Heavy vehicle technicians celebrate success at WorldSkills Ireland 2025
More than 30,000 students from over 300 schools across the country came together at the RDS Simmonscourt for WorldSkills Ireland 2025, Ireland’s largest skills and apprenticeship showcase.
Over three days, young people got to experience first-hand the wide range of skills, trades, and career opportunities now on offer.
The event gave students the chance to meet employers, try out different skills, hear from apprentices already working in their industries, and see the latest technologies in action.
Celebrating excellence within the industry, a highlight was the National Competition Finals, where 180 competitors took part in 35 different skills finals, including automotive.
The Automobile & Heavy Vehicle Technology competitions, supported by SIMI, and competition sponsors Volkswagen Group Ireland and Bus Éireann/ Dublin Bus, were a hotbed of talent.
The Heavy Vehicle Maintenance category was contested by six skilled individuals from across Ireland – Jack Herbert, Stephen Murnane, Darragh Rae Quilligan, Seamus Houlihan, Cathal Doherty, and Eoin Casey – all of whom represent the pipeline of highly trained apprentices and students who will soon be on the front line of automotive and innovation.
The Heavy Vehicle Maintenance competition was ultimately won by Co. Cork native, Stephen Murnane, who, according to chief examiner Philip Cleary, demonstrated exceptional ability and composure throughout the competition.
“Each competitor gave it their all..the future of the trade is in very safe hands,” said Cleary, who is also an assistant lecturer at TU Dublin.
Cleary said that TG4 stopped by to follow Cathal Doherty’s progress as an Irish speaker competing at the highest level.
Minister James Lawless, representatives from the Department of Higher Education, and Dublin Bus CEO Billy Hann, also dropped in to see the competition in action, in what Cleary described as “a real boost for both the competitors and the trade”.
Over in the Automobile Technology competition, Kalem Redmond from Co. Galway emerged victorious while Michael Dempsey from Co. Kildare took the title of Construction Plant Fitting.
The Competition Explained
Heavy vehicle maintenance is a specialised trade focused on repairing and servicing large stationary and mobile machines, as well as industrial equipment used in transportation, mining, agriculture, and forestry.
Technicians in this field apply mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical expertise to diagnose faults, carry out repairs, and ensure machinery operates safely, efficiently, and reliably.
Working with heavy-duty equipment requires precision, technical knowledge, and the ability to meet demanding performance standards while minimising downtime and costs in challenging industrial environments.
