First Year Students Rian O’Keffee, Oran Bourke, Séan Lacey & Luke Hackett raised over €30, 000 for the Dillon Quirke Foundation. The money was donated by the boys to Dillon’s parents Mr Dan and Hazel Quirke at a presentation in the school. The foundation aims to create an awareness of SADS(Sudden Adult Death Syndrome) and raise money to assist with the screening of GAA players over the age of 12 both male and female.
The students created a customised jersey decoration for the Christmas market in school under the business name “Ard-Forieann”. Ms Harrahill, the Business teacher and parishioner of Rossmore, challenged the boys to create a social enterprise and fundraise for the Dillon Quirke Foundation. Over the Christmas period a Clonoulty/ Rossmore club jersey was produced and sold in local shops. The business has grown from strength to strength. In only three months they have expanded the business to include car pendants and bag accessories and are also designing and producing a county jersey, as Dillon also played county hurling, mostly playing wing back wearing the No 5 Jersey.
It was indeed a whole school community venture. A big thank you to all the teachers, secretaries, and auxilary staff who worked tirelessly to aid the boys to meet customer demands. In particular Ms. Harrahill, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Ryan, Mr. O’Brien, Mr. Dwan, Ms Maher & Ms. Kirwan who were responsible for supporting the boys in producing, packaging and labelling the finished products.
A special thanks to our local sponsors for their generosity in supporting this worthy cause. To MNTS Signage who produced and sponsored the stickers and Ken Costello from Ronayne’s Hire and Hardware for generously agreeing to donate MDF and assisting in the cutting out of some of the raw materials. To Stakelums Office Supplies, who supplied us with bags for packaging and Perfect 32, Ciaran Dunne, who also sponsored our business stickers, Ursuline Secondary School for assisting with laser cutting and CM Signage for sponsoring our pull up banner. A special thanks to the local businesses for selling the jerseys and to the staff in Semple Stadium for allowing us to sell outside the stadium at league matches. Acknowledgements also to the parents of the First-Year boys for their support and assistance with sales and to Andrea and Ava May Ryan for their support and hard work over the past three months ensuring the products were ready for the sales events at matches.
Ard – Foireann was awarded a Special Merit & AIB Entrepreneurial Award at the Student Enterprise County Final held in TUS Thurles. Mr Creedon, the School Principal, congratulated the students on their success at the County Final Enterprise Awards and commended them on their commitment to this worthy cause. More details of their business can be found on Instagram @Ard-Foireann.