For the second time in just eight years, a student enterprise from Offaly has won the top award at the Student Enterprise Awards National Finals, organised by the Local Enterprise Offices.
16-year-old Shíofra Ryan and her teacher, John Kennedy, took the overall Senior Category prize this week (April 22nd) for ‘An Tionchar’, meaning ‘Impact’ in Irish, which has patent-pending designs on a boot for hurling and camogie players. The transition year student from St. Brendan’s Community School is already in discussions with manufacturers, to produce her invention on a bigger scale.
Back in 2008, another student-run enterprise from Offaly, ‘Farmer on Board’ from Banagher College, took the national title.
Co-ordinated by all 31 Local Enterprise Offices across Ireland, the 13th Annual Student Enterprise Awards National Final in Croke Park saw 300 student entrepreneurs showcase 74 different businesses, across Junior, Intermediate and Senior Categories. 17,000 students from 370 schools take part in the programme every year.
In the Junior Category, the Local Enterprise Office Offaly was represented by Adam Carroll, Cian Lyons and Eoin Cooper from ‘Bosca Birds’, also taught by John Kennedy from St. Brendan’s Community School.
The Intermediate Category, which is open to second and third year students, was won by 'My GAA Journey', from Coláiste Eanna in South Dublin. The top prize in the Junior Category, for first year students, went to 'Bring a Fairy Home' from St.Mary’s Secondary School, Charleville in North Cork.
Awards for Innovation, Best Display, Intellectual Property Awareness and Social Media were also presented today, as part of the €10,000 prize fund.
Orla Martin, Head of Enterprise at Offaly, praised the work of the young entrepreneurs, adding: “Thanks to ‘An Tionchar’ and ‘Farmer on Board,’ Offaly have now had two national Student Enterprise Winners at senior level in the space of less than ten years, which is a remarkable achievement for the county. Every year, the Student Enterprise Awards encourage students from all over the country, to develop new enterprise concepts and products, learning about the business world in a ‘hands on’ way. Now that they’ve started their entrepreneurial journey in the classroom, the Local Enterprise Office Offaly is there to help them with their aspiring businesses in the future too.”
As part of her prize from the Local Enterprise Offices, Shíofra won an educational trip to Berlin, €500 cash, €500 in mentoring and business supports, in addition to a place on the Winners’ Business Bootcamp in UCC this June.
The Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Mr. Damien English T.D., presented the awards on stage in Croke Park, saying: “ It is important that we continue to develop links between the education system and the real economy, so that school leavers are equipped with the skills, expertise and practical knowledge of business operations that will enable them to consider self-employment as a career option.”
Minister English added: “It is extremely satisfying to see entrepreneurship as a career option for students becoming more mainstreamed thanks to the cumulative impact of programmes such as the Student Enterprise Awards, run so successfully by the Local Enterprise Offices. The enthusiasm of the winners – and all participants – should be acknowledged as well as their ingenuity and “can do” attitude which gives great hope for this Country going forward. By supporting the aspiring entrepreneurs of today, the Local Enterprise Offices are fostering the job creators of tomorrow.”
Kieran Comerford, the Chair of the Network of Local Enterprise Offices, delivered the opening address at the ceremony in the Hogan Suite. Last year's Junior Category Winners, 'Sheep Watch' from St. Oliver’s Post Primary School in County Meath, told guests about their recent €10,000 crowd funding investment, as well the new prototype for their sheep monitoring collar.
The Social Media Awards were supported by Essential French and the Intellectual Property Awareness Awards were supported by the Irish Patents Office. The 2015/2016 programme starts in September, with full details available at www.studententerprise.ie or by searching #studententerprise on social media.
