Countdown to Croke Park begins for South Dublin’s most enterprising students

Local Enterprise Office South Dublin confirms that winning teenage entrepreneurs from Tallaght, Walkinstown, Lucan and Rathfarnham will represent county at National Final of Student Enterprise Programme.

Eight teenage entrepreneurs from three local schools have won a place representing South Dublin at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals in Croke Park on Friday, May 3.

Every September through Local Enterprise Office South Dublin entrepreneurial secondary school students begin their business journey as they are encouraged to research, set-up and run their own real-world businesses.

The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities, is the most successful student enterprise programme of its kind in the country. An estimated 26,000 students from 490 schools around the country begin their entrepreneurial journey every year with the help of their teachers, student enterprise co-ordinators and Local Enterprise Office.

The students were all competing at the South Dublin Final on 8 March 2019 which was held at the Technological University Dublin Tallaght Campus. An estimated 210 students from 12 schools took part in the annual programme locally.

In the Junior Category, the students representing South Dublin at the National Finals in Croke Park are: Tomas O Mordha, Jake O Meachair and Marc Mac Aindreas from Cloigeanna Tamhlachta 18 at Coláiste De Híde, Tallaght.

In the Intermediate Category, Karl Carew, Mason McNamara, KM Enterprise, Greenhills College will be representing the county in Croke Park.

In the Senior Category of the competition South Dublin will be represented on May 3 by Donal Monahan, Ryan O’ Dwyer and Jake Andrews, from Focail Bhega at Coláiste Éanna .

Speaking at the county final, Tom Rooney Head of Local Enterprise Office South Dublin congratulated the students, saying:

"We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in South Dublin with over 210 students from 12 local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck in Croke Park on May 3.”

He continued:

 “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 in Croke Park at the Annual Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on May 3. 

Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.

ENDS                                                                                                                                                                      

For further information, please contact Local Enterprise Office South Dublin

County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

T: 01 4149000   E:info@leo.southdublincoco.ie              W:localenterprise.ie/southdublin

Notes to Editor

 About the Student Enterprise Programme (studententerprise.ie)

The Student Enterprise Programme is co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and involves over 26,000 students from 490 secondary schools every year. It runs from September to May and the 2018/2019 National Final takes place on Friday, May 3rd, 2019 in Dublin’s Croke Park.                                                                               

www.studententerprise.ie / #studententerprise / @StudentEntProg

The Local Enterprise Offices are co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020.

Names of participating schools in Student Enterprise Programme

Coláiste De Híde Tallaght

Greenhills College, Walkinstown

Coláiste Éanna, Rathfarnham

Santa Maria College, Rathfarnham

St. Joseph’s College, Lucan

Moyle Park, Clondalkin

Lucan Community College, Lucan

Kishogue Community School, Lucan South

Our Lady’s School, Terenure

Scoil Mochua, Clondalkin

Coláiste Chilliain, Clondalkin

St. Colmcilles Community School, Knocklyon

Names of winning enterprises

Cloigeanna Tamhlachta 18 - Tomas O Mordha, Jake O Meachair and Marc Mac Aindreas from at Coláiste De Híde, Tallaght.

KM Enterprise - Karl Carew, Mason McNamara, Greenhills College

Focail Bhega - Donal Monahan, Ryan O’ Dwyer and Jake Andrews, Coláiste Éanna .

Junior Category Results

Most Innovative - DOB Coloured Money Boxes, Colaiste De Hide

2nd Place - SCKS Crafts, Colaiste De Hide

1st Place - Cloigeanna Tamlachta 18, Colaiste De Hide

Intermediate Category Results

Most Innovative - Cake Stand, Clock & Candles, Colaiste Eanna

2nd Place - BMC Bats, Colaiste De Hide

1st Place - KM Enterprises, Greenhills College

Senior Category Results

Most Innovative - Pet Aid, Colaiste Eanna

2nd Place - EAE Hurleys, St Joseph’s College

1st Place - Focail Bhega, Colaiste Eanna

For more images and notes to the editor please click here