News
DCU student from Lissivigeen helps develop Ireland’s first solar-powered racing car
The unveiling event took place at the Stokes Building on DCU’s Glasnevin campus, where supporters, alumni, and staff from the university’s five faculties gathered to celebrate the team’s success.
DCU Solar Racing has proudly unveiled Ireland’s first-ever solar-powered racing car, designed and built by an interdisciplinary team of students from Dublin City University (DCU). Among them is Killarney student Rian Gill, the son of Joan and Pat, who played a pivotal role as a systems engineer and head of manufacturing for the project.
Rian's responsibilities included overseeing the development of the car and coordinating project tasks to ensure the 30-member student team worked efficiently.
Speaking to the Killarney Advertiser this week, the third-year engineering student shared: “As the head of manufacturing, I acted like an operations manager. My job was to lead the manufacturing team and ensure we operated as efficiently as possible. It has been an incredible experience so far. The team consists entirely of students, so to have developed a full-scale prototype that is now ready for production is a huge achievement for everyone involved.”
This accomplishment represents a significant milestone in the team's preparations for the prestigious Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in 2025. The solar-powered car will face the ultimate test in a 3,000-kilometre race across the Australian outback.
The unveiling event took place at the Stokes Building on DCU’s Glasnevin campus, where supporters, alumni, and staff from the university’s five faculties gathered to celebrate the team’s success. Attendees heard from the students involved in the design and construction of the solar car, as well as from the team members who will drive it in the grueling race from Darwin to Adelaide.
“The next step is to fully manufacture the car by April, so we can ship it to Australia in August, in time for the event,” Rian explained. “The race itself will pose its own challenges, especially with the intense heat. There won’t be any air-conditioning, as it would add too much weight, so nine of us from the project will take turns driving the car over the distance. I’m hoping to be one of them. The car’s interior could reach temperatures of up to 47 degrees Celsius, so it will be tough, but I’m sure it will be an amazing experience.” The former St. Brendan’s College student added.
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is one of the world’s most demanding innovation and engineering competitions, focusing on green technology, energy efficiency, and sustainable mobility. It serves as a platform for some of the brightest young minds globally to tackle the urgent need for sustainable transport solutions. The race features three distinct classes, each representing different design philosophies and the diversity of energy-efficient vehicles in today’s market.
The students have already raised over €125,000 to support the development of the car and they are very much open to talking to other businesses who might be interested in supporting the project. For more information you can email info@solarracing.ie
Frustration mounts over morning gridlock at Coolcorcoran
Mounting traffic gridlock at the Coolcorcoran junction onto the N22 Killarney Bypass is causing daily delays for commuters, with local motorists calling on Killarney Municipal District and elected representatives to take immediate action.
Early morning traffic coming from the Tralee side has become severely backed up past BG Motors during the peak 8.15am commute.
Motorists attempting to enter the bypass from the Coolcorcoran side face long queues and increasing frustration as they struggle to join the main road.
Local drivers point to a specific design issue at the exit, where a raised kerb and a section of unused footpath prevent left-turning vehicles from merging smoothly into the traffic flow.
Road users are requesting a simple layout modification to resolve the bottleneck: converting the exit to left-turn only, removing the kerb obstruction, and directing driver traffic to loop via a U-turn at the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre roundabout. Similar left-turn measures were previously implemented at the nearby Lewis Road junction to improve safety and traffic flow.
The request comes as broader plans for the N22 bypass upgrade and new link road infrastructure remain under progression by Kerry County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
Motorists wishing to share their views on local road issues can email info@killarneyadvertiser.ie.
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