Kilkenny students heading to Croke Park Finals next Friday 3^rd May

Five teenage entrepreneurs from two local schools have won a place representing County Kilkenny at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals in Croke Park on Friday, May 3^rd. 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 3^rd, 2019 in Dublin’s Croke Park.                                                                              

In the Junior Category, the students representing County Kilkenny at the National Finals in Croke Park are: Luca Harris and Pa Gibbs from Colaiste Eamann Rís, Callan with their business “Too Hot to Handle”. They produce and sell coffee cup holders from cotton fabric which, prevent your hands from getting burned when you are holding take away tea/coffee.

In the Intermediate Category, Mark Ahern also from Colaiste Eamann Rís, will be representing the county in Croke Park. Mark has developed an innovative business G Sock Ltd – a sports sock that fits and secures a shin guard protector inside.

In the Senior Category of the competition, County Kilkenny will be represented on May 3^rd by Liam Foot and Tom Donald, students from Kilkenny College with their project Tree Ring Coasters. At the County Final the pair scooped the 1^st prize category winners of a €1,000 prize sponsored by AIB and specially commissioned Jerpoint Glass piece. They were also presented with the Innovation Award which is sponsored by Institute of Technology, Carlow as the judges were very impressed with the innovative design and the solution the product was solving for the marketplace. Tree Ring Coasters offers Customisable Wooden Beverage Coasters which are made from discarded wood and are lacquered to make them water and stain proof. The boys carried out market research and approached many potential customers and have wholesaled to retailers, hospitality venues and drinks industry businesses.

Speaking ahead of the national final, Fiona Deegan, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny wished the students well, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here and last year Kilkenny had winners in all 3 categories with Lift Arm Assist, receiving first prize in the Intermediate category in 2018. This project was developed by three students from the CBS Kilkenny Edward Daly, John O’Brien and Matthew O’Sullivan. They developed an innovative hydraulic ram that replaces the life arm stabilizer on the back of a tractor”. She added “Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck in Croke Park on May 3^rd.”

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 3^rd.

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