In these challenging times, we’re challenging young people to share their passion for Science and all things STEM, by making a short video about their favourite science topic.

The contest is open to young people in Ireland and Northern Ireland representing their Primary School, Secondary School or Youth Organisation.

Videos should be between one and three minutes in length, can be live action or animated, in English or Irish.

So, pick up your camera, tablet or smartphone and make an engaging and educational short science video that might just win €1000 for your school or group!

2023 Awards

From planets to penicillin and artificial intelligence to vaping, short science videos made by young Irish filmmakers have been celebrated at the 11^th Annual ReelLIFE SCIENCE Awards in University of Galway.

The event took place on Sunday November 12 as part of Science Week 2023 and the 26^th Galway Science and Technology Festival.

More than 400 short science films were entered into the competition created by 2,600 young science enthusiasts in 131 schools and youth groups taking part across the island of Ireland.

The winning videos, which can be viewed below, were selected by a panel of guest judges including science communicator and engineer Dr Niamh Shaw; RTÉJr TV presenter and scientist Mark ‘The Science Guy’ Langtry; and the 2023 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition winners, Liam Carew and Shane O’Connor.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE is based in the University of Galway College of Science and Engineering and is supported by the Science Foundation Ireland Discover Programme, the CÚRAM Centre for Research in Biomedical Devices, Cell EXPLORERS, Foróige and the Galway Science and Technology Festival. 

1^st Prize Primary School Twenty-two talented fourth class students from Gaelscoil Riabhach in Loughrea, Co. Galway, along with their teacher Brian Ó Meacháin, won the €1,000 first prize for their video ‘Creatha Talún’ explaining earthquakes and visualising volcanoes.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and SFI Director General Prof. Philip Nolan with teacher Brian Ó Meacháin and students from Gaelscoil Riabhach, Loughrea, Co. Galway (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

Runners-up Primary School Fourth class students from Lissivigeen National School, Killarney, Co. Kerry brought us on a trip around the solar system in ‘The Science Video’

SFI Director General Prof. Philip Nolan with teacher Tommy Buckley and students from Lissivigeen National School, Killarney, Co. Kerry (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

3rd Place Primary School Students from Abbey Primary School from Boyle, Co. Roscommon finished third with a history of penicillin in ‘The Messy Mistake that Changed the World’.

SFI Director General Prof. Philip Nolan with students and teachers from Abbey Primary School, Boyle, Co. Roscommon (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

1^st Prize Post-Primary Gabriel McCrystal, Shaun Irimpan and Frankie Zak, transition year students from Coláiste Na Mí, Navan, Co. Meath, dramatised the effects of vaping in young people in ‘This is Bob’ and claimed the €1,000 first prize.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and BT Young Scientist winners Liam Carew and Shane O’Connor with Gabriel McCrystal, Frankie Zak and Shaun Irimpan from Coláiste Na Mí, Navan, Co. Meath (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

Runners-up Post-Primary Mahveen Farooq and Olivia Penfold from Loreto Secondary School, Kilkenny answered the question ‘Is There a Connection Between Handedness and Dominant Eyes?’

BT Young Scientist winners Liam Carew and Shane O’Connor with James Molloy from Belvedere College SJ, Dublin (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

3rd Place Post-Primary James Molloy from Belvedere College, Dublin was awarded third place, for developing a diagnostic artificial intelligence model in ‘Using AI to Diagnose X-Rays’.

1^st Prize Youth Organisation Young filmmaker and musician Arden Oakes, from Grow Music, Dundalk, Co. Lough, won the €1,000 youth group prize for his video ‘How the Ear Works’.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit with Arden Oakes from Grow Music, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Runners-up Youth Organisation – Bruff Scout Group, Limerick came second for ‘The Science of Scouting Burns and how to treat them’.

CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit with Cal O’Loughlin, Daniel O’Connor, Ciaran Hopkins and Seamus O’Loughlin from 29th Limerick Bruff Scout Group (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

3rd Prize Youth Organisation Third place went to Arranmore Island UBU Foróige Club, Co. Donegal who coded a ‘Dancing Robot’.

Special Category Awards

Participating schools and youth organisations in Ireland and Northern Ireland 2013-2023