Celebrating Ability, Achievement and Inclusion: 10 Years of SciFest@TCPID
The annual SciFest@TCPID (Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities) 2026 took place in Regent House, Trinity College Dublin on 28 May. It was a wonderful celebration of what can be achieved when young people are given the right support and encouragement.
TCPID is based within the Trinity College Dublin School of Education. Over the past two decades, it has evolved into a transformative force, pioneering inclusive education and advocating for equal opportunities. From its early pilot programme, the Centre has grown into a comprehensive educational institution, now offering a two-year full-time Certificate in Arts, Science and Inclusive Applied Practice.
11 students - Jack, Ava, Andrew, Alex, Aidan, Aaron, Niamh, Isobel, Alan, Makalya and Conor - took part in this year’s exhibition. For five weeks before the fair, Abbott mentors worked with the students on SciFest projects based on shared areas of interest. The projects were wonderfully varied, covering topics such as 'Rugby for All', 'Raising the BER', 'The Science of Beauty', 'How Hearing Loss Impacts Your Life' and 'The Benefits of Exercise on Your Wellbeing'.
The day was filled with joy and enthusiasm as visitors and TCPID alumni stopped to chat with the students about their work. It was inspiring to speak to the students and learn not only about their projects, but also hear about their many other talents. Niamh’s project was on 'The Technology of Archery', but the most amazing part was seeing the 15 Archery Award medals displayed on her table even though she has only been doing archery for two years. Aaron’s project looked at 'The Science Behind Table Tennis and Cognitive Performance'. His project was outstanding, but equally impressive is the fact that Aaron is a globetrotting table-tennis champion and medal winner, known as “Ice Man”.
All 11 projects were amazing.
A highlight of the day was when Dr Linda Doyle, Provost and President of Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, visited the fair to congratulate the students and wish them well. 2026 marks ten years since TCPID, Abbott and SciFest first came together to collaborate on what has become one of the highlight fairs of the SciFest calendar, SciFest@TCPID. To mark this special milestone Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO presented Marie Devitt, TCPID with a Dublin Crystal Plaque.
All in all, it was a truly wonderful day. Congratulations to Marie and to the TCPID team. Congratulations also to all the Abbott mentors, and in particular to Rachelle Waters, who organises the programme in Abbott. And of course congratulations to the students.