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Students bring real life business to the classroom

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There was great innovation and lots of inspiration as young Kerry entrepreneurs excelled at the County Final of the Kerry County Council Annual Student Enterprise Awards held on Friday.

INTERMEDIATE WINNERS: Evan Greany Killian Dennehy Ruairi Brosnan and Josh Daly from St Patrick’s Secondary School Castleisland were named intermediate winners at the Kerry County Council Annual Student Enterprise Awards. Also included are: Victor Sheehan (Kerry LEO) and Flor Griffin (Business Teacher). Photo: Domnick Walsh

JUNIOR WINNERS: Cait Daly Brid Curtin Ellie Curtin Laura McShane and Kirsten O’Connor from Presentation Secondary School Castleisland won Junior Level for their ‘Roley Poley’ project. They are pictured with Breeda O’Sullivan (Kerry LEO) Paola Kennedy (Mentor) and Edward Clarke (Business Teacher) at the Student Enterprise Awards. Photo: Domnick Walsh

Outstanding participation levels saw 16 mini-businesses being set up by over 50 second level school students involved in the competition. The competition promotes business idea development, structure, sourcing of finance, marketing/sales and the presentation of a formal business plan.

The students progressed through the establishment of a mini company which trades over a period of months. An exciting and rewarding programme, students get to experience the realities of entrepreneurship from developing a business idea to producing a product, researching the market, promoting the business, managing the books and generating profits.

Prizes were awarded at Junior, Intermediate and Senior level at MTU in Tralee. The winners of the County Student Enterprise Awards in all categories will be considered for inclusion in the National Finals to be held in The Helix on May 18.

Winners

The winner of the Senior Category was Mearscaoilte Lao – a farm safety mechanism which allows ropes under tension on a calving jack to be instantly released. This company was set up by Katelyn Curtin and Orlaith Buckley from Presentation Secondary School, Castleisland.

The winners of the Intermediate Category was Kicks On Wheels – a remote control to drive the kicking tee and was set up by Ruairí Brosnan, Killian Dennehy, Josh Daly and Evan Greaney from St Patrick's Secondary School, Castleisland.

The Junior level winner was Roley Poley – an outdoor seat with cover and a retrofit rotating seat cover set up by Cait Daly, Brid Curtin, Kirsten O’Connor, Ellie Curtin and Laura McShane from Presentation Secondary School, Castleisland.

Other prizes were awarded for Social Enterprise, Best Stand, Innovation Award, Digital Award, Best Business Plan, Environmental Awareness and Duaiseanna Gaeilge.

Lillian O’Connor from Presentation Secondary School, Tralee won the coveted award for Entrepreneurial Educator of the Year and St Patrick's Secondary School Castleisland won the Best Newcomer School award.

The Creative Video Winner – Recharge Nutrition was won by Nicole Walker of Presentation Secondary School, Tralee – a Sports Nutrition App.

My Entrepreneurial Journey Junior Category was won by Nancy O’Connor from Intermediate School Killorglin – with her business Bosca Cliste – an Irish learning tool for kids.

“I am pleased to see the level of innovation, resourcefulness, planning and development of all 16 projects in this year’s awards," Tomás Hayes, Head of Local Enterprise Office, said.

"This is a real life exercise. It involves idea generation and actual trading. Profits are generated and finance is secured. It is a taste of business and all the issues involved from finding the right idea, funding the business, collecting the money and building the team. I must commend the teachers for their efforts and the mentors for their support. The judges had a very difficult task!”

Margaret Murphy, Kerry Programme Coordinator emphasised that “this was a very strong programme in 2022 requiring extensive work by teachers, mentors and staff which was made a lot more difficult with remote working and teaching".

"The results are evident with three category winners which will be considered for inclusion in The National Final on May 18. We hope that we can win another award for Kerry following our great success in 2021.”

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Street Orienteering added to Wander Wild programme

By Sean Moriarty A new event has been added to the extensive Wander Wild Festival next weekend. Kerry Orienteers will run a family-friendly Urban Orienteering event as part of the […]

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By Sean Moriarty

A new event has been added to the extensive Wander Wild Festival next weekend.

Kerry Orienteers will run a family-friendly Urban Orienteering event as part of the festival on March 25.

Participants can start at the Killarney Plaza Hotel Basecamp anytime from 2-4pm on Saturday.

Orienteering is an exciting outdoor adventure sport which involves walking or running whilst navigating around a course using a detailed map and sometimes a compass. And the Wander Wild Street Orienteering will have courses suitable for all ages and abilities.

“The aim is to navigate in sequence between a set of control points and decide the best route to complete the course in the quickest time. It does not matter how young, old or fit you are, as you can run, walk or jog the course and progress at your own pace. If you need any help or tips members of Kerry Orienteering Club will be available to assist during the day,” said organiser Brendan O’Brien.

Two routes are available: ‘Wander’ – 2km (easy, wheelchair and buggy accessible) and Wild – 4km (moderate), and bookings can be made via: https://t.ly/jHm2R.

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Quiz helps to fund Easter pilgrimage

A popular annual table quiz, which raises funds to send Kerry children and young adults with special needs to Lourdes, will be held in Killarney next week. The Tim Moore […]

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A popular annual table quiz, which raises funds to send Kerry children and young adults with special needs to Lourdes, will be held in Killarney next week.

The Tim Moore Memorial Table Quiz will be held in the Gleneagle Hotel at 7.30pm on Wednesday, March 29.

The entry fee for tables of four is €40 and it is €20 for teams of four schoolchildren with great prizes up for grabs on the night.

All proceeds will go to the Irish Pilgrimage Trust which organises trips to Lourdes every Easter for children and young adults with additional needs.

They will be brought on the pilgrimage on Easter Sunday and all the volunteer helpers and medical staff that will accompany them will cover for their own travel costs.

The annual quiz, which is running for close on 30 years, is dedicated to the memory of the late Killarney accountant Tim Moore who was a tireless campaigner for the Irish Pilgrimage Trust. He passed away, suddenly, in 2002 and his friends have continued the quiz as a tribute to his legacy and to ensure the charity continues to be supported.

It hasn’t been held for the past two years due to the pandemic but all involved are thrilled that it is back for 2023.

Kieran Coffey, the retired principal of Fossa National School, is one of those who spearhead the Kerry pilgrimage to Lourdes and he has appealed to the public to support the very important fundraiser which helps offset some of the costs involved.

“We are delighted to be in a position to continue Tim’s great work and to dedicate the quiz to him. The event is always so well supported by the people of the greater Killarney area and we greatly appreciate that generosity,” said Kieran.

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