Local Enterprise Office Offaly have announced that winning teenager entrepreneurs from Banagher College, Tullamore College and Gallen Community School will represent Offaly at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals in Croke Park on the 1st May.
The students all took part in the Offaly Final on 5th March, which was held at the Tullamore Court Hotel. An estimated 450 students from 10 schools took part in the annual programme locally.
The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country, saw 25,000 students from over 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2018 / 2019. The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Finals in Croke Park.
This year’s Programme included a new pilot competition across the Junior and Intermediate categories. The “My Entrepreneurial Journey” pilot required students to map out the life of an entrepreneur and what is required.
In the Senior Category of the competition, Offaly will be represented on May 1st by Cathal Flannery from Clononey Crafts, Banagher College. Cathal produces a range of crafted wooden items including lamps, pens and bowls.
In the Intermediate Category, Santa’s Reindeers from Tullamore College will represent the county. The business is run by 3rd year student Anthony Gorman who makes handcrafted wooden reindeers.
In the Junior Category, the students representing Offaly at the National Finals in Croke Park are: Oisin Kennedy, Ryan Keenaghan, Iris Samonte and Rachel Doorley from Cluny Sustainable Crafts in Gallen Community School. They produce flower arrangements using upcycled jars.
In the new “My Entrepreneurial Journey” competition, Daniel Scally from Tullamore College won the Junior category while the Intermediate category, Sophie Moore of Oaklands Community College came out on top.
As well as sharing the prize fund of almost €3,000, the winner of the Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories in the Student Enterprise and Mini-Business competition received a specially commissioned trophy designed by Ross Hathaway of Metal Meyham, and every student received a certificate to mark their participation in the competition.
This year, the students themselves had an opportunity to vote for their favourite project. The “Student Award” ended up as a tie and therefore went to “The Dosing Rail” from Banagher College owned by Jessica Kenny, and The Infinity Candle from Killina Presentation Secondary School both received €50 each.
A special teachers’ prize draw was held and gift vouchers went to Michelle Griffin of Tullamore College and Katie Murray of Ard Scoil Chiarain Naofa, Clara.
Offaly has a very successful track record in the Student Enterprise competition. Recent awards won at the National Final include Overall Winner in 2018 with Manus Heenan’s “Abbey Bread” from Cistercian College. Offaly also won the Junior Runner Up prize in 2018 with Joanne Cushen’s “Gnó-Jó!” from Colaiste Naomh Cormac.
Speaking at the final, Mr Peter Ormond, Cathaoirleach Offaly County Council, commended the students for their efforts. He also thanked their teachers and parents for their support. “It’s a great opportunity for you (the students) to develop your business skills. Hopefully many of you will go on to set up your own businesses in the future and avail of the services of the Local Enterprise Office, which is now an integral part of the County Council.” he commented.
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 1st.
Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.
Photos from the event can be viewed on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/LEOOffaly
Offaly Student Enterprise Programme County Final 2020 - Winners Listing
STUDENT ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME
Senior Category
Placing | School | Teacher | Business Name | Description | Students |
Winner | Banagher College | Gillian Dewane | Clononey Crafts | Crafted Wooden Items including lamps, pens & bowls | Cathal Flannery |
Runner Up | Tullamore College | Michelle Griffin | RAR Designs | Books that raise awareness about topical issues | Rebecca Gannon Aimee Gleeson Rebecca O’Connor |
3rd | Colaiste Choilm | Colm Cassidy | Ballinagar Birdhouses | Wooden Birdhouses | Diarmuid Finneran Sean Ratigan |
“Ones to Watch” Award | St Brendan’s Community School | John McIntyre | Price Cost Buy | Buying and selling online | Sam Morris Daragh Morris |
Social Entrepreneurship Award | Killina Presentation Secondary School | Tracey Nolan | Killina Fights Against Cancer | Wristbands | Mark Leonard Jack Brickland Joshua Keating |
Health & Wellbeing Award | Tullamore College | Michelle Griffin | Páisti ar Dtús | Children’s Book Company | Aideen Molloy Ella Kennedy Aibhe Galvin |
Best Display Award | Ard Scoil Chiaráin Naofa, Clara | Katie Murray | Jem Scrunchies | Handmade Hair Scrunchies | Jemma McGuinness |
Students Prize & Merit Award | Banagher College | Gillian Dewane | The Dosing Rail | A device to assist farmers when dosing cattle | Jessica Kenny |
Students Prize & Merit Award | Killina Presentation Secondary School | Tracey Nolan | The Infinity Candle | Everlasting candle | Tom Doyle John Spollen Sean Darcy Charlie Mitchell Dara Rosney |
Merit | Tullamore College | Michelle Griffin | Coco, Crepes and Cakes | Baking company with unique cupcakes | Ava Dempsey Shakira Darby Dubhán Goulding |
Merit | Ard Scoil Chiaráin Naofa, Clara | Anne Maria Guinan | EZ Pack | Strap on ice/heat pack cover | Hannah Cronin Shauna Fitzgerald Niamh Phelan |
Merit | Ard Scoil Chiaráin Naofa, Clara | Anne Maria Guinan | Pro Solutions | Glow in the Dark Light Switch Covers | Cian Fleming Alex Fleming Jamie Phelan |
Merit | Gallen Community School | Marilyn McDonagh | Eco Crafts | Christmas ornaments from recycled material | Aimee McKenna Emma Cahill |
Merit | Gallen Community School | Marilyn McDonagh | Rent a Tent | Festival Tent Rental Company | Molly Flynn Eoin Lally |
Merit | Killina Presentation Secondary School | Tracey Nolan | Kkakes | Homemade Muffins | Adrian Costello Adam Tyrrell Peter Reynolds |
Merit | St Brendan’s Community School | John McIntyre | Laoch | Science based grip | Edel Daly |
Intermediate Category
Placing | School | Teacher | Business Name | Description | Students |
Winner | Tullamore College | Michelle Griffin | Santa’s Raindeers | Handcrafted wooden reindeers | Anthony Gorman |
Junior Category
Placing | School | Teacher | Business Name | Description | Students |
Winner | Gallen Community School | Eleanor McDermott | Cluny Sustainable Crafts | Flower Arrangements using upcycled jars | Oisin Kennedy Ryan Keenaghan Iris Samonte Rachel Doorley |
MY ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY
Junior Category
Placing | School | Teacher | Business Name | Description | Students |
Winner | Tullamore College | John Lowndes | Embrace our World | A book about Charlie (Concept) | Daniel Scally |
Runner Up | Tullamore College | John Lowndes | Mirch Karee | Restaurant (Concept) | Isobel McAuliffe |
3rd | Oaklands Community College | Trisha Hynds | Edge of the Story | Book Publishing (Concept) | Lauren Kavanagh |
Merit | Oaklands Community College | Trisha Hynds | Luna | Clothes Co (Concept) | Melissa Mathews |
Merit | Tullamore College | John Lowndes | Paul’s Patisserie | Coffee Shop & Bakery (Concept) | Paul Conway |
Intermediate Category
Placing | School | Teacher | Business Name | Description | Students |
Winner | Oaklands Community College | Trisha Hynds | Peckture Perfect | T-Shirt Printing (Concept) | Sophie Moore |
Runner Up | Oaklands Community College | Trisha Hynds | Celtic Jewels | Jewellery (Concept) | Corey Eady |