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National Robocode Champions 2024

A team of students from the University of Limerick have emerged victorious at this year’s National Robocode Competition which was held as part of the 2024 Games Fleadh at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), in Thurles County Tipperary.

ICT Learning Centre Director Mr Clem O’Donnell with National Robocode champions Mr Lewis Ubebe, Mr Maksims Gerkis and Mr Nathan Ndlovu.

The triumphant ‘UL_SeeSaw’ team, comprised of three Computer Science students from the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems (CSIS), namely Mr Nathan Ndlovu, Mr Lewis Ubebe and Mr Maksims Gerkis.

The team faced tough competition from other rival teams representing three higher education institutions in the region, TUS Thurles (Tipperary), TUS Moylish (Limerick) and the South East Technological University (SETU), (Carlow).

Robocode is an annual programming contest open to first year full-time undergraduate students. It provides a platform for participants to showcase their programming prowess and enhance their skills in graphical user interface (GUI) programming, application programming interface (API) usage, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Using Java programming language, each team develops strategies for their tanks, which must autonomously navigate the battlefield, dodging enemy fire while seeking out and eliminating opponents without manual intervention.

Mr Clem O’Donnell, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Learning Centre Director at UL, reflected on the victory, which he said highlights the University’s commitment to fostering students’ ICT skills and promoting active learning. He stated, “Since 2010, UL ICT students’ participation in this competition and other similar annual competitions has been organised and managed by the ICT Learning Centre as part of our aim to enhance and broaden the students’ ICT skill-sets, promote active and student-centred learning, and to promote ICT as a career path. We are very proud of our students’ achievement, given that UL’s last victory in this competition dates back to 2016.”

Speaking on behalf of the winning team Mr Nathan Ndlovu said: “I think Robocode is an amazing competition as it allows you to demonstrate your skills using API, and also gives you experience of using Java for other purposes – we are delighted with the win!”

This year’s competition featured one team from each of the four represented institutions, engaging in intense battles throughout the morning. UL_SeeSaw’s robotic tank navigated through individual skirmishes to reach the semi-finals, where they faced off against TUS (Moylish), prevailing in a nail-biting match with a score of 7-5. This victory propelled them into the final showdown against TUS (Thurles), where UL emerged victorious with a final score of 9-6.

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I Need a Silent Night.

I Need a Silent Night

Vocals: American singer; songwriter and musician Amy Grant.
Lyrics: Amy Grant and British Contemporary Christian singer and classic songwriter Christopher Neville Eaton.

I Need a Silent Night

I’ve made the same mistake before,
Too many malls, too many stores.
December traffic, Christmas rush,
It breaks me till I push and shove,
Children are crying while mothers are trying,
To photograph Santa and sleigh.
The shopping and buying and standing forever in line.
What can I say?
I need a silent night, a holy night,
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise.
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here,
To end this crazy day with a silent night.
December comes then disappears,
Faster and faster every year.
Did my own mother keep this pace,
Or was the world a different place?
Where people stayed home wishing for snow,
Watching three channels on their TV.
Look at us now rushing around,
Trying to buy Christmas peace.
I need a silent night, a holy night,
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise,
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here.
To end this crazy day with a silent night.
What was it like back there in Bethlehem,
With peace on earth, good will toward men?
Every shepherd’s out in the field,
Keeping watch over their flock by night,
And the glory of the Lord shone around them,
And they were so afraid.
And the angels said fear not for behold,
I bring you good news of a great joy that shall be for all people.
For unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace.
I need a silent night, a holy night,
To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise,
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here,
To end this crazy day with a silent night.
To end this crazy day with a silent night.

END

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Fibre Broadband To Thurles Will Be Completed By Last Quarter Of 2023.

Residents of Thurles will be aware that over the past few months it became necessary for the ESB to interrupt the electricity supply in most areas of the town.
The reason for these electricity interruptions was Siro, the Irish fibre broadband network operator, which is expanding its network to Thurles, Nenagh and Tipperary Town in Co. Tipperary.

SIRO is a 100% ‘fibre-to-the-building’ network, built on ESB infrastructure. With no copper connection at any point along the network, thus making it faster and more reliable.

Fibre Broadband arrives in Thurles.
Pic: G. Willoughby.

SIRO was launched in 2015 as a joint venture between the ESB and Vodafone, with the aim of delivering the first 100% fibre-to-the-building broadband across regional Ireland thus revolutionising the broadband market in Ireland.

Fibre to the Home (FTTH) is an access network method that delivers the highest possible speed of Internet connection by using optical fibre that runs directly into the home, building or office. FTTH is unique, because it removes all the bottlenecks that slow the performance of other types of network. The SIRO Network is built using the ESB’s overhead and underground infrastructure, ensuring a fast, reliable and sustainable network.

SIRO claim that there is up to 60% lower energy usage and 80% lower maintenance required for fibre-to-the-building, versus copper networks.

The Co. Tipperary roll-out will bring fibre broadband to more than 7,000 premises in Thurles and Nenagh. The roll-out in Thurles will be completed in the last quarter of 2023, while the work in Nenagh will be completed soon afterwards.

The roll-out to 2,250 premises in Tipperary town will be completed early-2024.
Once these additional towns are connected, Siro’s full-fibre broadband network will be available to more than 50,000 premises across County Tipperary.

The network operator has invested more than EUR 20 million to roll out its fibre network across the county to date.

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19th Irish Games Fleadh Returns to TUS

19th Irish Games Fleadh Returns to TUS with a Clear Message on Supporting Positive Climate Action.

