Do You Remember the great Volvo Ocean Race festival of 2012?

 

 

What a magnificent game changing event the Volvo Ocean Race Festival of 2012 was for Galway. The whole city and county came together like never before to make it a true all-stakeholders collaboration. Schools, colleges, small businesses, corporations, science educational centres, research institutes, artisans, horticulturalists, the council, the state sector, the voluntary groups, the environmentalists, the crafts people, the artisans, the digital makers, the arts- there was a place for everyone to contribute. The docks were transformed from being a quiet quarter largely unknown to most Galwegians, into a vibrant lively bustling hub. A tent city sprung up near the Claddagh seashore. I was lucky enough to be part of the team that included Liam Ferrie, Tom Frawley, Frank McCurry and my dearly departed and much missed friend Chris Coughlan that took over one of these large tents in order to introduce the Computer and Communications Museum of Ireland and Coderdojo Galway to the world!

 

My youngest son Daíre (see photo) was, along with so many of other children of Scoil San Phroinsias, involved in knitting a beautiful giant multi-coloured sail that covered the metal Claddagh Hooker boat sculpture at Eyre Square- It was one of the most memorable symbols of that year and of that festival.

Computer Museum Proves a Big Hit at Volvo Ocean Race Festival Galway

Over the last few days as the rainstorms have abated, huge crowds have started to visit the Computer & Communications Museum of Ireland at the Volvo Ocean Race Festival Galway.
The facility was transferred from its normal residency at DERI in NUI Galway to the Global Village at Southpark Claddagh for the duration of the Race Festival and it has really started to become a big popular hit.
Exhibits include the Marconi Radio show with its 'Morse Code in action' organised by Frank McCurry; the Star Trek 'fun face' stand where people are lining up to get their photos taken as Lieutenant Uhura & Dr. Spock; the Retro Games section where parents and their sons and daughters enjoy together the great classics of Pacman, Space Invaders, Sonic the Hedgehog etc on Ataris, Nintendos, Amigas... 
Just as successful has been the interactive engineering workshops. 
For 2pm-4pm, it is 'K'NEX modelling for kids' facilitated by 12 year old Daire Smith.
 For 4pm-6pm, the Coderdojo workshop is staffed by youngsters teaching other children how to code in HTML & Scratch. 
Then from 6pm until 8pm, the enthusiasts from 091Labs show people of all ages how to solder, print in 3D & repair electronic equipment.
These participants are displaying the enthusiasm, creativity and skillsets needed to become the engineers of the future.