It’s not a Chase it’s a Marathon

Mary Mullaghy 16 March 2022

It’s not a Chase it’s a Marathon: From Rathcoole to Oxford and ITVs The Chase via Maynooth University 

Wednesday 23rd March | 10.00am – 10.50am  Zoom 

Dr. Darragh Ennis: Lab Manager/Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Oxford | Chaser – The Menace 

Darragh Ennis studied General Science in Maynooth University after completing his Leaving Certificate in Holy Family Community School, Rathcoole, Dublin graduating with a BSc in Biology and a PhD in Ecology.  

In this talk he will talk to students about his marathon from his Leaving Certificate days and what led him to where he is today. The talk will emphasise the challenges faced along the way as well as the opportunities that have arisen from choosing a science-based study and career path. The talk will cover:  

  • School days and the decision to study science 
  • The very bumpy transition from school to college 
  • Early 3rd level struggles and getting help 
  • Moving to postgrad and how that changed everything 
  • Getting a real job 
  • Realising the real world wasn’t for him and moving to Canada 
  • To Oxford and 104 failed job applications 
  • His current position and a bit about the research his lab does 
  • Becoming The Menace on ITVs The Chase 

This inspirational talk will appeal to many – from the highs to the lows of life after the Leaving Certificate and how hard work and some luck can lead to a varied, interesting, and highly rewarding career.  

About the Speaker: Darragh Ennis was born in Dublin and grew up in Rathcoole. He studied at Maynooth University, graduating with a BSc in Biology in 2003, and a PhD in Ecology in 2008. After completing his doctorate, he worked as a biomedical scientist at ICON plc for a year before undertaking postdoctoral research at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada from 2010 until 2013. Since 2013, he has worked as a lab manager and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, where he specialises in researching the brains of insects. 

In 2017, Ennis was a member of a winning team on The Chase. The team performed well and defeated Paul Sinha in the final. Darragh’s performance made an impact as soon afterwards he was contacted by the production team to audition for a job on the show. 

In April 2020, Ennis was announced as the sixth chaser on The Chase, alongside Mark Labbett, Shaun Wallace, Anne Hegerty, Paul Sinha and Jenny Ryan. His Chaser-debut episode was aired on 19 November 2020. His debut brought in 4.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode of The Chase ever at the time.  

Audience:  The talk is suitable for students in TY, 5th, and 6th years, teachers and Guidance Counsellors.   

Students and teachers can send any questions they have for Darragh in advance to admissions@mu.ie that they would like answered on the day. 

Registration: ‘It’s not a Chase it’s a Marathon’ – From Rathcoole to Oxford and ITVs The Chase via Maynooth University | Maynooth University 

Categories: News

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SciFest student has an asteroid named after him after and came second in the world at ISEF 2015

Christopher Carragher from Our Lady’s Secondary School in Castleblaney has got an asteroid named after him. The Monaghan student had an asteroid named after him after he came second in the World award in the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics category at ISEF 2015 which was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania this week. Chistopher got to Pennsylvania after winning the SciFest 2014 national final last November. His project was about aiding people with memory loss. Memory Buddy!

Around 1,700 students from over 75 countries compete at Intel ISEF for a prize fund totalling $4million. Christopher takes away $1,500 prize money. After becoming concerned about the signs of short-term memory loss in a family member, he decided to design an automated system called Memory Buddy.

Memory Buddy

Memory Buddy uses Google Calender to alert the person about appointments and medication via flashing lights, sound and also via the TV. It also includes a remotely controlled medicine drawer to give the appropriate medicine at a specific time – there’s even a feedback facility to notify a carer when medicine has or has not been taken. An organiser for care rotas and appointments also comes with Memory Buddy.

Christopher said the whole experience has been “amazing”. “I met students from all over the world, and heard speeches from famous scientists like Nobel laureates Sir Harold W Kroto and Martin Chalfie. It’s been great to see all the projects that other students from around the world have been working on and it has been brilliant to spend a week together sharing our ideas”.

Sheila Porter of CEO of SciFest said that Christopher Carragher’s project “demonstrates that great science is characterised not by rote-learning and memorisation but by creativity and investigation”.

Christopher was representing Ireland at ISEF and come second in the World in his category is an impressive achievement for him is and a testament to the very high quality of science education in Ireland. "To continue producing the highest calibre of science students in Ireland, we need to celebrate their achievements more, to promote inquiry based learning and encourage students to take their learning beyond the classroom." via thejournal.ie

Mary Mullaghy 2 June 2015

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