Students from Castletroy College and Colaiste Nano Nagle were announced as top prize winners at Limerick Chamber’s Schools Competition, ‘Limerick Business through the Ages’, at the Limerick Institute of Technology today.
Organised as part of the 200th anniversary of Limerick Chamber, the competition invited business studies students from Limerick’s secondary schools to submit a project on a business or entrepreneur from any time over the past two centuries.
‘Limerick Business through the Ages’ was designed to encourage awareness of the changing business landscape in Limerick over the last 200 years and why businesses need to adapt and evolve.
More than 20 teams qualified for the final and presented their findings to a four person panel comprising representatives from the organisers, Limerick Chamber, and competition sponsors, Dell and LIT.
Grainne O’Mahoney, Charlotte Mullowney and Julia Banasiak from Castletroy College were overall winners of the Senior category for their project on Sir Thomas Cleeve. In the senior category, teams of business studies students were asked to choose an entrepreneur that operated in Limerick in the last 200 years and identify how they ran their business then and how they would run a similar type of business today and in the future.
Second prize was won by Gaelcolaiste Luimnigh for their work on Sir Peter Tait, while third prize was also won by a team from Gaelcolaiste Luimnigh for their project on Sir Thomas Cleeve. A special innovation award went to St Clements.
Four teams from Colaiste Nano Nagle dominated the junior category scooping all the awards.
Christine Franklin, Kaitlin McCarthy, Emma Kelly and Sumeika Khan took the overall prize for the junior category for their project on Mes Fleurs. Two other teams from Colaiste Nano Nagle were announced joint second place winners for theirs projects on Petmania and JJ Kenneally’s. A special innovation award went to a fourth team from the same school for their project on Limerick Sports School.
In the junior category students were asked to choose a business that operated in Limerick in the last 200 years and outline how it would have marketed its product or service then, now and some period over the next 200 years.
Limerick Chamber Vice-President Catherine Duffy paid tribute to the winners, praising their enthusiasm and hard work.
“It is wonderful to see the thought, preparation, fun and learning that went into all of the projects. The world of business is diverse, dynamic, exciting and rewarding. I think all our participants realise this now. This is the first time that Limerick Chamber has organised a competition like this and based on its success today we hope it won’t be our last,” she said.
She also thanked the teachers from schools across Limerick and the Business Studies Teachers Association of Ireland for their support of the competition.
The overall winners in each category were presented with two Dell 8” Android Tablets for their schools. The second and third-placed winners and the innovation prize winners each received a Dell 8” Android tablet.
Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan said that creativity and innovation were two of the core skills that we want students to develop while in school and the competition was a wonderful opportunity for students to hone their skills in this area while relating some of their learning from the curriculum to the real business world.
Dell Ireland’s Limerick Site Leader Timmy O’Dwyer said: “Dell is delighted to sponsor the competition and we welcome the emphasis it places on bringing to light the achievements of entrepreneurs over the last 200 years. Entrepreneurship is something we think a lot about at Dell – in fact, we have our own programme called Dell for Entrepreneurs which gives high potential tech start-ups the skills and resources they need to take their businesses to the next level. The high calibre of the entries received reflects the immense talent of the business studies students from the region, and we congratulate everyone who took part on their achievement.”
As hosts and supporters of the event, LIT President Dr Maria Hinfelaar, President, LIT, said the schools competition was a truly imaginative event which LIT was delighted to support.
” I saw some of their presentations and am very impressed with their work. They were clearly enjoying it and I think this competition definitely has potential to run again”, she said.
Winners of Junior Category
1st – Colaiste Nano Nagle – Project on Mes Fleurs
2nd – Colaiste Nano Nagle – project on Petmania
3rd – Colaiste Nano Nagle – project on JJ Kenneally’s
Innovation prize – Colaiste Nano Nagle – project on Limerick Sports Store
Winners of Senior Category
1st – Castletroy College – project on Sir Thomas Cleeve and Golden Vale
2nd – Gaelcolaiste Luimnigh – project on Sir Peter Tait
3rd – Gaelcolaiste Luimingh – project on Sir Thomas Cleeve
Innovation prize – St Clement’s – project on Sir Peter Tait
