Athboy CS past pupil honoured at national awards ceremony

Congratulations have been extended to past pupil Ronan Potterton, Class of 2015, who was recently honoured at the Ireland Section of the International Society of Automation (ISA) awards ceremony, hosted by South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow.

Ronan received an apprenticeship award in recognition of his notable academic and practical achievements in instrumentation.

The ceremony, held on 21 January 2026, marked the first time SETU hosted the annual ISA honours and awards event.

The awards celebrate excellence in automation, instrumentation, control systems and industrial digitalisation across education and industry in Ireland. Ronan, a SETU apprenticeship graduate, received the ISA Craft Apprenticeship Award after showcasing his skills in instrumentation and automation as a final-year apprentice.

Speaking about his journey, Ronan said that after leaving school he initially completed a carpentry apprenticeship, which helped him identify the direction he wanted to take in his career.

This led him to pursue an Electrical and Instrumentation apprenticeship, a decision he described as “incredibly rewarding”.

“Through my apprenticeship, I’ve been very lucky to see all aspects of the trade, especially with my current employer Ellab,” he said. “At Ellab, I gained hands-on experience in instrumentation and calibrations across a wide range of industries, from food production to pharmaceuticals.

The mix of practical work and the support of my colleagues has been invaluable, and I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve had along the way.”

Staff and students at Athboy Community School have congratulated Ronan on his achievement and wished him and his family every success. All at Athboy CS wish Ronan continued success in his future career.