A Co Laois 10-year-old has become a schoolyard hero after receiving Ireland's first 3D printed hand.

Josh McKenna from Portarlington was born with just a thumb on his right hand.

His life has been transformed by a prosthetic hand printed by a team of students and staff from the Institute of Technology in Tallaght.

Josh's mother Annette said the "Terminator-style" hand is a huge hit at school.

"The first morning he wore it into school, he just walked into the classroom, gave a little wave with it and said:' Hiya lads'," she said.

"Josh is very laid-back. He just loves it, and the other kids love it in school."

10 yr old Josh McKenna has Ireland's 1st 3D printed hand. Mum Annette joins Anton with Designer Stephen Dignam pic.twitter.com/7eLHF9uQeo — Anton Savage (@AntonSavageShow) July 27, 2015

Tallaght boy Josh has become the first person in Ireland with a printed hand:http://t.co/gs9cMAejP6 pic.twitter.com/DgbjZHbBt4 — EVOKE (@EVOKE) July 27, 2015

Evoke.ie reports that doctors previously transplanted one of Josh's toes on to this hand. This gave him some additional freedom of movement, and a limited added dexterity.

His 3D-printed hand was designed by Stephen Dignam, a lecturer in IT Tallaght. Josh helped to pick out the colours, his mother Annette said.

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