The Southern Regional College student works for Fynewood Furniture and was the Joint Gold medal winner in the Joinery category. However, the judges praised Richard’s decision last year to withdraw from the selection process for Team UK in order to perfect his skills – a decision that clearly paid off with his Gold medal success this time around.
Richard’s Gold medal was one of six for the host college, Southern Regional College, and the only joint award. The Joinery category was clearly most difficult to judge, with Richard sharing Gold with South West College’s Kyle Weir, who works for McAleer & Teague, and the Bronze medal going to North West Regional College’s Aaron Simpson, an employee of AC Stairs.
The Painting and Decorating category saw the only success for a female apprentice, with Megan Keys winning a Bronze medal. Megan is a student at South West College and an employee of David Phair. The Gold and Silver medals in this section were won by two SRC students – Conor McClelland, an employee of Martin McClelland, and Jordan Hughes, who works for Leo Connell.
Both the Plumbing Pipework and Wall and Floor Tiling categories were clean sweeps for SRC. In plumbing, apprentices Nathan Dodds (who works for S Todd Plumbing), won Gold with Shane Murray (Michael McGinn Mechanical Services Contractors) and Jacob Reid (NW Plumbing & Heating) taking silver and bronze respectively. In the tiling section, the Gold medal went to SM Elite Tiling employee Daniel McBurney with Cathan Murphy (Global Tiles) and Cathal Murphy winning Silver and Bronze respectively.
South West College (SWC) won all the medals in the Electrical Installation category, while South Eastern Regional College (SERC) had a clean sweep in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning section.
Piaras McErlean of TAS Controls won Gold in the electrical section, Declan Goulding (Seamus Donnelly Electrical) took the Silver medal and David McHugh (GR White & Son) the Bronze.
Gary McGaughey, who works for Harry Dunlop Refrigeration, won the Gold medal in refrigeration with Curtis Johnston (Cross Refrigeration) winning Silver and Jack Ferris (Montgomery Refrigeration) Bronze.
SRC’s Thomas Fegan won the Brickwork Gold medal, with the Silver and Bronze medals going to Northern Regional College’s Andrew McSorey, an employee of Robert McSorley, and
Cameron Waring, who works for Martin & Hamilton.
SRC’s Tommy Helliwell (Terry Design) and Michael Hughes (Johnston Construction) won Gold and Bronze respectively in the Cabinet Making category with SWC’s Edward Allan (Wet Wood Marina) winning the Bronze.
In the Carpentry category, it was a Gold and Silver for South West College, with success for James Beacom (employed by Gordon Beacom) and Gary Gray (employed by McWilliams Joinery) respectively. Patrick McCloskey of NRC and an employee of Dan Mullan, won Bronze.
SWC’s Dermot Kirk and Curtis Howe, who both work for Errigal, won Gold and Bronze respectively in the Plastering and Dry Wall Systems section with Curtis Johston, of SERC and an employee of SB Plastering, winning Bronze.
WINNERS
OVERALL APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR
Richard Shannon, Southern Regional College
THE SKILLBUILD NI CHAIRPERSON’S CUP
Southern Regional College
SKILLBUILD NI DEPARTMENT FOR THE ECONOMY
Southern Regional College
SKILLBUILD NI COOPER TROPHY
Southern Regional College
HUGH GETTINBY MEMORIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING
Paddy Maguire, Southern Regional College
BRICKWORK
Gold Thomas Fegan SRC
Silver Andrew McSorley NRC
Bronze Cameron Waring NRC
CABINET MAKING
Gold Tommy Helliwell SRC
Silver Edward Allan SWC
Bronze Michael Hughes SRC
CARPENTRY
Gold James Beacom SWC
Silver Gary Gray SWC
Bronze Patrick McCloskey NRC
ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION
Gold Piaras McErlean SWC
Silver Declan Goulding SWC
Bronze David McHugh SWC
JOINERY
Joint Gold Richard Shannon SRC
Joint Gold Kyle Weir SWC
Bronze Aaron Simpson NWRC
PAINTING & DECORATING
Gold Conor McClelland SRC
Silver Jordan Hughes SRC
Bronze Megan Keys SWC
PLASTERING & DRY WALL SYSTEMS
Gold Dermot Kirk SWC
Silver Curtis Johnston SERC
Bronze Curtis Howe SWC
PLUMBING PIPEWORK
Gold Nathan Dodds SRC
Silver Shane Murray SRC
Bronze Jacob Reid SRC
REFRIGERATION & AIR CONDITIONING
Gold Gary McGaughey SERC
Silver Curtis Johnston SERC
Bronze Jack Ferris SERC
WALL & FLOOR TILING
Gold Sean McLoughlin SRC
Silver Daniel McBurney SRC
Bronze Cathal Murphy SRC
