Media Release 9th March 2026

Local Enterprise Office Wexford have announced that teenage entrepreneurs from Wexford CBS and Ramsgrange Community School will represent Wexford at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final on Thursday 7th May in Mullingar.

The students all took part in the County Final on Thursday 5th March which was held at the Wexford County Council. An estimated 1573 students from 21 second level 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 over 28,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2025 / 2026.  The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Final.

In the Junior Category, the students representing Wexford at the National Final are: Elijah Donegan, Ryan Gordon, Charlie Browne from Crumble Crafted at Wexford CBS.

In the Intermediate Category, Paul Rossiter, Luke Duggan, from Luke & Paul’s Baubles, at Wexford CBS will be representing the county at the Final.

In the Senior Category of the competition, Wexford will be represented on May 7th by Jack Wickham, Dean Diskin, Kyle Shannon, Ryan Lynch, and Anthony Walsh from Jack It Up at Ramsgrange Community School.

Special guests at the County Final included Cllr Joe O’Sullivan, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Liz Hore, Director of Services, Economic Development, Planning, Property Management & Gorey/Kilmuckridge Municipal District and Breege Cosgrave, Head of Enterprise and Economic Development.

MC for the event, Shonagh Lyons of Beat FM also facilitated a panel discussion with successful Entrepreneurs Conor and Lesley Bates Managing Directors of The Trough and The Grounds and Alan Joyce, CEO of Coding Ireland who shared their personal experience of founding and growing their own businesses and responded to the excellent questions fed directly from the students via the menti app.

Speaking at the county final, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council congratulated the students, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Wexford with over 1573 students from 21 local schools taking on the challenge of building a business from scratch supported by 45 enterprise teachers. That scale alone says something powerful: enterprise is alive and thriving in Wexford”

Director of Services Liz Hore, addressing the 175 students present at the Awards ceremony added “ Wexford’s continued economic progress will depend on young people like you stepping forward with confidence — people who can turn opportunities into jobs, who can build businesses rooted in innovation and resilience, and who can play a role in shaping the future of this county. Your ideas matter. Your ambition matters.”

Speaking after the Ceremony Head of Enterprise and Economic Development Breege Cosgrave said “Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck on the 7th May, and we will 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 team-work, 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 Final, taking place in the Mullingar Park Hotel on the 7th May. 

Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 380,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business.  The Student Enterprise Programme also has 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

OVERALL WINNERS

Junior Category Winner  - Crumble Crafted, Wexford CBS - Elijah Donegan, Ryan Gordon and Charlie Browne.

Intermediate Category Winner  - Luke & Paul’s Baubles, Wexford CBS Paul Rossiter and Luke Duggan.

Senior Category Winner  - Jack It Up, Ramsgrange Community School Jack Wickham, Dean Diskin, Kyle Shannon, Ryan Lynch, and Anthony Walsh

Other awards

Intermediate Category:

Best Business Report in the Intermediate Category goes to The Fighters from Wexford CBS — Ante Redovnikovic.

Runner-Up - Felt Fest from Wexford CBS — Oluwabiyi Oluwademilade, Sam Breslin and Kuzey Emem.

Senior Category:

Best Market Research Award - Pure Glow and Co. from Coláiste Bhríde — Isabella Sheridan, Mary Doran, Áine Cashman and Niamh Murphy.

Intellectual Property Awareness Award -  Painted Pony from Méanscoil Gharman — Aoife Barden, Clinan Ní Bhran and Olivia McCamley.

Sales and Marketing Award -  Batter Up Bakes from Bunclody Community School — Rick Cullen.

Sustainability Award - Gmarks from St Mary’s CBS — Rían Boland, Luke Ryan and Noah Tyrrell.

Social Impact Award - Collin’s Syrup from Ramsgrange Community School — Issey Hodman.

Creative Maker Award -  Crochet Creations by Anna from Gorey Community School — Anna Garamvolgyi.

Creative Maker Award -  Crochet Creations by Anna from Gorey Community School — Anna Garamvolgyi.

Innovation Award -  Scott Flynn Music from FCJ Secondary School — Scott Flynn.

Special Merit Awards -

• Cutie Crochet from Gorey Educate Together — Natalia Riquet
• Kaptured by Kate from Coláiste an Átha — Kate Smith
• Brew and Renew from Bridgetown College — Maisy Lynott Quinn and Sophie Donovan
• GCC Mystery Jersey from Good Counsel College — Darragh Williams, Zach Barrett, Daniel Whelan and James Doran
• Build Your Bouquet from Our Lady of Lourdes Secondary School — Sophie Doyle, Chloe Doyle and Hannah Fortune
• and Sculpt and Paint from CBS New Ross — Ahzan Albakkour and Lola Ponte de Santos.

One to Watch Award -  Picture Perfect from Loreto Secondary School — Lauren Finn, Abigail Hegarty and Tori Berry.

Runner-Up in the Senior Category - Latch It from Coláiste Bhríde — Katie Hearne, Ceili Miller, Emma Williams, Kate Browne and Cora Dunne.

About the Student Enterprise Programme (studententerprise.ie)

The Student Enterprise Programme is co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and involves approximately 28,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools every year. It runs from September to May and the 2025/2026 National Final takes place on the 7th May.                                                                               

Website: www.studententerprise.ie / #studententerprise / Twitter: @StudentEntProg / Facebook: /studententerpriseprogramme / Instagram: /studententerpriseprogramme