Local Enterprise Office Donegal have announced that teenage entrepreneurs from St. Columba’s College Stranorlar, Rosses Community School, Dungloe, and Loreto Letterkenny will represent Donegal at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final on Thursday 7th May.
The students all took part in the Final which was held recently at The Clanree Hotel. An estimated 900 students from 14 schools took part in the annual programme locally, with 20 teams from six schools and 44 pupils taking part in the county final.
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 over 30,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2025 / 2026.
The programme, which is the largest student start-up programme in the country, supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Finals.
The winner of the Senior Category of this year’s County Final of the Student Enterprise Programme was Shay Mc Devitt from St. Columba’s College Stranorlar, for his business SMD Detailing. Shay will
now go on to represent Donegal in the National Finals on Thursday 7th May. Second in the
Senior Category were Laila Baska, Erin Doherty, Kennedy Mc Donald and Megan Forker, from Rosses Community School for their business Gentle Journeys. Third in the Senior category of the competition was Katelyn Price from Loreto Letterkenny for her business Fíor Naturals, while 4th in the Senior Category was Leah McDaid and Tara Logue, from Loreto Letterkenny for their business MixWell.
In the Junior Category, the winning students were Culann Boyle, Joey Mc Gee, and Aeron Mort from Rosses Community School for their business Everclean Sports. The winner of the Intermediate Category was Danni Doherty of Loreto Letterkenny for her business, Danni's Magic Brush.
Special guests at the Donegal Final included MC for the afternoon, Emma Boylan. Guest Judges, Nicola McLaughlin of Sequin Cinderella, Shannon Porter of The Milk Bar, and Martin O’Reilly of O’Reilly Sports.
Speaking at the county final, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Donegal congratulated the students, saying:“We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Donegal,with almost 900students from 14local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme, and we wish them the very best of luck on the 7th May, and we all hope to be there to support them. What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and teamwork, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers”.
The local students will be competing against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals, taking place in the Mullingar Park Hotel on the 7th May.
Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 500,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business.
This year also saw an additional category as part of the programme. The inaugural Student Enterprise Innovators of the Year award, in partnership with Microsoft, was awarded during Local Enterprise Week. Five finalist teams were chosen from Student Enterprise Programme participants across the country and spent the day at the Microsoft Dream Space in Dublin for training, mentoring and a live pitch final.
The winners were Katie Lonergan and Saoirse Shanahan Roche of Access4All from Scoil Mhuire Greenhill, Carrick on Suir, County Tipperary. They created an application designed to help people easily find out whether a shop, café, venue, or public space is accessible before they visit. The app provides clear, honest, and reliable information about accessibility features, including accessible parking, step‑free or ramped entrances, accessible toilets (including hoists and adult changing beds) and also includes user‑added suggestions and reviews
The Student Enterprise Programme also has a new range of online resources for 2025 / 2026 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.
Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.
Names of participating schools in Student Enterprise Programme
The 14 schools participating in the programme were Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada in Arranmore, Scoil Mhuire Buncrana, Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town, Rosses Community School, Dungloe, Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola, Falcarragh, St Columba's Comprehensive School, Glenties, St Catherine's Vocational School, Killybegs, Errigal College, Letterkenny, Loreto Letterkenny, St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny, Deele College, Lifford, Mulroy College, Milford, The Royal and Prior, Raphoe, and St Columba's College,Stranorlar.
Names of winning enterprises
The winner of the Senior Category was Shay Mc Devitt from St. Columba’s College Stranorlar, for his business SMD Detailing.
2nd in the Senior category were Laila Baska, Erin Doherty, Kennedy Mc Donald and Megan Forker, from Rosses Community School for their business Gentle Journeys
3rd in the Senior category were Katelyn Price from Loreto Letterkenny for her business Fíor Naturals.
4th the in Senior Category was Leah McDaid and Tara Logue, from Loreto Letterkenny for their business MixWell.
First in the Intermediate category was Danni Doherty, from Loreto Letterkenny, with her business Danni’s Magic Brush.
First in the Junior category were Culann Boyle, Joey Mc Gee, and Aeron Mort from Rosses Community School for their business Everclean Sports.
2nd in the Junior category was Noah Molloy from Rosses Community School for his business Cap It Off.
Katie Sharkey and Shauna Mc Govern, from Rosses Community School, came 3rd in the Junior category for their business Cute and Glossy.
The Digital Award went to students from Rosses Community School, Odhran Boyle and Jonathan Forker for their business, Ace Apparel.
The Green Award went to Rosses Community School students, Eoin Mc Gee, Caleb O’Neill, Rory McEniff, Marc Murray, and Paddy Bonner for their business Eco Shell.
Errigal College student, Ihor Derevlov won the Innovation Award on the day for his business GripAbility.
Best Business Plan went to Royal & Prior students, Sophie Meehan, Amy King, Caoimhe Kelly for their business Charmed.
Best Commercial potential went to Hand-poured by Rachel, by Rachel Bonner from Loreto Letterkenny.
The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award went to Alannah Graham, Tristan Dowd, Deirdre Gallagher, and Ryan McNulty from The Abbey Vocational School for their business Abbey Crunch.
The Best Team Award went to Amy Gallagher and Adriana Mc Glinchey from St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar, for their business Generations Framed.
About the Student Enterprise Programme (studententerprise.ie)
The Student Enterprise Programme is co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and involves approximately 30,000 students from 500 secondary schools every year. It runs from September to May and the 2025/2026 National Final takes place on the 7th May.
