Mayo girls to represent Europe in India
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There was tremendous pride in Hollymount last week as two local students, Edel Walsh and Orlaith Colleran, were selected to represent Europe at the Technovation Junior Division Global Finals in India this October.
The 13-year-olds, who attend Mount St Michael Secondary School, earned their place after their project, ‘DiAssist’, was chosen as one of just five finalists worldwide from more than 3,600 app entries submitted by girls in over 100 countries.
Developed during Teen-Turn's after-school Technovation programme, under the guidance of teacher and mentor Stephanie Hogan, the app is designed to help teenagers manage diabetes by supporting both their physical health and mental wellbeing.
The girls identified a gap in existing diabetes apps, finding that many were aimed at adults and offered little support for the emotional challenges faced by young people living with the condition. Their app includes an AI-powered food analysis feature, allowing users to photograph meals to receive nutritional information, while also helping teenagers monitor the relationship between their blood glucose levels and their emotional wellbeing.
Speaking about their achievement, Edel and Orlaith said they were thrilled to have the opportunity to represent Ireland and Europe on the world stage.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be named Technovation Global Finalists,” they said. “When we first entered the competition, we never imagined we'd have the opportunity to represent Ireland and Europe on the global stage.”
The pair said the experience had taught them valuable lessons in technology, teamwork and problem-solving, while showing that young people can create solutions capable of making a real difference.
Their mentor, Stephanie Hogan, praised the girls for their creativity, commitment and determination throughout the project, describing their selection for the global finals as an extraordinary achievement.
The success of Edel and Orlaith is also a significant achievement for Hollymount and Mount St Michael Secondary School, demonstrating that young people from rural communities can compete successfully with some of the world's brightest young innovators.
The girls will now travel to India in October, where they will present ‘DiAssist’ to an international judging panel and compete for global honours and scholarship prizes.