Student developers design games with a retro feel of the past, but with a clear message for the future.


TUS Team Win 5 Categories at Games Fleadh 2022.

Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) won five categories at the hotly contested Irish Games Fleadh 2022, hosted by TUS, Thurles Campus.

The popular all island gaming competition returned after a one year hiatus, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with organisers opting to run a virtual competition this year, while once again focusing on a social issue.

This year competitors were asked to concentrate on the UN Sustainable Development Goals by designing games around the theme Positive Action to Support Climate Change.

Teams from third level colleges competed for one of the 12 coveted titles, while Year 1 students also participated in Robocode as part of Games Fleadh 2022, the final of which was held on Wednesday March 23, 2022. This was won by Carlow IT.

The TUS Games Fleadh 2022 wins included:

  • Highly Commended Programming Implementation for the game Disaster Squad.
  • Best in User Interface Design for the game Fed Up.
  • Best in Game Mechanics for the game Pixie Quest.
  • Best in Use of Physics Algorithms also for the game Pixie Quest.
  • Best in Use of Artificial Intelligence also for Disaster squad.

Following the announcement of the winners on Friday, April 1st, the President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane said the 2022 Games Fleadh had once again recognised the skills and talents of the country’s best student game developers.

“A huge congratulations must go to all competitors who continued to develop their skills amid the challenges of the pandemic, and their teachers, who supported them so that they are ready to take their place in this ever growing €148.8 billion industry. I would also like to acknowledge the support industry leaders have lent to this annual competition, which is indicative of TUS’s ethos of working with employers to ensure our students are at the cutting edge of this ever developing industry and therefore have the skill set to be work ready on graduation.”

Head of Department of Information Technology TUS, Dr Janice O’Connell reflected on how information technology and game development can support positive action on environmental and social issues.

“The Games Fleadh is a fantastic event which brings together the various dimensions of IT and how the application of IT can help solve and support positive action, with this year’s focus on Climate Action. The Games Fleadh highlights the wonderful and diverse career opportunities and is an excellent demonstration of the integration of industry, academia, students, future students, and the creativity and imagination of Games. We are very proud that all our IT programmes employ current state of the art technology, are industry led and provide a foundation for students for launching their career in future technology,” she stated.

Games Fleadh Organiser and Game Design & Development Degree Lecturer at TUS Dr Liam Noonan paid tribute to the international companies and national organisations that continue to support the event year on year.

“Without sponsors such as EA games and the support of games companies across Ireland, Games Fleadh would not be the success that it is every year. I would also like to acknowledge the support of the National Youth Council of Ireland this year, who’s focus on games for youth development mirrors Games Fleadh’s philosophy that gaming can be used for social, environmental and indeed positive culture change,” he stated.

A spokesperson for the National Youth Council of Ireland added,

“The National Youth Council of Ireland are delighted to be involved with the TUS Games Fleadh and support the games development competition. The NYCI STEAM in Youth Work engagement programme and the Global Youth Work programme run training courses, such as SDGames training courses, to support youth workers to use games in youth work. We focus on the use of games for development education in youth work and therefore particularly welcome that the Fleadh’s theme this year has been taken from the SDGs with a focus on positive action to support climate action.”

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Anna Walker To Adjudicate Co. Tipperary Open Drama Festival At Holycross, Thurles.

Ms Anna Walker

The prestigious County Tipperary Open Drama Festival returns to St Michael’s Community Theatre, in Holycross, Thurles again, after a lapse of two years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Tipperary Open Drama Festival this year will run from Friday, March 18th, to Saturday, March 26th, starting nightly at 8:30pm, [except for the final night when it begins at 8:00pm, when awards will be presented].

It is also a return to centre stage for Mr Donal Duggan, who is Holycross Festival Director once again, for this prestigious festival, which has for decades attracted Ireland’s top drama Groups, staging first class plays by some of the theatre world’s most popular authors.

Having adjudicated across the length and breadth of Ireland, and having supported and nurtured a host of travelling players, Ms Anna Walker has agreed to adjudicate at this year’s Co. Tipperary Open Drama Festival, to the delight of the organisers.
Ms Walker, has performed on stage, screen and television, having first trod the boards as an amateur actress with The Olivian Players, in Dublin, where she won a host of best acting awards.

Plays & Players.

Friday, March 18th, (Open), “The Beacon”, by Nancy Harris, (Ballycogley Players).

Saturday, March 19th, (Open), “The Door on the Left”, by Killian McGuinness, (Carrigallen D. G.).

Sunday, March 20th (Open), “Conversations on a Homecoming”, by Tom Murphy, (Kilmeen D. G.).

Monday, March 21st (Confined), “Little Gem”, by Elaine Murphy, (Kilrush D. G.).

Tuesday, March 22nd, (Open) “The Beauty Queen of Leenane”, by Martin McDonagh, (Brideview D. G.).

Wednesday, March 23rd, (Confined) “Quite Moment”, by Mick Finn, (Kilworth D. S.).

Thursday, March 24th, (Confined), “One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest”, by Dale Wassermann, (Mullingar D. G.).

Friday, March 25th (Open) “Brighton”, by Jim Nolan, (Skibbereen T. S.).

Saturday, March 26th, (Confined), “The Kings of Kilburn High Road”, by Jimmy Murphy (Camross D. G.)

Admission: €15 euro. Season Ticket: €70 euro. Concession: €12 euro.
For further informationTel: 086 2575159.

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