Excitement was at a high in Institute of Technology Carlow as Carlow County Council’s - Local Enterprise Office confirms that winning teenage entrepreneurs from Carlow Town & Mhuine Bheag will represent the county at the National Final of Student Enterprise Programme
Three teenage entrepreneurs from two local schools have won places representing County Carlow at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals in Croke Park on Friday, May 3rd.
Every September through Local Enterprise Offices, entrepreneurial secondary school students begin their business journey as they are encouraged to research, set-up and run their own real-world businesses.
The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities, is the most successful student enterprise programme of its kind in the country. An estimated 26,000 students from 490 schools around the country begin their entrepreneurial journey every year with the help of their teachers, student enterprise co-ordinators and Local Enterprise Office.
The students were all competing at the Carlow Final on 27th March which was held at the IT Carlow. An estimated 450 students from 10 schools took part in the annual programme locally.
In the Junior Category, the student representing Carlow at the National Finals in Croke Park is Irish Keys from Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach by solo entrepreneur Sam O’Broin and in the Senior category of the competition Carlow will be represented on May 3rd by Supportingher duo from Presentation De La Salle Students Niamh Bambrick & Sarah Baldwin
Speaking at the county final, Pauline Hoctor , Senior Enterprise Development Officer of the Local Enterprise Office in Carlow County Council congratulated the students, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Carlow with over 450 students from 10 local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck in Croke Park on May 3rd.”
She continued: “What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers”.
Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Cllr. Brian O'Donoghue addressing the awards asked that “Students find their inner x-factor and outlined 10 steps for business success which should be followed for their entrepreneurial and professional life journey”.
Speaking about the importance of the awards , Kathleen Holohan , Chief Executive of Carlow County Council said “I am delighted to meet the students in IT Carlow today who have worked hard with the support of their teachers , schools and wider community to create these entrepreneurial journeys as part of this progamme and I look forward to us all supporting these students on the journey to Croke Park to represent County Carlow as fine examples of individuals who have ambition , innovation and success built into their DNA” , Holohan continued to say “awards are an important way for us to showcase the talent and achievements of entrepreneurs in the County and we believe that by running the Student Enterprise Programme we are supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs who will create jobs in our rural communities in the future”.The local students will be competing against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland in Croke Park at the Annual Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on May 3rd.
Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie
and by searching #studententerprise on social media.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Pauline Hoctor on 059-9129783 or Kieran Comerford on 086-8252037
Notes to Editor
Names of participating schools in Student Enterprise Programme
- St LEO’S College Carlow.
- St Marys Academy Carlow.
- Presentation College Carlow.
- Tyndall College Carlow.
- Gael Cholaiste Cheatharlach
- St Mary’s Knockbeg College Carlow.
- Tullow Community College
- Colaiste Eoin Hackettstown.
- Borris Vocational School.
Presentation de la Salle, Bagenalstown
Names of winning enterprises
County Carlow Student Enterprise Programme 2018/19 - Winners
Overall Senior Winner – Presentation De La Salle, Bagenalstown – Supportingher
Students – Niamh Bambrick & Sarah Baldwin
Teachers – Fergus Doyle & Ailbhe Whyte
Overall Junior Winner – Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach – Irish Keys
Student – Sam O Broin
Teacher – Catherine Hennessy
Best Business Plan – Tullow Community School – TY Ball 2019
Students - Kim Doogue, Sophie Byrne, Millie Francis, Alicia Henderson, Aoife Kearney
Teacher – Brian Larkin
Social Media Award – St. Leo’s College – Bucket Hats
Students - Riona Nolan, Lauren Walsh, Roksana Segiet, Eilis O’Neill, Elia Morist
Teachers - Mary Kyne & Claire Casey
Best Display Award - Borris Vocational School - Kates Kitchen
Student – Kate Poole
Teachers - Aileen Brennan, Sorcha Corkery, Emma Conway
Best Pitch Award - Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach – Bualadh Bos
Students – Eabha Nic Aodh Bhui, Cillian O Caomhanaigh, Jane Ni Cholmain, Sadhbh Ni Cheallaigh
Teacher - Catherine Hennessy
County Carlow Student Enterprise Programme 2018/19- School Winners/Finalist
Santa’s Little Helpers
Students - Ciara Miley, Niamh Millward, Cloda Markey, Rosie Joyce, Chloe Lyons
Teachers - Mary Kyne & Claire Casey
Matthew’s Wooden Crafts
Student – Matthew Keogh
Teacher – Tony Cleere & Barry Kavanagh
Presentation College Carlow – Daisy May Designs
Students – Jodie Dooley Slater, Emily Whelan, Heather Nolan & Chloe Whelan
Teachers – Karen Donnelly & Edel Murphy
Knockbeg Sports Gear
Students - Jake Dore, Kyle Rice, Sean Dollard
Teachers – Sinead Nolan & Philip Cody
Tyndall College – RDLS Crafts
Students - Rachel Doran, Danielle Harkin, Leah Sheehan, Saule Ausraite
Teacher - Danny Cotterill
Tullow Community School - InSync!
