Award-winning 16-year-old entrepreneur Alanna McCabe is buzzing ahead of the National Ploughing Championships.
Alanna’s invention ‘Fence De-Fence’ took first place in the Student class at this year’s Tullamore Show Inventions Competition.
The mechanism is no bigger than a standard bottle opener.
A groove at one end of the key-ring device allows the user to push down or hook up an electric fence, without getting shocked, saving time and improving safety.
Alanna believes Fence De-Fence will be a huge hit within the farming community as well as those involved with horses, gun clubs, hillwalking, farm contractors or anyone who regularly crosses lands cordoned off by electric fences.
Fence De-Fence won the approval of the judges at the Enterprise Ireland virtual Innovation Arena in 2020.
The then 14-year-old was crowned the youngest ever winner of the Young Innovator of the Year Award.
An incident on the family farm in Mountnugent in Cavan sparked her inspiration.
Alanna worked with her father, Derek, a civil engineer with a strong interest in suckler farming to develop various prototypes and bring them to market. “I was out farming with my dad and he was crossing a fence and tried to jump it.
“He fell over and was lucky he didn’t hurt himself.
“I decided there and then that there should be an easier way to cross an electric fence and I came up with the idea,” Alanna explains.
“I developed several prototypes. We progressed onto a 3D printed model before settling on a laser-cut, acrylic product.
“We can also personalise them and make them out of wood.
“We get everything manufactured locally.”
As part of winning the Young Innovator Award, Alanna has received exhibition space in the Innovation Arena at this year’s National Ploughing Championships.
“I will be selling Fence De-Fence at our stand.
“Going forward I am open to partnering with electric fence and merchandising companies and hopefully down the line I will also look at the export market for Fence De-Fence.
“I am confident that it has global appeal.”
Derek McCabe, a Nuffield Ireland scholar, said: “Alanna already has her thinking cap on and she’s working on add-ons.
“She is also preparing to go back to school and begin fifth year in St Oliver’s Secondary School in Oldcastle, Co Meath.”
Anthony Bergin from Roscrea with his Handy Coat Hanger and Helper
A little further along the inventor age scale, 92-year-old Anthony Bergin has been focusing on making life easier for those with reduced mobility.
The Tipperary man took first and second place in the Inventions in Home Leisure and Building section at Tullamore.
His invention, the ‘Coat Hanger Plus Helper’ helps older people dress themselves independently.
He describes the inventing process as a ‘disease’.
“Once I get an idea it nags at me until I get to a stage where I can say it’s alright to work, and then I go on to the next one,” Anthony says.
The ‘Coat Hanger Plus Helper’ consists of a series of pulleys and levers which allows the operator to put on their jacket without having the usual range of motion required.
“This invention came about as a result of necessity,” Anthony continued.
“I have difficulty in raising my shoulders so I came up with this pulley system to make putting on my coat easier.”
A version of Anthony’s second invention, the ‘Sock On, Sock Off’ won the section in 2019, and his updated model took second place this time.
“I added a walking stick which helps the user pick up their socks and shoes.
“Again it’s for older people and those with limited mobility,” Anthony says.
“I enter these competitions in order to get my ideas out there but it’s nice to win a prize.
“I’m not interested in earning money for my inventions.
“I just want to share the devices which make my life easier. I make small batches for others who may need them.
“I’ve been entering the inventions competition for the past 25 years and inventing is in my bones.”
Anthony said he hopes that his inventions have helped to remove pain and hardship from other elderly people’s day to day lives.
“I’m full of spare parts, and they’re not all working right so old age brings a lot of problems.
“I’d go through the process of making nine or ten items before I’d get to the end part that I’d be satisfied with.”
Anthony added: “I’m thankful to have been let live until 92 and hopefully, maybe, I might be able to reach Tullamore next year with another idea which I have in the brain.”
