Students from three Westmeath schools for national entrepreneurship final

Local Enterprise Office Westmeath have announced that teenage entrepreneurs from Our Lady’s Bower, St Joseph’s Secondary School and Moate Community School will represent Westmeath at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final on Thursday 7 May in the Mullingar Park Hotel.

The students all took part in the Westmeath final on 3 March at the Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone. TUS, who sponsored the prize of Most Enterprising School award on the day.

More than 800 students from 11 Westmeath secondary schools took part in the annual programme for 2025/2026.

The enterprise education initiative, funded by the government through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices, had more than 30,000 students from almost 500 secondary schools take part in 2025/2026.

The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, with the hope of reaching the national final.

Students representing Westmeath at national final

• Belle Ame, by Grace Pillian, Sheenagh Lawler and Niamh Henson, Moate Community School, will represent Westmeath at the national final in the junior category.

• Crochet Comforts, by Aine Dullea, St Joseph’s Secondary School, will represent Westmeath at the national final in the intermediate category.

• Green Yard, by Amy Reynolds, Hannah O’Connor and Ruby Duane, Our Lady’s Bower, will represent Westmeath at the national final in the senior category.

Other category award recipients 2025/2026

• Junior runne-up, Moate Community College, Timber Workshop, Luke Smith and James Loddick.

Intermediate runne-up, St Joseph’s Secondary School, PNKS Jewellery, Sorcha Mitchell, Katelynn Stewart, Phoebe Burbridge and Nikita Hensey.

• Senior runne-up, Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan, DRT, Ryan Smyth, Daniel Donaghy and Tyler Keogh.

• Best Display, Our Lady’s Bower, Bulder, Aoife Kane.

One To Watch Award, St Finian’s College, Ténoir, Ashley McCarthy, Nathan Walsh, Scott Sweeney and Adam Reynolds.

• Innovation Award, St Finian’s College, SoleMate, Aoibhinn Nolan, Ruby Higgins, Yves McCague and Hanorah Glennon.

• Most Enterprising, School The Bower, Athlone.

• Sustainability Award, Loreto College, H.O. Cleanse, Sarah Lynn.

• Student Choice Award, Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan, Heart Hug, Alicia Pohl.

• Entrepreneurial Student Award, Loreto College, Mullingar, Cartaí Chroí Jennifer McGlynn.

Special guests at the Westmeath final included An Cathaoirleach Cllr Aoife Davitt and Barry Kehoe, chief executive, Westmeath County Council.

Speaking at the county final, Christine Charlton, head of Enterprise at LEO Westmeath, congratulated the students: “Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the best of luck at the national finals in May, and we will be there to support them.

“The LEOs host this competition to encourage and support a culture of entrepreneurship and the students have demonstrated the spirit of entrepreneurship, and a commitment to innovating, to be the best at what you do, and that is what this competition is about.

“As you move on through school, college and wherever your path takes you, if you can carry these values with you, don’t underestimate the positive impact those skills will bring to everything you do.”

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 and by searching #studententerprise on social media.