Farming and agricultural was the standout sector at this year’s BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

The event, held in Dublin’s RDS last week, attracted 550 projects from some of the best young science brains in the country. Of those 550 projects, nearly 40 were dedicated to agriculture alone and farming won big at the 53rd annual event, which was attended by around 50,000 people over the course of the week.

The best overall group award, was won by Michael Sheehan and Jack Murphy from Coláiste Treasa in Cork. They investigated the prey availability for hen harriers in a managed farmland. The hen harrier is one of Ireland’s rarest bird of prey and it has faced a huge decline in its numbers recently. According to Murphy, there are only about 108 to 157 breeding pairs of hen harries left in Ireland.

“DNA analysis, mapping and bird transects” were all factors used during the investigation, said Sheehan.

The two now hope to get their recommendations of preserving the breed through the Department of Agriculture and to aid farmers in dealing with their work relating to the locally led agri-environmental schemes.

Listen to interviews with students behind some of the farming projects at the BT Young Scientist exhibition in our podcast below:

Listen to "Ag projects at the Young Scientist exhibition" on Spreaker.

A further project related to agriculture, from Coláiste Treasa secondary school, Cork, won the Hewlet Packard Enterprise Award. It involved the development of an app to help rural farmers communicate.

Another duo claimed a special award and a group category award for their project Fresh Air – Friend or Foe? Maeve O’Connor and Aoidhe Sheill created the Friendly Farmer app after they surveyed people living in rural Ireland and realised how secluded some farmers can be as they go about their daily duties.

The prototype of the app allows farmers to communicate in local and national discussion groups, access mart updates and get contact numbers for farm services in their area. A dating profile also features in the app. The girls conducted research which led them to believe that farmers are happier when they are married. They are seeking sponsorship to finalise their hope of launching the app on to the market.

Larry Goodman’s ABP sponsored the Farm Safety award, which was won by Jack Nagle of Killorglin Community College, Kerry. His Tractor Safe Lock initiative is aimed at reducing danger on farms, as it automatically puts a tractor’s handbrake in place – even if a farmer forgets.

Twins Mary and Sarah Murphy from Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Mayo, claimed the senior group third place rosette for the technology category during the awards ceremony. The sisters combined their passion for farming and technology to “get rid of the mess when marking sheep”.

Instead of opening tins or spraying paint, the girls created a single-handed gun that has proved extremely convenient when putting fluid onto the back of sheep to brand them. The product is already on the market.

Dylan Egan from Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, Clare, won first place junior individual chemical, physical and mathematical sciences award with this project Could rushes be used as fuel?

Megan Coolahan, Ceara Mulry and Clodagh Moxham from Athlone Community College won the Bord Bia Origin Green sustainability award with their project MCPA pesticide in drinking water. While the Veterinary Council of Ireland award winners were Cathal Mariga and George Hennessy from Midleton College, Cork, with their project Foal sickness containment and prevention.

The Teagasc award winners were Asa Curran, Tiarnan Collins and Jack Ryan-Purcell from Schull Community College, Cork, with their project Agroforestry and carbon sequestration. Sophie Weldon, Laura Weldon and Emma Kleiser Byrne from Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan, Dublin, won the Health Research Board award with their project titled Does consuming certain varieties of potatoes as a staple food in a diet, increase blood glucose levels and chance of high blood pressure and diabetes in a sample of Rush residents.