1,795 students from 22 schools take part in enterprise initiative

Local Enterprise Office South Dublin have announced the teenage entrepreneurs from the South Dublin area who will represent South Dublin at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on Thursday, May 7.

The students all took part in the County Final on March 6, which was held at the Maldron Hotel, Tallaght. An estimated 1,800 students from 22 schools from around the County, took part in this year’s programme.

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 28,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2024 / 2025.

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 South Dublin at the National Finals are Mini Keys, Lucan Community College.

In the Intermediate Category, Dubai Chocolate, Lucan Community College will be representing the county at the Finals.

In the Senior Category of the competition, South Dublin will be represented by Adhesia from Adamstown Community College.

Other winners on the day were for Sales and Marketing: Pick Point from St. Colmcille’s Secondary School,  the Social Media Winner was Water Buddy from St. Colmcille’s Secondary School,  the Innovation Award Winner went to Dyslexic Lens from St. Joseph’s School, Lucan, and the Best Display Winner went to Compact Crown from Old Bawn Community School, Tallaght.

The Sustainability Award went to Peco Electronics from Rockbrook Park, Rathfarnham, the Endeavour Award went to the Rehurled from Coláiste Éanna, Rathfarnham, and the One To Watch Award went to Nutri Track from Coláiste Bríde, Clondalkin.

The Most Enterprising School of the Year Award went to Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh and the Enterprising Teacher of the Year went to Marian Freeman from Lucan Community School.

Speaking at the county final, Peter Connolly of Local Enterprise Office South Dublin congratulated the students, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in South Dublin County with over 1,795 students from 22 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 Thursday 7th May, 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”.

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 the Mullingar Park Hotel, Co Westmeath on Thursday May 7.

Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 350,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business.  The Student Enterprise Programme also has new range of online resources for 2025 / 2026 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.

Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie