AILO 2018 Materials
Here you can find all AILO 2018 related materials
AILO 2018 Sample Sets
AILO 2017/2018 Preliminary Round
AILO 2017/2018 National Final
AILO 2017/ 2018 Workshop Pack
Problem Solving AILO Workshops
Over 550 students from around the island have attended ADAPT Centre Problem solving workshops in November and December 2017. The workshops took place in Antrim, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Limerick, Louth, Roscommon, Waterford and Westmeath. There is one further workshop to take place in Donegal next week.
The workshops covered problem solving strategies and prepared secondary schools students to try their hand at ADAPT’s problem solving competition the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO). A huge thank you to all our AILO tutors for travelling and running these workshops and to all the schools, LERO in the University of Limerick and NICILT in Queens University for hosting us.
Students and teachers can still sign up at http://tempailo.adaptcentre.ie/enter/ until the 19th of January 2018. The first round will take place in schools around the country on 29th January 2018. The top 100 can then qualify for the final in Dublin on 13th March 2018 with the top 4 going on to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL http://www.ioling.org/) in Prague 26-30 July 2018.
Workshops 2017/8
A list of free problem solving workshop locations and dates will be posted on our workshops page shortly. They are taking place in November and December 2017 all across the island of Ireland.
If you / your students would like to attend a workshop, please register for AILO 2017/8.
You will then receive the AILO sample sets to date along with how to book a place at a particular workshop.
Registration for AILO 2018 is now open
Registration for AILO 2018 is now open. Schools or individual students can register at www.adaptcentre.ie/ailo/enter and you can download the AILO 2018 Brochure and try Sample Puzzles.
The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) challenges secondary school students to test their minds against the world’s toughest problems in logic, language and linguistics. Students must develop their own strategies for solving complex problems in unfamiliar languages — making AILO a fabulous way to hone problem-solving and lateral-thinking skills!
All second level students from schools in Ireland, both North and South, are eligible to participate. We have Junior (under 16) and Senior (aged 16 and over) categories.
Represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad
The International Linguistics Olympiad 2018 will be held in Prague. The top four students from the individual round at the AILO final will be selected to represent Ireland at the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL 2018) from 26th to 30th July 2018 in Prague, Czech Republic. For more, see www.ioling.org
Register Now to Receive Sample Puzzles
Registration closes on 19th January 2018, but it is important to register ASAP to receive monthly sample puzzles and details of regional problem-solving workshops.
The first round will take place in your own school on 29th January 2018. The papers will be emailed out to teachers for print under exam conditions. The top 100 students from the first round will qualify to compete in the national final in Dublin in March 2018.
AILO 2017 Winners
| Year | Prize | Name | School | Notes |
| 2017 | AILO Champion | Philip Krause | Ashton Blackrock, Cork | Team 1 |
| 2nd Place | Eimear Kyle | St Finian’s College, Mullingar | Team 1 | |
| 3rd Place | Marco Stango | Newtown School Waterford | Team 1 | |
| 4th Place | Tom McAlinden | Aquinas Grammar, Belfast, Co.Antrim | Team 1 | |
| 5th Place | Padraig Sheehy | Gonzaga College SJ | Team 2 | |
| 6th Place | Tristan l’Anson-Sparks | Methodist College Belfast | Team 2 | |
| 7th Place | Cian O’Hara | Holy Family Community School, Rathcoole | Team 2 | |
| 8th Place | Daniel Quigley | Belfast Royal Academy, Belfast | Team 2 | |
| 2017 | Junior Champion | Eimear Kyle | St Finian’s College, Mullingar | 2nd Overall |
| 2nd Place | Tristan l’Anson-Sparks | Methodist College Belfast | 6th Overall | |
| 3rd Place | Laura Cosgrave | Midleton College, Cork | ||
| 4th Place | Igor Silin | Methodist College Belfast |
Dublin’s hosting of International Linguistics Olympiad 2017 comes to a close
On 4th August 2017, the efforts made by international students in the 15th International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL 2017) were celebrated at the competition’s Closing Ceremony at Dublin City University. Throughout this week-long contest, world-leading students worked both individually and in teams to decipher linguistic codes and put their problem-solving skills to the test. The event was hosted by the ADAPT Centre, and ran from the 31st July to 4th August. During this week 43 teams consisting of 172 students who previously achieved gold medals in their respective national competitions competed for the global prize.
