Pictures show Sligo’s up and coming entrepreneurs receiving Student Enterprise awards

The students all took part in the Sligo County Final on March 23, which was held at the Sligo Park Hotel. An estimated 900 students from 11 second-level schools took part in the annual programme in Co. Sligo.

The enterprise education 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 25,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2021 / 2022.

The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Finals.

In the Junior Category, the students representing Sligo at the National Finals are: Sorcha McDermott, Katie Doherty and Aoibheann Carden from ‘Centrestone Jewellery’ at Colaiste Iascaigh.

In the Intermediate Category, Aisling Gillen, Amelia Duffy and Ruby Oldfield, of ‘Elite Dance Class’ from Corran College will be representing the county at the Finals.

In the Senior Category of the competition, Sligo will be represented on May 5th by Conor Burke from ‘Conor’s Cutz’ at Jesus & Mary Secondary School.

Special guests at the County Final included Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Cllr. Michael Clarke who said: “It is heartening to see such fantastic enterprise and endeavour on display here today by students from all corners of County Sligo.

The level of enterprise, confidence and ingenuity demonstrated by this entire group of students gives me extreme confidence that County Sligo will continue to thrive as an excellent place to live, invest and visit.”

John Reilly, Head of Enterprise, Sligo County Council congratulated the students, saying: “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Sligo, with over 900 students from 11 local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck on Friday 5th, and we will all hope to be there to support them. In what has been a particularly challenging couple of years for students, the programme has offered them an outlet outside of the usual school demands.

“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”.

Overall Winner: Centrestone Jewellery, Colaiste Iascaigh

Runner-Up: LLA Keyholders, Colaiste Iascaigh

Intermediate Category Results

Overall Winner: Elite Dance Class, Corran College

Senior Category Results

Overall Winner: Conor’s Cutz, Jesus & Mary Secondary School

Runner-Up: The Crafty Bee, Jesus & Mary Secondary School

3rd Place: Compen, Grange Post-Primary School

Marketing Award: Glo Candles, Ursuline College

Innovation Award: Book Cozy, Mercy College

Best Report Award: Sapphire Soaps, Colaiste Iascaigh

Design Award: Fine Line, St. Mary’s College

Best Commercial Business Award: Sports Tape Sligo, Summerhill College

e-Commerce Award: Alchemia Candles, St. Mary’s College

Special Merit Award: Headband Headers, St. Attracta’s College

Special Merit Award: The Craft Sisters, Colaiste Muire

Special Merit Award: OJ Horseshoe Art, Coola Post-Primary School

My Entrepreneurial Journey Junior Winner: Guildea Design, Corran College