Offaly students among finalists at the National Enterprise Awards
Finals of the Local Enterprise Office initiative took place last week in Mullingar
Blackwood Bait & Tackle a business which sells fishing accessories - Jack Keenahan & Nikita Greidans from Tullamore College - represented Offaly excellently in the Senior Category at the National Enterprise finals in Mullingar last week.
Also from Tullamore College in the Intermediate Category a nail technician business founded by Libby Lynch impressed the judges and in the Junior Category Global Sports a business which sells GAA sports gloves run by Senan Dunne, Joey Butler and Eanna Carroll from Gallen Community School in Ferbane represented themselves in a very professional manner.
A special Alumni Achievement Award was presented to Anthony Gorman from Anthony’s Wooden Crafts Limited who participated in the Student Enterprise Programme in 2020 and went on to grow and develop his business into a thriving business.
Anthony took to the stage and was interviewed by broadcasters Rick O’Shea and Louise Cantillon and asked to share tips and advice with all the participating students which he generously did.
Jack Cannon PCs from Clonkeen College Dun Laoghaire won first prize in the Senior Category for his business which purchases old PCs and sells high-performance gaming PCs built from carefully selected refurbished components.
In the Intermediate Category Michael O’Keeffe – Suet & Song from St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny won for his business which makes high quality, nutrient-rich suet cakes that provide energy, nourishment and sustenance for a variety of birds during the colder months and in the Junior Category Antonia O’Looney, Sophie Gilard, Guiliana Keane & Katelyn Murtagh from Drumshambo Vocational School in Co. Leitrim won for their business Bumblebees which makes a device that helps farmers and hikers cross electric fences safely.
The ceremony was attended by Peter Burke, T.D. Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment who in his speech encouraged the students to continue their entrepreneurial journey to start and grow businesses and create jobs which is vital to the Irish economy.
There were 85 student businesses in contention across three main categories for the Final in what is Ireland’s largest entrepreneurship programme for second level students. The 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 500 secondary schools across the country take part.