Students from two schools win Gaeltacht Regional Entrepreneurial Awards
TRANSITION year students from Coláiste Pobail, Acla, and Coláiste Bhreandáin Naofa, Béal an Mhuirthead, will represent the Mayo Gaeltacht area having scooped the Údarás na Gaeltachta Clár na gComhlachtaí regional final this week.
The two emerging enterprises - Cluiche Bord an Atlantaigh, founded by students from Coláiste Pobail Acla, and Cró Buataisí P&M, founded by students from Coláiste Bhreandáin Naofa - took joint honours at the Mayo regional final and will now go to the national final of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Clár na gComhlachtaí in Galway on April 2 and 3.
Cluiche Bord an Atlantaigh is an educational board game based on the Wild Atlantic Way, while Cró Buataisí P&M is a a storage solution for boots.
The Údarás na Gaeltachta Clár na gComhlachtaí programme is a hands-on business learning experience developed and delivered by Údarás in partnership with Junior Achievement Ireland (JAI) and is taught by business volunteers through the Irish language to students in Gaeltacht regions.
Transition year students from the Mayo Gaeltacht challenged themselves to create, operate and manage their very own business. The programme provided students with numerous opportunities for the development and reinforcement of important business, academic and leadership skills, which will be invaluable to them in the future.
The task of selecting the winning projects was left to judges Pamela Ni Thaidhg, Údarás na Gaeltachta, and Claire Nic Oireachtaigh, Coláiste Uisce, were thoroughly impressed with the innovative products and services on display and the entrepreneurial skills which were evident in all the teams.
Awards were also presented for innovation and for sales and marketing, with the Croch d’Eochair team from Gaelcholáiste Chomáin scooping the innovation award and the Namez in Framez team from Coláiste Pobail Acla winning the sales and marketing award.
Pádraig Ó Conghaile, regional manager, Údarás na Gaeltachta, commented: “It is great to see the Clár na gComhlachtaí Programme going from strength to strength in the Mayo Gaeltacht. The programme plays an important role in Údarás na Gaeltachta’s aim to inspire future Gaeltacht entrepreneurs and business leaders.
“Congratulations to all the students involved and best of luck to the two winning teams at the national final.”
The two winning teams will join other regional final winners from Galway, Donegal and Kerry in the national final next month.