Waterford Entrepreneur receives Seán Lemass Excellence Award

Cathal Daly of De la Salle Waterford, winner of the Senior category of the National Student Enterprise Awards earlier this year, received the Seán Lemass Awards for Excellence in Enterprise from An Taoiseach, Mr. Enda Kenny T.D. last week.

The annual Student Enterprise Awards, run by all 31 Local Enterprise Offices around the country, is the biggest student enterprise programme in Ireland, attracting 17,000 teenage entrepreneurs last year from over 370 secondary schools. Now in its 13^th year, well over 100,000 students have taken part over the years by setting up and running their own student enterprises in the classroom, with support from their Local Enterprise Office.  Further details around this year’s programme are available at www.studententerprise.ie.

The launch tool place at the Seán Lemass Awards for Excellence in Enterprise at the Department of Education and Skills in Dublin, where twelve award-winning studentswere presented with an award by An Taoiseach, Mr. Enda Kenny T.D. The Seán Lemass Awards are a joint initiative by the Local Enterprise Offices and the Professional Development Service for Teachers. 

Pictured: Stephen Walshe, Local Enterprise Offices, Cathal Daly of ‘‘Upright Cycle Stands’, Senior Category Winner of the 2014 Student Enterprise Awards from De la Salle College, Waterford City, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D. and Vincent Reynolds, Chair of Local Enterprise Office Network launching the 2014/2015 Student Enterprise Awards, organised by the Local Enterprise Offices.

De la Salle College succeeds at the Waterford City Student Enterprise Awards

Deputy Mayor of Waterford Cllr. Tom Cunningham recently presented the Waterford City Enterprise Board perpetual student enterprise trophy to Cathal Daly for his business, Upright Cycles.
   
The winning entry saw the from De la Salle College pupil founda business where he made hardwood cycle stands for bicycles.  The stand with clipless pedals holds the bicycle by the pedal so it does not touch the frame or rims of the bicycle. 

Cathal will now go on to represent Waterford City at the National Finals in Croke Park on April 2^nd.  

Mr. Bertie Rogers, Chair of Waterford City Enterprise Board, praised the teachers, judges and students for all their effort.  He said, “This programme is designed to prepare students for a possible future in Enterprise. As two thirds of students today will be self-employed at some stage in their lives, it is particularly relevant.  Given the quality of entries today the future looks bright for Enterprise in Waterford City”.

The Waterford City Student Enterprise Awards involves over 350 Waterford transition year students every year. It is part of a national competition.  Each year almost 15,000 students from all over Ireland get to find out what it’s really like to be their own boss and run their own business by taking part in the Student Enterprise Awards Programme.

Mr. Ciaran Cullen, Waterford City Enterprise Board CEO (Acting), praised the winning group itself.  “Whether it is student enterprise or SMEs, good ideas always shine. organisation and determination are very important but a good idea will always stand out and Cathal certainly had the idea, the organisation and the determination. We are delighted with this year’s city winner and are optimistic for the National Finals next month.” 

   

Other Waterford Student Enterprise winners included; 

2nd place: Pet Protects by Eimear Buggy, Aisling Fitzgerald, Laura Maher, Heather Doyle of Abbey Community College

3rd place: Banter Bars by Matthew Kelly, Lilly Rose Fitzmaurice and John Jephson of Newtown Secondary School.

Best Display: The Cake Shop by Sophie Lee of Newtown Secondary School

Best innovation: At Your Finger Tips by Sarah Hickey, Niamh Casey and Rebecca Mulhall of Mercy Convent Secondary School

Students’ Choice Award also went to Cathal Daly of De la Salle College

Waterford City Enterprise Board offers support services for start-up and existing SME’s in Waterford city. If you have a new business idea or are running a business that requires assistance you can contact the Enterprise Board by phoning Celia on 051-852883 or logging on to www.waterfordceb.com.