Step into a reimagined Dublin of 1916 using innovative technologies

While the concept of virtual reality (VR) has been around for a long time, its application in museums, historical websites and heritage sites have yet to be fully explored. Since 2013 in particular, VR solutions have become much more affordable to the average consumer. Oculus and Google Cardboard, along with accessible technologies, software and hardware like Jump, Giroptic and the Cardboard Camera app, offer the potential to fully realise the potential of VR in the way that smartphones ...

Twenty years of the M4 Motorway: construction challenges and economic benefits

Author: Paul MacDonald MIEI, CEng, executive engineer/training officer, Kildare National Roads Office The M4 Leixlip-Maynooth-Kilcock Motorway Scheme is the primary road linking Dublin to the west and northwest of Ireland. It is located in the north of Co Kildare, running in parallel with the Royal Canal. The M4 Leixlip-Maynooth-Kilcock Motorway Scheme was proposed in the Road Development Plan for the 1980s (1979) and the Policy and Planning Framework for Roads (1985). The need for the ...

Retired Fingal engineer back in action helping Syrian refugees displaced by war

A retired Fingal County Council engineer and veteran humanitarian is back in the field with aid agency Concern, helping some of the millions of people displaced by war. PJ Howell, who will be 63 in May and who retired from the local authority in 2013 after 30 years of service, is using his engineering skills and experience to provide clean drinking water to thousands of Syrian refugees living in Lebanon. “I was asked if I would be available to help and I said ‘yes’, because this is the ...

Development of Ireland's largest water treatment plant facilitates future growth for the Dublin region

Author: Grellan McGrath CEng, director RPS From the shore of Blessington reservoir on the Wicklow/Kildare border, the Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant currently supplies an average of 300 million litres per day (MLD) of treated water to consumers in Dublin City, Dun-Laoghaire, south Dublin and part of Kildare. The plant was originally conceived in 1936 under the Liffey Reservoir Act, which facilitated the construction of a 166 million cubic meter impounding reservoir on the ...

Four options proposed for Liffey Corridor cycle route

Author: Joe Seymour, BEng MEngSc CEng FIEI FCIHT, director of transportation, AECOM Dublin, like many cities around the world, has seen a significant upsurge in cycling in recent years. This increase is a result of many things, in particular an increasing positive attitude towards cycling as a more environmentally responsible and healthy way to travel. The growth of cycling in Dublin has been particularly impressive, with volumes now over 100% higher than ten years ago and annual ...

Continental visions – engineering infrastructure in Latin America

Author: Paul MacDonald, CEng MIEI, executive engineer/training officer, Kildare County Council National Roads Office Latin America is a key emerging region in the global economy based on its agricultural, industrial and chemical sectors. However, it has large infrastructure needs arising from the rapid urbanisation levels it currently experiences today. At the recent FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers) Annual Conference in Rio De Janeiro, Nestor Roa of the ...

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Our committees arrange and host technical presentations, discussions, debate and social events in our regions and represent the group at liaison committee. If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please contact our Sector Support team at sectorsupport@engineersireland.ie. You must be logged into the website to display the current committee members below.