Sisters Ciara (17), Saoirse (15), and Laoise Murphy (12) in 5th, 3rd and 1st year respectively, from Presentation Secondary School Tralee in Kerry have won the top prize at the 61st BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE).
The siblings claimed victory with their project, ACT (Aid Care Treat): App-timising emergency response.
The BTYSTE perpetual trophy was presented to the winners last night at the RDS in Dublin by Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD and Managing Director of BT Ireland, Shay Walsh.
ACT is a medical assistance app designed to support emergency healthcare responses. It integrates crucial features to provide swift and effective aid during critical situations. This is the second year this project has been recognised at the exhibition having previously been awarded Runner-Up Group in 2024.
Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise have spent the last 12 months working on their project along with public and private sector stakeholders. The transformative app is designed to tackle challenges in transferring medical data effectively and efficiently to the emergency services.
The app also has the capability to share precise geolocation co-ordinates. Once the data reaches the emergency services, there is the possibility for onward transmission to the dispatch control centres, the attending mobile units, and the hospitals in a matter of seconds.
During the project Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise built a working relationship with the Department of Health, the HSE and the National Ambulance Service, together with the Gardai, to maximise the potential of the app.
Professor Joe Barry, Chair of the Health & Wellbeing Group Judges, said: “I would like to congratulate Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise on bringing this project so far. The use of this technology has the potential to save lives and reduce recovery times. This project with the support of the emergency services has the potential to make a real difference in helping citizens in an emergency situation.”
In addition to receiving the top prize of €7,500, Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise will represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) this year in Riga, Latvia.
As the overall BTYSTE winners, the trio together with the Best Individual winner will be awarded a trip to the World Expo, in Osaka, Japan.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD said: “I’d like to sincerely congratulate Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise from Presentation Secondary School Tralee in Kerry on their extraordinary achievement of winning top prize in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2025.
“This win is testament to their creativity, dedication and hard work and the tremendous support of their family, teachers and school. Way back in 1963, the founders Dr Tony Scott and Fr Tom Burke presented a vision and today in 2025, we congratulate the winners of the 61st Young Scientist competition - an outstanding legacy.”
Tomás Markey (18), 6th year student in St. Brogan's College, Bandon in Cork, won the prize for Best Individual, with his project, PM-DAC: A system for removing CO2 from the atmosphere. PM-DAC is a Passive & Modular Direct Air Capture framework that reduces the cost of carbon dioxide sequestration in the fight against climate change.
Leonard Hobbs, Chair of Technology Individual Judges, said: “The judges were very impressed with the level of innovation demonstrated by the best overall individual winner, Tomás Markey who addressed one of the greatest challenges currently facing the world in the excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Tomás demonstrated his prototype at the exhibition which showcased an impressive mechanical and scalable design and novel carbon capture technology, which resulted in a cost effective approach to this challenging and topical issue.”
The exhibition continues today, 11th January, and tickets are available through the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition website or onsite at the RDS in Dublin.
