Young Dundalk entrepreneurs win display award at finals
Dundalk students scooped a major award at the Student Enterprise National Finals in Croke Park last week.
Dunopoly, from St. Mary’s College in Dundalk, scooped the coveted ‘Best Display Award’ in the senior category.
The clever team of young entrepreneurs have launched www.dunopoly.com, a range of sports themed board games.
Guest of honour at the awards ceremony was Minister for Employment and Small Business Pat Breen T.D. Minister Breen congratulated the young winners, saying:
‘Entrepreneurship is the backbone of Ireland’s economy, which is why this Student Enterprise Programme and Awards is so important. Learning about enterprise and having the opportunity to learn by doing, at an early age, lays the foundations for successful entrepreneurship in the future.’
Through the programme the Dundalk students learned to develop business ideas as well as conducting market research, source materials and produce their products, design their packaging and marketing literature, sell their product to the public and manage their company finances.
The Student Enterprise programme also gave school pupils experience of working as a team and developing their confidence in sales.
‘ These are valuable business and enterprise skills and will be useful to them whether they choose to work for someone else or set up their own business,’ said Minister Pat Breen.
Peggy McGlynn of the Local Enterprise Office manages the Student Enterprise Programme in Louth. ‘We are thrilled with the Dunopoly team win. Student Enterprise in Louth is going from strength to strength. Numbers participating in the programme this year have increased by over 25%.’
She added: ‘We now have in excess of 1,000 students in 18 schools in Louth taking part. Dunopoly is a brilliant enterprise and we are delighted to celebrate their success.’
Louth celebrated on the double as local young entrepreneur Bláthnaid Murphy of Daisy’s Pawesome Bowties in Drogheda scooped first prize in the Junior Category.
‘ The competition was tough at the National finals,’ Peggy concluded ‘ but it is really wonderful to see so many superb young entrepreneurs being developed and supported in our secondary schools.’