Ireland was represented at this year’s Olympiad by two teams made up of 8 of the country’s brightest problem solvers. These students, aged 15 to 18, travelled to DCU from all corners of the island. Their previous achievements in the All-Ireland Linguistics Olympiad guaranteed these students a place in this prestigious competition. Irish contestants were as follows: Philip Krause from Ashton, Blackrock Co Cork, Eimear Kyle from St Finian’s College Mullingar Co Westmeath, Marco Stango from Newtown School Co Waterford, Tom McAlinden from Aquinas Grammar Belfast, Padraig Sheehy from Gonzaga College Co Dublin, Tristan l’Anson-Sparks from Methodist College Belfast, Cian O’Hara from Holy Family Community School Rathcoole Co Dublin, and Daniel Quigley from Belfast Royal Academy Belfast.
Winners of the individual and team contests were announced at the Closing Ceremony, held in The Helix at DCU. Taiwan’s team TaiTWO were awarded the gold medal for the team competition, with Poland’s Team Ą achieving the silver medal, and Team Slovenia receiving bronze. View the full list of IOL 2017 results
The IOL challenges students to apply logic, computational thinking and problem-solving skills to solve some of the world’s most complex problems in linguistics and language. This year’s contestants were challenged with such tasks as decoding emoji scripts presented to them in Indonesian. The IOL was a key element of ADAPT and SFI’s Problem Solving Initiative, which will culminate in a problem-solving festival open to all members of the public. This festival will be held in Trinity College Dublin on 30th September, and will involve mind-bending puzzles suitable for all ages.
View highlights from IOL 2017 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeThEGttUBU&t=26s and RTE News coverage of the Opening Ceremony here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IogK8nIKRgU&t=1s
Registration for the next season of the All-Ireland Linguistics Olympiad will open in September 2017 at www.adaptcentre.ie/ailo. Successful contestants in next year’s AILO will get the chance to compete in the next IOL, which will be held during the summer months in Prague, Czech Republic in 2018.
Irish Teens Have Home Advantage as Dublin Hosts the 2017 International Linguistics Olympiad
Today forty-four teams consisting of 176 students aged between 14-19 years, representing 29 countries, will compete in the International Linguistics Olympiad 2017 in Dublin. The International Linguistics Olympiad 2017 (IOL 2017) is being hosted by the Science Foundation Ireland-funded ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology and it will run from 31 July to 4 August in Dublin City University. Competitors will attempt over the 5 days to win a gold medal for their country and/or an individual medal for their problem solving skills.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the ADAPT Centre, Professor Vincent Wade said, “The ADAPT Centre is delighted to host the 15th International Linguistics Olympiad and to welcome over 350 people – contestants, jury members, team leaders and observers – from over 30 nations to Dublin. These top young problem solvers break boundaries as the competition tests not just linguistic skills but hones their lateral-thinking skills. The IOL inspires students to consider the fascinating range of careers that combine computing, linguistics and languages. I would like to wish Team Ireland the very best of luck this week and hope they encourage you to attend the Family Problem Solving Festival taking place in September
The IOL is an annual international competition that challenges young people to decode unfamiliar languages, many of them little-known or expired languages. It encourages students to develop their own strategies for solving problems in fascinating languages from around the globe. Students must use their ingenuity to solve puzzles such as deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics, decoding numerical spy codes, and interpreting ancient Mayan poetry. No prior knowledge of linguistics or a second language is required, as even the hardest problems require only logical ability and lateral thinking. The aim of the competition is to develop students’ problem-solving skills and to inspire them to consider the range of careers at the intersection of computing, linguistics and language.
Speaking today Dr Ruth Freeman, Director of Strategy and Communications at Science Foundation Ireland, welcomed participants saying “The IOL brings together some of the best young problem solvers and creative thinkers from across the globe. Science Foundation Ireland are delighted to welcome the competitors and their families to Dublin. Problem solving and lateral thinking are vital skills for a wide range of careers, especially in science and technology. Competitions such as the IOL allow young people to learn these skills in a fun, interactive manner, fostering the next generation of problem solvers and innovators. I wish all the competitors the best of luck and hope they will inspire other students to participate in the national competition, the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad, next year.”
