TWO teams from Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair will compete in the National Final of Clár na gComhlachtaí, the competition for young entrepreneurs, which will be held at the Connemara Coast Hotel today.
The students are Oisín Ó Duibhir, Máirtín Mac Giolla Chomhaill, Katie Ní Fhearraigh and Eimear Nic Pháidín whose project Voltas involves lighting created from recycled materials.
The Crainn Cruthaitheach project team are Ella Nic Giolla Chomhaill, Hanna Nic Diarmada and Niamh Nic Pháidín.
Teams from the four Gaeltacht schools will be competing for the opportunity to participate in the Junior Achievement Europe Final which will take place in Istanbul, Turkey in July. The other two Gaeltahct schools are Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne from Kerrywith their projects Soláthróirí Spóirt and Firicí Fánacha.
Last year’s winners were Scoil Phobail Mhic Dara in Carna, Connemara, will be there and hoping they can win for a second year, with two competing projects, Cuimhní ag Fás and Anseo Anois.
The Mayo Gaeltacht entry, Nails by Ciara is the project of the team from Coláiste Pobail Acla.
Students Katie Ní Fhearraigh and Eimear Nic Pháidín from Pobalscoil Gaoth Dobhair whose project Voltas involves lighting created from recycled materials. Team members also include Oisín Ó Duibhir and Máirtín Mac Giolla Chomhaill.
Clár na gComhlachtaí is a joint venture between Údarás na Gaeltachta and Junior Achievement Ireland, which aims to give Gaeltacht second-level students some experience of the life of an entrepreneur.
According to the organisers there was fierce competition in the local rounds of the competition and the Gaeltacht Transition Year students running these seven mini-companies are now competing for a place in the European championship.
“Although the competition will take place on Thursday, an exciting programme has been laid out for the participants over two days. On Wednesday they will visit the University of Galway, where they will meet the President of the University, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh. They will have the opportunity to display their own projects and meet students involved in innovation at the university. The Gaeltacht teenagers will also receive information and guidance on the range of courses at the University of Galway which are related to the Irish language or conducted through Irish,” the spokesperson said.
Before the competition, the young entrepreneurs will have a training session with the marketing company Lorg Media, who will give them guidance as to the best way to present their ideas and business proposals.
Údarás na Gaeltachta’s Director of Enterprise, Employment and Property, Dearbháil Ní Chualáin, said: “This is a great opportunity for the young people to come together and present their business ideas to each other and to the wider community; we at Údarás na Gaeltachta are delighted to be able to assist them. However, we see this competition in a wider educational context, and we consider the time they will spend in the University of Galway during this visit as very important in this regard. I am sure that the lessons the young people learn during these two days will remain with them throughout their education and later on, when they themselves will be joining the world of work. “
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