Local Enterprise Office Donegal has announced that students from Loreto Convent Letterkenny and St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar will represent Donegal at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on Thursday, 8th May 2025 in Mullingar.
Students from schools across Donegal took part in the County Final which was held at the Silver Tassie Hotel, Letterkenny. Almost 600 students from 12 schools took part in the annual programme locally.
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 30,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in the latest programme.
The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Finals.
The winner of the Senior Category of this year’s County Final of the Student Enterprise Programme was Deborah Diaz of Loreto Convent Letterkenny, with her business, Deborah’s Customised Gifts. Deborah will now go on to represent Donegal in the National Finals in Mullingar on Thursday 8th May. Second in the Senior Category was Bradley Boyle and Cormac Crossan of St Eunan’s Letterkenny, with their business Donegal Student Discount Card. Third in the Senior category of the competition were Áine Gallagher, Mia Daly, Alicia Kelly, and Ava Dunleavy from Loreto Convent Letterkenny for their business Tote Bag Boutique. Fourth was Willow Doherty-Falls of St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar, for her business Poppy’s Patisserie.
In the Junior Category, the winning students were, Sophie Coulter and Cara Coulter from St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar with their business Reading Angels.
The winner of the Intermediate Category was Loreto Convent Letterkenny student Darcie Boyle with her business Birdy By D.
In the Spirit of Entrepreneurship category, the winners were Adam Byrne and Adam Doherty of St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar with their business Target Sports Grip Socks.
Best Display went to Daithi Molloy, Muireann O’Sullivan, Ellie Bonner, and Ruben Doherty from Rosses Community School for their business Gúna Gals.
The Digital Award went to Tiernan Robinson, Stephen Carey, Killian Hirrell, and Thomas Newman from Scoil Mhuire Buncrana for their business Side Quests.
The Green Award went to students Tristan Dowd, Alannah Graham, Ruth Murray, Callum O Donnell, and Evie Cullinan from Abbey Vocational School for their business Abbey Balm.
The Innovation Award went to Errigal College students Francine Laica Dela, Rosa Abiera, and Sabrina Wenyekoyi for their business SAF Florists.
Best Business Plan went to Lisa Wilson, Rebecca Alcorn, Lydia Middleton, and Jemma Meehan from the Royal and Prior for their business Wick and Willow.
Also from the Royal and Prior, students Keren McKean, Ava Rogers, and Rachel-Ann Eaton won the Best Commercial Potential Category for their business ARK Designs.
The Best Team Award went to Lilly Flynn, Aria McGlinchey, and Erin McKinney from St. Columba’s College, Stranorlar for their business Frames 4 U.
Special guests at the Donegal County Final included Cathaoirleach of Letterkenny & Milford Municipal Cllr. Gerry McMonagle and judges Nicola McLaughlin of Sequin Cinderella, Shannon Porter of The Milk Bar and Martin O’Reilly of O’Reilly Sports.
Speaking at the county final, Brenda Hegarty, Head of Enterprise at Local Enterprise Office Donegal congratulated the students, saying: “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Donegal, with close to 600 students from 12 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 the 8th May. 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 in Mullingar on the 8th May.
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. Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.
The Digital Award went to students from Scoil Mhuire Buncrana, (L to R) Stephen Carey, Thomas Newman, Tiernan Robinson, Killian Hirrell, for their business – Side Quests, at the Student Enterprise Programme in the Silver Tassie. Photo by Joe Dunne 12/03/25
Best Business Plan went to Royal & Prior students (L to R), Lydia Middleton, Jemma Meehan, Lisa Wilson and Rebecca Alcorn. They won for their business Wick and Willow, at the Student Enterprise Programme in the Silver Tassie. Photo by Joe Dunne 12/03/25
The Best Team Award went to (L to R) Lilly Flynn, Erin McKinney, and Aria McGlinchey from St. Columbas College, Stranorlar, for their business Frames 4 U. at the Student Enterprise Programme in the Silver Tassie. Photo by Joe Dunne 12/03/25
The Best Team Award went to (L to R) Erin McKinney, Lilly Flynn and Aria McGlinchey from St. Columbas College, Stranorlar, for their business Frames 4 U. at the Student Enterprise Programme in the Silver Tassie. Photo by Joe Dunne 12/03/25
The 2nd in the Senior category were Bradley Boyle and Cormac Crossan, from St Eunans Letterkenny for their business Donegal Student Discount Card, at the Student Enterprise Programme in the Silver Tassie. They attended alongside their teacher Rachael McShane (L). Photo by Joe Dunne 12/03/25
