Countdown to Croke Park begins for Limerick’s most enterprising students

  • LEO Enterprise Senior Winner
  • LEO Enterprise Intermediate Winner
  • LEO Enterprise Junior Winner
Mayor of Limerick City and County, Cllr James Collins and Eamon Ryan, Head of Enterprise, LEO Limerick with student entrepreneurs receiving their awards at the Limerick final of the Student Enterprise Awards.

Teenage entrepreneurs from schools in Limerick City and Newcastle West will represent Limerick at the National Finals of Student Enterprise Programme. Nine student entrepreneurs from two local schools have been chosen to fly the Limerick flag at the finals in Croke Park on Friday 03 May 2019.

More than 1,000 students from 21 schools across Limerick took part in this year’s programme with the Limerick Final taking place at the South Court Hotel, Raheen.

Every September through LEO Limerick, 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 LEO offices, is the most successful student enterprise programme of it's 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 winners are:

Category

School

Business

Junior

Laurel Hill Coláiste

Georgeous Gruaig

Intermediate

Desmond College, Newcastle West

Hy-Geenie

Senior

Desmond College, Newcastle West

Safety Harness Attachment

The local students will compete against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland in Croke Park at the Annual Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on 03 May 2019.

The businesses were judged by Pat Rickard, Accountant, Mark Sheahan of Recycle Right, Chris Kelly of Pinpoint Innovations and Chris Clancy & Norma Purtill from LEO Limerick.

Speaking at the Limerick final, Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr James Collins said: “I can see from the exhibitions that you have put an awful lot of time into creating your products, selling them and then promoting them at this ‘tradestand’ of sorts.

"But the Student Enterprise Programme and Awards are so much more than just a way to make (or lose!!) money. They will teach you valuable lessons in dealing with people and the way business works. You may not believe it now but the steps you will go through as part of the programme, will lay very good foundations for you in later life."

Eamon Ryan, Head of Enterprise with LEO Limerick, congratulated the students.

“We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Limerick, with over 1,000 students from 21 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 3rd,” he said.

“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,” he added.

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


Full Results:

Category

Business Name

School

Senior

 

 

1st

Safety Harness Attachment

Desmond College

2nd

Hurlíní

Laurel Hill Coláiste

3rd

Mugbakes

Gaelcholáiste

Merit

Sigigraph

Desmond College

Intermediate

 

 

1st

Hy-Geenie

Desmond College

2nd

Jack’s Handcrafts

Castletroy College

3rd

Amore Macaroons

Mungret College

Merit

Irish Crafts

Desmond College

Junior

 

 

1st

Georgous Gruaig

Laurel Hill Coláiste

2nd

The Empty Chair

Desmond College

3rd

Bracelet Bandits

Laurel Hill Coláiste

Merit

Farm Futures

Scoil Trionada Naofa, Doon

Most Innovative Product

Globe Trotter

Colaiste Iosaef, Kilmallock

Best Stand

Buttons Galore

Hazelwood College

Best Business Plan

Farm Safety - Who am I?

Scoil Trionada Naofa, Doon

Best Marketing

Home for Hurleys

Scoil Trionada Naofa, Doon

Teacher’s Award

Gina Clifford

Scoil Pól, Kilfinane

Names of participating schools in Student Enterprise Programme

Ardscoil Mhuire

Ardscoil Rís

CBS Sexton St.

Castletroy College

Coláiste Ciarán

Coláiste Iosaf

Coláiste Mhuire

Crescent Comprehensive College

Desmond College

Gaelcolaiste Luimnigh

Hazelwood College

Laurel Hill

Mungret Community College

Nano Nagle Presentation School

Scoil An Trionoide Naofa

Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide

Scoil Pól

St. Clements

St. Munchin’s

Thomond Community College

Villiers School

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