Athenry News & Views Spring 2026

Athenry News & Views

Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2026

This project explores how organic soil amendments — with a particular focus on compost derived from household organic waste — affect soil microbial activity when compared with commonly used organic and chemical fertilisers on Irish farms, such as slurry and chemical fertiliser. Almost all of Ireland’s agriculture, which accounts for approximately 64% of the country’s total land area, relies on soil for production. Within the agricultural sector, grassland used for pasture, silage and hay dominates land use, representing over 82% of agricultural land, with crops accounting for the remaining area. Compost contains high levels of organic matter, making it an excellent soil improver. It increases biological activity within the soil, opens pathways for water infiltration in heavy soils, improves soil structure, and allows oxygen to reach plant roots and soil microorganisms. Despite these benefits, compost is still widely viewed as a product used primarily for potting plants or garden shrubberies rather than as a viable amendment for agricultural land. Through our school’s Green Committee, we formed a partnership with our local waste management company, Barna Recycling, which has been advocating for the wider use of household brown bins. Barna Recycling provides a refuse collection service to approximately 100,000 households across Connacht. Of these households, 84,000 are equipped with brown bins. However, only 42,000 present their brown bin for collection on a fortnightly basis, with an average of 12 kg per bin per collection. Notably, 98% of Barna Recycling’s compost is delivered free of charge to local farmers. Barna Recycling has been composting our school’s organic waste, and it is this compost that has been used throughout our project. Through this scientific investigation, we aim to highlight the availability of this valuable local resource and to encourage discussion around how we can improve environmental outcomes while maintaining productivity on Irish farms. Our primary objective was to determine whether compost applied to grassland could increase the level of soil microbial activity. Microbes are a key indicator of soil health, as they are responsible for recycling nutrients and breaking down organic material into forms that crops and grass can absorb. Can household organic compost boost soil health by improving the soil microbiome?

We measured microbial respiration by capturing the amount of carbon dioxide released by soil microbes, allowing us to compare compost-treated soil with soil treated using chemical fertiliser. By demonstrating that compost can promote comparable soil respiration rates, we hope to support a shift towards systems that reduce waste sent to landfill while creating a closed-loop cycle — returning unused organic material to the land to energise soils and support sustainable food production into the future. At the Stripe Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition

“While we did not win a prize on this occasion, our project was identified as having strong potential and was recommended for entry into the Eco UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards. This recognition is encouraging, as it highlights the value and promise of the work we are doing and opens up a further opportunity for the project to gain visibility and achieve success in a more suitable context. We see this as a constructive outcome and a positive step forward. We have also decided to continue developing the project and are excited about strengthening its scientific merit as the work progresses .” Contestants: Cormac Brannelly, Kaelan Hynes and Padraig Dunne

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