Teenager's hurley repair business wins top award in new Carrick-on-Suir enterprise contest

A 14-year-old student, who runs a hurley repair operation in the garage of his home, was awarded the Journey of an Idea Student Entrepreneurial Programme’s top prize at a ceremony in Carrick-on-Suir last Friday.

Danny Nugent, a second year student at Comeragh College, says he plans to spend the €2,000 prize money he won on purchasing a band saw and sanding belt for his business.

“I am buzzing, it’s just great,” said the Rathgormack teenager after he was announced the overall winner of the enterprise competition run by Explore Carrick-on-Suir in collaboration with Carrick-on-Suir’s secondary schools.

Danny along with more than 40 other students exhibited enterprises at The Journey of an Idea Programme final in the Carraig Hotel’s ballroom on May 16.

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This was first year of the youth entrepreneurship programme that boasts an annual prize fund of €5,000 for the next five-years.

The owners of each of the 22 enterprises in the final were visited at their stands and interviewed by the competition’s judges.

The judges were well-known economist Jim Power from Clonea-Power, AI and tech entrepreneur Geraldine Magnier, arts and culture coordinator Luke Currall and Tipperary County Council Student Enterprise Officer Tina Mulhearne.

Danny won the top award for “his smart, skilled approach to sports equipment repair and sustainability”.

He modestly confessed he didn’t expect to win at the start of the final but felt more confident after answering all the judges questions.

He set up his workshop last October. Players from Clonea, Portlaw and Slieverue GAA clubs come to him to get their hurleys repaired and bands fitted. He also gets a lot of business from students of local schools.

A €1,000 prize and certificate was presented to Comeragh College student Jodie Bourke who was joint second place in the competition for her jewellery. Pictures David Bjelac.

The joint second prize winners won €1,000 each. They were Jodie Bourke of Comeragh College who set up a jewellery business and Edmund Rice Secondary School students Shea Foley, Rivers Briscoe, Leon Foley and Eoin Ruan who founded, Traverse Carrick, an interactive app promoting local tourism and walking routes.

Edmund Rice Secondary School students Shea Foley, Rivers Brisoce, Leon Foley and Eoin Ruane receive their joint second place prize of €1,000 and certificate.

Two Comeragh College enterprises were joint third prize winners of €500 each. They were Declan Purvis’ graphic design business supporting local firms and and Kevin Jones and Craig Lonergan who set up a photography company.

Edmund Rice Secondary School students Shea Foley, Rivers Brisoce, Leon Foley and Eoin Ruane receive their joint second place prize of €1,000 and certificate.

Comeragh College student Ruby Behan received a Highly Commended certificate for Outstanding Effort for her Re-turn Bins Initiative to fundraise for Carrick-on-Suir River Rescue.

Comeragh College students Cody Heffernan and Jesse Ayo Vaughan also received a Highly Commended certificate for Exceptional Presentation for their Escape Room concept that combined education, entertainment and immersive learning.

Competition judge Jim Power found the task of selecting the winners incredibly difficult.

“The quality, passion, diversity of ideas and entrepreneurial spirit of the students was truly inspiring. The future of Ireland and Carrick-on-Suir is in safe hands if we have people like them,” he said.

Geraldine Magnier, Co-Founder of Idiro Analytics and Businesswoman of the Year 22/23, spoke at the ceremony about her Carrick-on-Suir roots. She encouraged students to follow their instincts and looked forward to learning from their generation and their ideas.

Comeragh College Principal Kevin Langton said he was delighted and proud of all the students from the school who entered projects in the competition and won awards. He praised the brilliant effort and enthusiasm the students put into their enterprises.

Commercial and Tourism Manager with Explore Carrick Sarah-Jane Cleary said The Journey of an Idea programme was more than about starting businesses. “It’s about giving our young people a voice, a platform, and the belief that their ideas can shape our town’s future.”

Carrick-on-Suir Tourism & Economic Development Committee Chairman Tony Musiol said what struck him from reading the entries was that teamwork, trying out ideas and overcoming adversity when they didn't work was a key learning experience from the contest. He quoted Beckett’s famous phrase: “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” to define the spirit of entrepreneurship.

He said the organisers will work at encouraging more girls to take part in the programme and noted that the first pharmacy owned and run by women operated not 50 yards from the hotel.

Comeragh College student Declan Purvis was joint third place winner for his graphic design service

This article and photos are also published on page 38 of this week's edition of The Nationalist newspaper now on sale in local shops.