Tipperary Students Set for National Entrepreneurship Final as County Celebrates a Standout Local Enterprise Week

Local Enterprise Office Tipperary has announced that three outstanding student enterprises will represent the county at the Student Enterprise Programme National Final in the Mullingar Park Hotel on Thursday, 7 May 2026.

This follows an exceptional County Final on Friday, 6th March 2026 at TUS Thurles Campus, where 24 Tipperary secondary schools and a total of 200 students made up of 65 teams showcased their business ideas to secure a slot to represent their county at national finals.

Tipperary’s National Finalists

• Junior Category:Danny Nugent Hurlers — Danny Nugent, Comeragh College, Carrick‑on‑Suir
• Intermediate Category:DMS — David Miron, Coláiste Dún Iascaigh, Cahir
• Senior Category:Echo IQ — Aidan Humphries, Rockwell College

The Student Enterprise Programme, coordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland, sees over 30,000 students from nearly 500 secondary schools nationwide create, design and market their own businesses each year.

 “We have a very successful Student Enterprise Programme here in County Tipperary, with 2,411 students from 24 local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck on 7 May. What students learn about business planning, market research, selling and teamwork stays with them long after the competition and helps build entrepreneurial mindsets for life.” Business Advisor, Tina Mulhearne, LEO Tipperary

National Innovation Success for Tipperary

Tipperary also celebrated national success during Local Enterprise Week as Katie Lonergan and Saoirse Shanahan Roche of Access4All, Scoil Mhuire Greenhill, Carrick‑on‑Suir, won the inaugural Student Enterprise Innovators of the Year 2026. Their application helps people understand accessibility at shops, cafés, venues and public spaces in advance, including accessible parking, step‑free/ramped entrances, accessible toilets and crowd‑sourced user tips and reviews.

Local Enterprise Week 2026: Strong Momentum in Tipperary Over 380 entrepreneurs and small businesses attend 15 events for Local Enterprise Week 2026 In Tipperary

Almost a third (30%) of adults in Ireland say they currently have an idea for a business or product they would like to pursue, according to new research commissioned by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs).  The findings were released as Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke T.D. launched Local Enterprise Week which ran from 2-6 March, with more than 330 events happening nationwide to support aspiring and established entrepreneurs including 15 events in Tipperary.

Among those with a business idea, 40% say it came to them at home. Others found inspiration while talking to friends or family (15%), at work (15%), in bed (10%), during their commute (7%), while exercising (5%), or even in the shower (4%).  Younger adults appear particularly entrepreneurial, with 52% of under-35s saying they currently have a business idea, compared to just 18% of those aged 55 and over.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke T.D., said: “Small businesses are the backbone of Ireland’s economy, and this research confirms the level of ambition that exists right across the country.  People have seen the incredible and innovative businesses that have started and grown internationally from Ireland, and that has clearly given them the ambition to start themselves. 

“Our goal is to ensure that the right supports are in place to help people turn their ambitions into reality.  Local Enterprise Week demonstrates what that support looks like in action through expert advice, practical tools and tailored programmes which are available to every entrepreneur, in every region.”

Across Tipperary, 15 sold‑out events showcased practical support for founders and small businesses, including six Business Advice Clinics, Introduction to Self Employment, Digital Marketing Priorities for 2026, a Regional Export Event, a Retail Symposium, workshops on Digital Transformation & AI for Small Business and an Owner/Manager networking event. The week culminated in a Leadership, Enterprise & Innovation Summit at Questum, bringing senior business leaders together to discuss growth, scaling and decision‑making.

As part of the week, the county’s representative for the National Enterprise Awards was announced as Stephen O’Sullivan, founder of I Left You A Note a hotel guest engagement platform that enables real‑time private feedback, helps resolve issues before check‑out, reduces negative online reviews and drives incremental revenue through digital concierge, upselling and in‑room ordering.

Anthony Fitzgerald, Head of Enterprise & Economic Development said: “Ireland is full of ideas but turning an idea into a viable business takes support, knowledge and confidence. That’s where the Local Enterprise Offices come in. Local Enterprise Week is about making those supports visible and accessible from funding and mentoring to training and practical tools so entrepreneurs can move faster and go further.” 

Ends

Tina Mulhearne Business Advisor

087 338 4739|052 6166220 | *  tina.mulhearne@tipperarycoco.ie |

Ballingarrane House, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. E91 E183 

About the Student Enterprise Programme

The Student Enterprise Programme is coordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and involves approximately 30,000 students from 500 secondary schools every year. It runs from September to May, with the 2025/2026 National Final taking place on 7 May 2026. Website: www.studententerprise.ie

• Hashtag: #studententerprise Twitter: @StudentEntProg • Facebook/Instagram: /studententerpriseprogramme

Notes to Editor

County Final Snapshot (Tipperary):

• Date/Venue: Friday, 6 March 2026 — TUS Thurles Campus
• Participation:2,411 students from 24 schools
• National Final: Thursday, 7 May 2026 — Mullingar Park Hotel

Tipperary’s National Finalists:

• Junior:Danny Nugent Hurlers — Danny Nugent, Comeragh College, Carrick‑on‑Suir
• Intermediate:DMS — David Miron, Coláiste Dún Iascaigh, Cahir
• Senior:Echo IQ — Aidan Humphries, Rockwell College

Tipperary’s National Innovation Win (2026):

• Student Enterprise Innovators of the Year:Access4All — Katie Lonergan & Saoirse Shanahan Roche, Scoil Mhuire Greenhill, Carrick‑on‑Suir

Local Enterprise Week 2026 — Tipperary Highlights (15 Events):

• Clinics/Workshops: 6 Business Advice Clinics; Introduction to Self Employment; Digital Marketing Priorities for 2026; Digital Transformation & AI for Small Business; Regional Export Event; Retail Symposium; Owner/Manager networking event
• Summit: Leadership, Enterprise & Innovation Summit at Questum
• Guest speakers included:Mark Kelly (AI Ireland), Pádraic Ó’Máille (motivational speaker), Padraic McMahon (Carraig Donn), Fergal Leamy (former CEO Glen Dimplex), Gary McGann (former CEO Smurfit Kappa), John Moloney (former Group MD Glanbia)

National Enterprise Awards — Tipperary Representative (2026):

• Stephen O’Sullivan, I Left You A Note (hotel guest engagement platform)

***Research by Amarach Research was conducted across a nationally representative sample of 1000 18+ adults in the Republic of Ireland.

Participating Schools (Tipperary):

A full list of category runners-up appears below.

Runners-Up Summary