kidney beans, Loreto College, Dublin; Róisín O'Grady, Meghan Mooney, Jacqueline Brunton, Assisting good agricultural and environmental condition by encouraging nitrate uptake, using electromagnetic stimulated water, St. Joseph's College, Dublin.
Individual:Christopher Walshe, Eoghan Ryan, David Lynch, Feminising hormones - they're everywhere?, St. Caimin's Community School, Clare; Melika Khandanian, Rate of fruit ripening, Hartstown Community School, Dublin; Áine O'Shea, Laura Gleeson, Rhona Nherity, Testing the acidity of saliva and its affects on our health, Loreto Convent, Donegal; Saoirse Jacoby, Fíona Dolan, Jenny Dillon-Murphy, How do different preparation methods affect levels of vitamin C in fruit juices compared with natural fruits?, Holy Faith Secondary School, Dublin.
Senior
Group:Stephanie Kelly, Claire O'Brien, Ruth Finlay, The anti-microbial and relaxing effects of chamomile tea, St. Joseph's College, Dublin; Naomi Ní Raghallaigh, Eimear Ní Dhubhda, Richeal NicGearailt, Cé chomh salach is atá do bhuidéal uisce?, Coláiste An Phiarsaigh, Cork; Anna Mealy, Alice Miller, Do people vary in ability to taste sweetness?, Loreto Secondary School, Wexford; Jane Kelly, Lena McLoughlin, Is the speed of neural transmission gender linked?, Loreto College, Dublin; Caoimhe Casey, Maria Dowling, Emily Brick, Battle of the bulge, Mercy Secondary School, Kerry.
Individual: Irene Mulcahy, Amanda Phelan, Aisling Sills, Click your way to fun learning, Coláiste Choilm, Cork.
Technology
Junior
Group:Colm OLeary, Colm Foley, Mice: how local habitat determines diet, Coláiste Choilm, Cork; Andrew Barry, Obesity and school lunches fat content, Coláiste Choilm, Cork; Philip Wardlaw, Alexander Teesdale, Micro-processors: energy loss, Newtown School, Waterford.
Individual:Edward Costello, Patrick McNally, Bio-diesel fuelled internal & external combustion engines - a comparison, Coláiste Choilm, Cork.
Intermediate
Group:Barry Walsh, The effects of trampling on plant communities in recreational pitches, Coláiste Choilm, Cork; Emma O'Leary, Avril O'Gorman, Memory techniques that work best when learning, Coláiste Choilm, Cork; Michelle Martin, Rebecca Higgins, Aisling McMarrow, The cure: a load of manure?, Our Ladys Bower, Westmeath; Ciara Mulvihill, Áine Murphy, What odds: trends in exchange, betting markets during soccer matches, Coláiste Choilm, Cork; Jamie Cronin, Ian Shellard, Peter Scannell, Golf: the game in detail tested by a mechanical arm, Coláiste Choilm, Cork; Clíona Irish, Tracee Hanley, Morse code to speech synthesizer, Coláiste Choilm, Cork.
Senior
Group:Simon Hanna, Peter Carleton, Daniel Gallagher, Radioactive seaweeds, La Salle Boys School, Down.