Pictures: Kilkenny's young student entrepreneurs shine as county winners are selected for national finals

Young entrepreneurs from Presentation Secondary School, St Kieran’s College and Coláiste Abhainn Rí will represent Kilkenny at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme national finals on Thursday, May 8.

The students all took part in the Kilkenny County Final on Wednesday, held at Lyrath Estate Hotel. Over 950 students from 12 schools took part in the annual programme locally with 120 students making it to the county final.

Best Endeavour Award: James Prendergast, Ronan Dwan, David Long and Louis Evans of Canine Comfort from CBS Kilkenny with Cathaoirleach Michael McCarthy and John Mulcahy, LEO Kilkenny. Pictures by Vicky Comerford

In the Junior category, the students representing Kilkenny at the national finals are Natalia Burke and Kaleigh O’Shea from Coláiste Abhainn Rí with their mini company Circular Chic, which is a sustainable fashion business that gives pre-loved clothing a new life.

Michael O’Keeffe from St Kieran’s College will represent the county at the finals in the Intermediate category with his mini company Suet & Song, which markets nutrient-rich suet cakes that provide sustenance for a variety of birds during the colder months.

In the Senior category of the competition, Kilkenny will be represented by Amy Bergin and Mathilde Beubry from Presentation Secondary School Kilkenny with their mini company business Bounce Back. Amy and Mathilde published an Injury Recovery Journal, which was designed as a support tool to assist in tracking progress and maintaining a positive mindset during the injury recovery process.

This year’s Innovation Award went to Lock It from Grennan College. Team members Millie Brennan, Hannah Murrihy, Laura Bourke and Ola Opac designed and produced a 3D printed jewellery capsule that clips onto your bag, and acts as a practical storage solution when playing sport or on the move.

“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,” said Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Michael McCarthy.

“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.”

Aileen McGrath, Head of Enterprise at Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny also congratulated the students: “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Kilkenny with 950 students from 12 local schools taking part this year,” she said.

“Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck on Thursday, May 8 and we will to be there to support them.”

The local students will be competing against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals, taking place at Mullingar Park Hotel on May 8.

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