Representing Tipp at enterprise finals

Students at St Joseph’s College Borrisoleigh are to represent Tipperary at Student Enterprise National Finals.

Two Second Year Entrepreneurs, Aoife Kennedy from Toomevara and Maeve Healion from Drom, will represent Tipperary in the Intermediate Category of the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on Friday May 14th.

Their product, Mo Mhadra dog treats, stemmed from the girls noticing that there were very often a long list of additives in the ingredients list of dog treats currently on the market. After extensive research they developed their own brand with ingredients that were full of health and nutritional benefits for their canine friends.

The girls are delighted to be part of one of the nineteen top teams in the country that have succeeded in making their way to the Intermediate category section of final which is being hosted by RTÉ’s Rick O’Shea with special guest on the day An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.

Other prizewinners from St Joseph’s College at the County finals judged by representatives from the Tipperary Local Enterprise Office included runner-up (Wishful Blaze) and third place (Wood Decorations) in the Junior Category, Best Pitch Award (Wood Decorations) while special merit awards went to TY group Canvas D for Best Business Plan and Sustainable Key Chains Company for Environmental and Sustainability Award.

St Joseph’s has a long tradition of encouraging Entrepreneurship and this year students under the guidance of their teachers, Mr Willie Ryan and Ms Deirdre Reddan, commenced their entrepreneurial journey in October when plans were put in place for the annual Christmas Market. Students were responsible for seeing a product through from Idea Development/Concept stage to full-scale production and launch which culminated in a very successful Covid-compliant Christmas Market.