PHOTOS: Great success for Portlaoise schools at Laois student enterprise award finals!

Following tough competition from nine Laois schools, two Portlaoise schools will represent the county in the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals.

For more pictures from Alf Harvey of the Laois finals, click NEXT or ARROW. More on the story below images.

Teenage entrepreneurs from St Mary`s CBS, Portlaoise and Scoil Chriost Ri, Portlaoise will represent Laois at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on Thursday May 7.

The students all took part in the Laois Final on March 10, which was held at the Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise.  Over 750 students from nine 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 2025 / 2026.

The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Finals.

In the Junior Category of the competition, Laois will be represented at the National Finals by Paddy Lynch & Tom McDonald from ‘I-CAN” at St Mary`s CBS.

In the Intermediate Category of the competition, Laois will be represented at the National Finals by Abbie Holmes & Emma White from “Solas Seunóga” at Scoil Chríost Rí.

In the Senior Category of the competition, Laois will be represented on May 7 by James Doody, Harry Ramsbottom & Alex Delaney from “DRD Balespikes” at St Mary`CBS.

Other notable winners included Daragh Lalor, Adam Hyland, Barry Conroy & Thomas Miller from “Hold My Boots” at St Mary`s CBS, who secured second place, and Kevin McCann, Ronan Cuddy, Cullen Hyland & Shane Rigney from “KRCS Engineering” from Clonaslee College, who took third place.

The following were the Special Merit Award winners.

1. Richelle Alexander, Jodie Komolafe, Sibusiso Mchemwa from Botharín at Scoil Chríost Rí.
2. Farrah Flanagan, Allie Lowry, Darragh Kelly from Acaiology at Mountrath Community School.
3. Ella Stapleton, Mairead Ryan, Lauren Campion from Cub Again at St Fergal`s College.
4. Eva Howson from Link & Loop at Scoil Chríost Rí.
5. Cara Phelan, Avril Phelan, Katie Wallace from Locker Goodies at Mountrath Community School.
6. Clodagh Delaney from Frame & Fame at Dunamase College.
7. Ava Scully, Bethany Dollard from Holly & Hooks at Mountmellick Community School.

Special guests at the Laois Final included Kelly Ging, Owner of Kelly Lou Cakes café and boutique bakery along with Cathaoirleach Barry Walsh and Laois County Council Chief Executive Michael Rainey.

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 the Mullingar Park Hotel on the 7th of May.

“We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Laois with over 750 students from 9 schools taking part this year," said Linda Meredith of Local Enterprise Office Laois (LEO Laois).

"Supporting entrepreneurship at a young age helps develop innovation, resilience and ambition in our communities. The Student Enterprise Programme has been a cornerstone of this effort, and we are delighted to see it continue to thrive here in Laois.

"Taking part in the programme requires commitment, teamwork and resilience, and every student who participated should be extremely proud of their achievements.  I extend our congratulations to the winners and wish them the very best of luck on the 7th of May," Ms Meredith finished.

Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available form www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.

For more photos of Laois students attending the event, click HERE.