Longford’s young entrepreneurs head to the big stage for National Enterprise final

Longford’s brightest young minds are preparing to compete in Ireland’s National Student Enterprise Final. 

The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the goal of making it through to the big stage. 

The teenage entrepreneurs set to do just that hail from Moyne Community School, and Granard’s Ardscoil Phadraig.

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The innovative teenagers will now represent their county at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final which will take place on Thursday, May 7, in The Mullingar Park Hotel.

Junior Winner in the Student Enterprise Awards James Denneny from Ardscoil Phadraig, Granard with his business idea for a football boot holder, ‘Boot Buddy’. Photo by Shelley Corcoran.

The Longford final of the competition took place recently in The Longford Arms Hotel where an estimated 300+ students from eight schools took part in the annual programme locally.

In the Junior Category of the National Final, James Denneny from ‘Boot Buddy’ will represent his school, Ardscoil Phadraig in Granard.

In the Intermediate Category, Martinss Martinsons from ‘Fern & Foam’ will represent Moyne Community School. 

Lastly, in the Senior Category, Sophia Dow, Mimi Keller, Paddy Croghan-Casey, Bonnie Nolan and Molly Sherwood from ‘The Twister’ will also represent Moyne Community School. 

Intermediate winner Martinss Martinsons pictured with Rose McKenna, Padraic Doherty, Cathaoirleach Cllr Garry Murtagh, Deputy Michael Carrigy and Mary Donohoe from Longford LEO. Picture by Shelley Corcoran

Special guests at the Longford final included Head of Local Enterprise & Economic Development Michael Nevin, Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Garry Murtagh, Deputy Micheál Carrigy, Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi and STEM Programme Coordinator at Irish Manufacturing Research, Emma Treacy.

Educator of the Year award winner Christine O’ Brien from Meanscoil Mhuire, Longford pictured with Cllr Uruemu Adejinmi, Cathaoirleach Cllr Gary Murtagh, Deputy Micheál Carrigy, and Head of Enterprise at Longford County Council, Michael Nevin. Picture by Shelley Corcoran

The competition is hotly contested with over 30,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools participating in the 2025/2026 programme.  

Longford also has a successful track record in the student enterprise competition with recent award winners from local secondary schools including Caitlin Morris from Moyne Community School, who created history by winning first prize in the Intermediate Category at the National Finals of the Student Enterprise Programme in 2023.

The 'It’s a Dose' team from Moyne Community School also placed as runners-up in the 2025 National Senior category.  

Senior Winners in the Student Enterprise Awards, Sophia Dow, Mimi Keller, Paddy Croghan-Casey, Bonnie Nolan and Molly Sherwood from Moyne Community School with their business idea ‘The Twister’ which is an electric fence ring insulator screw aid. Picture by Shelley Corcoran

Congratulating this year’s students, Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh said their projects demonstrated the strong talent and creativity that exists across Longford’s schools. 

He added, “Reaching a national final is a major achievement, and I know our representatives will do Longford proud. The programme gives students confidence and practical business skills that they can apply in the real world.”

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Chief Executive of Longford County Council, Paddy Mahon praised the great imagination and skill that comes to the fore through the Student Enterprise Programme. 

He said, “The young people representing Longford at the National Final have shown real commitment in developing their ideas into viable mini‑businesses. Their work reflects the support they receive from their teachers, mentors and families and we are proud to support this programme through the Local Enterprise Office Longford and Longford County Council.”

Intermediate Winner in the Student Enterprise Awards, Martinss Martinsons from Moyne Community School with his business for homemade soap made with recycled materials, ‘Fern + Foam’. Picture by Shelley Corcoran

Michael Nevin, Head of Local Enterprise and Economic Development in Longford County Council said the finalists were excellent ambassadors for the programme. 

“We have a very successful student enterprise programme in Longford, with over 300 students from eight 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 May 7."

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He added, "Our students can see 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 in the programme, such as business planning, market research, selling and teamwork, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers”.

The Longford students will now compete against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Student Enterprise Programme National Final, which takes place in the Mullingar Park Hotel on Thursday, May 7. 

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