Drumshanbo VS students visit Leinster House to demonstrate their ‘Grasper’ product

Left to right: Ms Sharon Feeney (teacher), Alexandra O'Looney, Minister Martin Heydon, Amy Keaveney and Freya Whitney presenting the Minister with a box of cupcakes made by Amy.

placeholder image — Left to right: Ms Sharon Feeney (teacher), Alexandra O'Looney, Minister Martin Heydon, Amy Keaveney and Freya Whitney presenting the Minister with a box of cupcakes made by Amy.

Three First Year Drumshanbo Vocational School enterprise students, Amy Keaveney, Freya Whitney and Alexandra O’Looney, brought their business ‘Handled With Hearts’ to Leinster House, Dublin along with their teacher Ms Sharon Feeney.

The students demonstrated their ‘Grasper’ product to Martin Heydon, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development.

The Grasper is a lifting mechanism used to assist with the opening of slatted tank agitation covers. It saves the farmer or agricultural contractor the need to bend and lift the cover by hand.

The Grasper can also be used to close the cover afterwards. This is a vital farm safety product that reduces the risk of injuries.

Amy made Grasper cupcakes for the Minister and his team which they were delighted to receive.

Handled With Hearts thoroughly enjoyed the visit taking selfies and BeReals with the Minister!

To finish off their exciting trip, they were brought on a tour of Leinster House with a final stop off for refreshments at the visitors' Dáil bar. Thanks to Minister Martin Heydon and his team Rosemary, Barry, Niamh, Councillor Enda McGloin who is Chairperson of DVS Board of Management and Frank Feighan TD for facilitating their wonderful trip.

Ms Yvonne Traynor also mentors the enterprise students at DVS and Handled With Hearts would like to thank both teachers for all their help since they started this journey in September 2022 which finishes in Croke Park on May 5th with a National Final.

You can follow them on Facebook/Instagram/TikTok and Twitter under Handled With Hearts where you can purchase their product the ‘Grasper’ through private message on their social media platforms.

They would also like to wish the TY enterprise group Pocket Socks Éire the best of luck as they represent Drumshanbo Vocational School at senior level in the Student Enterprise Programme National Final in Croke Park.