GMIT Letterfrack Student Scoops Top Award in
National Skills Competiton

Author: Press Office

Date Article Written: Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Student success underlines specialist skills at Letterfrack campus

A student in GMIT Letterfrack’s campus has scooped the coveted top award in this year’s National Skills Competition in Cabinet Making. It is the fourth year in a row that a student from GMIT Letterfrack has won this award. Of the six finalists, five were students of GMIT Letterfrack.

2012 National Skills Competition Cabinetmaking winner Anthony O'Neill (centre) from GMIT Letterfrack, with Declan Barrett (left) Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education and Anthony Clare (right), lecturer and competition co-ordinator, GMIT Letterfrack.

Winner Anthony O’Neil from Tullow, Co. Carlow, is a fourth year student on the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Furniture Design and Manufacture degree programme. This is his second time competing, having also reached the finals last year.

The other GMIT Letterfrack finalists were Darren Barber (Sligo), Shane Walsh (Kilkenny), Cian Mulligan (Westmeath) and Ronan Geoghegan (Louth) - a previous winner, graduate PJ Murphy, went on to represent Ireland at the World Skills competition claiming a Medallion of Excellence. All finalists had 18 hours to make a free standing cabinet made in walnut and maple, incorporating a door and internal drawer. They had to work from a detailed set of working drawings and were allowed to use hand, power tools and machines to make the piece.

Finalists in the NSC, L-R: Anthony O'Neill, Shane Walsh, Anthony Clare (Lecturer) Cian Mulligan, Darren Barber and Ronan Geoghegan from GMIT Letterfrack.

Anthony Clare, National Skills Co-ordinator for GMIT Letterfrack, says the competition itself was very challenging and the pressure on the contestants palpable. “We wish to congratulate each student on reaching the final. Anthony O'Neill is a very worthy winner and we are all delighted for him. All the participants put in such a huge effort to have reached the finals. They have done themselves, their families and GMIT Letterfrack proud.”

GMIT offers a range of programmes specialising in furniture design and technology. Also on offer at the campus is an undergraduate teacher training programme for students who wish to become teachers of Construction Studies and Design and Communication Graphics at post primary level.

To mark GMIT Letterfrack 25th anniversary celebrations this year, the campus has been designated the National Centre for Excellence in Furniture Design and Technology. This underscores the success of its students in national competitions and the excellence of standards in teaching and learning at the campus.

Other events taking place as part of the 25th celebrations are a graduate seminar (5 October) with renowned Furniture Designer John Makepeace as a key note speaker; an exhibition in Farmleigh Gallery in Phoenix Park (2 November to 20 December) titled GMIT Letterfrack, 25 Years of Excellence and Innovation; including a number of seminars during the eight week Farmleigh exhibition. For more information see http://www.gmit.ie/Life-at-GMIT/letterfrack or www.facebook.com/OfficialGMITLetterfrack or telephone 091 742653.

GMIT Letterfrack has approximately 240 students on degree and honours degree programmes in Furniture Design & Manufacture, Furniture & Wood Technology, and Design & Technology Education. The college has strong links with industry with all students offered placements both in Ireland and overseas as part of their programmes.

GMIT furniture students scoops top award in national skills competition 2012 National Skills Competition Cabinetmaking winner Anthony O'Neill (centre) from GMIT Letterfrack, with Declan Barrett (left) Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education and Anthony Clare (right), lecturer and competition co-ordinator, GMIT Letterfrack.