Killina Presentation Secondary School win Offaly Student Enterprise Awards with Bootband!
Students and teachers from all over Offaly gathered in the Tullamore Court Hotel today (Thursday 6th March)
for the announcement of the winners of the Offaly Student Enterprise Awards.
The overall winner of the Senior Category was a project called “Bootband” from Killina Presentation Secondary School, Rahan. The students have developed a band for football boots to prevent laces untying. It was clear from speaking with the students that they put an enormous amount of time and effort into the business. They particularly invested a lot of time and money into the research and development of the business and have a unique product which is being sold into retailers nationwide.
The runner-up was “The Cúntoir” from Banagher College, Colaiste na Sionna, a business owned by Eamon Corcoran. He has developed and produced an innovative product for lifting, handling & transporting coal & Briquettes. Eamon was a previous winner at Junior level in 2011. He went on to win the Innovation award at the Student Enterprise National Finals that year.
The Junior category winner “Jeddy Friends” hailed from St. Brendan’s Community School, Birr who make Keepsake Teddies. These cuddly toys are unique as they are made from the child’s favourite blanket, jumper, cardigan etc. The runner-up was “Funky Folders” from Gallen Community School in Birr who make recycled personalised folders.
This year a total of 25 businesses from 7 schools and with 85 students reached the County Final. As well as sharing the
prize fund of almost €2,500, the winner of each category (Junior and Senior) received a perpetual trophy, 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. In the end two projects in fact were awarded “Students Award” prize and received €75 each: Senior category entry “MoCholaiste” from Colaiste Choilm, an Irish summer colleges comparison website and Junior category entry “Flynn Firewood” from Gallen Community School who sell kindling and firewood.
The National Student Enterprise Awards Programme, run by the Local Enterprise Offices offers second level students the opportunity to take a business from the ideas stage through to market research and production, selling their product, keeping records and finally writing a report on their activities.
The competition is organised by Offaly Local Enterprise Office to encourage entrepreneurship in the
second level education system.
A special teachers’ prize draw was held and gift vouchers went to Ann Hardiman of Banagher College Colaiste na Sionna and Mary Kelly of Oaklands Community College, Edenderry.
On behalf of the organisers, Geraldine Beirne firstly thanked the teachers involved for their support and acknowledged that without their commitment the Student Enterprise Awards could not take place. She also thanked the judges Ger Lynam Sullivan, Byrne Casey & Associates, Tullamore
and Carmel Ormond, Offaly Local Development Company for giving of their time as well as the staff of Offaly CEB for their efforts in organising the competition. Finally, she gave a special word of thanks to the students for their hard work and enthusiasm.
She wished the winners every success at the National Final, which will be held in Croke Park on Wednesday 2nd April.
Check out our Facebook page for photographs from the day.
Junior Winners
1st St Brendan’s Community School, Birr Jeddy Friends Marnie Spain, Darragh Larkink, Shane Maloney, Máire Brennan
2nd Gallen Community School Funky Folders Lauren Dunican, Shona Kelly, Eimear Carroll, Latisha Grennan, Luz Corrigan
3rd Gallen Community School Gallen Key Chains Aron Mc Cabe, Dawson Maher, Adam Nugent, Brian Rohan
Student Prize Gallen Community School Flynn Firewood Sean Flynn, Cathal Flynn
Senior Winners
1st Killina Presentation Secondary School Bootband Ciarain Condron, Kevin Leonard, Steven Comiskey, Caelan McPhillips, Evan Dunne
Runner Up Banagher College Colaiste na Sionna The Cúntóir Eamon Corcoran
3rd Tullamore College L.E.S.S. Ltd. Cian Fogarty, Aoife Woodlock, Clodagh Baker
Innovation Tullamore College TecH2O Lorcan O’Rourke, Emma Kirwan, Gavin Mooney
Social & Educational Gallen Community School Make a Woozle Tara Flynn, Chloe Mullen, Serena Corcoran
Display Killina Presentation Secondary School Cugz Laura Grennan, Oonagh Minnock, Niamh McLoughlin, Emily Grennan, Joseph Maher, Míchéal Mooney, Sean Nolan
Creativity St Brendan’s Community School, Birr Wooden Creations Andrea Cooke
Student Prize Colaiste Choilm MoCholaiste Cormac Bergin, Thomas Digan, Conor Walsh, Sean Coleman, Niall Flynn