Students – Niamh Murphy, Conor O’Neill, Roisin Bailey, Emer Dempsey, Aoibheann Brennan
Teacher – Brian Larkin
Presentation De La Salle, Bagenalstown - Supportingher
Students – Niamh Bambrick & Sarah Baldwin
Teacher – Fergus Doyle & Ailbhe Whyte
Borris Vocational School – Book of Light
Student - Aoife Harris
Teachers - Aileen Brennan, Sorcha Corkery, Emma Conway
Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach - Irish Keys
Student – Sam O Broin
Teacher – Catherine Hennessy
Student Enterprise Awards Carlow
Image 1. Panel at Student Enterprise Awards
Image 2. Sam O’Broin, Gael Cholaiste Cheatharlach
Image 3.Back: Pauline Hoctor, Senior Enterprise Development Officer. Front: Niamh Bambrick, Sarah Baldwin; Presentation Del La Salle.
Image 4. Pauline Hoctor, Senior Enterprise Development Officer, Catherine Hennessy, Teacher in Gael Cholaiste, Sam O’Broin, Gael Cholaiste
Image 5.Front: Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Catherine Hennessy, Teacher in Gael Cholaiste, Sam O’Broin, Gael Cholaiste, Gemma Purcell, IT Carlow, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council. Back: Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council.
Image 6.Front: Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Tullow CS: Kim Doogue, Sophie Byrne, Millie Francis, Alicia Henderson, Aoife Kearney, Gemma Purcell, IT Carlow. Back: Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council.
Image 7.Front: Sam O’Broin, Gael Cholaiste Cheatharlach. Back: Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council, Gemma Purcell, IT Carlow, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council.
Image 8. Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council, Aoife Harris, Borris Vocational School.
Image 9.Front: Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Niamh Bambrick, Sarah Baldwin; Presentation Del La Salle, Gemma Purcell, IT Carlow, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council. Back: Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council
Image 10.Front: Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Tullow CS, Naimh Murphy, Conor O’Neill, Roisin Bailey, Emer Dempsey, Aoibheann Brennan. Back: Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council.
Image 11. Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council, Danny Cotterill, Tyndall College Teacher, Gemma Purcell, IT Carlow, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council.
Image 12. Back: Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council. Front: Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Sean Dollard, Jake Dore, Kyle Rice, St Mary’s Knockbeg College, Gemma Purcell, IT Carlow.
Image 14. Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council, Matthew Keogh, St Marys Acadamy CBS Carlow, Gemma Purcell, IT Carlow, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council.
Image 15.Back: Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive Carlow County Council, Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council, Gemma Purcell, IT Carlow, Kieran Comerford, Head of Enterprise Carlow County Council. Front: St LEO’s College Carlow, Ciara Miley, Niamh Millward, Cloda Markey, Rosie Joyce, Chloe Lyons.
Image 16. St LEO’s College Carlow, Mary Kyne, Brian O’Donoghue, Cathaoirleach Carlow County Council.
Image 17. Pauline Hoctor, Senior Enterprise Development Officer.
About the Student Enterprise Programme (studententerprise.ie)
The Student Enterprise Programme is co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and involves over 26,000 students from 490 secondary schools every year. It runs from September to May and the 2018/2019 National Final takes place on Friday, May 3rd, 2019 in Dublin’s Croke Park.
#studententerprise / @StudentEntProg
The Local Enterprise Offices are co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020
