Fingal schools to compete at Student Enterprise Awards National Final
From left to right: Mark Prendergast (lead guitar), Steve Garrigan (lead singer), Kate Bryans (age 15) of Coolmine Community College in Fingal, Jason Boland (bass guitar) and Vinny May (drums). Photo Credit: Joe Keogh
Kodaline, who are currently on their UK and European Tour, took time out of their busy schedule to help the Fingal Local Enterprise Office announce details for the Student Enterprise Awards National Finals, which take place in Croke Park on April 22nd.
Co-ordinated locally by the Fingal Local Enterprise Office, the competition is the most successful student enterprise programme of its kind and two members of Kodaline, the lead singer, Steve Garrigan, and lead guitarist, Mark Prendergast, set up their own enterprise ten years ago selling music lessons.
Three members of Kodaline, who released ‘Coming Up for Air’ (Sony Music Ireland) last month, also performed at the 2007 Student Enterprise Awards National Finals, when they were previously known as ‘21 Demands’. The Swords band members actually started their career when they participated in the Fingal Student Enterprise Awards.
Steve Garrigan (lead vocals) and Mark Prendergast (guitar) both went to Cólaiste Choilm C.B.S. in Swords and Vinny May (drums) went to Portmarnock Community School. Both schools take part in the Fingal Student Enterprise Awards Programme every year.
Garrigan, said: “Selling music classes at our secondary school taught us important lessons about the world of business at an early age. No matter what career you follow, a good understanding of how business works will definitely help you.”
Thanking Kodaline for their support of student entrepreneurship, Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Enterprise with Fingal County Council, said: “Both Coláiste Choilm in Swords and Portmarnock Community School have a very strong tradition of supporting student entrepreneurship in the classroom and both schools have proudly represented the Fingal region at the National Finals of the Student Enterprise Awards. As past pupils of participating schools, we are very grateful to Kodaline for helping us to promote entrepreneurship to a whole new generation of students.”
Over 300 finalists from all over the country will set-up enterprise exhibition displays at the National Finals in Croke Park on April 22nd before taking part in a series of judging interviews. Fingal will be represented at the National Finals by student enterprises from Sutton Park School, Santa Sabina Dominican College and Skerries Community College.
Further information around April’s National Finals is available from www.localenterprise.ie/Fingal or by searching #studententerprise on social media.
After their current tour, Kodaline are set to perform at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin on June 26th. Tickets for both shows are on sale from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and from www.ticketmaster.ie.
Event Information: Student Enterprise Awards (National Finals)
Co-ordinated by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices across the country, the Student Enterprise Awards are now in their 13th year. The official website address for the programme is www.studententerprise.ie
An estimated 17,000 secondary school students from 380 schools take part in the programme every year and every county is represented.
As part of its remit, the Local Enterprise Offices aim to foster an enterprise culture among students in Ireland. Students usually qualify for the National Final through their School or County Final, through their Local Enterprise Office.
