CARLOW STUDENTS SET FOR NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FINAL

Carlow County Council's Local Enterprise Office has announced that teenage entrepreneurs from Tullow Community School will represent County Carlow Schools at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final on Thursday, 9th May.

The students participated in the Carlow Final on Thursday, 7th March 2024, at the Woodford Dolmen Hotel, Carlow, where 100 students from 7 schools, totalling over 900 participants, engaged in the annual local program.

This enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and executed by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices across the country, involved over 28,000 students from nearly 500 secondary schools nationwide in the 2022/2023 academic year. The program supports students in creating, designing, and marketing their own businesses with the goal of reaching the National Final.

In the Senior Category, representatives from Flippin’ Catchy at Tullow Community School—Adam Cleary, Michael Ryan, Markuss Ragelis, Adam Laaraichi-Byrne, and Thomas Fitzgerald—will compete on May 9th.

For the "My Entrepreneurial Journey" category open to junior and intermediate students, Isabelle Kearney (Worm Away, Presentation De La Salle College Bagenalstown) and Maria Healy, Luke O’Connor, Ruth Brennan, and Craig Burgess (Blanket Bliss, Tullow Community School) will represent Carlow in the National Final in the Junior and Intermediate Categories, respectively.

Special guests at the County Final included Cathaoirleach Andrea Dalton, Mayor Tom O’ Neill, Coilín O'Reilly (Chief Executive), and Cllr. John Pender.

The County Final Event also included New Frontiers Graduates, Olive Maher from Preen & Niall Quirke from Suspage who engaged in a fireside chat sharing their experience in enterprise.

Carlow has a successful track record in the student enterprise competition, with two overall wins, including HUDEBA from Borris Vocational School & Rapid from Presentation College Askea. Previous National Carlow Winners also include "School of Sound" from Tullow Community School and Monarch Gymwear (Jamie Noctor, Paul Barrett, Oisin Nolan, and Andi Dascalescu), who received the Social Media Awards for their effective use of social platforms.

Clodagh Brophy’s Enterprise (St. Leo’s College) won the Most Effective Social Media Campaign Award in the senior category, and AJ Dooley of ENT-GAME from Presentation De La Salle, Bagenalstown, represented Carlow in the Intermediate Category.

Speaking at the county final, Andrea Dalton, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, congratulated the students, stating, "Your dedication and innovative spirit have not only elevated this event but also showcased the power of teamwork and ingenuity. As we look forward to a bright future, let's continue to collaborate and foster a culture of creativity within our community."

Kieran Comerford, Head of Economic Development & Enterprise with Carlow County Council, congratulated all the students, emphasizing that the Student Enterprise Awards blend ambition and innovation. Comerford expressed excitement about the talent within this generation to transform the future.

Comerford continued to say, "Empowering young minds with enterprise skills is not just an investment in their future; it's a commitment to fostering innovation, resilience, and leadership. In cultivating these skills, we not only shape the entrepreneurs of tomorrow but also build a foundation for a thriving and dynamic global society."

The local students will compete against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Student Enterprise Programme National Final, taking place in the Mullingar Park Hotel on 9th May.

Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 380,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business, and grow a business. The Student Enterprise Programme also offers a new range of online resources for 2023/2024 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, featuring regular blogs and housing a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.

Further information about the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.                                                                                                                                

For further information, please contact Local Enterprise Office Carlow Enterprise House,

O’ Brien Road,

Carlow

Tel 059 9129783

www.localenterprise.ie/carlow