Offaly students watch movies in library for Midlands Science Week

AS part of the Midlands Science Festival, a screening of two movies exploring science took place in Tullamore Library.

The movies were ‘A Tiny Spark’ and ‘Counter Attack’, both produced through the Science on Screen public engagement programme run by CÚRAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices and Ardán.

Students from Sacred Heart Secondary School, Tullamore took part in a discussion about issues raised in the movies with Dr Craig Slattery of UCD following the screenings.

These students had previously undertaken media training with Apple Tart Productions and also took part in filming on the day exploring their reactions to the movies and their attitudes towards science.

They were also joined by Niamh Hynes, a vascular surgeon and researcher at CÚRAM, who features in the movie ‘Counter Attack’.

Originally from Athlone, Dr Hynes is a vascular surgeon whose research interests include clinical vascular research, biomedical engineering and vascular medical device design.

Science on Screen commissions from CÚRAM Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices and Ardán, which is an initiative of CÚRAM’s Education and Public Engagement programme.

‘A Tiny Spark’ focuses on stroke and cerebrovascular research being led by neuroscientist, Dr Karen Doyle from CÚRAM and Galway Neuroscience Centre in University of Galway.

Directed by Niamh Heery and produced by Caroline Kealy, with a mixture of dramatic first person accounts and beautiful animation sequences by Eric Dolan highlighting the functions of the various parts of the brain, ‘A Tiny Spark’ is an award-winning film about science’s ability to affect real change for human life.

‘Counter Attack’ explores cardiovascular disease and it is directed by Tiernan Williams and produced by Maria O’Neill of Cluster Fox Films. It features Kildare-based musician Frankie Lane, who suffered a heart attack followed by a cardiac arrest, Frankie’s wife, Anita Lane and Cork-based paramedic, Pat McCarthy. The documentary also features CÚRAM’s University of Galway-based researchers, including vascular surgeon Dr. Niamh Hynes.

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In 2026, Midlands Science will be celebrating 25 years of providing free science outreach to the people in the midlands. It provides a range of free school and youth group activities all year round and more details can be found on www.midlandscience.ie More information on Curam can be found on https://curamdevices.ie/ and on Ardan on https://ardan.ie/

“The Science on Screen documentaries have been a really powerful way to engage with our communities over the past ten years’ commented Prof Abhay Pandit, Founding Director of CÚRAM. “We’re delighted to collaborate with the team at Midlands Science this year for Science Week, who do excellent work raising awareness and understanding of the impact of Irish research within the community’.