Team Ireland comprises Ireland’s top eight second-level students who competed against over 4,000 students nationwide in the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) in order to qualify for the team. Team Ireland members are:
Philip Krause (17), Ashton Blackrock, Cork
Eimer Kyle (16), St. Finian’s College, Mullingar, Westmeath
Marco Stango (19), Newtown School, Waterford
Tom McAlinden (17), Aquinas Grammar, Belfast, Antrim
Padraig Sheehy (17), Gonzaga College SJ, Dublin
Tristan l’Anson-Sparks (15), Methodist College, Belfast, Antrim
Cian O’Hara (17), Holy Family Community School, Rathcoole, Dublin
Daniel Quingley (17), Belfast Royal Academy, Belfast, Antrim.
Speaking today Team Ireland member Eimer Kyle said, “The emphasis that the IOL places on logic and reasoning was certainly its selling point for me. Most of the languages we have to deal with I’ve never even heard of before so it’s really exciting trying to figure out the puzzles. I’m looking forward to cracking puzzles this week, especially in the group challenge. I know it’ll really force us to think creatively and to stretch our minds. I’m also excited to meet the many other young people from around the world who share the same passion and interest I have in problem solving.”
The IOL is an annual competition that challenges students to decode unfamiliar languages – many of them little-known or expired languages. In past years, students have worked on everything from sign language used by monks to Sanskrit poetry. They have translated Jaqaru, a language once spoken among indigenous tribes in the Andes, and Iatmül, a language with only 8,400 native speakers.
Team members are selected on the basis of their strong performances in their national contests. Last year’s IOL 2016 brought more than 180 students from 29 countries to India. There, Team Ireland participant Pádraig Sheehy secured an Honorable Mention award and he is joining the Irish team again for IOL 2017 to continue his interests in decoding and problem solving. Last year’s Irish winners also include Claire O’Connor from St. Louis High School with a Bronze Medal, and Dónal Farren from St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny with an Honourable Mention award.
Speaking about his return to the Irish team this year, Páraig Sheehy said. “I first got involved with the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad and the IOL last year when I heard about it in my school, Gonzaga College. It was recommended to me by former IOL contestant and now team leader Luke Gardiner. I quickly developed a love for this form of problem solving. I enjoyed the experience and so was eager to participate in AILO again this year, despite having a Leaving Cert to study for! I am delighted and honored to have made the Irish team again this year, especially now that we are the host nation. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with some of my friends from last year and challenging myself with some of this year’s problems, as well as getting to know my new teammates. Wish us luck!”
The competition is one of twelve International Science Olympiads. IOL is designed to challenge secondary-school children, and has been growing since 2003. Curious readers and aspiring students are encouraged to head over to problemsolving.ie, to give some of the past problems a try.
The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad and Ireland’s participation in and hosting of the International Linguistics Olympiad are key elements of the Problem-Solving Initiative. This two-year nationwide initiative, run by ADAPT and funded by Science Foundation Ireland, aims to foster a new generation of skilled problem solvers for Ireland and to prepare the future leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The initiative will culminate in a free Family Problem Solving Festival in Trinity College Dublin on the 30th September.
Mountrath Community School Team Announced as Winners of All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad Team Competition
Four secondary school students from Mountrath Community School have been announced as winners of the team competition at the All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad (AILO) final in Dublin. The team consisted of Alex Moore, Domhnall O’Farrell, Aisling Page and Christopher Carew.
The Mountrath students beat off competition from 42 other schools around Ireland to take the team trophy. The AILO competition has been run by the ADAPT Centre for Digital Content Technology since 2009 and challenges students to use their ingenuity, creativity and skill to decipher languages with examples of translations.
The AILO final saw the top 100 students out of a starting line up of over 4,000 opponents compete. Competitors are challenged to engage in ‘code-breaking’ tests to unlock information in unfamiliar languages. No prior knowledge of a second language is needed with competitors required to use logical reasoning and out-of-the-box thinking to solve the problems presented.
Speaking about the competition, Professor Vincent Wade, Director of the ADAPT Centre said: “The All Ireland Linguistics Olympiad puzzles are a mix of maths, science and humanities. The increasing popularity of the competition highlights the Irish public’s interest and appreciation for the imporance and applicability of problem-solving skills across science, the economy and society. We are looking forward to hosting and running a free, family-friendly problem-solving festival in Dublin Castle on 5th August which is open to all.”
Run by the Science Foundation Ireland funded ADAPT Centre, AILO aims to inspire the next generation of multilingual technology graduates, who possess a combination of language competency and problem-solving expertise. Participants in AILO 2017 received tuition from experts at the ADAPT Centre to assist them in how to approach the puzzles.