Local Enterprise Office Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown client - Joan Broderick of Pathways.ie - is set to make her National Ploughing Championships’ debut at the Local Enterprise Village from 15th – 17th September

A new education support service called Pathways.ie that helps students and parents with the transition from school to further and higher education, will be showcased to almost 300,000 people at the National Ploughing Championships as part of the Local Enterprise Village.

Founded by Joan Broderick (pictured below) in 2025, the Dundrum start-up offers in-person talks, webinars, parent and student workshops, family sessions and practical transition resources. Broderick, a former college health nurse, school nurse and Access to Education Co-ordinator, brings over 30 years’ experience to the business.

The Local Enterprise Village, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, will house 31 small businesses including Pathways.ie, and will be located at the heart of this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Offaly from the 15th to 17th September. 

This year, the Local Enterprise Village will also have a Business Advice Hub for any budding entrepreneurs or existing businesses who want to get advice from the Local Enterprise Offices’ Specialist Business Advisors. It will again host the Google AI team. Their experts will have an interactive area focused making AI work for small businesses.  Enterprise Europe Network will also be based in the Village for the first time, giving advice to businesses who want to begin looking at new markets across the European Union.  

To help the team at Pathways.ie prepare for their National Ploughing Championships’ debut, Local Enterprise Office Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown also assigned a business mentor to work alongside the founder. Head of Enterprise with LEO Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Lisa Brown, said: “Up to 300,000 visitors are expected at the National Ploughing Championships, including thousands of students, parents and teachers. We recognised that the Local Enterprise Village was an ideal platform for Pathways.ie to launch their education support service, sign-up new clients and grow their business nationally, so we are very happy to support the business through this initiative.”

Joan Broderick of Pathways.ie said: “I’m looking forward to bringing Pathways.ie to the National Ploughing Championships and meeting senior-cycle students, parents and guardians, as well as schools, youth groups and organisations supporting young people and families. September is an important time for those preparing for or beginning college and further education. Pathways.ie focuses on the practical side of that transition—helping students and families understand what to expect, where support is available and what to do when difficulties arise, so students can start strong and stay on track.”

The Local Enterprise Village will showcase the very best of Irish entrepreneurship and will house businesses across all sectors from clothing, craft and artisanal food to bovine genetics, educational services and woodwork machinery.

Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, said: “The Local Enterprise Village is such a valuable part of the Ploughing, giving small Irish businesses from across the country the opportunity to showcase what they do to the huge crowds that attend each year. We are delighted to welcome the 31 businesses selected this year and it’s great to see them have the opportunity to reach new customers and showcase their products and services to such a large audience.”

About Pathways.ie

Pathways.ie – College Life Made Easier – Local Enterprise Office Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown         

Pathways.ie is an Irish education-support service helping parents and students navigate the transition from the Leaving Certificate into further and higher education. Through talks, webinars and one-to-one guidance, it provides practical support on the realities of starting college and works with schools, communities and families nationwide. Website: www.pathways.ie