26-04-2025
Meet the Cork teens hoping to win the Robotics World Championship in Texas
At a time when most summer jobs entail pulling pints or serving 99s, schoolboy Cillian O'Toole is making parts for bomb disposal robots.
Of course the 17-year-old, who attends Coláiste Choilm secondary school in Ballincollig isn't one to brag. On the contrary, his humility has become a running joke within the school's robotics team.
Cillian O'Toole works on electroplating the team's robot, giving it a fresh green finish ahead of its journey to Texas. Picture: Chani Anderson
Cillian is joined by his teammates Colm Doyle, Fionn Beale Walsh, Ferdia Cussen Gannon and Sean Springorum as they prepare for their biggest challenge yet, the Vex World Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, this May.
Known as the world's largest robotics contest, it will see robots tackle specific challenges, testing their design, durability and programming. This year's VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes event involves a 12' x 12' square field where machines battle it out by scoring rings on stakes.
The team put their robot through its paces. This year's VEX V5 Robotics Competition High Stakes event involves a 12' x 12' square field where machines battle it out by scoring rings on Chani Anderson
It will be a first for the teens, who earned their place in the finals after securing a win in the regional finals held in Munster Technological University, Cork last February.
Collectively known as Nuts and Bolts, the team is enjoying a tinkering session as they make the finishing touches to their beloved machine. The banter is in full force as the students unleash their impressive creation.
The Gaelcholáiste Choilm robotics team, from left, Cillian O'Toole, Fionn Beale Walsh, Ferdia Cussen Gannon, Sean Springorum and Colm Doyle put their robot through its paces during a practice session as they prepare for the VEX World Finals in Texas. Picture: Chani Anderson
Fionn Beale Walsh, who only joined the team last year after undergoing knee surgery, praised his teammates when met by the Irish Examiner.
'I know very little compared to the others,' he said. 'I want to be a musician when I leave school so that's my thing, more so than the robotics but I've learned so much. Everyone is so knowledgeable. Cillian is far too humble. He's even made a bomb disposal robot.'
Cillian interjects insisting that 'it wasn't a big deal".
'I just built a part for the bomb disposal robot,' he says referring to his part-time job in an engineering firm. 'I didn't build the robot itself.'
He's not the only humble member of the group. I'm told that Sean has created parts for airplanes in his part-time job at an engineering firm.
Collectively known as Nuts and Bolts, the team enjoys a tinkering session as they make the finishing touches to their beloved machine. Picture: Chani Anderson
Right now, though, they are focused on the task at hand as their baby gets ready to break America.
They don't have a name for it yet but Nuts and Bolts member Colm Doyle jokes that they look upon their robot like parents with a newborn.
'There are a lot of jokes that I'm like the new dad with the baby pulling out the photographs to show friends. They just smile and nod.'
Colm Doyle of the Gaelcholáiste Choilm robotics team pictured with the awards that earned them a place at the VEX World Finals in Texas. Picture: Chani Anderson
Colm said it will be difficult to see the robot taken apart.
'We'll keep him around to use as demos for open days but sooner or later it will have to be taken apart. There's a possibility we might be able to see the same parts on display in other robots though.'
The 17-year-old spoke about his dream robot build.
'I saw this really cool thing that Nasa did where they made a drone fly around Mars. It was really cutting-edge technology done on a really low budget because they didn't think it would work.
"I like the way they were working on it against the odds. It was so restricted in what it could do. I'd love to do something like that. It would be amazing to build a machine that goes off exploring another planet.'
Sean Springorum: 'I was 15 when I made my own computer. The power supply did blow up but I was able to get it replaced.' Picture Chani Anderson
Sean Springorum has always been skilled with his hands. Not content with purchasing a computer, he decided to make his own two years ago.
'It's cheaper because you're not paying for labour,' he explained. 'I was 15 when I made my own computer. The power supply did blow up but I was able to get it replaced.'
He admits that his interests don't always lend themselves well to breaktime conversation.
Physics teacher Tara Lokhurst, who was awarded Best Teacher at the recent VEX competition in MTU, pictured with her award and the Gaelcholáiste Choilm robotics team. Picture: Chani Anderson
'Usually at lunch my friends are on about some new phrase they've heard about online or what was on their social media feed. None of these things really have any meaning but you can normally wade through the conversation to get to the interesting parts.'
Tara Lokhorst, who teaches science, physics and computers at the school, says the boys make a great team.
'I'm really proud. They have been doing this for four years now and they are getting better and better. Working as a team, there are never any hurdles they can't overcome. They always come up with a solution and work around problems together.
"If they go into engineering or programming they will already have built all those skills as teenagers in school. They don't know how much this is going to stand to them.'
Engineering teacher Nigel O'Callaghan praised the students for their strong work ethic.
Ferdia Cussen Gannon, one of five students from Gaelcholáiste Choilm's robotics team that has qualified for the VEX World Robotics Finals in Texas next month. The team is currently upgrading their robot ahead of the trip and fundraising to cover the €25,000 cost. Picture: Chani Anderson
'They've shown how much growth there can be in extracurricular activities other than GAA and rugby. This gives students the opportunity to meet like-minded people.'
He lauded the team for inspiring younger students.
'What they do inspires and gets people interested. There are a number of levels. To start with you have a list of parts similar to that of a Lego set. For the younger ones you have a prescribed robot but this has limitations.
Colm Doyle, team captain of Gaelcholáiste Choilm's robotics team: 'There are a lot of jokes that I'm like the new dad with the baby pulling out the photographs to show friends.' Picture Chani Anderson
"The seniors built their own robot from scratch which, from an engineering point of view is incredibly difficult. It's something that younger students can aspire to. The team have set a pathway for them.
"Instead of having to look to students achieving brilliant things in different countries, younger students have their own role models in the school.'
The robotics team is currently fundraising for the trip to Dallas so they can afford flights as well as accommodation which is set to cost upwards of €25,000. To donate to the project visit
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