Louth GMIT graduate wins top award in IrelandSkills National Competiton

A Louth student, who recently graduated from GMIT Letterfrack’s campus, has scooped the coveted top award in this year’s IrelandSkills National Competition in Cabinetmaking, held in Dun Laoghaire Further Education Institute.

Ronan Geoghegan from Springfield, Ballinurd, Kilkerley, Dundalk, Co Louth graduated in November from the B.Sc. (Hons) in Furniture Design and Manufacture programme and he now works for MJM Interior Build, a world leader in the refurbishment of cruise liners, ferries, yachts and all kinds of public buildings. 

In the competition final, five of the seven finalists were students and graduates of GMIT Letterfrack, where a proud record exists for performance at this level, being the seventh year in a row that its students have won this award.

Working from a detailed set of working drawings the competitors had 20 hours to make an intricate free standing hall console table and cabinet.  A column cabinet made in beech supported a walnut framed top that incorporated a central, quarter veneered decorative panel.  Within the carcass a storage drawer and shelving was fitted.  To make this piece the competitors were allowed to use a combination of hand, power tools and machines.  Throughout the week the competition was extremely intense.

The other finalists from GMIT Letterfrack were Daniel Hawthorne (Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan); Shane Walsh (Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny); Cian Mulligan (Rathcoole, Co. Dublin) and Matthew Frazer (Louisburgh , Co Mayo). The seven competitors in the final were selected for being the highest scoring candidates in the Preliminary Stage of the competition. The Cabinetmaking category was one of twenty other skills competitions that took place in DIT and CIT last week.

Anthony Clare, IrelandSkills Co-ordinator for GMIT Letterfrack, says the competition is very challenging and the pressure on the contestants is palpable in the workshop. “This is a fantastic win for Ronan and it clearly demonstrates his skill, ability and stamina to continually compete to achieve the highest accolade in this skill area, given this was his fourth year competing in the Ireland Skills National Competition Cabinetmaking Final”.

“We congratulate all of the student and graduate participants in the competition and they have done themselves, their employers, families, and GMIT Letterfrack proud. I would like to also acknowledge and thank High-Tech Machinery Ltd for their very kind sponsorship of the Cabinetmaking competition and for presenting a perpetual trophy to Ronan at the award ceremony”, added Mr. Clare.

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

GMIT Letterfrack is the National Centre of Excellence in Furniture Design and Technology. GMIT Letterfrack students’ success in national competitions underlies the excellence of standards in teaching and learning at the campus which has approximately 260 students registered on degree and honours degree programmes in Furniture Design & Manufacture, Furniture & Wood Technology and Design and Technology Education. The college has strong links with industry with all students offered placements both in Ireland and overseas as part of their programmes. 

For more information go to http://www.gmit.ie/Life-at-GMIT/letterfrack or www.facebook.com/OfficialGMITLetterfrack or ring 091 742653.