Winners of inaugural Future Timber Design Awards celebrated at University of Galway
The winners of the Future Timber Design Awards ─ a new initiative by Forest Industries Ireland (FII), supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine ─ were revealed at a ceremony at the University of Galway today (19.05.26).
The Future Timber Design Awards have been developed by FII to promote sustainable and innovative timber construction and design by bridging academic learning with real-life application for undergraduate students of architecture, engineering and related courses at the University of Galway and TU Dublin.
A second awards ceremony announcing the winning projects developed by students of architecture, architectural technology, and timber technology at TU Dublin will take place on June 5th.
Congratulating the University of Galway entrants and winners, Mark McAuley, Director of Forest Industries Ireland, said: “I am heartened to see the level of innovation and enthusiasm towards modern methods of timber construction amongst our next generation of architects, engineers, manufacturing and timber processing professionals who will be leading the way. I think now more than ever we see the urgency of turning to more sustainable methods of building to address the challenges we face in our housing demand and climate goals, and we realise we can make the greatest impact by honing the skills required and learning the latest technologies and methods at an early stage.”
The students were tasked with creatively exploring the potential of timber as a primary structural and architectural material. The projects they entered needed to focus on using homegrown timber as the key structural material, keeping in mind real-world challenges or design constraints.
Presenting the awards to the students, Des O’Toole, Head of Marketing and Promotion at Coillte Forests said “The Future Timber Design Awards highlight the importance of industry and academia working together to support undergraduate learning and nurture the next generation of talent. By connecting education with real-world industry experience, we can provide students with stronger opportunities to grow and succeed. We’re also delighted that next year the awards will expand to welcome entries from other universities, broadening the reach and impact of the programme.”
The overall University of Galway winner of the Future Timber Design Awards 2026 is Diarmuid Murray, a Master of Engineering (Civil) student. Diarmuid’s design project successfully and sustainably addressed the growing need for improved onshore facilities at a local sailing club by creating comprehensive timber building designs for a clubhouse, boat shed and pavilion. The winning project also incorporated an innovative sensing system for timber elements, a biodiverse green roof and solar panels contributing to on-site renewable energy.
Commending the entrants and winners, Dr Patrick McGetrick, Associate Professor, School of Engineering at the University of Galway, said: “We’re extremely proud of Diarmuid Murray and all the winners of the very first year of these exciting awards. An astonishing level of work and effort was put in by our students to create innovative and clever designs showcasing the vast opportunities that homegrown timber-based construction offers. As a university, we worked closely with the FII to devise a competition brief that fits within our coursework aligned with timber engineering and design, as we understand the importance of creating a pipeline of future talent to address sustainability concerns in the industry.”
The Awardees at University of Galway:
The University of Galway Future Timber Design Awardees are all Master of Engineering (Civil) students as follows:
- Diarmuid Murray ─ Overall Winner and Most Innovative Structural Design.
- Caoimhe Kelleher and Seamus Connolly ─ Highly commended for sourcing and specification of homegrown timber and design.
- Kian Mahony and Ben Powell ─ Highly commended for best use of homegrown timber.
- Darragh Cloonan ─ Honourable mention for overall design.
- Jason McHugh Dolan and Bill Fitzgerald ─ Honourable mentions for best use of Irish cross laminated timber.
- Eoghan Jennings, Eoin Finnerty, Liath Lenihan, Mark McMahon and Phelim McCann ─ Honourable mentions for best 3D visuals.
The entries were judged by University of Galway lecturers and FII representatives, with the overall winner presented with a Future Timber Design trophy and €500, while various cash prizes were awarded to the runners-up.
Applicants were given 18 weeks to conceptualise and design their projects and were supported via Q&A drop-in sessions during the design phase, guest lectures on timber-led construction, and access to digital resources on sustainable timber systems.
ENDS
Contact: Maisie Lynch / Eoin Hynes, Alice Public Relations, Tel: 086-896-6298 / 087-325 6268 / 01-558-2151, Email: media@alicepr.com
Notes to Editors
Photos:
- Photos from the Forest Industries Ireland Future Timber Design Awards ceremony at the University of Galway are available on request via Alice Public Relations on the contact details above, for reproduction, free of charge.
Media Spokespersons:
The following spokespeople are available for media interview via Alice Public Relations on the contact details above:
- Mark McAuley, Director of Forest Industries Ireland.
- Dr Patrick McGetrick, Associate Professor, School of Engineering at the University of Galway.
- University of Galway Future Timber Design Awardees.
About the Future Timber Design Awards
Forest Industries Ireland, supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is piloting a new student-focused initiative ─ the Future Timber Design Awards ─ aimed at promoting sustainable construction and innovative timber design in collaboration with architectural and engineering faculties at selected universities.
About Forest Industries Ireland
Forest Industries Ireland is part of Ibec, representing and supporting a broad and diverse mix of members from across the Irish forest sector. FII advocates for sustainable growth, innovation, and investment in Ireland’s forestry sector.
